In HBS Tres Cantos we aim for a Secondary Education guided by a constructive methodology, in order to teach and educate free, independent, critical people with a solid, whole schooling that allows them to face the challenges of a global world.
Therefore, a ‘deductive’ methodology is favoured in the school, in which the student is the protagonist. Project-based learning (PBL), Flipped Classroom, teamwork (with collaborative and cooperative techniques), mobile learning, challenge-based learning (CBL) and experimental learning are all applied on the whole curriculum and on all the subjects, helping the student achieve the main competences while considering his or her individuality and context.
“Space movie” in an interdisciplinary project. Following PBL, it’s the result of the collaboration of students of Science, Arts, Technologies, Maths and English. It includes concepts such as constellations, electric power, modelling, proportions, crafts, woodwork, scripting and storyboard (both in English) and video editing. Students have to make their own short movie –up to two minutes long– by using the ‘stop-motion’ technique. The movie must feature a constellation the students have previously studied about, shining due to the electric circuit under the wooden panel. Characters and objects from the movie are made with putty and the illusion of movement is achieved by playing in succession the takes recorded with an iPad, using the ‘stop-motion’ technique.
“Tunnel of terror”, an interdisciplinary project, featured during Halloween and following PBL. Arts, technologies and English are involved. Students work on different concepts about the stages of the technological process, use of colours and materials. A hallway is decorated with Halloween-related themes (a cemetery, a slaughterhouse, Hell…) and props are created in order to fashion an appropriate atmosphere (caskets, tombstones, ghosts, butchering tools, bats, spider webs, etc.).
Highlighted projects in Technologies:
- “Create your own videogame” computer software Scratch is used for the students to work on programming language and block programming.
- “Electrical installation” following PBL, the students build the miniature of a building that includes an electrical installation, a differential box and even power bills based on calculations and actual consumption.
- “Redecorate”: following PBL, students have to think on how to decorate the Technologies room using recycled materials. Students work on concepts such as technological progress, different materials and the recycling process.
- “Can you improve the school’s equipment through automatisms and robotics?”. Throughout the process, computing, Internet, computer design, pneumatics, hydraulics, robotics and electronic concepts are used.
Highlighted projects in Maths:
- Flipped playground: geometry in the school playground.
- “Software and mathematics”: this projects’ goal is to use ICT tools and to promote independent work. Algebra is worked with Wiris, geometry with Geogebra, analysis with Graph and statistics with Excel.
- “The Poll”: a transversal project on statistics, with Maths and English collaborating.
Highlighted projects in Biology and Geology, taught in English:
- Taxonomy – Dichotomous key: observing different animal and vegetal organisms, the students elaborate a dichotomous key to classify them.
- Analyze your diet: students have to analyze the food they ingest by using a program. The activity consists on analyzing the energy percentages associated to the Mediterranean diet and their own diet.
- Extracurricular projects: voluntary students participate in two external contests by developing projects and scientific experiences.
Highlighted projects in Spanish:
- ‘Tinta Fresca’ newspaper.
- Conference cycle.
- ‘Young minstrels’, a recital of poetry.
- ‘The power of argumentation’, a school of debate.
- Literary symposium.
- Analysis of television today.
- Learning on how to conduct research.
- Creating.
- Short tales contest for Halloween.
- Theatre troupe.
- Peer-tutoring.
Highlighted projects in History:
- Projects with Augmented Reality (AR).
- Helping Students (prevention of bullying between peers).
- Creation of educational materials.
- Timeline (transversal project between various ESO groups).
- Creation of History-themed board games.
Hightlighted inEnglish – a project is conducted every term:
- Create a holiday blog to promote a city as a top holiday destination.
- Predict a breakthrough invention & explain how to use it.
- Create a comic about a crime or natural disaster.
- Create a factfile about an important date in the UK.
- Investigate a famous crime.
- Create a tourist information leaflet.
- Create a website which portrays the account of a decade and present it in class.
- Create a touristic brochure and present it in class.
- A famous historical character relevant in the history.
- Cities, places and lifestyles.
- Singing Peace.
- Natural wonders of the world.
Highlighted in French:
- Virtual dictionary.
- Theatre.
- Ce héros.
- Un entretien avec une célébrité.
- Kahoot.
Highlighted in German:
- My dictionary.
- Kitchen book.
- Tangled.
- Gymkana.
- News report.
- Three countries.
Highlighted in Chinese:
- Chinatown
- A game for Primary students about contemporary Chinese art, using QR codes
Highlighted in Science, taught in English, at the end of every term:
- Research projects at the end of the term. some mysteries are laid for the students to solve, so they feel motivated to research and compelled to work on their oral skills when explaining them.
- Quality of water and field notebook: during a trip to the mountain of La Pedriza, the students analyze the quality of the water, understand the landscape, and study the weather, flora, fauna and ecosystem of the mountain.
- Renewable sources: After studying an area of the Spanish geography, students organize in groups following different roles (an activist for the environment, the Government, business owners…) and defend the various used of energy in that area.
Highlighted in Education for Citizenship:
- Elections in HBS: after creating their own political parties, students have to elaborate a series of measures and defend them in debates.
Highlighted in Physical Education:
- Acro-Sport (sport and acrobatics) and Gymnastics are practiced throughout the ESO. The final product in both of them is the elaboration of choreographies, following a structure that becomes harder and more difficult with every year.