The Berkshire Local Schools were recently informed of its recognition as an Ohio Cat Tier 1 School, entering an exclusive partnership with Ohio Cat, that includes only 15 schools in a tri-state area...
Ohio Cat Partnership
The Berkshire Local Schools were recently informed of its recognition as an Ohio Cat Tier 1 School, entering an exclusive partnership with Ohio Cat, that includes only 15 schools in a tri-state area. With the Tier 1 recognition, Berkshire High School students will have the opportunity to become exposed to co-op and internship opportunities, project-based learning support to its schools, access to the Ohio Cat curriculum and online materials at no cost, one engagement with their team per quarter, swag, sponsorships and more.
Ohio Cat, in a recent correspondence with the Berkshire Schools, shared that they “were impressed by both your engagement with Ohio Cat as a partner and your commitment to your students.”
Competing against school districts from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Berkshire’s elevation to the Tier 1 schools gives students a top-of-the-line career readiness opportunity, aligned with its efforts over the last several years to prepare students with life skills, critical thinking and problem-solving application of the most rigorous type.
STEAM Night to Remember
Berkshire Middle School recently hosted an unforgettable evening of fun, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) based activities titled S.T.E.A.M. Night to Remember and Science Olympiad competitions. Families, staff, board members, and community members filled the gymnasium to experience the impressive display of student learning.
Attendees had the opportunity to view independent science projects from talented sixth-grade students, meet members of the middle school S.T.E.A.M. Club, and interact with scientists from Ohio Natural Energy. Additional activities included a mock crime scene created by sixth-grade students, an exploration of the constellations and planets in the Geauga Park District’s Solar System Dome and a series of exciting experiments performed by science teacher Mrs. Maske and students.
The engaging and interactive experience brought together the entire school community and spotlighted the project-based learning in the Berkshire Local Schools.
Medieval China Exploration
The seventh-graders in Mrs. Bartosic’s world studies class enhanced their study of medieval China with a Chinese Invention Shark Tank project based on the hit TV show “Shark Tank.”
The students first researched medieval inventions such as gunpowder, the magnetic compass, dragon backbone pump, movable type, paper money, and porcelain. They watched video clips of “Shark Tank” and wrote scripts designed to pitch their inventions to the “Sharks.”
Each group created a prototype of their product. Finally, the students presented their inventions to the Sharks and bargained investment deals with them. Fortunately, each group was able to reach a deal for an investment from the Sharks in exchange for money to sell their inventions throughout China and along the Silk Road.
