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 * Rensizzl****e Enrichment Week 2011**: Monday-Friday, March 28-April 1

//Wednesday, March 2nd - HS Town Hall Meeting//
Students will get the list of Rensizzle Clusters and will sign up for their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices.

=PROPOSED CLUSTERS - With Cluster Leaders=
 * Legacy of Colonialism in Latin America: Food, Dance and Literature - Girelle Guzman, Carol Gersmehl
 * Cycling in New York City - Janna Ostroff & Victor Motta
 * Alternative Sports (Rugby) - Dan Fanelli
 * Horror Film Festival - Helen Zumaeta
 * Happiness - Sandra Fritz
 * Animation - Robert Evangelista
 * Latino American Dance - Martha Bolivar & LisJane Gaviria
 * Hip-Hop Workshop with the Live Band - Jose Mane
 * Music Production - Everett Boyd
 * Spring Drama Production 2011 - Rebekah Slotnick & Curtis Anderson
 * How Culture is Shaped by Cinema - Thandi Guimaraes & Pat O'Donohue
 * HS Video Games - Liz Perez
 * Movie Production - Ram Buenaventura
 * Exploring Muslim Culture - Stacey Gauthier
 * Tibet: Past, Present and Future - ET
 * Guide to NYC Museums - Izabella Abramova
 * MS Culinary Arts - Miyo Tubridy

=CLUSTERS WITHOUT LEADERS - (Contact Rebekah O. if you are interested in leading):﻿= =﻿=
 * Sports Variety //(Students will learn leadership skills in sports; students will learn to use teamwork in sports; students will be able to use new skills in a variety of sports.//
 * Sports Photography //(Combining photography and sport to learn essential skills about both.)//
 * Soccer Program //(Combining photography and sport to learn essential skills about both.)//
 * Fashion
 * Applying the Scientific Method to Cultural Differences in our Community
 * MS Video Games //(Learn history of video games, play video games, learn how video games effect people.)//
 * Creative Cooking of the World //(Italian, Greek, Dominican cooking skills and recipes)//
 * Baking/Culinary Arts //(New skills in baking; new skills in cooking; new knowledge of different cultures.)//

This year, we are planning on having the best and most successful Rensizzle Week ever. We will be continue our success in expanding the program by again including our middle school students, for a Rensizzle program open to grades 7-12. The key elements of this year's program will be:
 * Rensizzle Enrichment Week ** **March 28-April 1, 2011**

**1) Planning and Curriculum**: Each cluster is required to have a curriculum and timeline developed **by the students** with the support of the cluster leaders. These curricula will be posted on each cluster's wiki, which will be the repository for texts, images, photos, video and audio documenting each cluster's experiences.

**2) Supports, Enrichment Grants and Website Awards:** We have many partnerships, parents and others that may be available to us during Rensizzle Week, to help develop a strong cluster. Ask early for what your group may need.

**3) Renaissance is a K-12 School.** We will aim to share the Rensizzle experience with our K-6 students through an targeted, enriched week including outside partners, enriched programs including HS and MS students working with elementary classes and a stronger coverage schedule for missing arts, language and PE classes.


 * Some Thoughts on How to Plan A Successful Rensizzle Cluster: **

Rensizzle Enrichment Week is a chance for our students and staff to pursue a specific, extended educational experience for a full school week. It is based in the theories of experiential education: many students learn best by //doing things//, not just studying them. If you have never participated in Rensizzle Enrichment Week before, or are working with a new cluster, this guide is for you. It is written for both students and teachers, as Rensizzle Enrichment Week is designed to give students a strong voice in their own education. If you have any questions or would like to expand this document, I intend to post this document on our 2011 Rensizzle wiki-site soon.

1) **Identify the main goal of your group before you start.** Historically, groups with a specific goal ahead of time have been very successful. Decide ahead of time what kinds of learning experiences you would like to have, which people you’d like to meet, places you’d like to visit, and what your presentation might consist of. When you have these goals in advance, they will help you plan ahead.

2) **Plan ahead!!** Especially when you have a trip lined up or a guest speaker, make sure you a prepared. Complete all the required paperwork and get permissions so that all students can participate. Do not be afraid of assigning yourself/cluster “homework” to prepare for your week and trips. The more you have prepared, communicated and planned, the more successful you will be in accomplishing your goals. This is especially important for our shortened Rensizzle: there are only 4 full programming days, since most of Friday will be devoted to presentations and sharing.

3) **Work together as students and teachers.** Students have so many strengths and they know what makes them want to learn. Teachers are trained to be able to accomplish and create meaningful learning experiences. Together, you can create an incredible cluster that is both fun and educational. Do not be afraid to debate or have conversations about why something should or shouldn’t happen.

4) **Request support when you need it.** Rebekah Oakes is the main contact person (roakes@renaissancecharter.org) for Rensizzle, but you should feel free to use resources and individuals in the school to accomplish your goals. Outside folks can also help you accomplish your goals, whether they serve as guest speakers, chaperones, resource providers or consultants.

5) **Make it creative, educational and fun.** This is a once-a-year opportunity. Make the best of it by tapping your creative energies and making an incredible learning experience. Take advantage of the rich cultural and educational nature of NYC and go out into the five boroughs. Bring in great speakers or practitioners to share their knowledge. Build projects! Push each other to do your best! Collaborate! Be ambitious!

6) **Document it from the beginning.** Take pictures, videos, collect artifacts, and write about your planning as well as your experiences. That will make your wiki-page and presentation a piece of cake!