The Bionic Project Returns to Teach Third-Graders About Disabilites
The Bionic Project returned to the Upper School campus this week to teach third-graders about life with a physical disability. The local organization is a non-profit founded in 2018 by a former Shady Hill School teacher, and its mission is to foster a more inclusive world through education, story, and sport.
Educators Nico Calabria and Sydney Coblentz launched the day with an assembly about messages in the media and person-first language around disabilities. Then, students engaged in a hands-on seminar on designing an ADA-compliant classroom based on their knowledge from class and with help from the Bionic facilitators. After the classroom sessions, students got the opportunity to join the team in a game of amputee soccer, using the crutches athletes use to play the sport.
This visit is a part of a larger third-grade unit on learning about differences. Throughout the spring semester, students engaged with experiences and speakers, such as a paralympian, to learn and reflect. At the end of the year, students will create a final project.
Thank you to the Bionic Project for visiting BB&N to share your experiences and enhance learning through giving students hands-on experience.
