Our School

Our Cutting-Edge Community Reimagines Learning

Gibson Ek is a choice high school offering an innovative educational model open to any Issaquah School District student looking for a more personalized, authentic, project-based approach to learning. We are a community of creators, thinkers, makers, artists, engineers, thespians, writers, scientists, marketers, designers, collaborators, friends, mentors and advocates – all reimagining learning together as we create a place where students find and develop their passions to make a difference in the world.

Real-World Learning

Rather than taking conventional classes for letter grades, Gibson Ek students learn through self-directed and guided projects, incorporating core academic content along the way. Certificated staff support and evaluate work through a set of core competencies focused on mastery-based learning. Two days a week, students intern with regional businesses and organizations to explore career interests and develop authentic project work with a working professional.

Design Thinking

Our complex and dynamic world needs people who can take initiative, think critically, persevere through failures, and collaborate in diverse communities. For this reason, we use Stanford University’s “design thinking” model as a framework for student projects.

Diverse Goals

Students apply in eighth grade for fall admission. Our student body of about 200 reflects a wide diversity of goals, with graduates attending selective colleges; training for careers in the trades, technology or the arts; or going straight to work in the community.

Model of Excellence

We are …

a leading innovator in the worldwide Big Picture Learning network of schools, tapped to lead professional development in our region around our cutting-edge model
a key member of the national Mastery Transcript Consortium, helping to pilot the portfolio-based, narrative transcript portal now commonly used by universities to evaluate applicants from project-based schools worldwide
nominated by both BPL and MTC to The Canopy Project’s national database of “innovative learning environments”
a paradigm in Washington state for reimagining learning, highlighted as a model school for new graduation pathway options as well as a new Innovative Leaning Pilot program
a frequent host of regional, national and international visitors (nearly 100 in 2022-23 alone) seeking a first-hand look at our model

GIBSON EK: Find Your Passion. Find Your Purpose. Make a Difference.

Our Vision

Students make a difference in our world, positively contributing to their communities and living lives of their own design.

Our Mission

We personalize learning for each student, guiding them as they engage in authentic project work in order to find and develop their passions and purpose to make a difference in the world.

Our Core Values

Commitment to a Personal Vision: Students and staff leverage their interests, strengths and talents to set meaningful, challenging and realistic goals, and they pursue these goals through failures and successes.

Authentic New Learning: Students and staff pursue learning that is real, personal and lasting, taking risks in a variety of settings while they acquire in-depth knowledge.

Application and Influence in the World: Students and staff are positive influences on their peers, school and community. They develop supportive relationships to solve problems and make contributions to the world.

Mastery-Based Learning: Students are prepared to thrive in college, career and life. Mastery learning is deep and enduring learning that can be applied across context and time for meaningful impact. Students gain the enduring knowledge, lifelong skills, and critical dispositions to succeed on a path of their choosing.

What is Gibson Ek? (Videos & Guides)

What is Gibson Ek? (Videos & Guides)

In 2021, staff created these short videos on important Gibson Ek concepts. But don't miss these resources:

Gibson Ek Handbook

Capstone Handbook

Reviews our important Capstone Project for 301s and 401s.

Transcript Guide

Reviews our Mastery Transcript system.

Statement of Community

Students and staff of Gibson Ek believe the best learning happens in an environment that values

Inclusion: We support each other through kindness and understanding, creating an inclusive environment that respects individual identities and differences.

Perseverance: We find inspiration to pursue our interests and lead our own learning by staying focused, working hard, and learning from our failures and challenges.

Collaboration: We collaborate and engage in conversations by listening to each other, suspending judgment, and encouraging others to share their ideas. We ask for help when needed and offer to help others.

Respect: We value others’ work and take care of all of our materials, tools, and equipment. We clean up and reset the spaces when we’re done.

Community: We create an environment that values and celebrates personalized learning by respecting the needs of those around us.

Commitment to Equity

Gibson Ek staff acknowledge systemic racism exists and are committed to ending these practices as we examine our own structures, institutions and practices. We are committed to doing all we can to support students who experience racism either overtly or implicitly. This year we commit to forming a student and staff equity team that is committed to learning better, teaching better, loving better and fighting better.

Big Picture Learning

We are not only members of the Gibson Ek High School community, but GEHS is part of the Big Picture Learning network of schools.

BPL was established in 1995 with the sole mission of putting students directly at the center of their own learning. Today there are over 65 Big Picture network schools in the United States, and many more schools around the world in places such as Australia, the Netherlands, Italy and Canada. While the design of each network school uniquely fits its own students, the rationale for student-centered learning is consistent: when you learn about what you’re interested in, you learn more deeply; when you connect with experts and do work in the real world, you become better prepared for life after school; when you’re deeply known by multiple adults, you have better outcomes.

To this end, Big Picture network schools, including Gibson Ek, are committed to achieving these purposes through an advisory model; Leaving to Learn program; and inquiry-based, project-based learning.

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Our Model

Project-Based Learning & Design Thinking

Central to the Gibson Ek experience is the idea that students act as agents in their own learning. Starting with their interests, needs, challenges, goals and opportunities, students determine what they need to learn and how they will learn it. Learning is personalized, so project-based learning, rather than teacher-directed units and assignments, is the primary way students engage in challenging work.

Personalized Learning & Projects

The Vision and Goals of a student’s Learning Plan drive the student’s projects for the learning cycle. Working closely with their advisors, students define an inquiry and develop knowledge and skills to move that inquiry to action. Advisors help students plan and manage projects as well as identify resources that will aid them in deepening their understandings. Projects might be individually executed, or done in collaboration with other students or community members. Students pursue projects at school, at home and at internships. As students complete work, they share it with their advisor for feedback and assessment.

Design Thinking

Project-based learning is what we do, and Design Thinking is how we do it. Design thinking is a framework for moving through knowledge, challenges and inquiries in a way that asks students to deeply understand something through multiple perspectives, identify a specific need, and work to create a solution to meet that need. Design thinking is active learning.

As students question, investigate and collaborate, they move through phases of the design thinking process. Gibson Ek’s work is adapted from the work done at Stanford University’s d.school, and uses the following conceptual framework.

Empathize: understand a challenge and the people affected by it through interviews, observations, experiences and research
Define: use the understanding gained in building empathy to define the problem that needs solving
Ideate: brainstorm, sketch, draft, model
Prototype: experiment with multiple iterations
Test: use the prototype with an audience, get feedback, and make revisions
Evaluate and Reflect: consider the effectiveness of the design and what was learned through the process

Senior Institute

301 and 401 students complete a senior project that identifies a real-world need and then designs and implements a response to that need. Students identify and deeply research this need during their 301 year. By the end of that year they have deeply researched the need, clearly defined the challenge they will tackle, identified a professional partner in the field, and designed a project. During the 401 year students prototype, test, revise and implement their designs. Their work is supported by ongoing workshops during Senior Institute Grade Level teams.

Exploration

Exploration is student-directed time to work independently, meet with a team for project work, participate in a club (such as ASB), learn from a visiting community member, pursue health and wellness (basketball, running, yoga, etc.), meet individually with an advisor, receive tutoring, or take advantage of other opportunities as they arise. Every week there are learning opportunities for students. Some of these opportunities are ongoing commitments (e.g., Student Media, ASB) and some are short-term opportunities to learn a new skill (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop), develop a current skill (Writing Workshop, Science Labs) or hear from guest speakers.

Offerings

Gibson Ek learning is personalized, but students have a variety of more structured opportunities as they work to become increasingly independent and collaborative learners. In addition to self-directed learning and the learning done at internships, through advisory and during content time, students have offerings (or labs/workshops) each day.

Design Labs (D-Labs)

D-Labs are collaborative inquiries that take place over the course of six weeks. Students work in small teams to build a deep understanding of a complex, interdisciplinary, real-world challenge, and then use design thinking to address that challenge. The process requires primary and secondary research, community engagement, professional communication and other skills. The ultimate goal of a Design Lab is applying deep learning in real-world situations.

Examples of Design Labs include designing water filtration systems for Issaquah Creek; adapting toys for children with physical limitations; writing graphic novels for marginalized audiences; creating adapted environments for life on Mars.

Core Foundations

Core Foundations are short courses that focus on developing a skill or deepening knowledge of a topic for future, more complex work. They may also be a place to support larger projects, such as the Capstone project. Examples of Core Foundations include a seminar on First Amendment rights; how to use Adobe Lightroom; producing a podcast; physics of flight; field trip to a local museum; or a writing workshop.

[From our Student Handbook]

Advisory

Advisory is the heart of Gibson Ek’s community. Students stay in the same advisory all four years, and create a place where everyone is welcome to create, share, struggle and achieve. A student’s advisor evaluates learning, assists in goal setting and project planning, and monitors a student’s internship. Advisory peers provide each other with encouragement, accountability, partnership and support as each individual challenges themselves to grow as thinkers, creators and contributors. Each advisory shapes its own culture, but some common practices are present.

Community Building

Advisory is a student’s home at Gibson Ek. Students and the advisor work together to create a safe space where students know and support one another. This might happen through advisory projects, team building activities, off campus explorations, collaborative discussions, and restorative circles.

Project Planning and Organization

Individualized, project-based learning is new for most students, and advisory is the place where goals are set, plans are made, learning is organized, so that a student can leave advisory to pursue rich learning throughout the day.

Learning Support

Students share their work in progress with one another as a way to overcome obstacles, push their work to more challenging levels, get feedback or receive mentorship from other students.

Academic and Community Pursuits

Advisories engage in thoughtful discussions of current issues, read books together, examine community issues, participate in service experiences, or hone academic skills.

Social-Emotional Learning and Health & Wellness

Time is dedicated to conversations about healthy choices, active lifestyles and a growing self-awareness and skills.

School Announcements and Information

School-wide communication runs through advisory. Students receive information about expectations, events, deadlines and opportunities.

[From our Student Handbook]

Learning Plan

Learning Plans are the cornerstone of everything a student creates at Gibson Ek. Every learning cycle, students articulate their visions for their futures, and then set goals to work toward their visions.

Students design their project work, pursue their internships, and select their labs, guided by their Learning Plan. During exhibition at the end of each of the year’s three learning cycles, students demonstrate the degree to which they achieved their goals.

Learning Plans typically follow the outline below:

Vision

Your vision statement should reflect holistic goals for your life going forward. It should consist of narrative paragraphs with both long-term and short-term goals. It also should include personal visions which are not strictly academic or career related.

Guiding Questions (write a paragraph for each)

What do you see yourself doing after high school? Why?
How do you envision a successful rest of your high school career? Why?
What does a successful year look and feel like for you? Why?

Vision must identify your current career interest/goal and educational interests/goals.

Goals

Your goals for this learning cycle should move you closer to achieving your vision. They should be authentic to you, have real-world application, and challenge you academically. Ideally, these goals will be S.M.A.R.T.:

Specific: Not vague; leaves little room for interpretation
Measurable: Quantified or otherwise stated in a way that makes it clear exactly how you will have met your goal
Ambitious & Authentic: Challenging; will push you to work hard & be real to the work that is happening in that field
Realistic: Something that is reasonable for you to accomplish
Timely: Something you can complete or make significant progress on during this learning cycle

*Many of your goals will be projects, e.g. “My goal is to learn how to use the woodshop by building a coffee table by June.”
Some of your goals will just be goals, e.g. “Run a 5K in under 30 minutes by May.”

[From our Student Handbook]

Competencies

Rather than earning grades and credits, students show learning by demonstrating their mastery of competencies. This means a student’s path to mastery will be personal, unique, varied and challenging.

As defined by the Aurora Institute, a Competency-based education is a system in which:

Students are empowered daily to make important decisions about their learning experiences, how they will create and apply knowledge, and how they will demonstrate their learning.
Assessment is a meaningful, positive, and empowering learning experience for students that yields timely, relevant, and actionable evidence.
Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.
Students progress based on evidence of mastery, not seat time.
Students learn actively using different pathways and varied pacing.
Strategies to ensure equity for all students are embedded in the culture, structure, and pedagogy of schools and education systems.
Rigorous, common expectations for learning (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) are explicit, transparent, measurable, and transferable.

Gibson Ek is authorized by the Washington State Board of Education (SBE) to graduate students based on mastery of competencies rather than credits, and the competencies are aligned with Common Core State Standards and admissions expectations of selective baccalaureate colleges in Washington state and nationally. The competencies are clustered within five interdisciplinary Learning Goals representing the skills, core knowledge, and attributes of effective learners prepared for college and career.

Requirements

Competency-based learning is personalized, allowing students to receive just the right amount of challenge and support where needed. Competency-based learning also rewards and celebrates growth over time. Therefore, Gibson Ek students show growth throughout their 4 years from being an emerging and discovering learner in their 101 and 201 years to being an engaged and empowered learner in their 301 and 401 years. Students share evidence of learning to demonstrate competency attainment along the following timeline:

101 students	meet 10 of the 20 competencies at a Foundational or Advanced level
201 students	meet the remaining 10 competencies for a total of 20 competencies
301 students	meet 8 competencies at the Foundational or Advanced Level, but with greater depth, rigor and community connection
401 students	meet a different 8 competencies, also with greater depth, rigor and community connection

EMPOWERED

Students build upon their engaged skills and knowledge, and they use their learning to authentically and positively impact the community

ENGAGED

Students build upon their skill and knowledge explorations by developing ownership in their learning to pursue greater challenges and deeper understandings

EXPLORING

Students build upon their emerging skills and knowledge by developing the complexity of their understandings, the quality of their skills, and the investment in their visions

EMERGING

Students share their learning when they begin their journey at Gibson Ek, try something for the first time, or repeat a skill to gain more practice

Foundational and Advanced Level Work

Students can demonstrate mastery of competencies at a foundational or advanced level. A student demonstrates advanced application of competencies through work that has an impact outside of school and exhibits at least two of the following:

leadership that inspires others toward social responsibility
consistent and ongoing mentorship from a professional in a relevant field
deep and complex knowledge of a subject or skill set
professional-level performance; significant contribution to a community outside of school
critical application of Design Thinking, including multiple iterations and revisions based on a range of feedback

Personal Qualities: Graduates possess the habits of mind to achieve their goals for the future. They are curious and express a joy for learning. They feel a sense of responsibility to make a contribution in their local communities and in the wider world.

Communication: Graduates are confident, respectful communicators. They initiate conversations and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with peers and adults to build understanding of concepts and ideas and complete authentic tasks and projects.

Empirical Reasoning: Graduates observe phenomena, generate their own questions, design and conduct investigation, and construct and defend arguments as contributing members of society.

Quantitative Reasoning: Graduates make sense of quantitative phenomena by constructing viable arguments, justifying their thinking, and generalizing understandings to solve real-world problems.

Social Reasoning: Graduates understand diverse perspectives and engage with critical issues of the past and present to examine their impact on society. They use their understanding of local, state, and world policies to become active participants in local, national, and global communities.

Personal Qualities

How do I contribute to my growth and the growth of my community?

Better the World

How do I contribute to and improve my community?

Leadership

Empathy

Sense of Responsibility for the Future

Community Engagement

Creativity & Imagination

How do I develop and use my creative and imaginative skills?

Inventive Thinking

Investigation

Passions, Interests & Strengths

Products & Performances

Productive Mindset

How do I persist to meet responsibilities?

Goal Setting & Lifelong Learning

Perseverance

Honesty & Integrity

Reflective Learning

Health & Wellness

How do I pursue and maintain a positive, balanced life?

Active Life

Healthy Choices

Better the World

How do I contribute to and improve my community?

Creativity & Imagination

How do I develop and use my creative and imaginative skills?

Productive Mindset

How do I persist to meet responsibilities?

Health & Wellness

How do I pursue and maintain a positive, balanced life?

Guiding Questions

How do I demonstrate leadership in all areas of my life?
How do I demonstrate empathy for a diverse world?
How do I demonstrate a sense of responsibility for the future?
How do I engage in my school and local community in a meaningful and authentic way?

How do I use inventive, creative thinking to solve problems in various contexts?
How do I investigate the world deeply through interdisciplinary study?
How do I discover my strengths and learn by pursuing passions, interests and talents?
How do I create original, well-crafted, high quality products and performances?

How do I set and pursue short and long term goals that align with my vision?
How do I embrace and persevere through academic and personal challenges?
How do I demonstrate consistent honesty and integrity?
How do I consistently reflect on my experiences and make improvements?

How do I develop the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain an active life?
How do I develop the knowledge and skills to make healthy choices related to mental, spiritual, financial, community, emotional and/or physical wellness?

Collection of Evidence Might Include

Ethical decision making, social responsibility and advocacy
Taking risks and experiencing failure in order to succeed
Expanding worldview through meaningful and authentic experiences
Working with diverse groups of people for sustained periods of time
Empathizing with those holding different beliefs or philosophies
Showing appreciation for contributions of past generations
Engaging in meaningful and sustained community service
Pursuing community service that emerges from passions and interests

Using flexible thinking, adapting own perspective to solve problems
Asking thoughtful questions and seeking answers
Identifying, gathering, evaluating and considering multiple perspectives to make informed decisions
Learning new things
Learning from challenges, overcoming fears

Thinking realistically and self motivating to achieve goals
Using time and task management to achieve goals
Learning and growing from failures
Seeking help in solving problems and making decisions
Demonstrating confidence, strength of character, determination and independence
Treating others with respect and kindness
Striving to become a better person
Reflecting on positives and negatives of an experience and growing from it
Accepting and applying feedback and critiques

Developing movement, flexibility, strength and/or nutrition skills or knowledge
Demonstrating ability to make informed choices about personal wellness
Demonstrating ability to balance school, extracurricular activities, leisure, friends and family.
Managing stress by using strategies for well being

Communication

How do I take in and express a variety of ideas?

Collaboration

How do I work with others to identify and address challenges?

Discussions

Communication Strategies

Diverse Perspectives

Critical Conversations

Understanding

How do I deeply understand challenging ideas and information?

Read for Understanding

Text Analysis

Multiple Source Synthesis

Expression

How do I persist to meet responsibilities?

Goal Setting & Lifelong Learning

Perseverance

Honesty & Integrity

Reflective Learning

Evaluation & Research

How do I find and apply valid, reliable information?

Source Evaluation & Bias

Citation

Others' Research

Expert Review

Collaboration

How do I work with others to identify and address challenges?

Understanding

How do I deeply understand challenging ideas and information?

Expression

How do I persist to meet responsibilities?

Evaluation & Research

How do I find and apply valid, reliable information?

Guiding Questions

How have I initiated and participated in rich collaborative discussions?
How do I demonstrate a variety of communication strategies?
How do I expand my ideas and understanding based on the diverse perspectives of others?
How do I participate in critical conversations to solve problems?

How do I read a broad range of challenging texts over a wide range of topics?
How do I understand and analyze a wide range of texts?
How do I synthesize multiple sources to form an understanding of what I’m investigating?

How do I produce a range of effective creative, written and verbal expressions for a variety of purposes?
How do I skillfully use language to clearly communicate my meaning?
How do I adapt my language and expression
for a variety of purposes
and audiences?

How do I evaluate the credibility of sources? How do I identify bias?
How do I cite sources with accepted methods?
How do I avoid plagiarizing others’ works?
How do I ask for feedback from experts in the appropriate field and revise my work based on that feedback?

Collection of Evidence Might Include

Participation in discussions with peers and community members
Contributing accurate and relevant information to conversations
Participation in small and large group discussions
Applying appropriate strategies of facilitation, collaboration, public speaking and nonverbal behavior
Actively listening and asking questions
Empathizing with others
Seeking and synthesizing diverse ideas
Working with others to solve problems

Reading, comprehending, analyzing and synthesizing a range of novels, short stories, articles, academic papers, websites, plays, videos, films, podcasts, instruction and other informational sources
Increasing reading and information gathering challenges over time

Producing a range of increasingly skilled and complex expression
Reflecting on effectiveness of one’s expression
Seeking feedback and revising based on this feedback
Applying appropriate grammar, word choice, tone and fluency for the context and purpose
Increasing written, verbal and creative expression challenges
over time

Using appropriate MLA, APA or other relevant rules for in-text citations, works cited pages and bibliographies
Using a range of credible and relevant sources, accessing academic, technical or other sources as needed
Accessing people relevant to the topic to build understanding and receive feedback
Applying note-taking and organization skills to avoid plagiarism

Empirical Reasoning

How do I prove it? How do I reason?

Empirical Investigation

How do I design and conduct an investigation?

Scientific Questioning

Empirical Investigations

Independent & Dependent Variables

Evidence Collection

Scientific Knowledge & Theories

How do I deeply understand ideas?

Scientific Concepts

Predictions

Scientific Evidence & Models

Constraints & Specifications

Empirical Modeling

How do I create representations of complex ideas and systems?

Modeling

Tools & Technology

Limits & Precision of Models

Empirical Arguments

How do I create a well-reasoned argument?

Data to Support a Claim

Patterns of Evidence

Correlation & Causation

Weaknesses in an Argument

Empirical Investigation

How do I design and conduct an investigation?

Scientific Knowledge & Theories

How do I deeply understand ideas?

Empirical Modeling

How do I create representations of complex ideas and systems?

Empirical Arguments

How do I create a well-reasoned argument?

Guiding Questions

How do I pose a scientific question that can be tested?
How do I design an empirical investigation to collect data?
How do I clearly define and analyze independent and dependent variables and experimental controls?
How do I collect empirical evidence to construct and refine explanations or arguments?

How do I explain complex scientific concepts, theories or controversies?
How do I revise predictions or explanations based on new evidence and information?
How do I use scientific evidence and models to support or refute explanations?
How do I question the constraints and specifications of possible solutions?

How do I create accurate two- and three dimensional models of organisms, concepts or systems?
How do I use tools and technology to understand, investigate, create or synthesize ideas, concepts or systems?
How do I recognize and expand on the limits and precision of a model?

How do I construct an empirical argument using data to support my claim?
How do I distinguish patterns of evidence that do and do not support conclusions?
How do I identify a correlation between variables and determine if there is or is not causality?
How do I identify possible weaknesses or flaws in my own and others’ conclusions and arguments?

Collection of Evidence Might Include

Distinguishing between scientific and non-scientific questions
Determining what data to collect
Determining what tools are appropriate for data collection
Determining how to record data
Determining how much data is needed to produce reliable measurements, show a pattern or trend, or show a relationship
between variables
Using valid data to explain phenomena, systems, etc.

Understanding how knowledge is judged by the scientific community
Using acceptable scientific resources to support investigations
Asking questions about constraints and specifications when claiming a possible solution or explanation

Using models to communicate complex ideas and observable or unobservable phenomena
Using models to test understanding and experiment with ideas
Using modeling to identify possible flaws or areas of improvement
Using modeling to propose new understandings or communicate complex ideas
Using technology such as laser cutting, 3D printing, or programming to test and explore phenomena or ideas

Applying conventions of scientific research and writing to make and support claims
Drawing conclusions based on empirical data
Identifying outliers in collections of evidence
Sorting relevant and irrelevant evidence
Identifying correlations
Showing cause and effect
Reflecting on results and determining next steps

Quantitative Reasoning

How do I numerically understand, measure, compare and represent it?

Interpretation

How do I make sense of displays of numeric information?

Text

Graphs & Tables

Diagrams & Geometric Figures

Equations & Expressions

Representation

How do I display numeric information to communicate what I understand?

Equivalent Expressions

Summary Values

Graphic Representation

Calculation

How do I use numbers to find and share answers?

Estimation

Methods for Solutions

Operational Order

Simplification

Application & Analysis

How do I understand and solve real world problems?

Quantitative Analysis

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Quantitative Problem Solving

Interpretation

How do I make sense of displays of numeric information?

Representation

How do I display numeric information to communicate what I understand?

Calculation

How do I use numbers to find and share answers?

Application & Analysis

How do I understand and solve real world problems?

Guiding Questions

How do I understand and summarize numeric data given in text form?
How do I understand and explain information presented in a graph or table?
How do I understand and explain information presented in a diagram or other visual form?
How do I understand and explain information presented as mathematical expressions?

How do I write equivalent expressions to solve real world problems?
How do I choose appropriate summary values (e.g., mean, standard deviation) to represent quantitative information?
How do I use graphics—spreadsheets, databases, tables, graphs and statistics—to summarize, display and communicate data?

How do I estimate and check answers to numerical problems?
How do I use arithmetic, algebra and geometry to solve problems?
How do I apply correct mathematical operations in the correct order?
How do I present calculations in the simplest form relevant to the problem?

How do I analyze quantitative data and use it to make a judgment or support a conclusion?
How do I use inductive reasoning to predict outcomes to a real world problem?
How do I use deductive reasoning to support conclusions for a real world argument?
How do I use quantitative data to solve real world problems?

Collection of Evidence Might Include

Creating accurate explanations of a range of mathematical expressions
Demonstrating understanding in real world contexts

Selecting the most appropriate forms (spreadsheets, databases, graphs, tables) and methods (equations, expressions, mean, mode, etc.) for representing numerical data in real world contexts
Communicating numerical solutions to real world problems

Using estimates to determine reasonableness, identify alternatives, select optimal results
Presenting calculations accurately, clearly and concisely, following the conventions of the real world context
Writing accurate code

Using specific data (surveys, datasets, equations, etc.) to form larger hypotheses or claims about real world contexts
Using theorems or numbers to understand specific cases or problems
Using specific cases or problems to test numerical hypotheses
Using numbers to understand problems
Using numerical data to address challenges

Social Reasoning

What are others' perspectives? How do actions influence outcomes?

Critical Issues & Events

How do I understand past, present, and future events?

Historical Events

Current Events

Past, Present, Future

Geography & Environment

How do I understand influences of culture, economics, politics & environment?

Geographic Information

People & Their Environment

Political Impact

Equity & Access

Institutions, Systems & Government

How do I understand influences of culture, economics, politics & environment?

Citizens & Government

Government Engagement

Large & Small Scale Finance

Systems

Human Behavior & Expression

How do I understand the causes and effects of human behavior?

Belief Systems

Human Behavior

Ethics

Power & Relationships

Critical Issues & Events

How do I understand past, present, and future events?

Geography & Environment

How do I understand influences of culture, economics, politics & environment?

Institutions, Systems & Government

How do I understand influences of culture, economics, politics & environment?

Human Behavior & Expression

How do I understand the causes and effects of human behavior?

Guiding Questions

How do I understand historical events through sustained inquiry into those events?
How do I explain the causes and consequences of current events?
How do I use an understanding of past and current events to provide a solution for a current or future problem?

How do I apply geographic information to interpret events?
How do I interpret geographic information to explain the relationship between people and their environment?
How do I demonstrate how geography and resource distribution impacts people?
How do I demonstrate how equity and access shape people and their environments?

How do I demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of individuals?
How do I apply an understanding of rights and responsibilities to participate in or pursue change?
How do I address real world financial challenges in large, small or personal systems?
How do I demonstrate an understanding of the effects of a variety of systems on one another?

How do I apply an understanding of how social influences and belief systems shape behavior?
How do I apply an understanding of how biology and thought processes shape behavior?
How do I analyze ethical issues and dilemmas to support a course of action?
How do I evaluate the role of power or privilege in a real world context?

Collection of Evidence Might Include

Reading, interpreting and analyzing historical documents and contemporary sources
Applying research methods associated with historical inquiry
Developing well formed claims based on valid and reliable sources
Explaining connections between human decisions and consequences

Applying geographic information to more deeply understand real world challenges
Examining the relationship between geography and economic, political or social patterns in real world contexts
Explaining the impact of equity, access and opportunity on a range of groups of people in a range of contexts

Geography includes physical, cultural, economic, political, regional system

Explaining rights and responsibilities in various government structures
Engaging in government at a local, state or national scale
Using an understanding of local policies, procedures, laws or practices
Demonstrating an understanding of the difference between large and small scale finance
Understanding the principles, structures and functions of various governments
Showing how local, national and international policies affect each other
Addressing real world challenges

Examining group dynamics and evaluating the role of power and/or privilege in interpersonal and group relationships
Using an understanding of human behavior to address real world problems
Demonstrating an understanding of economics, psychology and/or sociology

Integrating competencies into projects

Most authentic projects are interdisciplinary, so projects will include elements of various competencies and targets. Here are just a few examples of how to integrate competencies.

Personal Qualities

Write a reflection of a global issue, apply learning to own life and share.
Research a personally relevant health issue, and connect this research project to a Health and Wellness plan.
Research a community challenge or need early in the year. Spend the remainder of the year volunteering with a community organization that addresses that challenge or need.
Provide a testimonial from a mentor, peer or other community member attesting to skill, responsibility, respect or integrity.

Communication

Adapt a final product for a new user — older, younger, physically disabled, learning impaired, limited language, limited finances, etc. Make it authentic by working with and soliciting feedback from an actual user.
Use art (visual, musical, performance) to communicate an important social issue, challenge or problem
Study a scientific concept of interest, and communicate your understanding through fiction: a play, poem, science fiction, etc.
Organize an exhibit of GEHS student art that is thematically connected by a social issue. Work with the City of Issaquah to create a pop-up art exhibit in one of the local parks.

Empirical Reasoning

Study sound waves and apply the learning to the recording studio, experimenting with and documenting the effects of variables on the quality of the recording.
Film skateboarding maneuvers and use software to analyze the velocity of these maneuvers, experimenting with variables.
Record the speed of a cyclist on a velodrome (maybe the one at Marymoor Park). Use math to determine the cyclist’s speed on various lines of the velodrome. Use this data to design a model of a velodrome.
Research nudge economics and then design and conduct a nudge experiment to change student productivity.

Quantitative Reasoning

Create a scale drawing of furniture, staircase, etc. to build at a later date, and label these plans with appropriate information.
Observe patterns (customers in a store, etc.) to make predictions for a business.
Gather analytics from a social media account and use it to create a social media marketing plan for a small business.
After researching a social issue, analyze data sets related to that issue and communicate your findings in an infographic.

Social Reasoning

Research gender norms and attitudes in the 1950s and compare it to norms and attitudes now. Create a photo essay to capture your research, and display it in the Commons.
Use King County’s Equity Maps and, using additional research, analyze the relationship among economics, resources, physical geography. Apply what you learn to mapping downtown Issaquah.
Research how Gibson Ek can filter more of its stormwater runoff and the impact this would have on the microenvironment around GEHS as well as the larger watershed. Design a system to make this happen, create a budget, and write a grant to help implement your design.
Research the current and potential impact of electric cars on the environment. Work with local government and the school district to get an electric car charging station at Gibson Ek.

[From the Student Handbook]

Exhibitions

Exhibitions are one of the key distinguishers that makes Big Picture Learning unique. Instead of tests, students at Gibson Ek are assessed through public displays of learning that track their growth and progress in their areas of interest. Assessment is individualized to the student and the real-world criteria of their work.

While students meet individually with their advisors to evaluate the specific learning targets of their projects, exhibition is the time when students make the case to their parents, mentors, advisor, staff and peers for what they have holistically learned throughout the cycle and how they have learned it. Therefore, exhibition is an assessment of the whole learner, rather than the particulars of a task.

Students showcase three elements of their learning. These elements are progressive:

Commitment to Personal Vision. Students set a vision for the learning cycle that is authentic to who they are and what they need to pursue their goals. They design work and experiences to move themselves closer to their visions.
Authentic New Learning. Once a vision is in place, students challenge themselves to pursue this vision by engaging in learning that is deep, relevant, authentic and new.
Application & Influence. Ultimately, students push their learning by making it public and designing it in a way that it contributes to the community. They themselves are also integral parts of the community both at Gibson Ek and out in the world.

Learning Cycle 1 (December) exhibition is a panel exhibition. Students present evidence of what they have learned during the cycle. The panel asks questions and provides feedback and assessment of the learning cycle. The exhibition lasts 50-60 minutes.

Learning Cycle 2 (March) exhibition is a gallery exhibition. Students publicly display a project that demonstrates their strongest design-thinking work. They also provide a portfolio of all of their other work from the cycle. Parents, mentors, advisors, staff, peers and other interested community members visit the “gallery” of displays and ask students questions about their displayed work and work in their portfolio.

Learning Cycle 3 (June) exhibition is a panel exhibition, but it is also the Level-Up/Gateway/Graduation exhibition for most students. The format changes and the students’ focus is to not only celebrate their work but to also demonstrate meeting the requirements and readiness for the next level.

Requirements

Completion of 3 Exhibitions each year. Students and their parents are required to participate in each exhibition.
Exhibition Portfolio at each exhibition with all required elements
Participation as a student evaluator in other students’ exhibitions
Post-exhibition Reflection
Additional requirements as specified for each type of exhibition

The Role of the Panel

Panel members are essential to a meaningful exhibition. Parents, mentors, peers and staff ask the students questions that help them articulate their learning, hold them accountable to the work they’ve done to pursue their goals, provide feedback on their learning, and celebrate their growth.

[From our Student Handbook]

Writing, Math & World Language

Writing Portfolio

Whether drafting an engineering design report, creating a graphic novel, developing a social media campaign for an internship, preparing testimony for a state Senate committee hearing, or researching the causes and effects of a major historic event, writing is integrated into all aspects of learning at Gibson Ek. A student’s writing will be inspired by their learning plans and be authentic, purposeful and challenging. As students pursue learning, they find a real world need to write, discover the conventions of that writing context, and then engage in the writing process with mentorship from their advisors, other staff and professionals in the relevant context.

Students gather evidence of their writing process on a page of their online portfolios. The writing portfolio will include some personal narrative, but also technical writing, creative writing, academic writing, and/or workplace writing as it relates to their learning.

Portfolios emphasize students’ growth as writers, so each portfolio begins and ends somewhere different. Every portfolio, however, demonstrates that a student can produce a range of effective written expressions for a variety of purposes.

Writing is supported in Grade Level teams, Design Labs, Core Foundations — and by advisors.

Minimum requirements include:

101: 10 pages (3 pages of autobiography, 7 of additional writing)
201: 25 pages (3 pages of autobiography, 22 of additional writing)
301: 25 pages (3 pages of autobiography, 22 of additional writing)
401: 15 pages (3 pages of autobiography, 12 of additional writing)

TOTAL by graduation: 75 pages

Content Time (Math or Language)

One hour each Monday, Wednesday and Friday (and Tuesday and Thursday for students who are on campus) is dedicated to students’ online learning in math or language, or to individual or small group tutoring in math or language.

Online Math (ALEKS)

Students complete 100% of one ALEKS (or other identified platform) online math course each year. Students may request a math waiver through the counseling office for their senior year if they meet the following expectations:

Have completed three years of math including Algebra 2 or a personal pathway math course
Have met all state requirements for graduation for standardized tests
Do not need four years of math for college admissions requirements.

Time: The time needed to complete a math course varies from student to student, but most students will need to spend time doing math on campus and at home. At a traditional school, students spend an average of four hours in class and two to three hours at home working on math each week. This is something students should keep in mind as they plan their work time both at school and at home.

Support: Students who need more support than what the online course offers have a variety of options at Gibson Ek including small group and one-on-one tutoring during Content Time and Exploration.

Suggested Timeline: When students begin an ALEKS course they start with a pre-test. Their performance on this test determines at which point in the course students begin their work. This means a student might start the course at 10% complete, 18% complete or 37% complete, etc. Once students have a starting percentage they should divide the remainder into thirds and plan to complete at least one-third each learning cycle. Additionally, ALEKS gets progressively harder as the course continues, so many students try to complete as much as possible during the first learning cycle. Some students finish the course well before the end of the school year and start on their next math course.

Targets for completing ALEKS may look like this:

Learning Cycle 1

Complete pre-test first week of school
Complete 50% by the end of LC 1

Learning Cycle 2

Complete 80% by the end of LC2

Learning Cycle 3

Complete course by the end of May
Take ISD course final in June

Some students set monthly or weekly progress goals.

World Language

World Languages: World Language is not a graduation requirement in the Issaquah School District, but many students pursue a world language out of personal interest or for college admissions. Most 4-year colleges require two or three years of a single language for admission. Gibson Ek students have the following options for world language learning or competency demonstration.

In Person Spanish Language Program: During Exploration students can participate in Spanish Language and Culture. Students commit to participating in instruction approximately 3 hours per week with additional independent learning expectations. Students who complete all expectations earn equivalent to one year of Spanish Language. Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 are offered.

World Language Competency Exam: Nationally recognized proficiency assessments are offered twice a year. Based on a student’s performance, they may be eligible for competency credits on their Gibson Ek transcript. Earning competency credits of 2 or higher, will meet college admission requirements in the state of Washington. This option is for students who would like to study a language in a self-paced environment, as well as students already fluent in another language and/or who study a language at a private language school in the community. More information at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Cost: $25 - $220 depending on the exam taken (this is driven by the language in which the student will be assessed)
Over 100 languages are available for assessment.
Students who demonstrate a high level of fluency can also earn a Washington State Seal of Bi-literacy on their Gibson Ek transcript and diploma

Online World Language Courses: The ISD Online Learning department provides access to OSPI approved online provider courses. These courses earn students high school credit on their Gibson Ek transcript (please note that these letter grades would not generate a GPA). To meet the minimum college admissions requirement for 2 credits of a world language, this option will take students 2 years to complete. This option requires students to be independent learners who turn in assignments on time and meet deadlines, know how to prepare for tests/exams, and can initiate communication with the online teacher when they need help. All tests are proctored, in-person at the district admin building. More information at the District Online website.

Cost: no cost to students who take these during the school day
Languages: Spanish, French, German

Running Start: Juniors and Seniors who want a traditional learning environment to study a world language can do so through the Running Start program and/or the Summer Enrichment program at Bellevue College. These courses earn students high school and college credit. The high school course and completion date will be placed on the Gibson Ek transcript. To meet the minimum college admissions requirement for 2 credits of a world language, students must take 10 college quarter credits. This would take a student two college quarters to complete (e.g. summer & fall, winter & spring, etc). This option is for students who are able to transport themselves to and from Bellevue College, have the maturity to participate in a college course that consists of students from diverse backgrounds and age ranges, and are independent learners capable of advocating for their needs with the professor/instructor who will treat them like any other college student. Additional information at Bellevue College.

Cost: Tuition only is covered by the Running Start program. Course fees and book prices vary
Languages: Arabic, ASL, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish

[From our Student Handbook]

I acknowledge that I am on the Indigenous Land of Coast Salish people who have reserved treaty rights to this land, specifically the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (sdukʷalbixʷ). I thank these caretakers of this land who have lived and continue to live here since time immemorial.