Youth voices are vital for thriving.
Urban Planning
What makes a community whole? Students answer this question by considering their own community. They brainstorm and identify local needs and possible solutions. Students go on field trips and site visits, and receive professional guidance on their designs. Students present their projects to peers, educators, community members, and local officials.
Aldridge students showing artist Jina Valentine their city planning project.
Art
Importance of Art
Aldridge students create a neighborhood banner.
Local Ecology
Ray Elementary School Pre-K preparing a garden bed for companion planting.
Early Ecology is an early childhood curriculum that centers on indigenous food from the Midwest. We garden, cook, taste, and tinker. Our developmentally appropriate lessons and games teach students about companion planting, native plants, indigenous foods, and soil health. Students learn how to maintain a garden bed, grow vegetables, and cook.
Recent schools include Carver and Aldridge Elementary Schools
Experiential Learning
Collective Learning Lab partners with museums, civic institutions and community groups to offer Pre-K-12 students active learning. We connect classroom lessons to cultural, scientific, and civic resources in order to foster understanding and critical thinking.
Recent partners include the Field Museum, Forest Preserves, Studio Gang, Quad Communities Development Corporation, People for Community Recovery
Aldridge Elementary 8th graders observing lichen at the Beaubian Woods. Partnership with Field Museum.
Youth Initiatives
We develop youth initiatives for schools, city groups, Chambers of Commerce, and local businesses. With our client, we identify goals, develop curriculum and create day of actions to involve students in addressing community challenges. Our initiatives engage youth to be active civic agents.
Recent Initiatives are the Bronzeville Green Youth Initiative
Students creating a playscape for the Bronzeville Green Youth Initiative at Jackie Robinson Elementary School.
Students use their scientific notebooks to sketch and observe native plants of the midwest.
Curriculum Development
We create and tailor curricula that align with our client’s mission, Illinois Learning Standards and Skyline. We understand the art of sculpting age-appropriate learning. Our goals include engaging youth with partner work, promoting understanding, participation, and lasting community investment. We prioritize holistic, experiential learning, STEAM, and place-based learning.
Recent partners include the Chicago Architecture Center and Quad Communities Development Corporation.