Why King?

In an inspiring blend of math, creativity, and technology, Grade 4 students dove into geometry by designing and building mini-golf courses. Guided by the question, "How can we as mathematicians use geometric concepts to create a mini-golf course that represents ourselves?" students worked in teams to craft themed obstacles that reflected their personalities. They incorporated shapes, angles, and symmetry, using 3D printers and laser cutters to personalize each course. The project led to a fun showcase where peers and parents played the imaginative courses. This hands-on STEAM experience deepened students’ understanding of geometry and sparked joy, curiosity, and collaboration in the Maker Space.

A few stray balls and a cluster of Prekindergarten students were all it took to launch a months-long exploration of sports in Jessica Vigliotti’s class. What began with simple questions — What game is this for? How do you play it? — quickly evolved into hands-on projects, team-building challenges, and even visits from upper school athletes, all guided by the children’s observations and enthusiasm.

Grade 6 Spanish students deepened their language proficiency, storytelling abilities, and cultural understanding through a project-based lesson centered on the Chilean legend of the Chanchito de Chile, which centers around a small, three-legged pig believed to bring good luck and protection. After learning about the cultural significance of the piglet through Spanish stories, students crafted clay chanchitos and wrote narratives using vocabulary and grammar they had studied throughout the year. The project included reading, writing, speaking, and listening assessments aligned with American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages standards, and led to a heartwarming presentation to lower school students, where the handmade figurines, symbolic of resilience and luck, were shared.

From life-saving medical research to futuristic engineering prototypes, King School’s Research and Innovation Night spotlighted the bold curiosity and real-world impact of student work. Projects ranged from AI-powered cancer prediction tools to carbon nanotube water filters, all developed by students through the ASPIRE program and Innovation Lab. The evening offered a hands-on look at how inquiry-based learning and student-driven exploration are fueling breakthrough ideas — and preparing the next generation of scientists, engineers, and changemakers.

French 300 Honors students recently completed the immersive unit “Chez soi,” or “at home,” exploring the francophone world’s rich cultural and architectural diversity. Through research and creative projects, students compared housing styles from mud-brick homes in Mali to island-inspired designs in Martinique, delving into the cultural significance of historic French castles. The unit sharpened their language skills and deepened their understanding of how environments shape lifestyles, offering a unique perspective on the global diversity within the French-speaking world.