Category: Project Based Learning

Learning, Leadership, and Adventure: A Look Inside AJA Middle School
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Learning, Leadership, and Adventure: A Look Inside AJA Middle School

At Austin Jewish Academy, Middle School is a time for discovery — of new ideas, new skills, and new strengths. Whether exploring the natural world at Candlelight Ranch, diving into complex math concepts, or reflecting on Jewish values, AJA students are learning not just from textbooks, but through experiences that build character, curiosity, and confidence....

Teaching Empathy and History: 8th Graders Lead Holocaust Exhibit for 5th Grade
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Teaching Empathy and History: 8th Graders Lead Holocaust Exhibit for 5th Grade

This month, our 8th grade students took on a powerful and meaningful project: sharing their learning about the Holocaust with our 5th grade peers through a student-curated exhibit. This exhibit was the culmination of in-depth historical research, guided by the essential question:How can we use historical research and storytelling to preserve the memory of the...

A Day in the Life of an AJA Fifth Grader
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A Day in the Life of an AJA Fifth Grader

From the classroom to the garden, our fifth graders are growing in every way—academically, emotionally, and as members of a thriving community. Whether they’re crafting art with meaning, planting seeds of change, or imagining a better world through ancient texts, one thing is clear: it’s a great day to be in fifth grade at AJA....

Crepes, Cookies & Chocolate Balls: Market Day 2025
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Crepes, Cookies & Chocolate Balls: Market Day 2025

The AJA Market Day & Cultural Fair was an incredible success, bringing our community together for an exciting and vibrant celebration! Over 40 tables were set up in the Tocker Engagement and Education Room and Lobby of the Dell Jewish Community Center, featuring a diverse array of student entrepreneurs showcasing their creativity and hard work....

Middle Schoolers Debate Reconstruction: 8th Graders Shine in Historical Showdown
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Middle Schoolers Debate Reconstruction: 8th Graders Shine in Historical Showdown

On a recent morning at Austin Jewish Academy, Mrs. Hidalgo’s 8th grade students took center stage for a powerful display of their critical thinking and debating skills, culminating in a series of thought-provoking debates centered around the Reconstruction era. Guided by their study of this transformative period in American history and a lesson in debating...