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About Project Edison
Project Edison, the exemplary project for Hoffman-Boston Elementary, promotes excellence in education through communication arts. Learners collaboratively work on meeting communication arts goals as well as Science, Social Studies, and SEL standards such as:
- Raising the level of enthusiasm and engagement in the learning process
- Supporting Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs)
- Improving speaking, writing and presentation skills through communication experiences
- Exploring diverse perspectives and stories
- Building proficiency in technology skills to communicate their ideas and viewpoints with others
The 2020-21 theme was podcasting. Learners shared stories only they can tell, hearing the stories of their peers and community members while discussing social-emotional learning (SEL). You can check out our podcast, All-Star Stories, from 2020-21 here!
In the 2021-22 school year, we researched science topics related to grade-level SOLs. Learners contributed to non-fiction anthologies by writing non-fiction text and creating illustrations connected to the text. Classroom teachers received a copy of their students’ work, as did our school library, which invites learners to check out these incredible resources!
In 2022-23, learners focused on design in Project Edison and STEM with Ms. Fields. Project Edison classes supported Social Studies standards while also learning about the work of established designers Cas Holman (toys), Christoph Nieman (illustration), and Es Devlin (stage design). Inspired by these mentors, learners created designs to showcase their understanding.
In 2023-23, learners explored expressing their understanding of Science standards with arts integration lessons. Using various art, research, and reflection, learners showcased their learning to their peers and the school community.
In 2024-25, learners will explore mapping and geo-literacy. We will use these skills to build our understanding of science and social studies standards.
Project Edison 2024-2025 Schedule:
- 1st, 3rd & 5th Grade – 1st & 2nd Quarters
- Kindergarten, 2nd & 4th Grade – 3rd & 4th Quarters
The Project Edison schedule is closely related to and integrated with the STEM schedule with Ms. Fields and switches halfway through the year with STEM. As teacher partners, Mrs. Burgin & Ms. Fields want their programs to help make school an exciting place to learn and apply knowledge and skills!
HFB TV
HFBTV is the Morning News show associated with Hoffman-Boston Elementary School through Project Edison.
You can check out the new show on our YouTube Channel or on Vimeo!
Meet Mrs. Burgin!
Jennifer Burgin (she/her) has loved teaching Kindergarten, 2nd, & 3rd grade and embarked on a new adventure in 2020 – serving as the Exemplary Project Educator with Project Edison!
Burgin was named a 2017 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, which was made possible by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. In June 2017, she went on an expedition to the Galápagos. This experience changed her personally and professionally and was the genesis of her professional identity—EducatorExplorer. Burgin now works to ensure that using established explorers as role models and guiding learners to seek exploration opportunities is a part of her instructional style.
Burgin is the co-author of the nonfiction children’s ABC book A is for Arlington, a National Board Certified Teacher, National Geographic Certified Educator, and a Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) Certified Educator with the Kennedy Center. She was named the Oakridge Teacher of the Year in 2015 and the Arlington Teacher of the Year in 2016. In 2019, she was named a Mount Vernon Education Life Guard teaching fellow and will co-write a bilingual picture book about life at Mount Vernon in the 1700s. In 2020, she was named a National Geographic Explorer. She used the grant from 2021 to 22 to co-create Explorer Imprint, a mentorship system for educators of young learners to imprint exploration on the hearts of their students. In 2021, she went on an expedition to Iceland with GeoCamp Iceland, a program through the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE). She studied the geography, geology, and culture of the country. She repeated traveling with NCGE in 2024 to the Peruvian Amazon. Since 2020, she has been a host of Explorer Classroom, a YouTube show through National Geographic Education that illuminates the wonder of our world and connects learners with National Geographic Explorers for live lessons.
Burgin’s work is profoundly inspired by the diverse families she serves. As a result, she co-creates every learning experience to show students “windows and mirrors,” or reflections of themselves and glimpses of others (Sims Bishop). She is also a huge proponent of joy, glitter, and cats.