GIS Day!!!!

Geographic Information Systems Day! 11.19.14

On Wednesday of this week, Mike Arkinson and Eliza Baldwin came to Bradley Creek to introduce and celebrate GIS Day with our 4th and 5th grade AIG students.  Let me tell you . . . It was amazing! 

Our presenters shared a series of short videos about maps, including their history, uses, and global applications. Students learned that maps not only provide information about our geographic location, but also about our climate, economy, and humanitarian needs and efforts - just to name a few.  Below are links to the videos shared.  Each one is under 4 minutes and totally worth watching!

What is GIS?

Dr. Richard Alley - Using GIS to teach the world about Global Warming & Climate Change

Geospatial Revolution - Food Deserts

Then students were given guidance to explore maps using an interactive tool designed by National Geographic.  You can check it out here!

Using GIS, students were asked to make a map.  They could select from the a series of choices, such as, map the human "footprint" in North Carolina, or design their own challenge.

As you can see from the photos, no one was interested in the assignment :-)

It was an eye opening experience for the students (and their teacher)!  The visual power of GIS is astounding, on a personal, local, and global level!  Be sure to ask your child more about this great presentation and effective ways to use the software provided.

Thank you so much to Ms. Baldwin and Mr. Arkinson for sharing their expertise with our class!!  Can we put you on the schedule for next year, please? :-)

Science Fair!!

Hi All!

Science fair packets will be sent home tomorrow with those of you who requested more information.  If you have not yet had a chance to return your slip (it's on blue paper :-) and would like to participate, just let me know!

Please contact me if I can be of help in any way!!!

Christy

Film Festival on November 16th!

Our short film SHOT REVERSE SHOT will be shown at the 20th annual Cucalorus Fim Festival on Sunday, November 16th.  The film will premiere along with other nominated youth films starting at 1:00pm at the City Stage Theater downtown.  

Click here view the film.

Our director, Mr. Hackler, has secured FREE admission for all of our Academy participants. Hooray!  Tickets will be distributed to students next week.  Tickets for family members and friends are $10 each. 

We hope that you will join us to celebrate this amazing accomplishment!  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  

Please see the link below for additional details.

http://cucalorus.org/film_Detail.asp?id=2409

Dudley the Detective

In Kindergarten through 2nd grade, the AIG program is designed to explore ability and nurture talent among all students. I push in to every K-2 classroom to provide whole group lessons that encourage critical, creative, and higher order thinking skills. All activities are hands-on and address multiple intelligences. 

The scope and sequence of the K-2 program is grounded in Primary Education Thinking Skills (P.E.T.S.). Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) is a systematic enrichment thinking skills program for K-3 students. Its purpose is to help primary aged students develop higher level thinking skills. PETS follows the taxonomy of thinking skills outlined by Benjamin Bloom, presenting lessons in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. 

Students are introduced to a series of characters; each one serves as a guide, as well as a memory trigger, for the higher level thinking skill they represent. Each character guides students through a story and a series of activities to introduce and reinforce their type of thinking. 

Dudley the Detective is the first of six characters that students will “meet” throughout the year.  Dudley specializes in convergent thinking.  He teaches us to use clues to find one correct answer.  Characteristics of convergent thinking, or “detective work,” as we call it, include the ability to grasp concepts quickly, reason logically, recognize flawed reasoning, see the interrelationship of clues, defer judgment, and intuitively identify answers without intermediate steps.  

During the unit, students will work with Dudley the Detective to evaluate visual and verbal clues and solve various “mystery” situations.   Using hands-on activities and concrete thinking maps, students will tackle cases such as "Tricky Treats,” "The Mystery Animal," and “Max’s Magic Number (or Aces, Jumble, Zilch!).”  Other hands-on activities, which require deductive thinking and logical reasoning, include Logic Links, attribute stacks, “Problem Solvers,” logic line-ups, and more!  

The first set of pictures below show 1st grade working in pairs to solve Jr. Sudoku puzzles.

The second set of photos shows 2nd grade working on a non-verbal puzzle called PETS silhouettes.  It is similar to, but more challenging than, the super fun ThinkFun game Clever Castle.

The final set of photographs show second grade playing Aces, Jumble, Zilch, which is similar to the classic game of Mastermind.  In this game, students use clues to find the correct 3 or 4-digit number.

Be sure to ask your child about the mysteries he or she is solving in class!  Until next time! Thanks for checking in :-)

What Makes a Great Hero?

In 4th grade ELA, students are engaged in Problem Based Learning.  Each student is tasked with creating their own superhero and writing a "pitch" to Marvel Comics to explain why he or she will be the next great hero.  In order to prepare for this, students are reading a series of non-fiction articles about the characteristics of a great hero.  After reading our first article, students answered text-dependent questions such as, "According to the article, identify one characteristic of a great hero.  Explain how this characteristic contributes to making the hero great."  Students then used our reading response goals to color-code their answers.  In purple, students underlined, where they used "part of the question in their answer."

In orange, they underlined where they provided specific evidence from the text to support their answer.

Once students demonstrate mastery of the first two reading response goals, we will add a new goal (and colors) to our board.  Some of our future goals include:

• I use "because" or a variation of it.
• I use a variety of sentence types and lengths.
• I use interesting words and advanced vocabulary.
• I extend my answer with my thoughts and ideas.
• I use proper conventions.

Next week, we will continue exploring our essential question, "What makes a great hero?" through non-fiction articles, advertisements, and a short documentary.  From there, students will be ready to create their hero and write their pitch.  Stay tuned to learn more about the writing criteria involved and the rubric students will use to craft and reflect upon their work.

Building a Classroom Community

We had another great week in our new classroom!  This week, we focused on building classroom community. Our first activities addressed team building and communication - specifically respectful listening and speaking.  Below you can see pictures from the "Paper Tower Tournament." In this challenge, students collaborated in randomly selected groups to build a tower made of printer paper.  The goal is to create the tallest, free-standing tower using only 3 sheets of paper and 12 inches of masking tape.  No additional materials or supports can be used.

After 10-15 minutes of group work, we paused to reflect. Using our guidelines for group work rubric, we evaluated our behaviors, considering areas of strength and places for growth.  After setting personal goals, we were back to work.

At the end of the contest, we celebrated our many successes!  Awards were given for the tallest, most unique, best design, and most creative use of materials.  We then had a really great group discussion about what went well, what felt hard, and things we might do differently when working in a group - and on difficult tasks - in the future.

Our next challenge posed the same goal: build the tallest, free-standing tower.  However, this time, the materials included dry spaghetti and mini-marshmallows.  Once again, teams were randomly selected to encourage students to work with, enjoy, and appreciate the styles of different peers. 

Again, we used the rubric at the beginning, half way through, and at the end to set goals and reflect.

Students were intrigued that their personal goals and reflections often changed based on the team with which they worked!

We had another very thoughtful post-discussion.  Again students considered what went well, what areas were challenging, and appropriate goals for the future.  (We are always trying to Be More Awesome, right? :-)

Our final community building challenge of this week was based on a free set of dice from Chik-fil-A.  For real!  (Inspiration comes from many places!)  Each side of the die had a theme: fame, family, best, worst, most embarrassing, etc.  Under each theme was a series of questions to help us learn more about each other.  Even though many of my 4th and 5th graders have been together since Kindergarten, I think it is important for students to not only know each other, but to feel "known."  This helps to create a safe environment where children can try new things, take risks, make mistakes, and be themselves - all critical building blocks to success.

I typed up the questions on cardstock and, using a modified version of Kagan's Cooperative Grouping Strategy "Fan, Pick, Read, Answer," we set out to learn more about one another.  (Again, with the goals of respectful listening and speaking in mind!)  

Students, again worked in randomly selected groups to promote understanding, friendship, and respect.

Questions/prompts included:
- Tell about a time you laughed so hard you could not stop.
- Describe the worst hair cut you've ever had.
- Have you ever had to speak or perform in front of an audience?  How did it make you feel?
- Tell about something you did that made you feel proud.

Next week the upper grades will begin Math Quest, Problem Based Learning, and a dystopian book study.  Stay tuned!

Be More Awesome!

4th and 5th grade students began pull-out classes last week.  Our first order of business was to set goals for the new school year.  We began with a pep talk from Kid President, who inspires us to learn, teach, change the world, and be more awesome.

After watching Kid President, we examined some of the ways we are awesome.  As you can imagine, many pieces of paper were needed!  We then looked at ways we could be "more awesome."  I shared my personal goals for a more awesome year with the students and modeled how I tried to create goals that were meaningful, specific, relevant, and realistic.  (Not exactly "SMART" goals, but in the same spirit!)  Using a "Be More Awesome" pennant, each student brainstormed personal goals for the first nine weeks.

Our completed goals are on display in the classroom! (Well, 5th grade is; 4th will be up later this week :-)  I encourage you to come by and check them out!

Thanks for checking in!
Christy

Lights, Camera, Action!

Congratulations to our Film Academy superstars! 

Our film, “SHOT REVERSE SHOT,” has been chosen as an early selection for the upcoming 20th annual Cucalorus Film Festival! 

WOW!!!  

Thousands of films were submitted and “Shot Reverse Shot” emerged as one of the favorites!

The 20th annual Cucalorus Film Festival will take place on November 12th-16th in Wilmington.  

Once we learn more about when and where the film will be shown, we will let you know!

Please give a tremendous “Thank You” to our wonderful director Chip Hackler, who brought this amazing opportunity to life!

Click here to watch our short film!

Genius Hour

After much research and planning, I am thrilled to introduce our 5th grade reading group to GENIUS HOUR!  Genius Hour is a project-based learning activity that allows students to explore their own passions; it encourages creativity in the classroom and promotes inquiry, perseverance, problem solving, and innovation, among other lifelong skills.  It provides students a choice in what they learn during a set period of time during school. 

What is GENIUS HOUR?

Genius Hour has many roots, but is based on a business practice used by Google with its employees. Google allows their developers to spend  up to 20% of their work week to pursue projects of personal interest.  The rationale is that happy, inspired, engaged employees are more motivated, innovative, and productive.  Google’s 20% projects have worked so well that some of their most popular ideas, such as g-mail and Google News were created during this time.  To learn more about Genius Hour, watch the short video below:

How does it work?

Over the next 8 weeks, students will pursue a project of interest approved by me.  It can be on whatever topic they are passionate about, but it must include the following project guidelines:

  1. Projects are inquiry based; an essential question drives the project.  Students need to communicate what they want to learn about and why.  If a question can be answered with a quick “Google search,” then we will develop the question or topic to include greater depth.

  2.  Projects are research based. For example, if a student wants to learn how to design an App or how to speak Italian, research on the topic must be involved. 

  3.  Projects are shared!  Every student will present their final project within and outside our class.  Students may share on a small scale, like with another class, or they may elect to go big and share the information they've learned in a global way.

What Common Core State Standards does Genius Hour support and develop?

Genius Hour nurtures the vast majority of the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading. (You can read more about the Common Core Anchor Standards here: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/5  The standards our 5th grade ELA group will address with intensity include:

• RI.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

• RI.5.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

• RI.5.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

• SL.5.2 Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

• SL.5.4 Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

We began our exploration into Genius Hour with some inspiration from Kid President, a young boy named Cain from East L.A., and group of elementary-aged school students who tried to save the world in 5 minutes a day. We talked about how these videos could inspire, drive, and relate to our own passions.  I also wanted students to realize that they could think BIG!  Genius Hour projects have no boundaries, so I want students to think outside of the box (or the classroom!) to pursue areas of genuine interest and inquiry.

We also read about and discussed the difference between an interest and a PASSION.  Based on our initial brainstorming session, our group established that we have thousands (if not more!) of interests!  Using a "March Madness" bracket, we organized our favorite topics and separated our interests from our Passions.

Once an area of interest was selected, each student generated "I wonder" questions, which we used to create a WONDER WALL.  Questions were then analyzed and sorted.  Questions that could be answered with a quick Google search were eliminated.  Open-ended, inquiry based questions were identified and improved.  On Friday (the 4th day of Genius Hour), students submitted a project proposal, which included three of their best inquiry-based questions. 

Once I have reviewed and approved the proposals, I will post a list of our "passion projects" for you to see.  I may also enlist your skills, knowledge, and expertise to help our students achieve their goals.  I hope you'll stay tuned!

3rd Grade pull-outs - a "flipped" approach to learning

This week, I began pulling two small groups of 3rd graders for Language Arts enrichment.  Each group meets with me two days a week.  Because I am only able to see each group twice, we are taking a "flipped" approach to learning.  The "Flipped Classroom" is a form of blended learning.  As opposed to learning new skills and concepts with me during class and then practicing them independently, students are introduced to the content through videos, tutorials, and text in their classroom and then work on applying and extending the skills with me during our face-to-face time.  I chose this instructional strategy because it maximizes our time together.  When students familiarize themselves with the content prior to class, we can use our time to actively (and interactively!) clarify and apply our understanding in sophisticated ways.  For a more detailed description of the flipped classroom approach, check out the short video and/or article below.

Watch the video

Read the article

Our first unit of study is Fables, which we will use to achieve the following objectives:

• I can refer explicitly to the text as the basis for my answers
• I can determine the central message or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
• I can describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 

Stay tuned to learn more about our reading adventures and math pull-out groups, which begin next week!  Thanks for checking in!

Is It Possible????

Is it possible?  Could any reading lesson be as fun as Math Quest?  If you ask my 4th graders, the answer is NO!   On no planet, big or small, could this EVER be possible!  

Hmmmm - almost sounds like a challenge??  Never one to shy away from challenge, I made it my New Year's resolution for 2014 to make reading lessons as much fun, if not, (yes, hold your breath - more fun!), than our beloved Math Quest.

I explained my goal, but not how it would be accomplished, to my 4th graders prior to my 2 week stint of standardized testing.  They were intrigued! (Doubtful, but intrigued.)  The new ELA unit will utilize one of my favorite resources, Jacob's Ladder, designed by The Center for Gifted Education at William and Mary.  Jacob's Ladder targets reading comprehension skills and written response to advanced text for high ability learners. In the form of three skill ladders, students move from lower order, concrete thinking skills to higher order, critical thinking skills. Each ladder serves to scaffold student understanding, thinking, and written response. 

Ladder A	Ladder B	Ladder C
Sequencing Cause and Effect Consequences & Implications	Details Classifications Generalizations	Elements Inferences Theme/Concept

I know!  How will reading complex passages, responding in writing using specific evidence from the text, and rubrics to evaluate our work be more fun than buying golden peanuts and whatchamacallits while racing towards a treasure chest worth 50,000 pieces of gold?  Like your kids, you are probably doubtful. Intrigued, but doubtful.  

Below is a sneak preview.  You will see that I had a tremendous amount of help. :-)

The final product is not yet complete, so stay tuned.  The new unit will unroll a week from tomorrow.  I will be using an anonymous form to evaluate student feedback over time. I will be sure to keep you posted - although the true test will be if your kids tell you directly!  Let me know :-)

Thanks for checking in and supporting the AIG program at Bradley Creek!

Did you know?

Did you know that you are more likely to . . . .

• be struck by lightning TWICE in one day than to be bitten by a shark?
• be killed by a pig than a shark?
• be killed by a coconut (yes, I said it! A coconut!) than a shark?
• be bitten by a New Yorker than bitten by a shark?

If you attended today's 4th grade Academy on ocean animals and wildlife, you would! Thanks to Jane  Lewis (Bradley Creek parent), the North Carolina Aquarium came to Bradley Creek today.  Students learned the traits specific to fish (they have a spine, they breathe oxygen from water, they have gills, etc.) and explored why jellyfish, starfish, tadpoles, and dolphins did not fit into this category. Students had the chance to touch the jaws of sharks and learn how and why different teeth are designed for different things. Below, you will see some of our kiddos checking out a male and female seahorse.  (Yes, they are fish! The male is the one with the large pouch, if you are curious :-)

Our next Friday session will feature a visit from UNCW's Marine Quest.  As I'm sure you can imagine, the kids can not wait! 

Stay tuned for a detailed update on our most recent 5th grade Academy as well - An Introduction to Shakespeare.  Penny Kohut from TACT (Thalian Hall) has totally wowed our students - boys and girls - with the love of Shakespeare! (Who'd have thought, right?) During our first session, she had all 14 students speaking in iambic pentameter and designing a class sonnet. Today, the students rapped Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day") and left begging for more. In our next session she has promised us Romeo and Juliet meets the Super Bowl. If only I had learned Shakespeare this way!!!! There may be a performance to come, so stay tuned!

Thanks for checking in and supporting the AIG program at Bradley Creek!

Christy