This post is part of my continuing series of weekly lesson summaries. My goal is to give parents and caregivers in our school community the resources needed to extend student learning at home, and to share my professional practice with teacher colleagues around the world in the interest of improving my craft.
Special Area Rotation ending 12/20/13
Primary (K-2)
What we learned/did/explored together:
Lots to talk about. We had a lot of assemblies and distractions the last nine weeks, so planning and scheduling became challenging. I also had an opportunity to visit two major professional conferences - the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and Thinking Strategies - that took up some instructional time. Most of December was spent creating props and scenery for our integrated Drama Unit. Our primary Imagineers had a chance to do the Theme Park Science unit that was so popular with our intermediate friends. They dabbled in stop motion animation (see the intermediate reflection below) and explored magnets and an Engineering is Elementary unit.
What I observed/inferred/connected:
As we develop a strong STEAM curriculum and framework, my primary Imagineers have been most difficult to appeal to. They are naturally inquisitive, but (naturally and understandably) easily distracted. While older kids can focus on one topic over a longer period of time, our Kindergarten friends through Grade 2, in general, have to look at many different things. I am learning to use as many resources I can to really spark creativity in the younger students. They are the ones who will be STEAM Lab Imagineers for several more years. It is important to get them interested now. I am a work in progress just like our STEAM Lab.
What students can do at home:
Explore. If you have an internet-connected device, download some science, engineering or math apps. We've had the most fun exploring Coaster Creator on the Brainpop.com website and playing with apps on our iPads. I predict our Google Chromebooks and Lego robotics will be most popular with our younger learners.
Intermediate (3-5)
What we learned/did/explored together:
We had a blast exploring the art of animation and creating our own stop motion animated movies. We started with a journey through the history of animation - http://video.mit.edu/watch/history-of-animation-3391/ - and created our own flipbooks. We talked about the notion of Persistence of Vision. Without it, movies would appear to us as frames. Our brains, the miraculous machines they are, combine the images into one fluid movie -that's why flipping a flip book provides the sensation of movement and motion. Students then developed a storyboard, connecting our learning in STEAM to the ideas they learn in regular classroom writing lessons. Stories have beginnings, middles and ends. They have conflict and resolution. So, too, do animated movies however short (and ours were short - a mere 20 seconds or so). In order to film their movie, students had to pitch their ideas just like in the Youtube video posted below and have it approved. Finally, animators filmed their movies using iPad/iPod/Android apps. We loved our mini-Film Festival!
What I observed/inferred/connected:
Our students did not experience a particularly strong art program, so they have little confidence in their own creative and artistic abilities. Even after reassuring them that creativity trumped being able to draw perfectly, students were hesitant to let go and experiment. This is my biggest challenge - the curriculum, the lessons, the content will come, but encouraging students to explore and try (and fail) will be difficult because we encourage rote work and perfection. We are embracing Thinking Strategies, a way of maneuvering in class that allows students to work independently on projects of personal interest. Beginning when we return, the STEAM Lab, already very much a workshop classroom will officially become one. You'll find my lessons are more a framework with general topics. I will be asking students to choose topics within that theme and using the resources available to us, research, assess, analyze and create something about the topic they chose. I think it will work, but it will be difficult.
What students can do at home:
Create your own animated movies. Many animation apps are free through Google Play or iTunes. Explore...if it's free, download it, try it, delete it if it doesn't suit you. Use little Lego people, action figures or drawings. You'll be amazed at what can be created with a little imagination and technology. If you film an animated movie, please send it as an attachment to me so it can be archived - I would love to see it!
Special Area Rotation ending 12/20/13
Primary (K-2)
What we learned/did/explored together:
Lots to talk about. We had a lot of assemblies and distractions the last nine weeks, so planning and scheduling became challenging. I also had an opportunity to visit two major professional conferences - the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and Thinking Strategies - that took up some instructional time. Most of December was spent creating props and scenery for our integrated Drama Unit. Our primary Imagineers had a chance to do the Theme Park Science unit that was so popular with our intermediate friends. They dabbled in stop motion animation (see the intermediate reflection below) and explored magnets and an Engineering is Elementary unit.
What I observed/inferred/connected:
As we develop a strong STEAM curriculum and framework, my primary Imagineers have been most difficult to appeal to. They are naturally inquisitive, but (naturally and understandably) easily distracted. While older kids can focus on one topic over a longer period of time, our Kindergarten friends through Grade 2, in general, have to look at many different things. I am learning to use as many resources I can to really spark creativity in the younger students. They are the ones who will be STEAM Lab Imagineers for several more years. It is important to get them interested now. I am a work in progress just like our STEAM Lab.
What students can do at home:
Explore. If you have an internet-connected device, download some science, engineering or math apps. We've had the most fun exploring Coaster Creator on the Brainpop.com website and playing with apps on our iPads. I predict our Google Chromebooks and Lego robotics will be most popular with our younger learners.
Intermediate (3-5)
What we learned/did/explored together:
We had a blast exploring the art of animation and creating our own stop motion animated movies. We started with a journey through the history of animation - http://video.mit.edu/watch/history-of-animation-3391/ - and created our own flipbooks. We talked about the notion of Persistence of Vision. Without it, movies would appear to us as frames. Our brains, the miraculous machines they are, combine the images into one fluid movie -that's why flipping a flip book provides the sensation of movement and motion. Students then developed a storyboard, connecting our learning in STEAM to the ideas they learn in regular classroom writing lessons. Stories have beginnings, middles and ends. They have conflict and resolution. So, too, do animated movies however short (and ours were short - a mere 20 seconds or so). In order to film their movie, students had to pitch their ideas just like in the Youtube video posted below and have it approved. Finally, animators filmed their movies using iPad/iPod/Android apps. We loved our mini-Film Festival!
What I observed/inferred/connected:
Our students did not experience a particularly strong art program, so they have little confidence in their own creative and artistic abilities. Even after reassuring them that creativity trumped being able to draw perfectly, students were hesitant to let go and experiment. This is my biggest challenge - the curriculum, the lessons, the content will come, but encouraging students to explore and try (and fail) will be difficult because we encourage rote work and perfection. We are embracing Thinking Strategies, a way of maneuvering in class that allows students to work independently on projects of personal interest. Beginning when we return, the STEAM Lab, already very much a workshop classroom will officially become one. You'll find my lessons are more a framework with general topics. I will be asking students to choose topics within that theme and using the resources available to us, research, assess, analyze and create something about the topic they chose. I think it will work, but it will be difficult.
What students can do at home:
Create your own animated movies. Many animation apps are free through Google Play or iTunes. Explore...if it's free, download it, try it, delete it if it doesn't suit you. Use little Lego people, action figures or drawings. You'll be amazed at what can be created with a little imagination and technology. If you film an animated movie, please send it as an attachment to me so it can be archived - I would love to see it!