Thanks to our friend and advocate Leigh Ann Lowery (Family Resource Center), all Old Mill students will participate in a STEM Museum on Wednesday January 8th. Watch the video below - it will be amazing experience!
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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! The Bullitt County Foundation for Public Excellence has approved our grant request for $2499.00. We are purchasing 6 Google Chromebooks. Your child will learn how to use this innovative, exciting new piece of technology exclusively in our STEAM Lab. We are the only school in Bullitt County with the STEAM Lab approach...and now, the only school piloting brand new Google Chromebooks. 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 10/15/13 Primary (K-2) What we learned/did/explored together: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....BLASTOFF! This rotation we explored the universe and our place in it. We took a fantastic journey through the solar system and finally to Mars. Students were asked to consider Aerospace Engineering as they developed comprehensive plans for traveling to, then colonizing the planet Mars. What I observed/inferred/connected: Space is a big topic, literally and figuratively, one you could almost build an entire course around. Students are naturally inquisitive about space and our place in it, though developmentally might not be able to handle the "big" questions adults often ponder. Still, it's cool to see reactions when you explain that over 1,300 Earths would fit inside Jupiter, 3 alone in the Great Red Spot. WHOA! I remember being into outer space growing up, but space was very much a part of our lives - you could still grow up to be an astronaut. Nowadays, political junk aside, space isn't really something we talk about minus the occasional Hollywood blockbuster about an asteroid, or an astronaut lost in space or an alien invasion. We tried to separate fact from fiction in our exploration of space, working towards answering, or at least wrapping our brains around the question: is using our imagination or facts more important when solving a problem? What students can do at home: Look up. Get a cheap telescope. Talk about the stars. Take advantage of the cool, clear night to head outside where the lights from passing cars or big box stores don't reach. To install the sense of wonder that we hope to engage here in STEAM, simply taking a minute to assess our place in the world, along with your child will show them that we really do live on a cool planet (not as cool, in the hip sense, as Venus though - man, that's a weird planet). Intermediate (3-5) What we learned/did/explored together: 3rd grade students completed a fantastic Engineering is Elementary unit about magnetism, culminating in an exploration of Transportation Engineering and the creation of a levitating magnetic train (maglev). Other grade levels explored kinetic, potential and dissipated energies in an exploration of Theme Park Science. What I observed/inferred/connected: Other than my job, being a Walt Disney Imagineer has to be the coolest job in the world. The students really enjoyed the Theme Park Science unit, so it's definitely something I'll explore doing every year for every grade. I don't imagine students will tire of building marble roller coasters from flexible tubes, or playing on the excellent Coaster Creator BrainPOP website. To repeat a common thread - students are naturally into everything we've talked about. They understand what it feels like to ride a rollercoaster, so connecting that visceral, real-world experience back to actual physics - inertia, energy, etc - is an easy leap. To hear 3rd graders speaking of potential and kinetic energy is impressive. The magnet unit continues to solidify the Engineering is Elementary curricula, for me, as some of the most well-written, well-researched material I have every come across. It is excellently planned and brilliantly constructed. My execution could use some work, though, as we ALWAYS run out of time. I have applied for a professional development scholarship - fingers crossed EiE will help me best implement their fantastic plans. Teacher time management aside, the students LOVED the unit - sailing a magnetic boat across a miniature pond, levitating ring magnets, building a tiny levitating train. What students can do at home: Play. Use magnets to see what they attach to (be careful not to touch electronic devices). Access the BrainPOP Coaster Creator game at home by visiting this link or going to our school website. As webmaster, I've placed that link on our website so all can enjoy it. I'm excited to introduce you to LEGO WeDo robotics. Thanks to a generous donation from the Family Resource Council, led by Leigh Ann Lowery, our STEAM Lab will soon have a classroom set of LEGO WeDo robotics kits. As part of this donation, we will start an afterschool STaR (Science, Technology and Robots) Club beginning after winter vacation. Enjoy the promotional video below as you watch students of all ages and all abilities embrace 21st century learning. 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 09/11/13 Primary (K-2) What we learned/did/explored together: In primary classes, we focused on a fantastic retelling of the Three Little Pigs. We learned about building materials and resources as we designed and built our own miniature houses to withstand the huff/puff of a Big Bad Wolf. Students explored famous world architecture and attempted to recreate it using the materials we have in STEAM Lab. We took daily field trips to the construction area to see the progress of the College and Career Center at Bullitt East High School. We even got to talk to the Foreman! So cool. What I observed/inferred/connected: Children naturally want to build and create. Even with limited resources, children are able to turn a pile of random Lego blocks into a Leaning Tower of Pisa or Chinese pagoda. What students can do at home: When you see construction, ask your engineer to discuss why the architect chose particular materials and how the construction relates back to those chosen materials. Every trip to the store, to a restaurant, to a friend's house can be a unique opportunity to connect STEAM Lab learning to the real world. Intermediate (3-5) What we learned/did/explored together: 3rd grade students completed our first Engineering is Elementary unit about converting wind energy to mechanical energy (a new third grade class is completing it now - it's a great unit!). 4th and 5th grade students worked on studying flight and, inspired by da Vinci, creating a flying machine. What I observed/inferred/connected: The content of the EiE curriculum is great, but the story that gives us context can be a little long. I will work with the regular education teachers to see if I can remedy that - perhaps, they can read it in their classroom before they come to me (that would be perfect - the best use of our brief time together). The windmill that was created is really spectacular. Examples of flying machines are outside our classroom. Stop by and see the result of imagination, inspired by a real life Renaissance person. What students can do at home: Continue researching Leonardo daVinci. This artist, engineer, scientist and inventor will continue to be our guiding force in the STEAM Lab. Our goal is to think like the Renaissance men and women did. As progressive as the STEAM Lab idea is, it really is an example of classical education, where all disciplines are interrelated and connected. Talk about engineering. Talk about the STEAM disciplines whenever you get the chance. Continue to connect our learning in STEAM Lab to the real world so students see that what we're learning really matters. 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 08/12/13 Primary (K-2) What we learned/did/explored together: In primary classes, I wanted to be sure everyone was comfortable with (and excited about) our new learning space. I started the lesson by giving everyone a classroom tour. We then moved on to a classroom Scavenger Hunt, based on an idea I saw in a Sid the Science Kid (PBS) episode. Kids scurried around the classroom with magnifying glasses in search of things to explore. I had strategically placed a variety of small items – sea shells, pipe cleaners, golf balls, clothespins – around the room. Students were so excited when they found the various treasures! What I observed/inferred/connected: Primary kiddos are super creative! Studies show that K-2 kids think creatively at genius levels. Unfortunately, we lose that as we get older. The STEAM Lab mission is committed to re-invigorating creative passion in all our students. What students can do at home: Magnifying glasses are inexpensive. Pretty much anything looks more interesting up close, so be sure to have a magnifying glass handy for explorations. Have students record their discoveries in a journal or some other place for safe keeping. Digital cameras can easily be used to photograph and send images to relatives and friends. You can even make free slideshows are a number of websites, like http://photopeach.com. Intermediate (3-5) What we learned/did/explored together: All classes got a quick tour of the Lab and an introduction to me. We covered our Lab rules and expectations via the Whole Brain Teaching methods. Students quickly took to the five core expectations, as well as what I will use to get their attention for important information. Students participated in a Divergent Thinking exercise where they were asked to complete a picture that had been started with very little. The results were magnificent. What I observed/inferred/connected: Intermediate kids can be creative, too…it just takes a little more coaxing. They were quick to say teachers are the worst about stifling creativity and imagination. I would agree. What students can do at home: Begin researching Leonardo daVinci. A Google SafeSearch should do the trick. This artist, engineer, scientist and inventor is our guiding force in the STEAM Lab. Our goal is to think like the Renaissance men and women did. As progressive as the STEAM Lab idea is, it really is an example of classical education, where all disciplines are interrelated and connected. |
Mr. CoxThese posts are part of my continuing series of weekly tidbits. My goal is to give all stakeholders in our school community the resources and information needed to extend student learning at home, and to share my professional journey with teacher colleagues around the world in the interest of connecting with others equally passionate about the STEAM/STEM/Maker Movement. Archives
January 2016
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