Google Slides Collaborative Project

At the beginning of each target, students preview the assessment and create their own focus questions.  We use these questions to create a project outline to complete throughout the unit to create a Google Slide Show, working on it collaboratively with a partner.  The students divide up the slides and discuss with each other.  We also use PADLET and post questions for me to help them answer throughout the project, so we are collaborating digitally as well!

and... ACTION!

We are learning about goods and services in social studies and students got to pick either a good or service to create a skit about and will perform it.  Students will provide feedback after the performance and will use a rubric to score their performance!

Move It- Move It!

We conducted some tests this week to investigate the question of whether mass and weight impact motion and used different spheres to test.  Our constants were the inclined plane and the surface (tile floor).  Students graphed the results and then created some different variables to test, focusing on surfaces to see if friction had an impact on motion!  They also wanted to test to see if we made the inclined plane steeper, would the distance traveled increase.  (it did!)  

They had great ideas and we headed outside!  The crew in Studio 214 decided they wanted to test on gravel, blacktop, grass, mulch, and sand, and thought it would be best to use a tennis ball and a bowling ball.  Stay tuned for the results!

Kahoot!

Kahoot is a free, online resource that can be used for formative assessments or review over content.  We have been using it to review content and it's so much fun!  For each question, it gives the quickest time to answer (the kids love that) and it gives automatic feedback to each kid about whether they got the answer correct or not.  Check it out!

Engineers and Earthquake Structures

Today we began an engineering design task where students are creating a two-story structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks to test on an earthquake table.  In their designs, they must include a square and a triangle shape.  They are only allowed to use thirty toothpicks and thirty marshmallows today.  Tomorrow we will redesign based on what we learned today and try to create the most inexpensive structure as well as the most sturdy.  The designs today were very interesting and I look forward to their designs tomorrow!

Lexia- Leveled Out!

We have another crew member in Studio 214 that just completed Lexia!  Whoop! Whoop! 

Hungry Hungry Hippo Review

We played Hungry Hungry Hippo to review for our next test today during science!  The students gathered as much "food" as possible and used the colored pieces of food to answer coordinated color questions.  At the end of class, we checked their answers for each color so they could reflect and see what they needed to study before our test.

Acting out the Layers of the Earth

We acted out the different layers of the Earth so that students could think of each layer and be able to describe some characteristics as well!  They did an awesome job and I think it will stick in their minds for awhile!

Bucket List Check

I had the most amazing opportunity a couple weeks ago to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to visit the Ron Clark Academy!  I almost began to cry as I entered the school building that morning and I had to talk myself down!  The excitement of being in those classrooms and walking their halls was beyond what I can describe!  I even danced on the math desks in Ron Clark's classroom when he hit the red button!  The knowledge I gained from this visit and the inspiration is immeasurable!  I will forever be thankful for the opportunity I had to visit his amazing school and want the same excitement and engagement in my classroom!