April 20 & 21, 2017:
We had a busy day in Enrichment! The students began with their favorite--a STEM challenge! Today's STEM challenge required the students to make a maze that a marble could travel through using pipe cleaners, straws, and/or Popsicle sticks. After discussing where mazes are found in the real-world, how and why they are used, and how they are constructed, the students got to work! Students learned the value of teamwork and how to create a win-win situation, as well as how to work through challenges using trial and error.
To strengthen their creativity, the students created riddles about animals. Today's student-created riddles involved a muddy pig.
The students also used critical thinking as they solved analogies, and today's task was particularly challenging because some of the students were unfamiliar with the vocabulary, such as vertebrate, flock, and herbivore. The students were taught how to use a dictionary and the Internet to search for unknown words so that they could more effectively determine the relationship within the analogies.
Lastly, the students ended their day with a mathematical number puzzle in which the pattern wasn't quite so obvious, as well as a current-events discussion on if schools should push back their start time so that teens can get more sleep.
March 30 & 31, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students were introduced to the culminating project for our unit, The Power of Photos. Please look for the stapled, blue pieces of paper that was sent home with your child today. It explains the project requirements in detail, and it requests your signature on the bottom of the first page in order to ensure you have seen the papers. Please sign and return that bottom portion as soon as we return from Spring Break.
The students were also introduced to analogies today. They learned how to analyze the relationship between the first set of words, and then how to use that same relationship to determine the unknown in the second set. This required critical thinking!
During our creativity lesson, the students focused on elaboration (elaboration means to add details to a creation, drawing, or writing). Each student stamped his/her thumb print on a blank piece of paper. They then used their imagination to elaborate on the thumbprint, and in the end, they created an original drawing with many details!
Students also solved more challenging logic puzzles involving our friends, Bob, Barb, Billie, and Beulah.
March 9 & 10, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students worked very hard in Enrichment this week! Last week, the students chose photos that best represented the statement, "Crabapple Lane is a green place". This week, the students used their same collection of photos to show a different statement--either "CLES is a learning place", or "CLES is a fun place". They didn't tell us which statement they chose. Instead, the class looked at the story behind each picture to determine which overall statement was represented.
For our STEM challenge, the students created a trap to capture a leprechaun. They had a variety of materials to choose from, such as construction paper, straws, tape, toilet paper rolls, etc. The constraints were the trap had to be safe for the leprechaun, big enough for the leprechaun to fit inside, and fully enclose him. The students practiced persevering and using trial and error.
It was so interesting to see all the items the students brought in from home for our Curiosity Caboodle activity. The students began the activity by observing all of their items and choosing the 2 most interesting ones to describe. Then, they classified all their objects in various ways. Some classified by color, shape, texture, and even sound it made when dropped on the floor.
The students finished up the day with logic puzzles in which our friends Bob, Barb, Billy, and Beulah needed help figuring something out.
***Next Thursday is our field trip to the Alliance Theater. Friday Enrichment students will meet on Thursday instead of Friday (that way they don't miss two days of classroom instruction).
March 2 & 3, 2017:
Last week, the students became photographers and captured photos that told the story, "CLES is a green place". I printed out all of their photos in color and today the students had to make a decision on which 6-7 pictures best told the story of CLES being a green place. We talked about how photographers take many, many photos in order to have a good selection to choose from. Did you know that President Obama's photographer took over 2 million pictures of the president during his term?
After reading the story A Leprechaun's St. Patrick's Day, the students engaged in a S.T.E.M. challenge where they had to build a bridge that would hold the leprechaun's gold. The students did a great job persevering because they soon found out that this challenge was not as easy as it first appeared! After much trial and error, a few of the groups were able to successfully construct a bridge to hold the gold. We ended our S.T.E.M. challenge with a discussion about the challenges and successes of the task, and the students' strong work ethic was praised.
The students had the opportunity to strengthen their creativity skills as they practiced using elaboration. Elaboration means to add details to a picture or sentence. The students took a bare tree and added details to make the tree more interesting. During this time, my small group rotation solved logic puzzles involving our friends Bob, Barb, Billy, and Beulah.
We ended our day with current events. NASA recently discovered 7 new Earth-like planets in a system they're calling Trappist-1. We discussed what it means to find "life" on a new planet, as well as possibilities for how humans might (if ever) journey there.
Feb. 16 & 17, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, 1st grade students had the opportunity to become photographers! In our unit, The Power of Photos, students have been learning that photographers capture photos to tell a certain story. The story that the students needed to capture with their photos today was "CLES is a green place". After discussing the possibilities for what this sentence might mean (ex: literally green things--which CLES has quite a bit of!--or 'going green' with recycling, etc.), the students used digital cameras to capture photos of things in the school they felt best encompassed this idea. Next week, the students will analyze all of their photos and choose 6-8 pictures that best represent CLES as a green place.
The students used seven different thinking techniques to spark creativity and generate ideas for problem solving using the activity, S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Students used flexibility, elaboration, and the association of existing ideas and products to consider the changes and alternate uses of common modes of transportation, such as bikes, trains, and cars.
After solving their logic puzzles, the students practiced thinking like a scientist by classifying more mysterious creatures Sybil the Scientist found, as well as through playing the game "Yes/No" in which the students had to use critical thinking and observations to determine why a certain group of words belonged in the 'yes' category and the other words did not.
Feb. 9 & 10, 2017
Enrichment was a busy and exciting place this week! The students started off their day by analyzing a photo of a military man and his canine as they exited a helicopter mid-air. The students made inferences about where the military man and his dog were going and how they might be feeling, and then they used that information to write a short story.
During critical thinking time, the students were introduced to our new friend, Sybil the Scientist. Sybil taught us that scientists make careful observations about the world around them, organize the data they collect, and make hypotheses. The students had the opportunity to classify several different real-life objects, like test tubes, rocks, seashells, etc., and then they helped Sybil classify an assortment of new creatures she discovered. Students classified them in a variety of ways, such as by number of arms, eyes, and even style of hair! They continued strengthening their critical thinking skills by playing the game, "Name That Category," where they had to think of objects that would fit in a certain category (ex: Things That Sing).
The students used logical reasoning to solve their logic puzzle, and, although many students were a little stumped at how to solve their puzzle at first, they did not give up.
During our creativity lesson, the students thought of new ways to use a regular paper towel. They practiced being fluent, flexible, and original thinkers, and they came up with ideas that included a book cover, a folder, a flag, and blanket for a doll.
Feb. 2 & 3, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students continued studying the power of photos and the stories they tell by observing a photo of two girls in the middle of a flood. Students analyzed the photo to predict how these girls might feel, where they might live, what possibly happened, such as a rain flood, a tsunami, or a hurricane. They then wrote a story from the perspective of one of the girls in the photo.
The students strengthened their creativity (particularly their fluency and flexibility) by playing the game, "What Might It Be?" After rolling a die with shapes on it, the students had to name all the things in the room they landed on that would have that shape. For instance, if they landed on the space "In an airplane" and then rolled a rectangle, they had to name all the things that are rectangular on an airplane, like the back of the seat or a candy bar from the stewardess. The students had a blast, and they realized that creative fluency is not always as easy as it appears!
The students had many opportunities to think critically today as they practiced categorizing objects based on similar characteristics, as well as solving logic puzzles.
Jan. 26 & 28, 2017:
This morning, the students learned how to create a caption that would effectively and succinctly tell the story of a photo. Each group had a different picture to analyze, and together they observed important details in the photo and made inferences about the story behind their photo.
The students had the opportunity to strengthen their creativity skills as they helped our friend, Isabel the Inventor, complete the un-finished drawings found in Rascal Raccoon's basement. The students were encouraged to think fluently, flexibly, elaborately, and originally as they completed the drawings. Then, I scored their pictures so they could see their areas of strength, as well any areas to concentrate on next time.
During our small group time, students were encouraged to use problem-solving skills and creativity as they tinkered in the Tinker Station. This gave the students another opportunity to practice thinking elaborately, flexibly, and originally. In my group, students continued to practice logical reasoning as they solved logic puzzles about Rex, Rona, and Ralph. I taught the students how to make notes about the clues, as well as how to use "if...then" statements to think through the problems.
The Falcons are going to the Super Bowl! In current events, students discussed this upcoming event and why so many Georgians are excited (the last time the Falcons went to the Super Bowl was in 1999!)
Jan. 19 & 20, 2017:
We had a busy day in Enrichment! We started our day with our new unit, Seeing is Believing: The Power of Photos. The students analyzed a variety of photos, including advertisements, to determine the story behind each, and then they categorized the photos using adjectives. Students are learning that photographers have a specific purpose in mind when they take photos and they hope their photos will convey that purpose/story.
The students pulled out their Brainfocal glasses to help them become inventive thinkers today! Our friend, Isabel the Inventor, needed help getting her acorns from the ground up to her hole in a tall tree. The students thought creatively to invent a machine that would help Isabel achieve this. Ideas included a suction tube, a conveyor belt, and a robot!
During small group rotations, the students used logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles involving our favorite doggies, Rex, Rona, and Ralph. I taught the students how to make little notes in the margins of their paper to keep track of important information. They discovered that this really helped their brains when it came down to figuring out those last, often difficult, answers. Other students continued their study on categorizing as they used critical thinking to sort animals based on characteristics.
In current events, we reviewed the ways stories become news-worthy, and we read about California's "Ugliest Dog" contest. After discussing why this story is news-worthy, the students created another title for the story and determined the importance of this story on a scale of 1-5.
Jan. 12 & 13, 2017:
Today we began our unit for the second semester--Seeing is Believing: The Power of Photos. Through this unit, students will discover the stories behind photos, including how photographers create pictures that tell stories and whether all photos tell an accurate story (such as photos used in the media). Towards the end of this unit, students will engage in taking their own photos in order to tell a story about their family. Today, the students read the story Flotsam, in which a boy finds an underwater camera. When he has the film developed, he discovers magical things are occuring in the oceans, as well as a long history of other children's use of the camera. After finding pictures in the book that displayed curiousity, happiness, and imagination, the students created their own picture of what they would see with their flotsam camera.
The students strengthened their creativity by learning how to be flexible thinkers. Flexible thinkers see things in new and unusal ways, and to practice this, groups of students were given a regular coffee mug. They had to think of new ways the coffee mug could be used. Ideas included a toothbrush holder, a cereal bowl, and an award.
During small group time, the students practiced thinking logically with logic puzzles. Logic puzzles included 'Dog Collar Color', 'Sweaters and Owners', and 'Socks, Food, and TV'.
Lastly, we ended our day with current events. The students learned how news stories are chosen, including things that are new, extremes (biggest, tallest, smallest, etc.), conflicts, or surprising.
Jan. 5 & 6, 2017:
We have gained some new friends in 1st Grade Enrichment, and as such I will now serve Mrs. Fairrel's/Catlett's class on Thursdays and Hall's/Wisener's class on Fridays.
We started off our morning with a S.T.E.M. challenge. We read the story Rosie Revere, Engineer and discussed the character traits and thinking required of an engineer. The students then had the opportunity to think like engineers as they worked in partners to create the tallest structure possible out of cups. Boy, did the kids create some tall structures! Some were over 70 inches! Afterwards, the students reflected on the type of thinking/character traits they used during the task through writing.
Next, the students increased their knowledge on current events and why it is important for people to know about the world around them. We played a short game where the students had to identify different types of news sources, such as newspapers, TV, and radio.
The students thought creatively about how to solve various problems, including a forgotten lunch and an expensive toy. In teams of 4, the students had 5 minutes to think of all the different ways they could solve these problems. Original and creative ideas were encouraged, and then we talked about the importance of fluent thinking when being creative and solving problems.
After our small group time in which the students solved logic puzzles, the students practiced comparing and contrasting by comparing/contrasting a hummingbird to a bat. Many students found this quite difficult, especially the comparing part. Through analyzing pictures of the two animals, the students were able to effectively able to complete the task. I even heard some great vocabulary, such as echolocation and nocturnal!
Dec. 9, 2016:
This semester, the students have been studying fairy tales, including the elements of a fairy tale and why these stories transcend time. Today, the students had the opportunity to write their own fairy tale! Before writing, we talked about descriptive words and how they help readers better understand the story. The students worked all morning writing their fairy tales. They used a checklist to make sure they had all the elements of a fairy tale, descriptive words, and complete sentences. Next week, they will share their stories with the class.
During critical thinking time, the students expanded their understanding of inventors by learning how they are problem solvers. To begin, they examined a car from the early 1900s and identified problems, such as no doors, no hood/cover, and only enough room for 2 people. Then, they looked at the car through the eyes of an inventor and thought about ways to fix these problems. Next, they were tasked with helping our friend Sybil the Scientist get across Crystal Woods Pond. Isabel the Inventor and the Enrichment students used various scrap pieces of material (like tongs, a balloon, and a whisk) to invent a way for Sybil to safely cross the pond.
The students learned a new strategy during our logic puzzle time to help them make sense of the clues, which included jotting down quick notes of known information in the margins. The students stated that this helped them quickly remember details about the clues versus having to go back through and read each clue again.
Next Friday, the students will participate in our annual holiday sing-along assembly in the cafeteria. This is always a wonderful time! Then, in the afternoon, holiday parties will begin at 1:00.
Dec. 2, 2016:
Our brains were working today! To wrap up our fairy tale unit, the students will be writing their own fairy tale. The students started off their morning by brainstorming what they want their fairy tale to include. They used their tangram picture from a few weeks ago to create the elements of their fairy tale--the evil character, the good character, the magic, the happy ending, etc. Next week the students will use this plan to write their fairy tale.
During critical thinking time, our friend Yolanda the Yarnspinner needed help. She needed inventive thinkers to invent a new bicycle that would accommodate her 8 legs. The students were up to the challenge and created bicycles with multiple pedals, a longer seat, and more handlebars. After, the students continued using critical thinking skills as they compared and contrasted apples and oranges using a Venn Diagram.
During our creativity lesson, we reviewed what it means to be a fluent thinker. Fluent thinkers are able to generate many ideas, and the students worked in groups to write down all the things associated with December. Ideas included winter, Christmas, snowflakes, etc. Many of the students stated that they used one idea to help them generate even more ideas. For instance, the thought of Christmas led to Christmas trees, which led to Christmas tree lights, which led to presents, which led to Santa Claus, and so forth.
After using logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles, the students engaged in a math puzzle. They were given two problems: a riddle where they had to determine the missing number and a pattern with a number that didn't belong. It was truly amazing to see the different mathematical thinking, especially with the pattern problem! The students went 'beyond the book' answer to discover new ways different numbers didn't belong--many of which I hadn't even considered but totally made sense! Way to go, kids!
Nov. 18, 2016:
Today in Enrichment, the students had the opportunity to help write a fairy tale. This fairy tale had a twist, though! It was about a space-age Cinderella! The students really used their creativity and imagination to create characters that would make sense in a space-age Cinderella, such as the main character's name being Starella, her losing a space boot instead of a slipper, and her wanting to go to the Jet-Pack Ball so she could meet the handsome Martian Prince.
The students spent a lot of time strengthening their creativity today. One activity involved the help of our friend, Isabel the Inventor. Isabel loves to see things in new and unusual ways. The students put on their Brain-focals and helped Isabel create new uses for bubbles. Using several drawn bubbles (circles), the students creatively thought about how to turn them into emojis, glasses, dogs, clocks, snowmen, and much more! We used these drawings to discuss fluent, flexible, elaborate, and original creative thinking.
During our small group rotations, my group used logical reasoning to solve Thanksgiving logic puzzles. These were quite tricky because the students had to use a process of elimination to figure out who could (or could not) be considered in order to solve the puzzle.
Lastly, we ended our day with a Magic Square math puzzle. I gave the students time to analyze a completed Magic Square so they could determine the connection between each number (each row, column, and diagonal all add up to 15) Then, they worked in partners to create their own Magic Square. This proved to be quite the challenge!
Nov. 11, 2016:
This morning, CLES students participated in a wonderful Veteran's Day assembly in which they were able to see real life heroes from each of the armed forces! It was a very touching program, and we are so very grateful for all the men and women who serve and protect our country.
After returning from the specials, the students learned about an ancient Chinese puzzle (called tangrams) and listened to the story, Grandfather Tang's Story. The students then had the opportunity to think creatively as they worked to create animals, people, or places out of their tangrams. After deciding on their favorite creation/picture, the students glued the pieces down and illustrated a detailed background. Next week, they will use this tangram picture to serve as the foundation of their very own fairy tale!
Lastly, we ended our day with a math puzzle. Like last week, the students had to apply multiple clues to determine what the mystery number was. The students did a much better job at paying attention to all three of the clues in order to help them arrive at the correct number.
Nov. 4, 2016:
We had a busy and enriching day in Enrichment! We continued studying cultures around the world using the fairy tale, Cinderella. This week, we learned about China through Yeh-Shen, a retelling of Cinderella set in ancient China. The students discovered the types of clothing worn by both men and women, as well as the purpose of the spring festival. After, the students worked in groups to research facts about China, including its population, language, and location on a map.
In our critical thinking lesson, the students were introduced to Isabel the Inventor. Isabel uses her special glasses called Brainfocals to see new and unusual ways to use ordinary objects. The students created their own Brainfocals and invented new ways to use a kitchen whisk. Ideas included a microphone, a place-card holder, and a pointer.
Over the next several weeks, we will be studying creative fluency. Creative fluency is the ability to generate many ideas. During our small groups, the students strengthened their fluent thinking by listing as many scary sounds as they could think of. Then, they then ranked their list from most scary sound to least scary sound. In my group, we used logical reasoning to solve various logic puzzles. Although each puzzle only had two clues, the students had to read between the lines carefully to determine what information could be gleaned.
Lastly, we ended our day with a math puzzle. The students had to apply multiple clues to determine what the mystery number was. Although this was quite the challenge, many of the students persevered and came very close to figuring it out! We will try another similar puzzle next week as well.
Oct. 28, 2016:
Due to testing new students for the gifted program, the 1st grade Enrichment students were only able to meet this afternoon. We continued our study of fairy tales by exploring how fairy tales reveal information about different cultures. Through the story The Egyptian Cinderella, we discovered the types of clothes ancient Egyptians wore, the foods they ate, and the modes of transportation they used, among many other things. Then, the students used research skills to identify facts about Egypt using an Encyclopedia and non-fiction texts.
Oct. 14, 2016:
Today in Enrichment, we learned how fairy tales can be a representation of a country's culture. After defining culture, the students made connections to their lives by naming traditions, holidays, clothing, food, and games that are unique to their culture. Each week we will read a Cinderella story from around the world to learn about the culture of that country. Today, we started off with the traditional Cinderella story from France. The students used pictures and evidence from the text to discover what life was like in France over 300 years ago.
The students then practiced using their imagination by creating a new creature called a sneeg. After drawing the sneeg, they had to imagine what it ate and where it lived. There were some pretty creative and interesting sneegs in the room!
During our differentiated small groups, I introduced the students to attributes using attribute blocks. After they practiced identifying shapes by their attributes, I had them close their eyes while I took 3 blocks away. The students had to use critical thinking skills to determine which 3 shapes I took. At first, many of the students just guessed, but then after some time, they realized if they grouped the blocks by attributes, they could determine which ones were missing. While I was working with my group, another group was continuing their practice from last week by imagining what the land behind a rainbow looks like and the pros/cons of a human having a turtle shell. The computer group practiced problem solving and strategy skills..
Lastly, we continued practicing our detective thinking with Dudley the Detective by using Venn Diagrams to locate his mystery number. The students analyzed numbers to determine if they were odd or less than 50, or both. Then we used those numbers in the middle (both) to solve the next set of remaining clues.
Oct. 7, 2016:
We had a wonderful day in Enrichment! This morning, the students continued adding their creative ideas to the fairy tale, "The Tower of the Dragon". They had to develop a plan for how to help the brothers gain entry into the dragon's tall tower using only a rope and a bow and arrow. We were not able to complete chapter 3 of the story in class today, so I told the students they could take it home to complete if they would like.
As a continuation of our fairy tale unit, the students thought creatively and critically to build a bridge for the gingerbread man during our S.T.E.M. challenge. After conducting a control test to determine how much mass an un-altered bridge would hold, the students worked collaboratively to construct two sturdy bridges out of only an index card. Some of the groups constructed very strong bridges that held over 50 grams of mass! Look for the STEM organizer and rubric in their Enrichment folder.
In our differentiated small groups, the students thought logically to solve their logic puzzle. Each group completed a different puzzle based on their readiness. The students are really getting the hang of noticing important clues and returning back to clues to retrieve further information. The difficulty of these puzzles will increase each week. While I was working with my logic puzzle group, another group was practicing their creativity and critical thinking skills by imagining what the land behind a rainbow looks like and the pros/cons of a human having a turtle shell.
Sept. 30, 2016:
We started our day off with our fairy tale unit in which the students learned about famous fairy tale authors (Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault). Fun fact: did you know that many fairy tales were first written for adults, not children? The students then communicated why fairy tales have transcended age and time. What makes fairy tales so special? Why do they continue to be passed down from generation to generation? Later on this semester, we will examine this more in depth as we learn about Cinderella stories from different cultures.
To strengthen their critical thinking skills, the students used a Venn Diagram to organize and analyze clues about who was the mystery guest at Dudley the Detective's birthday party. During our differentiated small group time, the students applied logical reasoning to also organize and analyze clues in order to solve their logic puzzle. The students are doing a great job applying the strategies I've taught them when attacking logic puzzles!
Today during our creativity lesson, we discussed the importance of being imaginative. Imagination means being able to visualize images of unknowns and imagine people, places, and things that might not exist. Imagination gives rise to other aspects of creativity, such as fluency, flexibility, and originality. To practice this, the students created a dragon as part of the fairy tale they are helping to write called "The Tower of the Dragon", as well as by imagining what is at the end of a rainbow.
Sept. 23, 2016:
We had an enriching and busy day in Enrichment! The students began with a S.T.E.M. challenge in which they created a raft for the Three Billy Goats Gruff since the mean troll wouldn't let them cross the bridge. They could only use straws and pipe cleaners to construct their rafts, and it had to hold at least 10 grams of mass for 10 seconds. The students used problem solving and cooperation to determine the best way to build their rafts, and after several constructions, many were able to find a workable solution. Look for their organizers and rubrics in their Enrichment folder.
During our Fairy Tales unit, the students continued to analyze themes. After matching different themes to its fairy tale ("love conquers all"--Sleeping Beauty, "beauty isn't everything"--The Ugly Duckling, "don't trust strangers"--Hansel and Gretel, etc), the students communicated their reasoning by citing evidence from the story.
Lastly, we ended our day in differentiated small groups. Differentiated small groups allow me to more personally meet the needs of the students. For instance, for some students, logic puzzles will come more easily, while for others it will take more practice and modeling. For some students, creativity comes naturally, while for others it will take more fostering In my small group, the students used logical reasoning to solve their puzzle. Each week these puzzles get progressively harder.! While I was working with my logic puzzle group, the other students were practicing being creative by turning a squiggly line into an elaborate, unique picture, and tinkering (building) at the Tinker Station. The Tinker Station gives the students time to problem solve, think critically, and think creatively as they build various structures out of Legos and blocks. The students rotate through the groups so that everyone has a chance to explore them all.
Sept. 16, 2016:
I am so impressed by the work the students did today in class! We started off our day, as usual, with our S.T.E.M. challenge. After reading Hansel and Gretel, the students had to create a cylinder flier to help Hansel deliver a message to his father. I overheard some wonderful, scientific thinking, such as "We need to help our cylinder get lift so it will glide farther," "We need to fight gravity--it keeps pulling our plane down," and "Let's adjust the weight. Maybe lighter, smaller things will fly farther." It was just amazing to hear all of the students thinking like scientists and engineers as they tried to solve the problem. Look for their organizers and rubrics in their Enrichment folders.
During our Fairy Tales unit, the students analyzed the theme in Rumpelstiltskin. They pulled details from the story to describe how Rumpelstiltskin and the King behaved. Both characters wanted more and more--more gold and more precious belongings, like jewelry and Anna's baby. The term 'greed' was introduced, and the students analyzed how greed can be harmful to the characters and those around them.
We finished our day with the logic puzzle, "The Turtles' Scarves". The students examined the clues carefully to determine which turtle was wearing which scarf, and they remembered that sometimes a clue needs to be skipped for the moment because it does not provide sufficient information at the time. I can see that many of the students are becoming more confident in solving logic puzzles!
September 9, 2016:
We began our day with another fairy tales S.T.E.M. challenge. This time, the students had to create a parachute to help Jack escape from the giant. Their materials included a plastic bag, coffee filters, pipe cleaners, string, etc. All of the groups generated great ideas for how to turn these materials into a workable parachute, and after several tries and improvements, all of the students successfully built a parachute for Jack! Look for their work in their Enrichment folder.
After, the students analyzed the story Jack and the Beanstalk to find examples of elements commonly seen in fairy tales (magic, evil characters, etc.). Next week we'll learn about themes (things like greed; desire for power; good vs. evil).
We then worked on a logic puzzle where the students had to study the clues and determine which turtle wore a blue, pink, or yellow shoe. The strategies we practiced to "train our brain" in how to solve logic puzzles included highlighting important information, skipping clues if they didn't provide us with enough information and then coming back to them later, and eliminating choices that couldn't belong to the character based on the clues.
Lastly, the students practiced their creativity skills by turning a random squiggly line into a detailed, interesting, and original picture. In Enrichment, it is important for students to understand that wacky, interesting, and original ideas are desired. We want students to think differently and more creatively--if several other people have the same idea, then try to think of something different. It was amazing to see the originality in all of the pictures the students created today!
September 2, 2016:
We had a wonderful and busy day today in Enrichment! We began our day with a fairy tale S.T.E.M challenge (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). The students worked to build a house for one of the 3 Little Pigs out of only toothpicks. This was a very difficult challenge for all of the students, but through perseverance, team work, creativity, and critical thinking, several of the groups were able to build a house that met the criteria (hold 20 grams of mass, 6 cm tall, etc.). Regardless of whether they were successful in building their toothpick house or not, I was proud of all the students' hard work! Look in their Enrichment folder to see their work.
In our fairy tales unit, we analyzed the story Rumpelstiltskin for elements of a fairy tale (magic, royalty, etc.).
The students were so excited to solve the logic puzzle called The Lost Toys! Some of the strategies the students used included circling important words in the clues, reading on to the next clue when one clue doesn't give enough information, and going back to the clues we skipped once we have enough information figured out. Solving logic puzzles really requires their brains to think critically and carefully as they determine which information is useful and how to unravel the clues.
August 26, 2016:
We worked hard today in our first full day of Enrichment!
To extend their understanding of a foundation, the students used their scientific, engineering, and mathematical minds to create a structure for our fuzz ball friend, Harry. Harry needed a new, strong perch to sit on so he could watch over our room. The students only had a few materials and were instructed to build a structure that would give Harry's perch a strong foundation. Check out the Class Stories section from our Class Dojo page to see a picture of Alex and Cameron.
Today we also discussed elements in a fairy tale (magic, royalty, etc.), and the students looked for these elements in the story of Cinderella. Lastly, we completed our first logic puzzle by analyzing the clues carefully and then acting out the clues to gain understanding. .
August 19, 2016:
Today the students were introduced to our theme for 1st grade Enrichment: Foundations! We viewed various pictures of structures and analyzed their foundations to determine that a strong foundation is needed for a structure to stand successfully. This is an important year for 1st grade students because, for many, it is their first time in an Enrichment program. Therefore, it is paramount that they gain a strong foundation to carry them through the rest of their gifted and accelerated courses.
Through the book The Most Magnificent Thing, the students analyzed character traits often seen in gifted learners--curiosity, initiative, determination, and creativity. After comparing and contrasting themselves to the main character, the students completed a graphic organizer that tells about their foundation of learning. You can come check out their work during Curriculum Night on September 8th at 6:00.
We had a busy day in Enrichment! The students began with their favorite--a STEM challenge! Today's STEM challenge required the students to make a maze that a marble could travel through using pipe cleaners, straws, and/or Popsicle sticks. After discussing where mazes are found in the real-world, how and why they are used, and how they are constructed, the students got to work! Students learned the value of teamwork and how to create a win-win situation, as well as how to work through challenges using trial and error.
To strengthen their creativity, the students created riddles about animals. Today's student-created riddles involved a muddy pig.
The students also used critical thinking as they solved analogies, and today's task was particularly challenging because some of the students were unfamiliar with the vocabulary, such as vertebrate, flock, and herbivore. The students were taught how to use a dictionary and the Internet to search for unknown words so that they could more effectively determine the relationship within the analogies.
Lastly, the students ended their day with a mathematical number puzzle in which the pattern wasn't quite so obvious, as well as a current-events discussion on if schools should push back their start time so that teens can get more sleep.
March 30 & 31, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students were introduced to the culminating project for our unit, The Power of Photos. Please look for the stapled, blue pieces of paper that was sent home with your child today. It explains the project requirements in detail, and it requests your signature on the bottom of the first page in order to ensure you have seen the papers. Please sign and return that bottom portion as soon as we return from Spring Break.
The students were also introduced to analogies today. They learned how to analyze the relationship between the first set of words, and then how to use that same relationship to determine the unknown in the second set. This required critical thinking!
During our creativity lesson, the students focused on elaboration (elaboration means to add details to a creation, drawing, or writing). Each student stamped his/her thumb print on a blank piece of paper. They then used their imagination to elaborate on the thumbprint, and in the end, they created an original drawing with many details!
Students also solved more challenging logic puzzles involving our friends, Bob, Barb, Billie, and Beulah.
March 9 & 10, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students worked very hard in Enrichment this week! Last week, the students chose photos that best represented the statement, "Crabapple Lane is a green place". This week, the students used their same collection of photos to show a different statement--either "CLES is a learning place", or "CLES is a fun place". They didn't tell us which statement they chose. Instead, the class looked at the story behind each picture to determine which overall statement was represented.
For our STEM challenge, the students created a trap to capture a leprechaun. They had a variety of materials to choose from, such as construction paper, straws, tape, toilet paper rolls, etc. The constraints were the trap had to be safe for the leprechaun, big enough for the leprechaun to fit inside, and fully enclose him. The students practiced persevering and using trial and error.
It was so interesting to see all the items the students brought in from home for our Curiosity Caboodle activity. The students began the activity by observing all of their items and choosing the 2 most interesting ones to describe. Then, they classified all their objects in various ways. Some classified by color, shape, texture, and even sound it made when dropped on the floor.
The students finished up the day with logic puzzles in which our friends Bob, Barb, Billy, and Beulah needed help figuring something out.
***Next Thursday is our field trip to the Alliance Theater. Friday Enrichment students will meet on Thursday instead of Friday (that way they don't miss two days of classroom instruction).
March 2 & 3, 2017:
Last week, the students became photographers and captured photos that told the story, "CLES is a green place". I printed out all of their photos in color and today the students had to make a decision on which 6-7 pictures best told the story of CLES being a green place. We talked about how photographers take many, many photos in order to have a good selection to choose from. Did you know that President Obama's photographer took over 2 million pictures of the president during his term?
After reading the story A Leprechaun's St. Patrick's Day, the students engaged in a S.T.E.M. challenge where they had to build a bridge that would hold the leprechaun's gold. The students did a great job persevering because they soon found out that this challenge was not as easy as it first appeared! After much trial and error, a few of the groups were able to successfully construct a bridge to hold the gold. We ended our S.T.E.M. challenge with a discussion about the challenges and successes of the task, and the students' strong work ethic was praised.
The students had the opportunity to strengthen their creativity skills as they practiced using elaboration. Elaboration means to add details to a picture or sentence. The students took a bare tree and added details to make the tree more interesting. During this time, my small group rotation solved logic puzzles involving our friends Bob, Barb, Billy, and Beulah.
We ended our day with current events. NASA recently discovered 7 new Earth-like planets in a system they're calling Trappist-1. We discussed what it means to find "life" on a new planet, as well as possibilities for how humans might (if ever) journey there.
Feb. 16 & 17, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, 1st grade students had the opportunity to become photographers! In our unit, The Power of Photos, students have been learning that photographers capture photos to tell a certain story. The story that the students needed to capture with their photos today was "CLES is a green place". After discussing the possibilities for what this sentence might mean (ex: literally green things--which CLES has quite a bit of!--or 'going green' with recycling, etc.), the students used digital cameras to capture photos of things in the school they felt best encompassed this idea. Next week, the students will analyze all of their photos and choose 6-8 pictures that best represent CLES as a green place.
The students used seven different thinking techniques to spark creativity and generate ideas for problem solving using the activity, S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Students used flexibility, elaboration, and the association of existing ideas and products to consider the changes and alternate uses of common modes of transportation, such as bikes, trains, and cars.
After solving their logic puzzles, the students practiced thinking like a scientist by classifying more mysterious creatures Sybil the Scientist found, as well as through playing the game "Yes/No" in which the students had to use critical thinking and observations to determine why a certain group of words belonged in the 'yes' category and the other words did not.
Feb. 9 & 10, 2017
Enrichment was a busy and exciting place this week! The students started off their day by analyzing a photo of a military man and his canine as they exited a helicopter mid-air. The students made inferences about where the military man and his dog were going and how they might be feeling, and then they used that information to write a short story.
During critical thinking time, the students were introduced to our new friend, Sybil the Scientist. Sybil taught us that scientists make careful observations about the world around them, organize the data they collect, and make hypotheses. The students had the opportunity to classify several different real-life objects, like test tubes, rocks, seashells, etc., and then they helped Sybil classify an assortment of new creatures she discovered. Students classified them in a variety of ways, such as by number of arms, eyes, and even style of hair! They continued strengthening their critical thinking skills by playing the game, "Name That Category," where they had to think of objects that would fit in a certain category (ex: Things That Sing).
The students used logical reasoning to solve their logic puzzle, and, although many students were a little stumped at how to solve their puzzle at first, they did not give up.
During our creativity lesson, the students thought of new ways to use a regular paper towel. They practiced being fluent, flexible, and original thinkers, and they came up with ideas that included a book cover, a folder, a flag, and blanket for a doll.
Feb. 2 & 3, 2017:
1st grade Enrichment students continued studying the power of photos and the stories they tell by observing a photo of two girls in the middle of a flood. Students analyzed the photo to predict how these girls might feel, where they might live, what possibly happened, such as a rain flood, a tsunami, or a hurricane. They then wrote a story from the perspective of one of the girls in the photo.
The students strengthened their creativity (particularly their fluency and flexibility) by playing the game, "What Might It Be?" After rolling a die with shapes on it, the students had to name all the things in the room they landed on that would have that shape. For instance, if they landed on the space "In an airplane" and then rolled a rectangle, they had to name all the things that are rectangular on an airplane, like the back of the seat or a candy bar from the stewardess. The students had a blast, and they realized that creative fluency is not always as easy as it appears!
The students had many opportunities to think critically today as they practiced categorizing objects based on similar characteristics, as well as solving logic puzzles.
Jan. 26 & 28, 2017:
This morning, the students learned how to create a caption that would effectively and succinctly tell the story of a photo. Each group had a different picture to analyze, and together they observed important details in the photo and made inferences about the story behind their photo.
The students had the opportunity to strengthen their creativity skills as they helped our friend, Isabel the Inventor, complete the un-finished drawings found in Rascal Raccoon's basement. The students were encouraged to think fluently, flexibly, elaborately, and originally as they completed the drawings. Then, I scored their pictures so they could see their areas of strength, as well any areas to concentrate on next time.
During our small group time, students were encouraged to use problem-solving skills and creativity as they tinkered in the Tinker Station. This gave the students another opportunity to practice thinking elaborately, flexibly, and originally. In my group, students continued to practice logical reasoning as they solved logic puzzles about Rex, Rona, and Ralph. I taught the students how to make notes about the clues, as well as how to use "if...then" statements to think through the problems.
The Falcons are going to the Super Bowl! In current events, students discussed this upcoming event and why so many Georgians are excited (the last time the Falcons went to the Super Bowl was in 1999!)
Jan. 19 & 20, 2017:
We had a busy day in Enrichment! We started our day with our new unit, Seeing is Believing: The Power of Photos. The students analyzed a variety of photos, including advertisements, to determine the story behind each, and then they categorized the photos using adjectives. Students are learning that photographers have a specific purpose in mind when they take photos and they hope their photos will convey that purpose/story.
The students pulled out their Brainfocal glasses to help them become inventive thinkers today! Our friend, Isabel the Inventor, needed help getting her acorns from the ground up to her hole in a tall tree. The students thought creatively to invent a machine that would help Isabel achieve this. Ideas included a suction tube, a conveyor belt, and a robot!
During small group rotations, the students used logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles involving our favorite doggies, Rex, Rona, and Ralph. I taught the students how to make little notes in the margins of their paper to keep track of important information. They discovered that this really helped their brains when it came down to figuring out those last, often difficult, answers. Other students continued their study on categorizing as they used critical thinking to sort animals based on characteristics.
In current events, we reviewed the ways stories become news-worthy, and we read about California's "Ugliest Dog" contest. After discussing why this story is news-worthy, the students created another title for the story and determined the importance of this story on a scale of 1-5.
Jan. 12 & 13, 2017:
Today we began our unit for the second semester--Seeing is Believing: The Power of Photos. Through this unit, students will discover the stories behind photos, including how photographers create pictures that tell stories and whether all photos tell an accurate story (such as photos used in the media). Towards the end of this unit, students will engage in taking their own photos in order to tell a story about their family. Today, the students read the story Flotsam, in which a boy finds an underwater camera. When he has the film developed, he discovers magical things are occuring in the oceans, as well as a long history of other children's use of the camera. After finding pictures in the book that displayed curiousity, happiness, and imagination, the students created their own picture of what they would see with their flotsam camera.
The students strengthened their creativity by learning how to be flexible thinkers. Flexible thinkers see things in new and unusal ways, and to practice this, groups of students were given a regular coffee mug. They had to think of new ways the coffee mug could be used. Ideas included a toothbrush holder, a cereal bowl, and an award.
During small group time, the students practiced thinking logically with logic puzzles. Logic puzzles included 'Dog Collar Color', 'Sweaters and Owners', and 'Socks, Food, and TV'.
Lastly, we ended our day with current events. The students learned how news stories are chosen, including things that are new, extremes (biggest, tallest, smallest, etc.), conflicts, or surprising.
Jan. 5 & 6, 2017:
We have gained some new friends in 1st Grade Enrichment, and as such I will now serve Mrs. Fairrel's/Catlett's class on Thursdays and Hall's/Wisener's class on Fridays.
We started off our morning with a S.T.E.M. challenge. We read the story Rosie Revere, Engineer and discussed the character traits and thinking required of an engineer. The students then had the opportunity to think like engineers as they worked in partners to create the tallest structure possible out of cups. Boy, did the kids create some tall structures! Some were over 70 inches! Afterwards, the students reflected on the type of thinking/character traits they used during the task through writing.
Next, the students increased their knowledge on current events and why it is important for people to know about the world around them. We played a short game where the students had to identify different types of news sources, such as newspapers, TV, and radio.
The students thought creatively about how to solve various problems, including a forgotten lunch and an expensive toy. In teams of 4, the students had 5 minutes to think of all the different ways they could solve these problems. Original and creative ideas were encouraged, and then we talked about the importance of fluent thinking when being creative and solving problems.
After our small group time in which the students solved logic puzzles, the students practiced comparing and contrasting by comparing/contrasting a hummingbird to a bat. Many students found this quite difficult, especially the comparing part. Through analyzing pictures of the two animals, the students were able to effectively able to complete the task. I even heard some great vocabulary, such as echolocation and nocturnal!
Dec. 9, 2016:
This semester, the students have been studying fairy tales, including the elements of a fairy tale and why these stories transcend time. Today, the students had the opportunity to write their own fairy tale! Before writing, we talked about descriptive words and how they help readers better understand the story. The students worked all morning writing their fairy tales. They used a checklist to make sure they had all the elements of a fairy tale, descriptive words, and complete sentences. Next week, they will share their stories with the class.
During critical thinking time, the students expanded their understanding of inventors by learning how they are problem solvers. To begin, they examined a car from the early 1900s and identified problems, such as no doors, no hood/cover, and only enough room for 2 people. Then, they looked at the car through the eyes of an inventor and thought about ways to fix these problems. Next, they were tasked with helping our friend Sybil the Scientist get across Crystal Woods Pond. Isabel the Inventor and the Enrichment students used various scrap pieces of material (like tongs, a balloon, and a whisk) to invent a way for Sybil to safely cross the pond.
The students learned a new strategy during our logic puzzle time to help them make sense of the clues, which included jotting down quick notes of known information in the margins. The students stated that this helped them quickly remember details about the clues versus having to go back through and read each clue again.
Next Friday, the students will participate in our annual holiday sing-along assembly in the cafeteria. This is always a wonderful time! Then, in the afternoon, holiday parties will begin at 1:00.
Dec. 2, 2016:
Our brains were working today! To wrap up our fairy tale unit, the students will be writing their own fairy tale. The students started off their morning by brainstorming what they want their fairy tale to include. They used their tangram picture from a few weeks ago to create the elements of their fairy tale--the evil character, the good character, the magic, the happy ending, etc. Next week the students will use this plan to write their fairy tale.
During critical thinking time, our friend Yolanda the Yarnspinner needed help. She needed inventive thinkers to invent a new bicycle that would accommodate her 8 legs. The students were up to the challenge and created bicycles with multiple pedals, a longer seat, and more handlebars. After, the students continued using critical thinking skills as they compared and contrasted apples and oranges using a Venn Diagram.
During our creativity lesson, we reviewed what it means to be a fluent thinker. Fluent thinkers are able to generate many ideas, and the students worked in groups to write down all the things associated with December. Ideas included winter, Christmas, snowflakes, etc. Many of the students stated that they used one idea to help them generate even more ideas. For instance, the thought of Christmas led to Christmas trees, which led to Christmas tree lights, which led to presents, which led to Santa Claus, and so forth.
After using logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles, the students engaged in a math puzzle. They were given two problems: a riddle where they had to determine the missing number and a pattern with a number that didn't belong. It was truly amazing to see the different mathematical thinking, especially with the pattern problem! The students went 'beyond the book' answer to discover new ways different numbers didn't belong--many of which I hadn't even considered but totally made sense! Way to go, kids!
Nov. 18, 2016:
Today in Enrichment, the students had the opportunity to help write a fairy tale. This fairy tale had a twist, though! It was about a space-age Cinderella! The students really used their creativity and imagination to create characters that would make sense in a space-age Cinderella, such as the main character's name being Starella, her losing a space boot instead of a slipper, and her wanting to go to the Jet-Pack Ball so she could meet the handsome Martian Prince.
The students spent a lot of time strengthening their creativity today. One activity involved the help of our friend, Isabel the Inventor. Isabel loves to see things in new and unusual ways. The students put on their Brain-focals and helped Isabel create new uses for bubbles. Using several drawn bubbles (circles), the students creatively thought about how to turn them into emojis, glasses, dogs, clocks, snowmen, and much more! We used these drawings to discuss fluent, flexible, elaborate, and original creative thinking.
During our small group rotations, my group used logical reasoning to solve Thanksgiving logic puzzles. These were quite tricky because the students had to use a process of elimination to figure out who could (or could not) be considered in order to solve the puzzle.
Lastly, we ended our day with a Magic Square math puzzle. I gave the students time to analyze a completed Magic Square so they could determine the connection between each number (each row, column, and diagonal all add up to 15) Then, they worked in partners to create their own Magic Square. This proved to be quite the challenge!
Nov. 11, 2016:
This morning, CLES students participated in a wonderful Veteran's Day assembly in which they were able to see real life heroes from each of the armed forces! It was a very touching program, and we are so very grateful for all the men and women who serve and protect our country.
After returning from the specials, the students learned about an ancient Chinese puzzle (called tangrams) and listened to the story, Grandfather Tang's Story. The students then had the opportunity to think creatively as they worked to create animals, people, or places out of their tangrams. After deciding on their favorite creation/picture, the students glued the pieces down and illustrated a detailed background. Next week, they will use this tangram picture to serve as the foundation of their very own fairy tale!
Lastly, we ended our day with a math puzzle. Like last week, the students had to apply multiple clues to determine what the mystery number was. The students did a much better job at paying attention to all three of the clues in order to help them arrive at the correct number.
Nov. 4, 2016:
We had a busy and enriching day in Enrichment! We continued studying cultures around the world using the fairy tale, Cinderella. This week, we learned about China through Yeh-Shen, a retelling of Cinderella set in ancient China. The students discovered the types of clothing worn by both men and women, as well as the purpose of the spring festival. After, the students worked in groups to research facts about China, including its population, language, and location on a map.
In our critical thinking lesson, the students were introduced to Isabel the Inventor. Isabel uses her special glasses called Brainfocals to see new and unusual ways to use ordinary objects. The students created their own Brainfocals and invented new ways to use a kitchen whisk. Ideas included a microphone, a place-card holder, and a pointer.
Over the next several weeks, we will be studying creative fluency. Creative fluency is the ability to generate many ideas. During our small groups, the students strengthened their fluent thinking by listing as many scary sounds as they could think of. Then, they then ranked their list from most scary sound to least scary sound. In my group, we used logical reasoning to solve various logic puzzles. Although each puzzle only had two clues, the students had to read between the lines carefully to determine what information could be gleaned.
Lastly, we ended our day with a math puzzle. The students had to apply multiple clues to determine what the mystery number was. Although this was quite the challenge, many of the students persevered and came very close to figuring it out! We will try another similar puzzle next week as well.
Oct. 28, 2016:
Due to testing new students for the gifted program, the 1st grade Enrichment students were only able to meet this afternoon. We continued our study of fairy tales by exploring how fairy tales reveal information about different cultures. Through the story The Egyptian Cinderella, we discovered the types of clothes ancient Egyptians wore, the foods they ate, and the modes of transportation they used, among many other things. Then, the students used research skills to identify facts about Egypt using an Encyclopedia and non-fiction texts.
Oct. 14, 2016:
Today in Enrichment, we learned how fairy tales can be a representation of a country's culture. After defining culture, the students made connections to their lives by naming traditions, holidays, clothing, food, and games that are unique to their culture. Each week we will read a Cinderella story from around the world to learn about the culture of that country. Today, we started off with the traditional Cinderella story from France. The students used pictures and evidence from the text to discover what life was like in France over 300 years ago.
The students then practiced using their imagination by creating a new creature called a sneeg. After drawing the sneeg, they had to imagine what it ate and where it lived. There were some pretty creative and interesting sneegs in the room!
During our differentiated small groups, I introduced the students to attributes using attribute blocks. After they practiced identifying shapes by their attributes, I had them close their eyes while I took 3 blocks away. The students had to use critical thinking skills to determine which 3 shapes I took. At first, many of the students just guessed, but then after some time, they realized if they grouped the blocks by attributes, they could determine which ones were missing. While I was working with my group, another group was continuing their practice from last week by imagining what the land behind a rainbow looks like and the pros/cons of a human having a turtle shell. The computer group practiced problem solving and strategy skills..
Lastly, we continued practicing our detective thinking with Dudley the Detective by using Venn Diagrams to locate his mystery number. The students analyzed numbers to determine if they were odd or less than 50, or both. Then we used those numbers in the middle (both) to solve the next set of remaining clues.
Oct. 7, 2016:
We had a wonderful day in Enrichment! This morning, the students continued adding their creative ideas to the fairy tale, "The Tower of the Dragon". They had to develop a plan for how to help the brothers gain entry into the dragon's tall tower using only a rope and a bow and arrow. We were not able to complete chapter 3 of the story in class today, so I told the students they could take it home to complete if they would like.
As a continuation of our fairy tale unit, the students thought creatively and critically to build a bridge for the gingerbread man during our S.T.E.M. challenge. After conducting a control test to determine how much mass an un-altered bridge would hold, the students worked collaboratively to construct two sturdy bridges out of only an index card. Some of the groups constructed very strong bridges that held over 50 grams of mass! Look for the STEM organizer and rubric in their Enrichment folder.
In our differentiated small groups, the students thought logically to solve their logic puzzle. Each group completed a different puzzle based on their readiness. The students are really getting the hang of noticing important clues and returning back to clues to retrieve further information. The difficulty of these puzzles will increase each week. While I was working with my logic puzzle group, another group was practicing their creativity and critical thinking skills by imagining what the land behind a rainbow looks like and the pros/cons of a human having a turtle shell.
Sept. 30, 2016:
We started our day off with our fairy tale unit in which the students learned about famous fairy tale authors (Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault). Fun fact: did you know that many fairy tales were first written for adults, not children? The students then communicated why fairy tales have transcended age and time. What makes fairy tales so special? Why do they continue to be passed down from generation to generation? Later on this semester, we will examine this more in depth as we learn about Cinderella stories from different cultures.
To strengthen their critical thinking skills, the students used a Venn Diagram to organize and analyze clues about who was the mystery guest at Dudley the Detective's birthday party. During our differentiated small group time, the students applied logical reasoning to also organize and analyze clues in order to solve their logic puzzle. The students are doing a great job applying the strategies I've taught them when attacking logic puzzles!
Today during our creativity lesson, we discussed the importance of being imaginative. Imagination means being able to visualize images of unknowns and imagine people, places, and things that might not exist. Imagination gives rise to other aspects of creativity, such as fluency, flexibility, and originality. To practice this, the students created a dragon as part of the fairy tale they are helping to write called "The Tower of the Dragon", as well as by imagining what is at the end of a rainbow.
Sept. 23, 2016:
We had an enriching and busy day in Enrichment! The students began with a S.T.E.M. challenge in which they created a raft for the Three Billy Goats Gruff since the mean troll wouldn't let them cross the bridge. They could only use straws and pipe cleaners to construct their rafts, and it had to hold at least 10 grams of mass for 10 seconds. The students used problem solving and cooperation to determine the best way to build their rafts, and after several constructions, many were able to find a workable solution. Look for their organizers and rubrics in their Enrichment folder.
During our Fairy Tales unit, the students continued to analyze themes. After matching different themes to its fairy tale ("love conquers all"--Sleeping Beauty, "beauty isn't everything"--The Ugly Duckling, "don't trust strangers"--Hansel and Gretel, etc), the students communicated their reasoning by citing evidence from the story.
Lastly, we ended our day in differentiated small groups. Differentiated small groups allow me to more personally meet the needs of the students. For instance, for some students, logic puzzles will come more easily, while for others it will take more practice and modeling. For some students, creativity comes naturally, while for others it will take more fostering In my small group, the students used logical reasoning to solve their puzzle. Each week these puzzles get progressively harder.! While I was working with my logic puzzle group, the other students were practicing being creative by turning a squiggly line into an elaborate, unique picture, and tinkering (building) at the Tinker Station. The Tinker Station gives the students time to problem solve, think critically, and think creatively as they build various structures out of Legos and blocks. The students rotate through the groups so that everyone has a chance to explore them all.
Sept. 16, 2016:
I am so impressed by the work the students did today in class! We started off our day, as usual, with our S.T.E.M. challenge. After reading Hansel and Gretel, the students had to create a cylinder flier to help Hansel deliver a message to his father. I overheard some wonderful, scientific thinking, such as "We need to help our cylinder get lift so it will glide farther," "We need to fight gravity--it keeps pulling our plane down," and "Let's adjust the weight. Maybe lighter, smaller things will fly farther." It was just amazing to hear all of the students thinking like scientists and engineers as they tried to solve the problem. Look for their organizers and rubrics in their Enrichment folders.
During our Fairy Tales unit, the students analyzed the theme in Rumpelstiltskin. They pulled details from the story to describe how Rumpelstiltskin and the King behaved. Both characters wanted more and more--more gold and more precious belongings, like jewelry and Anna's baby. The term 'greed' was introduced, and the students analyzed how greed can be harmful to the characters and those around them.
We finished our day with the logic puzzle, "The Turtles' Scarves". The students examined the clues carefully to determine which turtle was wearing which scarf, and they remembered that sometimes a clue needs to be skipped for the moment because it does not provide sufficient information at the time. I can see that many of the students are becoming more confident in solving logic puzzles!
September 9, 2016:
We began our day with another fairy tales S.T.E.M. challenge. This time, the students had to create a parachute to help Jack escape from the giant. Their materials included a plastic bag, coffee filters, pipe cleaners, string, etc. All of the groups generated great ideas for how to turn these materials into a workable parachute, and after several tries and improvements, all of the students successfully built a parachute for Jack! Look for their work in their Enrichment folder.
After, the students analyzed the story Jack and the Beanstalk to find examples of elements commonly seen in fairy tales (magic, evil characters, etc.). Next week we'll learn about themes (things like greed; desire for power; good vs. evil).
We then worked on a logic puzzle where the students had to study the clues and determine which turtle wore a blue, pink, or yellow shoe. The strategies we practiced to "train our brain" in how to solve logic puzzles included highlighting important information, skipping clues if they didn't provide us with enough information and then coming back to them later, and eliminating choices that couldn't belong to the character based on the clues.
Lastly, the students practiced their creativity skills by turning a random squiggly line into a detailed, interesting, and original picture. In Enrichment, it is important for students to understand that wacky, interesting, and original ideas are desired. We want students to think differently and more creatively--if several other people have the same idea, then try to think of something different. It was amazing to see the originality in all of the pictures the students created today!
September 2, 2016:
We had a wonderful and busy day today in Enrichment! We began our day with a fairy tale S.T.E.M challenge (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). The students worked to build a house for one of the 3 Little Pigs out of only toothpicks. This was a very difficult challenge for all of the students, but through perseverance, team work, creativity, and critical thinking, several of the groups were able to build a house that met the criteria (hold 20 grams of mass, 6 cm tall, etc.). Regardless of whether they were successful in building their toothpick house or not, I was proud of all the students' hard work! Look in their Enrichment folder to see their work.
In our fairy tales unit, we analyzed the story Rumpelstiltskin for elements of a fairy tale (magic, royalty, etc.).
The students were so excited to solve the logic puzzle called The Lost Toys! Some of the strategies the students used included circling important words in the clues, reading on to the next clue when one clue doesn't give enough information, and going back to the clues we skipped once we have enough information figured out. Solving logic puzzles really requires their brains to think critically and carefully as they determine which information is useful and how to unravel the clues.
August 26, 2016:
We worked hard today in our first full day of Enrichment!
To extend their understanding of a foundation, the students used their scientific, engineering, and mathematical minds to create a structure for our fuzz ball friend, Harry. Harry needed a new, strong perch to sit on so he could watch over our room. The students only had a few materials and were instructed to build a structure that would give Harry's perch a strong foundation. Check out the Class Stories section from our Class Dojo page to see a picture of Alex and Cameron.
Today we also discussed elements in a fairy tale (magic, royalty, etc.), and the students looked for these elements in the story of Cinderella. Lastly, we completed our first logic puzzle by analyzing the clues carefully and then acting out the clues to gain understanding. .
August 19, 2016:
Today the students were introduced to our theme for 1st grade Enrichment: Foundations! We viewed various pictures of structures and analyzed their foundations to determine that a strong foundation is needed for a structure to stand successfully. This is an important year for 1st grade students because, for many, it is their first time in an Enrichment program. Therefore, it is paramount that they gain a strong foundation to carry them through the rest of their gifted and accelerated courses.
Through the book The Most Magnificent Thing, the students analyzed character traits often seen in gifted learners--curiosity, initiative, determination, and creativity. After comparing and contrasting themselves to the main character, the students completed a graphic organizer that tells about their foundation of learning. You can come check out their work during Curriculum Night on September 8th at 6:00.