April 17, 2017:
3rd grade Enrichment students continued their study of advertisements by brainstorming a logo, slogan, and advertising medium for their culminating project, which will coincide with Mini-Society in the regular classroom. The students brainstormed the product they would like to create and sell for Mini-Society, logo colors and symbols that could be associated with the product, and creative, original slogans and jingles to entice consumers. Over the next few weeks, students will create an advertisement to help sell their product. Options include a commercial, a radio advertisement, or a billboard (aka poster).
Students are gaining more independence and versatility as they use logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles. Today's puzzles were quite perplexing, but the students stuck with them and successfully completed their unique puzzle.
Students also continued using critical thinking skills to solve the 4-color theorem. This theorem states that only four colors are required to color the regions of a map so that no touching regions have the same color. This task is harder than it seems. The students used only 4 colors (and some trial and error!) to color a map.
March 29, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, students analyzed the advertising techniques used in several commercials. Commercials ranged from humorous, to serious, to appealing to our appetites, and celebrity testimonials. Students made a judgement on which advertising technique they thought was the most effective when selling a product.
The students are really enjoying their Genius Hour time! They were so engaged in their research/project, that they begged me to let them continue working on it. So, the students spent most of the day finalizing their researching and beginning their projects. It is so amazing seeing the students engaged in their passions!
Feb. 27 & March 1, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, the students continued learning about target audiences in advertising by analyzing various companies' slogans. After researching each company's product, they made a judgement on what target audience the product was aimed at.
Students continued researching their Genius Hour topics, and they are discovering a lot of interesting information! Many students are sharing this information with their peers via our Blackboard blog.
The class had a great discussion on the new NASA discovery--7 new Earth-like planets outside of our solar system, in a system they're calling Trappist-1. Even though it would take over 11,000 years to get to the new planets (yes, you read that correctly!), the students brainstormed ways to get humans there. They also analyzed the livability of each of the planets based on their position to the system's sun. They even taught me about tidally locked planets! Using their fascination about space, the students then strengthened their fluent thinking by creating a word web about the word 'space'. They brainstormed words they thought of when they heard the word space and then continued to branch out their webs with more and more words in the different web zones.
The students ended their day with an Engage Your Brain activity in which they had to think outside the box to solve riddles, math problems, and analogies.
**Mrs. Nguyen will be out on Monday, March 6th and 13th. Therefore, Mrs. Redahan's Enrichment students will join the Wednesday group on these two day.
Feb. 13 & 15, 2017:
We had a busy and productive day in Enrichment! The students learned about slogans in advertising, including how companies develop a slogan and how slogans enhance marketing. The students then analyzed several slogans from companies, such as the Energizer battery, Burger King, and De Beers Diamonds. They determined if the slogans were memorable, simple, and unique.
Students began researching their Genius Hour topics using the learning management system, Blackboard. They used their PHAT (pretty hard and tough questions) to drive their research, and many students even wrote their first blog documenting their project successes, challenges, and questions.
During small group time, students solved various logic puzzles, including a new style of puzzle where students have to determine the true and false statements in a clue in order to successfully work through it. The on-your-own groups decided to play the game AJZ, where 1 student provide clues to a mystery number and the other students must use deductive reasoning to figure out what the mystery number is.
The students strengthened their critical thinking and creativity skills by creating word webs. The class started off together with the word 'ocean'. They then thought of other words that could be connected to oceans, such as fish, water, tides, reefs, etc (Zone 1 words). Next, they used these Zone 1 words to think of other words, including tides: moon, low, high, and fish: tuna, shark, sailfish (Zone 2 words). Play continued like this as students thought of Zone 3 and Zone 4 words. We then calculated each zone to determine a final score.
Feb. 6 & 8, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, students continued learning about advertising by comparing and contrasting symbols and logos. They then learned what makes a logo effective. Logos should have the following traits: memorable, versatile, and simple. Students analyzed several company logos using these traits, including Target, Starbucks, Apple, and McDonald's, and formed an opinion on whether they thought the logo was effective. They also discovered that the color of a logo plays a significant role in enticing a costumer to buy a product. For instance, green is often associated with environmentally friendly companies, like Whole Foods and Girl Scouts, whereas black is associated with sophistication and luxury, like Chanel and Lexus.
During Genius Hour, the students discussed the importance of setting goals and staying organized, especially when working on a project. To help the students map out a to-do list for what needs to be accomplished during Genius Hour time, they used a calendar to decide how many weeks of research and product creation they'll need in order to have their product ready by the beginning of May. Students will also be required to blog about their learning journey using Black Board, Fayette County's new learning management system. They learned how to log in, post a blog entry, and comment on a peer's entry.
Jan. 30 & Feb. 1, 2017:
Third grade Enrichment students learned about the history of advertising today. During ancient times, town criers were hired to spread the word about local businesses since many of the people could not read. When the printing press was invented, businesses began to create newspapers, brochures, and pamphlets to encourage consumers to buy from them. The students were very familiar with modern advertising means, such as ads during You Tube videos, commercials, and on the Internet.
During Genius Hour, the students created an elevator pitch to explain to the class their project idea. They had 2 minutes to succinctly describe their topic, share their PHAT questions (pretty hard and tough questions), and possible project ideas. Next week, the students will set goals for themselves (ex: how many weeks they will research and how many weeks to dedicate to their project). They will also learn how to write a blog using Blackboard.
The students strengthened their critical thinking and logical reasoning as they solved logic puzzles. A few of the logic puzzles had a new format where students had to determine the true and false statement in order to arrive at a logical conclusion.
Jan. 23 & 25, 2017:
Third grade Enrichment students started a new unit today--advertising! Students will learn the history of advertisements, how logos and slogans enhance advertisements, and they will analyze and critique various examples of advertisements to determine their effectiveness. At the end of the unit, students will create an advertisement for their Mini-Society project (Mini-Society is completed in their regular classroom).
I am not the only one excited to begin Genius Hour in Enrichment! The students are too! Today they narrowed down their passions and wonders to three ideas. After learning about how PHAT questions (pretty hard and tough questions) will drive their research, the students began forming their own PHAT questions, and, boy, are they intriguing! Possible ideas included the evolution of humans, the history of presidential candidates, and even the history of Legos! Next week the students will decide on their topic and develop an 'elevator pitch' to present to their peers.
After our small group time, which included a new type of logic puzzle, the students used critical thinking to play "Here's the Answers...What Are the Questions?" In this game, the students are only given an answer, such as 'Because it's so tall". They have to formulate possible questions. Questions included, "Why does the giant have to duck to go through the doorway?" and "Why do tourists go see the Eiffel Tower?" The answer...because it's so tall!
We ended our day with current events. I'm sure you've heard that the Falcons are going to the Superbowl! Also, after over 200,000 tests on Galaxy Note 7s, Samsung has determined that defective batteries from two different manufacturers was the cause of fire-prone devices.
Jan. 9 & 12 2017:
Next week is Ranger Day! To prepare for Ranger Day, the students practiced presenting their information in front of their Enrichment peers. We discussed how experts on a topic present information confidently and accurately, and the students had the opportunity to gain some important feedback before next week's event. Please remember to have your student dress in khakis and a white, beige, or forest green shirt next Wednesday.
3rd grade Enrichment students have the opportunity this semester to explore their passions through a time called Genius Hour. During Genius Hour, the students will research and discover more knowledge about a personal passion and then present the information they've learned through a creative project. The goal is to learn more about a topic that is of personal interest to each student and then educate the world about it.
During small group time, the students used logical reasoning to determine the nicknames of four friends and four animals. We used "if...then" statements to think through each clue. For instance, "If King is smaller than the dog and the Rover, then King can't be the dog or the Rover." During this time, the students also used critical thinking to create a new number of squares by removing a certain number of toothpicks. This involved some trial and error.
To end our day, the students strengthend their creativity by creating a chain reaction contraption out of random materials to help Isabel open her acorns.
Jan. 4, 2017:
We had a busy day in Enrichment! Because we did not have school on Monday and because we won't have school on Jan. 16, I met with both Mrs. Redahan's group and Mrs. Lavalley's group today in order to get the kids ready for Ranger Day on Jan. 18. An invitation will be sent home with 3rd grade Enrichment students later this week with information about Ranger Day. Today the students created the banners that contain the name of their national park and important park information, such as weather and visitor information.
After completing their banners, the students engaged in a toothpick puzzle where they had to use critical thinking to remove a certain number of toothpicks in order to create a certain number of squares. They discovered that out-of-the-box thinking was required to find ways to satisfy the requirements of the task. It was a blast!
Our logic puzzle today was awesome because it was super challenging! I was so proud of the students because they never gave up. The clues required them to really make connections between the rather vague clues, and in the end each group was able to arrive at the correct answer.
A reminder that Mrs. Redahan's class will now meet on Mondays.
Dec. 14/15, 2016:
This morning, the students finished their recreational brochures for their national park, and they used a rubric to ensure they had all necessary information and visuals. Join us on Wednesday, January 18th for Ranger Day. The students will dress as park rangers and present all the information they have learned about their national park to peers and families.
To get into the holiday spirit, the students used critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and logical reasoning to solve several holiday puzzles. We started off with the "Name that Chirstmas Song" challenge where the students used (quite clever!) drawn pictures to determine which Christmas song the picture depicted. Next, the students solved a challenging logic puzzle about Santa's reindeer and their journey to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. To begin, they had to decipher the important information from a series of clues (such as what the categories could be) and create an organized grid. After much thought and persistence, the students were able to use logical reasoning to determine which reindeer went to which city and on what colored sleigh. Whew!
Finally, the students used their mathematical thinking to solve equations involving only symbols. They had to use trial and error to compare values, rearrange numbers, and determine if their numbers made sense. Due to time (and the challenging nature of this task) the students were allowed to take this problem back to their class or home to solve.
Dec. 7, 2016:
The students began their day researching recreational activities for park visitors to see and do while visiting their national park. Many students were surprised to see just how many fun things they could see and do while visiting their national park! Some included climbing mountains, going on boat tours, camping, swimming, etc. Next week, the students will create a colorful brochure that informs park visitors on the must-see spots and attractions.
Next, the students had the chance to practice being fluent, flexible, original, and elaborate thinkers as they played "Oodles of Skedoodles". Using various random drawings given to them by Isabel the Inventor, the students had to imagine what else the object could be and create an original, creative caption for it. For instance, a box with black dots wasn't just an ordinary box. Instead, it was a rodent hotel for rats, hamsters, and mice to stay in. It was fun to see all the creative ways students viewed the drawings!
During small group rotations, the students had the opportunity to plan, imagine, and build in our Tinker Station. This strengthens not only their creativity, but also their problem solving and engineering skills. In my group, we used logical reasoning to solve various logic puzzles, including Santa's Workshop, The Jewel Theif, and Five Cats. Many of these clues required the students to analyze what someone/something could not be based on what someone/something else was.
In honor of Pearl Harbor's anniversary, in current events we read about the Prime Minister of Japan's visit to Pearl Harbor. This will be the first time a Japanese leader has visited the U.S. naval base since the attack. Students asked questions such as, "Why hasn't a Japanese leader come sooner?" "What will he feel when he sees the memorials?" and "Did the U.S. ever apologize for dropping the atomic bombs?" For information, visit the following link: https://newsela.com/articles/shinzo-abe-pearl-harbor/id/24685/
Dec. 1, 2016:
In Enrichment today, the students practiced being fluent, flexible, and original thinkers through the "Word Wiz" game. Using a word drawn from a stack of cards, groups worked together to generate a list of words/expressions that have that word in it (for example: FISH. fishing rod, that sound fishy to me, Go Fish!, etc.). Students then analyzed their list to find original ideas--ones that no one else thought of. We had a little friendly competition to see which groups were able to score the most points.
During our small group rotations, my group continued working on logical reasoning through logic puzzles. Each group had to read the clues carefully (and often multiple times!) to determine which information could be concluded. The creativity group considered how the 1st Thanksgiving feast would have been different if it was set in June instead of November.
The students also had the opportunity to solve several visual spatial problems, which required them to analyze patterns within pictures (this was often quite tricky!) and then determine which missing picture would fit the pattern. It was great to hear a variety of thinking from the students as many solved the problems in different ways!
We ended our day with current events. We discussed the effect the Tennessee wildfires are having on the systems present in those communities, particularly the wildlife and the Great Smokey Mountains.
Nov. 16, 2016:
We had a fun and busy (as usual!) day in Enrichment! The students began their morning creating a visual representation for the animals in their national park. I saw some some wonderful creativity as the students chose how they wanted to represent their animals (Google Slides, 3-D pyramid, clay models, etc.). They articulated how being knowledgeable of the animals present in their national park will keep visitors happy and safe.
In honor of Thanksgiving, the students solved various Thanksgiving logic puzzles during small group time. These were quite challenging as some of the groups had to create their own chart/grid to organize the information (versus a chart/grid already being provided for them) and one group had to consider two categories of information versus just one. They used logical reasoning to work through the clues and correctly solve the puzzle.
We ended our day with our favorite critical thinking characters from the P.E.T.S. series. Today the students learned about divergent thinking. Divergent thinking encourages students to brainstorm many ideas (fluency), think of ideas in a different way (flexibility), and generate unique and original ideas that no one else will think of (originality). The students played a game along with Yolanda the Yarnspinner and Isabel the Inventor called Word Wiz. In this game, the students (along with the PETS characters) thought of all the ways the word 'fish' is used. Then, they categorized the words and evaluated which words were the most original. They added up each score to generate a divergent thinking total score.
Nov. 9/10, 2016:
The students began their day by researching 4 animals that live in their national park. They used a variety of resources, including library books, their pamphlets sent by their park's ranger, and the Internet. Next week, they will create a visual representation to communicate information about these animals to their visitors.
In small groups, the difficulty of the logic puzzle was amped up! Instead of having just two sets of information, this time they had three sets to analyze. The students used their strategies, such as paying attention to pronouns, rereading clues once more information was obtained, and ignoring irrelevant information. Although all groups had some productive struggle, every student was able to solve their puzzle! While I was working with my small group, another group was strengthening their creativity by imagining how a reading whisper-telephone (one of those curved PVC pipes) could be used for something else. Ideas included a slide for ants, a catapult, a megaphone, and a marble shoot. Lastly, we ended our day with what seems to the be kids' new favorite game--AJZ! This game requires the students to use critical thinking skills as they determine which numerical digits are the A, the J, and the Z in order to arrive at the mystery number.
Nov. 2, 2016:
We had a full day of Enrichment today, and boy, were we productive! The students began their morning by creating a visual representation of a food web present in their national park. They were encouraged to use creativity when choosing how to visually represent the information, and so we have a variety of visuals, including hanging mobiles, chain-links, and poster boards.
Next, the students used critical thinking skills and logical reasoning to solve logic puzzle games. The games centered around our P.E.T.S. characters (Dudley the Detective, Sybil the Scientist, etc.), and they were quite challenging! The students had to examine the clues carefully, discriminate between important and not-important clues, and defend their reasoning verbally to not only me, but their partner.
During our small group rotations, my group worked on analogies. These were particularly challenging because some of the vocabulary was unfamiliar to the students. Therefore, before they could correctly figure out the relationship between the words, they had to determine the meaning of each unknown word. The students enjoyed adding new vocabulary to their repertoire!
We ended our day with current events. Ask your child to explain what most Americans are scared of. The answer might be quite surprising!
Oct. 26, 2016:
Due to gifted testing, I met with both groups of 3rd grade Enrichment students this afternoon. Although we only had a short time together, we accomplished quite a bit! The students strengthened their research skills by researching food webs present in their national park using the Internet, books, and the pamphlets received from their park.
Next week's schedule is still up in the air. Depending on the number of tests Mrs. Whiten and I will need administer, we may have another modified schedule, or we may be back to normal. I will keep you posted.
Oct. 19 & 20, 2016:
We had a fun day in Enrichment! The students began their day by creating two graphs displaying information about their park's weather and precipitation. These graphs will be a great visual for their park's visitors on Ranger Day next semester!
The students used their critical thinking skills to play a game called "AJZ" (Ace, Jumble, Zilch). In this game, the students had to deduce what the mystery number was through the clues AJZ (ace means correct digit and place, jumble means correct digit, but wrong place, and zilch means it is completely incorrect). It was great to see the students thinking through the clues to figure out not only what the correct digits had to be, but what place they had to be in. I'm sure the students will introduce this game to you at home sometime this week. :)
During our small group instruction, my group used logical reasoning to either determine who had a missing biscuit or to create their own logic puzzle. The students are doing a great job paying close attention to the clues (such as pronouns). Of course, the students wanted to continue playing AJZ in their on-your-own group, and the computer group worked on problem solving.
We wrapped up our day with current events, including the recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone. We discussed how Samsung's decision to recall all of the Note 7s might hurt their company, and we also looked at how this could possibly be a benefit to them down the road.
Oct. 6, 2016:
This week in Enrichment, the students analyzed a graph detailing the weather at their national park. They had to determine which months would be the best months to go for various reasons, including little amounts of rainfall and mild temperatures.
During our small group instruction, the students thought critically to solve their logic puzzle. They learned that the most subtle of clues (like a pronoun) can sometimes have the greatest impact when correctly solving a logic puzzle! The students also exercised their creativity by thinking fluently and flexibly about how a random spiral (that's used to bind spiral-bound booklets) could be used in different ways. Wonderful ideas were generated, such as a slide for ants, a pointer, and a tube for water to go down.
***Reminder: Our field trip to Panola Mountain is Thursday (the 13th). Please remember to check the weather to determine if your child may need a light sweater, sunscreen, or an umbrella (hopefully not, though!). Also, please don't forget to pack your child a lunch (unless you indicated he or she would be buying a school lunch).
Sept. 28 & 29, 2016:
This week in Enrichment, the students extended their knowledge on their national park by researching important events in its history. The students used the internet, library books, and their brochures/pamphlets to locate events that visitors to the park would want to know, such as when it was established and important geological events (earthquakes, floods, etc.). They then evaluated if the information they gained was valuable or not (would this fact interested your park visitors? Can you adequately explain the significance of this event to your visitors?). They then composed a timeline to sequence the events in chronological order using either a digital timeline or a paper timeline.
Sept. 21 & 22, 2016:
It was another busy today in Enrichment! The students began their day by evaluating if their national park is indeed an example of a system--does it have parts? Are those parts affected by one another? Would the function of the system change if a key part was taken away? The students then began researching general information about their national park, such as admission cost, hours of operation, and location. They composed this information into a visual that will be a part of their informational display for Ranger Day in March.
In my differentiated small group, the students solved various logic puzzles They applied the strategies they've learned and thought logically about how to carefully analyze clues to solve the problem. During this time, the other students thought critically to solve challenging problems involving figuring out what makes a Zamboid a Zamboid and where Dudley the Detective sat during his dinner party.
Sept. 7 & 8, 2016:
The Buckaroos were busy today as we continued our study on national parks. Several of the students already received letters back from their national park. They were so excited to open them and discover all the colorful brochures, pamphlets, and pictures! The students used those resources (if they had them), the Internet, and books to more deeply research information about their park, including the climate, animals, and location. After, they created their park ranger badge to wear on Ranger Day in March.
After taking a 'show me what you know' on the states we learned last week, the states/capitals in the northeast region were introduced. These states can be tricky because many are very small (ex: Rhode Island, Delaware). They will have another 'show me what you know' next week.
The students used their critical thinking skills to solve a logic puzzle involving pirates. We reviewed the strategies needed to successfully solve a logic puzzle, such as read all of the clues very carefully, and skip clues that do not provide helpful information right away and come back to them once more information is gathered.
Lastly, the students strengthened their creativity by turning a squiggly line into an elaborate, original picture. Our focus for this activity was adding details to tell a story through pictures, as well as to come up with original, unique ideas. It was awesome to see how one squiggly line was transformed by each student!
Also, field trip permission slips were sent home with each student today. We will be extending our study on national parks by visiting Panola Mountain State Park on Thursday, Oct. 13th. The cost is $17 per student. If you would like your child to join us, please return the permission slip and $17 by next Friday (the 23rd).
Sept. 7, 2016:
We had a very productive day today in Enrichment! We began our day by studying the states in the southeast (and a few in the north). Over the next two months, the students will memorize US states and capitals (they'll learn it in chunks by region) and then take a "Show Me What You Know" the following week over that region. Details and expectations for this are explained on the yellow piece of paper that was sent home today in your child's Enrichment folder. We then extended the study of states by researching characteristics of the different US regions. Understanding how the different regions vary will help the students gain a better understanding of the type of climate, animals, and plants found in the national parks across our country.
Next, the students thought hard to solve several puzzles from our story "The Puzzler's Club". This involved analyzing the clues carefully, as well as comparing and contrasting, in order to figure out what what Dudley's favorite toy was, what made a Glorb a glorb, and how the words in Yolanda's Word Club went together. This one was particularly challenging because the students had to think outside the box to determine a way to connect all of the words in the Word Club.
Lastly, the students continued thinking critically as they were introduced to analogies (these were fun!) and we learned in Current Events that drawing is actually one of the best ways to remember information. Check out more information here: http://goo.gl/GgTbgV
August 31, 2016: This week in Enrichment, we explored the history of national parks by analyzing cause and effect relationships and how they spawned the desire for leaders to preserve our nation's natural environments. Last week, the students conducted general research on several national parks they were interested in, and then they selected their top 3 choices. Today, I revealed which national park each student will become an expert on. They were so excited! The students then wrote a letter to the national park requesting information (brochures, catalogs, etc.).
The students also had the opportunity to go back to Mrs. Catlett's 1st grade classroom to continue helping her students with a research project. They helped their assigned group develop a topic sentence, details, and a closing sentence. See Class Dojo for some pictures!
Lastly, in Current Events, my Wednesday class learned that a new planet outside of our solar system has been discovered--Proxima B! The students shared why this discovery is so newsworthy and how it could possibly affect humans in the future. My Thursday class compared and contrasted the sportsmanship of Olympic athletes, Hope Solo and Kerri Walsh Jennings. Both athletes did not win the gold medal, but unlike Jennings who praised her opponents for their level of play, Solo displayed unsportsmanlike behavior by calling her opponents cowards. We analyzed the importance of good sportsmanship in both the Olympics and recreational sports.
August 24/25, 2016: This week, we extended our understanding of 'systems' (our universal theme for Enrichment this year) to the United States' national parks. From now until March, the students will become experts on 1 national park. Then, dressed as park rangers, they will present their information to an audience of parents and students. After learning about the history of national parks today, the students conducted some preliminary research on parks that interested them. Next week, they will choose 1 national park and write a letter to the park requesting information to aid in their research.
August 17/18, 2016:
We had a thought-provoking day as the students analyzed character traits of the main character in The Most Magnificent Thing. The girl in the story showed many traits of a gifted learner--curiosity, perseverance, creativity, and initiative. The students made personal connections to the story by connecting events in their personal lives to these traits.
Our universal theme for this year is 'systems'. The students analyzed several examples of systems, including a family, the government, a bicycle, and an ocean habitat. They then determined if Crabapple Lane Elementary School was a system and created a graphic organizer to show the parts that make up our school.
3rd grade Enrichment students continued their study of advertisements by brainstorming a logo, slogan, and advertising medium for their culminating project, which will coincide with Mini-Society in the regular classroom. The students brainstormed the product they would like to create and sell for Mini-Society, logo colors and symbols that could be associated with the product, and creative, original slogans and jingles to entice consumers. Over the next few weeks, students will create an advertisement to help sell their product. Options include a commercial, a radio advertisement, or a billboard (aka poster).
Students are gaining more independence and versatility as they use logical reasoning to solve logic puzzles. Today's puzzles were quite perplexing, but the students stuck with them and successfully completed their unique puzzle.
Students also continued using critical thinking skills to solve the 4-color theorem. This theorem states that only four colors are required to color the regions of a map so that no touching regions have the same color. This task is harder than it seems. The students used only 4 colors (and some trial and error!) to color a map.
March 29, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, students analyzed the advertising techniques used in several commercials. Commercials ranged from humorous, to serious, to appealing to our appetites, and celebrity testimonials. Students made a judgement on which advertising technique they thought was the most effective when selling a product.
The students are really enjoying their Genius Hour time! They were so engaged in their research/project, that they begged me to let them continue working on it. So, the students spent most of the day finalizing their researching and beginning their projects. It is so amazing seeing the students engaged in their passions!
Feb. 27 & March 1, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, the students continued learning about target audiences in advertising by analyzing various companies' slogans. After researching each company's product, they made a judgement on what target audience the product was aimed at.
Students continued researching their Genius Hour topics, and they are discovering a lot of interesting information! Many students are sharing this information with their peers via our Blackboard blog.
The class had a great discussion on the new NASA discovery--7 new Earth-like planets outside of our solar system, in a system they're calling Trappist-1. Even though it would take over 11,000 years to get to the new planets (yes, you read that correctly!), the students brainstormed ways to get humans there. They also analyzed the livability of each of the planets based on their position to the system's sun. They even taught me about tidally locked planets! Using their fascination about space, the students then strengthened their fluent thinking by creating a word web about the word 'space'. They brainstormed words they thought of when they heard the word space and then continued to branch out their webs with more and more words in the different web zones.
The students ended their day with an Engage Your Brain activity in which they had to think outside the box to solve riddles, math problems, and analogies.
**Mrs. Nguyen will be out on Monday, March 6th and 13th. Therefore, Mrs. Redahan's Enrichment students will join the Wednesday group on these two day.
Feb. 13 & 15, 2017:
We had a busy and productive day in Enrichment! The students learned about slogans in advertising, including how companies develop a slogan and how slogans enhance marketing. The students then analyzed several slogans from companies, such as the Energizer battery, Burger King, and De Beers Diamonds. They determined if the slogans were memorable, simple, and unique.
Students began researching their Genius Hour topics using the learning management system, Blackboard. They used their PHAT (pretty hard and tough questions) to drive their research, and many students even wrote their first blog documenting their project successes, challenges, and questions.
During small group time, students solved various logic puzzles, including a new style of puzzle where students have to determine the true and false statements in a clue in order to successfully work through it. The on-your-own groups decided to play the game AJZ, where 1 student provide clues to a mystery number and the other students must use deductive reasoning to figure out what the mystery number is.
The students strengthened their critical thinking and creativity skills by creating word webs. The class started off together with the word 'ocean'. They then thought of other words that could be connected to oceans, such as fish, water, tides, reefs, etc (Zone 1 words). Next, they used these Zone 1 words to think of other words, including tides: moon, low, high, and fish: tuna, shark, sailfish (Zone 2 words). Play continued like this as students thought of Zone 3 and Zone 4 words. We then calculated each zone to determine a final score.
Feb. 6 & 8, 2017:
Today in Enrichment, students continued learning about advertising by comparing and contrasting symbols and logos. They then learned what makes a logo effective. Logos should have the following traits: memorable, versatile, and simple. Students analyzed several company logos using these traits, including Target, Starbucks, Apple, and McDonald's, and formed an opinion on whether they thought the logo was effective. They also discovered that the color of a logo plays a significant role in enticing a costumer to buy a product. For instance, green is often associated with environmentally friendly companies, like Whole Foods and Girl Scouts, whereas black is associated with sophistication and luxury, like Chanel and Lexus.
During Genius Hour, the students discussed the importance of setting goals and staying organized, especially when working on a project. To help the students map out a to-do list for what needs to be accomplished during Genius Hour time, they used a calendar to decide how many weeks of research and product creation they'll need in order to have their product ready by the beginning of May. Students will also be required to blog about their learning journey using Black Board, Fayette County's new learning management system. They learned how to log in, post a blog entry, and comment on a peer's entry.
Jan. 30 & Feb. 1, 2017:
Third grade Enrichment students learned about the history of advertising today. During ancient times, town criers were hired to spread the word about local businesses since many of the people could not read. When the printing press was invented, businesses began to create newspapers, brochures, and pamphlets to encourage consumers to buy from them. The students were very familiar with modern advertising means, such as ads during You Tube videos, commercials, and on the Internet.
During Genius Hour, the students created an elevator pitch to explain to the class their project idea. They had 2 minutes to succinctly describe their topic, share their PHAT questions (pretty hard and tough questions), and possible project ideas. Next week, the students will set goals for themselves (ex: how many weeks they will research and how many weeks to dedicate to their project). They will also learn how to write a blog using Blackboard.
The students strengthened their critical thinking and logical reasoning as they solved logic puzzles. A few of the logic puzzles had a new format where students had to determine the true and false statement in order to arrive at a logical conclusion.
Jan. 23 & 25, 2017:
Third grade Enrichment students started a new unit today--advertising! Students will learn the history of advertisements, how logos and slogans enhance advertisements, and they will analyze and critique various examples of advertisements to determine their effectiveness. At the end of the unit, students will create an advertisement for their Mini-Society project (Mini-Society is completed in their regular classroom).
I am not the only one excited to begin Genius Hour in Enrichment! The students are too! Today they narrowed down their passions and wonders to three ideas. After learning about how PHAT questions (pretty hard and tough questions) will drive their research, the students began forming their own PHAT questions, and, boy, are they intriguing! Possible ideas included the evolution of humans, the history of presidential candidates, and even the history of Legos! Next week the students will decide on their topic and develop an 'elevator pitch' to present to their peers.
After our small group time, which included a new type of logic puzzle, the students used critical thinking to play "Here's the Answers...What Are the Questions?" In this game, the students are only given an answer, such as 'Because it's so tall". They have to formulate possible questions. Questions included, "Why does the giant have to duck to go through the doorway?" and "Why do tourists go see the Eiffel Tower?" The answer...because it's so tall!
We ended our day with current events. I'm sure you've heard that the Falcons are going to the Superbowl! Also, after over 200,000 tests on Galaxy Note 7s, Samsung has determined that defective batteries from two different manufacturers was the cause of fire-prone devices.
Jan. 9 & 12 2017:
Next week is Ranger Day! To prepare for Ranger Day, the students practiced presenting their information in front of their Enrichment peers. We discussed how experts on a topic present information confidently and accurately, and the students had the opportunity to gain some important feedback before next week's event. Please remember to have your student dress in khakis and a white, beige, or forest green shirt next Wednesday.
3rd grade Enrichment students have the opportunity this semester to explore their passions through a time called Genius Hour. During Genius Hour, the students will research and discover more knowledge about a personal passion and then present the information they've learned through a creative project. The goal is to learn more about a topic that is of personal interest to each student and then educate the world about it.
During small group time, the students used logical reasoning to determine the nicknames of four friends and four animals. We used "if...then" statements to think through each clue. For instance, "If King is smaller than the dog and the Rover, then King can't be the dog or the Rover." During this time, the students also used critical thinking to create a new number of squares by removing a certain number of toothpicks. This involved some trial and error.
To end our day, the students strengthend their creativity by creating a chain reaction contraption out of random materials to help Isabel open her acorns.
Jan. 4, 2017:
We had a busy day in Enrichment! Because we did not have school on Monday and because we won't have school on Jan. 16, I met with both Mrs. Redahan's group and Mrs. Lavalley's group today in order to get the kids ready for Ranger Day on Jan. 18. An invitation will be sent home with 3rd grade Enrichment students later this week with information about Ranger Day. Today the students created the banners that contain the name of their national park and important park information, such as weather and visitor information.
After completing their banners, the students engaged in a toothpick puzzle where they had to use critical thinking to remove a certain number of toothpicks in order to create a certain number of squares. They discovered that out-of-the-box thinking was required to find ways to satisfy the requirements of the task. It was a blast!
Our logic puzzle today was awesome because it was super challenging! I was so proud of the students because they never gave up. The clues required them to really make connections between the rather vague clues, and in the end each group was able to arrive at the correct answer.
A reminder that Mrs. Redahan's class will now meet on Mondays.
Dec. 14/15, 2016:
This morning, the students finished their recreational brochures for their national park, and they used a rubric to ensure they had all necessary information and visuals. Join us on Wednesday, January 18th for Ranger Day. The students will dress as park rangers and present all the information they have learned about their national park to peers and families.
To get into the holiday spirit, the students used critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and logical reasoning to solve several holiday puzzles. We started off with the "Name that Chirstmas Song" challenge where the students used (quite clever!) drawn pictures to determine which Christmas song the picture depicted. Next, the students solved a challenging logic puzzle about Santa's reindeer and their journey to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. To begin, they had to decipher the important information from a series of clues (such as what the categories could be) and create an organized grid. After much thought and persistence, the students were able to use logical reasoning to determine which reindeer went to which city and on what colored sleigh. Whew!
Finally, the students used their mathematical thinking to solve equations involving only symbols. They had to use trial and error to compare values, rearrange numbers, and determine if their numbers made sense. Due to time (and the challenging nature of this task) the students were allowed to take this problem back to their class or home to solve.
Dec. 7, 2016:
The students began their day researching recreational activities for park visitors to see and do while visiting their national park. Many students were surprised to see just how many fun things they could see and do while visiting their national park! Some included climbing mountains, going on boat tours, camping, swimming, etc. Next week, the students will create a colorful brochure that informs park visitors on the must-see spots and attractions.
Next, the students had the chance to practice being fluent, flexible, original, and elaborate thinkers as they played "Oodles of Skedoodles". Using various random drawings given to them by Isabel the Inventor, the students had to imagine what else the object could be and create an original, creative caption for it. For instance, a box with black dots wasn't just an ordinary box. Instead, it was a rodent hotel for rats, hamsters, and mice to stay in. It was fun to see all the creative ways students viewed the drawings!
During small group rotations, the students had the opportunity to plan, imagine, and build in our Tinker Station. This strengthens not only their creativity, but also their problem solving and engineering skills. In my group, we used logical reasoning to solve various logic puzzles, including Santa's Workshop, The Jewel Theif, and Five Cats. Many of these clues required the students to analyze what someone/something could not be based on what someone/something else was.
In honor of Pearl Harbor's anniversary, in current events we read about the Prime Minister of Japan's visit to Pearl Harbor. This will be the first time a Japanese leader has visited the U.S. naval base since the attack. Students asked questions such as, "Why hasn't a Japanese leader come sooner?" "What will he feel when he sees the memorials?" and "Did the U.S. ever apologize for dropping the atomic bombs?" For information, visit the following link: https://newsela.com/articles/shinzo-abe-pearl-harbor/id/24685/
Dec. 1, 2016:
In Enrichment today, the students practiced being fluent, flexible, and original thinkers through the "Word Wiz" game. Using a word drawn from a stack of cards, groups worked together to generate a list of words/expressions that have that word in it (for example: FISH. fishing rod, that sound fishy to me, Go Fish!, etc.). Students then analyzed their list to find original ideas--ones that no one else thought of. We had a little friendly competition to see which groups were able to score the most points.
During our small group rotations, my group continued working on logical reasoning through logic puzzles. Each group had to read the clues carefully (and often multiple times!) to determine which information could be concluded. The creativity group considered how the 1st Thanksgiving feast would have been different if it was set in June instead of November.
The students also had the opportunity to solve several visual spatial problems, which required them to analyze patterns within pictures (this was often quite tricky!) and then determine which missing picture would fit the pattern. It was great to hear a variety of thinking from the students as many solved the problems in different ways!
We ended our day with current events. We discussed the effect the Tennessee wildfires are having on the systems present in those communities, particularly the wildlife and the Great Smokey Mountains.
Nov. 16, 2016:
We had a fun and busy (as usual!) day in Enrichment! The students began their morning creating a visual representation for the animals in their national park. I saw some some wonderful creativity as the students chose how they wanted to represent their animals (Google Slides, 3-D pyramid, clay models, etc.). They articulated how being knowledgeable of the animals present in their national park will keep visitors happy and safe.
In honor of Thanksgiving, the students solved various Thanksgiving logic puzzles during small group time. These were quite challenging as some of the groups had to create their own chart/grid to organize the information (versus a chart/grid already being provided for them) and one group had to consider two categories of information versus just one. They used logical reasoning to work through the clues and correctly solve the puzzle.
We ended our day with our favorite critical thinking characters from the P.E.T.S. series. Today the students learned about divergent thinking. Divergent thinking encourages students to brainstorm many ideas (fluency), think of ideas in a different way (flexibility), and generate unique and original ideas that no one else will think of (originality). The students played a game along with Yolanda the Yarnspinner and Isabel the Inventor called Word Wiz. In this game, the students (along with the PETS characters) thought of all the ways the word 'fish' is used. Then, they categorized the words and evaluated which words were the most original. They added up each score to generate a divergent thinking total score.
Nov. 9/10, 2016:
The students began their day by researching 4 animals that live in their national park. They used a variety of resources, including library books, their pamphlets sent by their park's ranger, and the Internet. Next week, they will create a visual representation to communicate information about these animals to their visitors.
In small groups, the difficulty of the logic puzzle was amped up! Instead of having just two sets of information, this time they had three sets to analyze. The students used their strategies, such as paying attention to pronouns, rereading clues once more information was obtained, and ignoring irrelevant information. Although all groups had some productive struggle, every student was able to solve their puzzle! While I was working with my small group, another group was strengthening their creativity by imagining how a reading whisper-telephone (one of those curved PVC pipes) could be used for something else. Ideas included a slide for ants, a catapult, a megaphone, and a marble shoot. Lastly, we ended our day with what seems to the be kids' new favorite game--AJZ! This game requires the students to use critical thinking skills as they determine which numerical digits are the A, the J, and the Z in order to arrive at the mystery number.
Nov. 2, 2016:
We had a full day of Enrichment today, and boy, were we productive! The students began their morning by creating a visual representation of a food web present in their national park. They were encouraged to use creativity when choosing how to visually represent the information, and so we have a variety of visuals, including hanging mobiles, chain-links, and poster boards.
Next, the students used critical thinking skills and logical reasoning to solve logic puzzle games. The games centered around our P.E.T.S. characters (Dudley the Detective, Sybil the Scientist, etc.), and they were quite challenging! The students had to examine the clues carefully, discriminate between important and not-important clues, and defend their reasoning verbally to not only me, but their partner.
During our small group rotations, my group worked on analogies. These were particularly challenging because some of the vocabulary was unfamiliar to the students. Therefore, before they could correctly figure out the relationship between the words, they had to determine the meaning of each unknown word. The students enjoyed adding new vocabulary to their repertoire!
We ended our day with current events. Ask your child to explain what most Americans are scared of. The answer might be quite surprising!
Oct. 26, 2016:
Due to gifted testing, I met with both groups of 3rd grade Enrichment students this afternoon. Although we only had a short time together, we accomplished quite a bit! The students strengthened their research skills by researching food webs present in their national park using the Internet, books, and the pamphlets received from their park.
Next week's schedule is still up in the air. Depending on the number of tests Mrs. Whiten and I will need administer, we may have another modified schedule, or we may be back to normal. I will keep you posted.
Oct. 19 & 20, 2016:
We had a fun day in Enrichment! The students began their day by creating two graphs displaying information about their park's weather and precipitation. These graphs will be a great visual for their park's visitors on Ranger Day next semester!
The students used their critical thinking skills to play a game called "AJZ" (Ace, Jumble, Zilch). In this game, the students had to deduce what the mystery number was through the clues AJZ (ace means correct digit and place, jumble means correct digit, but wrong place, and zilch means it is completely incorrect). It was great to see the students thinking through the clues to figure out not only what the correct digits had to be, but what place they had to be in. I'm sure the students will introduce this game to you at home sometime this week. :)
During our small group instruction, my group used logical reasoning to either determine who had a missing biscuit or to create their own logic puzzle. The students are doing a great job paying close attention to the clues (such as pronouns). Of course, the students wanted to continue playing AJZ in their on-your-own group, and the computer group worked on problem solving.
We wrapped up our day with current events, including the recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone. We discussed how Samsung's decision to recall all of the Note 7s might hurt their company, and we also looked at how this could possibly be a benefit to them down the road.
Oct. 6, 2016:
This week in Enrichment, the students analyzed a graph detailing the weather at their national park. They had to determine which months would be the best months to go for various reasons, including little amounts of rainfall and mild temperatures.
During our small group instruction, the students thought critically to solve their logic puzzle. They learned that the most subtle of clues (like a pronoun) can sometimes have the greatest impact when correctly solving a logic puzzle! The students also exercised their creativity by thinking fluently and flexibly about how a random spiral (that's used to bind spiral-bound booklets) could be used in different ways. Wonderful ideas were generated, such as a slide for ants, a pointer, and a tube for water to go down.
***Reminder: Our field trip to Panola Mountain is Thursday (the 13th). Please remember to check the weather to determine if your child may need a light sweater, sunscreen, or an umbrella (hopefully not, though!). Also, please don't forget to pack your child a lunch (unless you indicated he or she would be buying a school lunch).
Sept. 28 & 29, 2016:
This week in Enrichment, the students extended their knowledge on their national park by researching important events in its history. The students used the internet, library books, and their brochures/pamphlets to locate events that visitors to the park would want to know, such as when it was established and important geological events (earthquakes, floods, etc.). They then evaluated if the information they gained was valuable or not (would this fact interested your park visitors? Can you adequately explain the significance of this event to your visitors?). They then composed a timeline to sequence the events in chronological order using either a digital timeline or a paper timeline.
Sept. 21 & 22, 2016:
It was another busy today in Enrichment! The students began their day by evaluating if their national park is indeed an example of a system--does it have parts? Are those parts affected by one another? Would the function of the system change if a key part was taken away? The students then began researching general information about their national park, such as admission cost, hours of operation, and location. They composed this information into a visual that will be a part of their informational display for Ranger Day in March.
In my differentiated small group, the students solved various logic puzzles They applied the strategies they've learned and thought logically about how to carefully analyze clues to solve the problem. During this time, the other students thought critically to solve challenging problems involving figuring out what makes a Zamboid a Zamboid and where Dudley the Detective sat during his dinner party.
Sept. 7 & 8, 2016:
The Buckaroos were busy today as we continued our study on national parks. Several of the students already received letters back from their national park. They were so excited to open them and discover all the colorful brochures, pamphlets, and pictures! The students used those resources (if they had them), the Internet, and books to more deeply research information about their park, including the climate, animals, and location. After, they created their park ranger badge to wear on Ranger Day in March.
After taking a 'show me what you know' on the states we learned last week, the states/capitals in the northeast region were introduced. These states can be tricky because many are very small (ex: Rhode Island, Delaware). They will have another 'show me what you know' next week.
The students used their critical thinking skills to solve a logic puzzle involving pirates. We reviewed the strategies needed to successfully solve a logic puzzle, such as read all of the clues very carefully, and skip clues that do not provide helpful information right away and come back to them once more information is gathered.
Lastly, the students strengthened their creativity by turning a squiggly line into an elaborate, original picture. Our focus for this activity was adding details to tell a story through pictures, as well as to come up with original, unique ideas. It was awesome to see how one squiggly line was transformed by each student!
Also, field trip permission slips were sent home with each student today. We will be extending our study on national parks by visiting Panola Mountain State Park on Thursday, Oct. 13th. The cost is $17 per student. If you would like your child to join us, please return the permission slip and $17 by next Friday (the 23rd).
Sept. 7, 2016:
We had a very productive day today in Enrichment! We began our day by studying the states in the southeast (and a few in the north). Over the next two months, the students will memorize US states and capitals (they'll learn it in chunks by region) and then take a "Show Me What You Know" the following week over that region. Details and expectations for this are explained on the yellow piece of paper that was sent home today in your child's Enrichment folder. We then extended the study of states by researching characteristics of the different US regions. Understanding how the different regions vary will help the students gain a better understanding of the type of climate, animals, and plants found in the national parks across our country.
Next, the students thought hard to solve several puzzles from our story "The Puzzler's Club". This involved analyzing the clues carefully, as well as comparing and contrasting, in order to figure out what what Dudley's favorite toy was, what made a Glorb a glorb, and how the words in Yolanda's Word Club went together. This one was particularly challenging because the students had to think outside the box to determine a way to connect all of the words in the Word Club.
Lastly, the students continued thinking critically as they were introduced to analogies (these were fun!) and we learned in Current Events that drawing is actually one of the best ways to remember information. Check out more information here: http://goo.gl/GgTbgV
August 31, 2016: This week in Enrichment, we explored the history of national parks by analyzing cause and effect relationships and how they spawned the desire for leaders to preserve our nation's natural environments. Last week, the students conducted general research on several national parks they were interested in, and then they selected their top 3 choices. Today, I revealed which national park each student will become an expert on. They were so excited! The students then wrote a letter to the national park requesting information (brochures, catalogs, etc.).
The students also had the opportunity to go back to Mrs. Catlett's 1st grade classroom to continue helping her students with a research project. They helped their assigned group develop a topic sentence, details, and a closing sentence. See Class Dojo for some pictures!
Lastly, in Current Events, my Wednesday class learned that a new planet outside of our solar system has been discovered--Proxima B! The students shared why this discovery is so newsworthy and how it could possibly affect humans in the future. My Thursday class compared and contrasted the sportsmanship of Olympic athletes, Hope Solo and Kerri Walsh Jennings. Both athletes did not win the gold medal, but unlike Jennings who praised her opponents for their level of play, Solo displayed unsportsmanlike behavior by calling her opponents cowards. We analyzed the importance of good sportsmanship in both the Olympics and recreational sports.
August 24/25, 2016: This week, we extended our understanding of 'systems' (our universal theme for Enrichment this year) to the United States' national parks. From now until March, the students will become experts on 1 national park. Then, dressed as park rangers, they will present their information to an audience of parents and students. After learning about the history of national parks today, the students conducted some preliminary research on parks that interested them. Next week, they will choose 1 national park and write a letter to the park requesting information to aid in their research.
August 17/18, 2016:
We had a thought-provoking day as the students analyzed character traits of the main character in The Most Magnificent Thing. The girl in the story showed many traits of a gifted learner--curiosity, perseverance, creativity, and initiative. The students made personal connections to the story by connecting events in their personal lives to these traits.
Our universal theme for this year is 'systems'. The students analyzed several examples of systems, including a family, the government, a bicycle, and an ocean habitat. They then determined if Crabapple Lane Elementary School was a system and created a graphic organizer to show the parts that make up our school.