The Studio: Part 1

Over the last month, the 5th grade has been working on a STEM unit entitled The Studio. The unit is a combination of applied math, engineering, design, 3D art, language and creativity. We started by imagining...If I had my own personal space (a studio!) and could make it into anything I wanted...what would that be?

Beginning with blue prints and scale models, the students built and designed their own space from the ground up. It took quite a bit of logic, visual-spatial ability, and creativity to complete these spaces! After the basic frame was built, the creativity came into play. We soon had spaces ranging from barns and sheds, to gold plated solar panel homes and art studios!

Each student also filled out their own "Studio Cost Summary", in which they determined the cost of supplies and labor, then decided on a reasonable price for their space. Did they think their small studios would fetch that price in a fair market? Would it be worth mass production, or did the labor costs outweigh a reasonable price?

Finally, they converted their findings to a large scale; life sized real estate listings! Student flyers and studios will be on display in TAG room hallway during conferences, so please stop by and see what we've been up to.

Below are three iMovie real estate listings. The remaining four will be uploaded in the next couple of days, so check back!

Sail Car

Here is a little iMovie trailer on the fun we have been having in third grade! 

Doodle Game

Our second grade group has spent this week immersing themselves in the Doodle Game. This game was reintroduced to me by another TAG teacher, Mark Steven Hess. While it was an activity I did earlier in my teaching career, it had slipped away until recently.

The Doodle Game is great for visual-spacial learners, but it also ties in literacy standards that include dialogue, description, and development of character experiences and events. We started off by introducing the rules. First, the doodle may not take up the whole space; second, the doodle may not be too intricate; and third, the doodle lines may not cross. Then we brainstormed what the doodle could be turned into, and it was AMAZING to hear all of the ideas! The creativity was oozing out of these kids!

The Rules

The next few pictures started with the same doodle but took on lives of their own! 

Tadpole...

Seashell and Baymax

The first day of the game was spent building that creativity, but beyond that, was all about story building. Each student had the same starter doodle and five minutes to complete the picture. Then, it was story time! We all took turns telling the story behind our doodle character, developing the events, using transitional words, and creating narrative experiences.

We now have sixteen story ideas that are ready to dive into. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Just a few story starter ideas! 

Creativity

Who out there has heard of TED Talks? It is a phenomenon organization that was founded the same year I was born, but I hadn't realized its popularity or potential until a few years ago. TED is an organization with the tag line, "Ideas Worth Spreading." How cool is that? Thanks to modern technology, anyone with a wifi connection can now listen to these amazing people speak about their passions and in turn, become inspired.

The point of the above paragraph is this: anyone can become an expert if they are allowed the time and confidence to explore their passions. David Kelley, the speaker in the video below, has become an inspiration to me and my teaching.  My goal in this TAG classroom is to provide your children and opportunity to find their passions, build their creativity, and learn that perseverance is key.

We do our best to apply our creativity each and every day in room 247! The forth grade class has been working on Renaissance cranes. The challenge is to use simple machines, Renaissance materials, and the strategies they have learned to design and build a working crane, able to lift a stapler.

One student jumped right in! He immediately started building up, up, up. He threw craft sticks together right and left. Throughout his building, there were several moments where I asked about "his plan", not really sure if he had thought it through. He assured me, he had it, and I was not going to squash his creativity...

Yesterday, he came up to me and said, "Mrs. Fitz, I think I got ahead of myself. I'm going to take it apart because it is a hot mess." (I love that he used "hot mess"!)

My first thought was something along the lines of, "Uh oh. He can't be giving up...how can we turn this around?"

However, he had that covered. My thought was immediately squashed with his next words, "But that is ok! I tested it out, it wasn't working, but that is part of the process. I have new ideas that I think will work better!"

Experiment. Fail. Learn. Repeat. I guess our classroom motto is starting to set in!

Amazing

Amazing things are happening in our TAG room!

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who came to support our Mini-Mini Golf course! It was wonderful to see the students interacting with administrators, teachers, parents, and even an entire second grade class! For me, seeing the pride they took in their designed was the best part.  The second best part was when my own parents showed up to participate in the fun. I had mentioned the project to my dad (a retired teacher) and was pleasantly surprised that he and my mom decided to drive over to see what was going on in our classroom. How cool!

This hole had a bucket on the ground to "catch your ball" on the last hole!

Since break, the fifth grade has started a project called "The Studio" in which they will be designing their own space, using blueprints, and learning about marketing. Fourth grade is on fire and ready to start getting their hands dirty with a Renaissance crane project. Simple machines everywhere!

Before break, the third grade students were exploring the power of air. Through numerous experiments, they discovered that air takes up space, has mass, and can be very powerful. This week, they are using their previous knowledge to make self propelled Hot Wheels using straws, balloons, and tape. Their faces lit up with new solutions after Plan A didn't work. I am so pleased in how far they have come in their attitude toward learning this year! Experiment, fail, learn, repeat!

We have talked quite a bit about changing our thinking. When things are tough, that just means we will have to take more time to achieve them! 

The younger students set wildly important goals (WIGs) for their last semester, had a great time with our invention box, and are now learning about personification through stories, writing, and skits.

Welcome back from break! We are getting right back to some amazing learning!

Mini-Mini Golf Invite

Fifth grade has been working on scale models, and a mini-mini golf course is our final project! The golf course will be "opening" next week!

Who: Teachers, Families, Administrators
When: December 17 10:30am-11:15am and December 18 3:15pm-3:45pm
Where: Clarke Elementary TAG room!
How much: Mini-Mini Golf for Mini Prices! 1 cent per play, children under 5, free!

Below are two trailers that John put together to show what the students have been working on!

Catching Up

Things were very hectic during November, and the month seemed to fly by. To get a quick update about what has been going on, please check out the month in pictures!

Students participating in the Marshmallow Challenge. This is a great critical thinking AND teamwork exercise. 

Float or Sink? Using the Scientific Method, students made hypotheses about which types of candy would float or sink. They were then able to test their ideas and graph the data. Finally, a discussion about WHY some things float, while others do not. 

From Putt-Putt to Pebble Beach: Students are designing a playable mini-mini golf course using the engineering design process. They are learning about creating alternative solutions, development work, scale models, testing, and redesigning. 

The DaVinci parachutes are taking shape! Students solved geometry problems and learn background physics concepts as they built working models of Leonardo Da Vinci's parachute. We will be testing their models in a few short days!  

What happens when you combine a few household items such as baking powder, powdered sugar, and rubbing alcohol, then add heat to the mix? Students learned just this on Halloween. They were asked to journal while I conducted the experiment; creating hypotheses, changing their guesses, and observing using their senses the entire time. We had a lot of fun with this project!

Critical Thinking activity - graphing ideas, making educated guesses, testing, and concluding.