Chess, Tunnels, and Dams, oh my!

Fourth grade engineers played designed structures in the dirt today! They soon found out that meeting in the middle of a mountain is not an easy task. They also explored the design and forces in dams and then made models. In the middle of all this engineering - Mr. Arney joined us for a chess lesson! It was a very busy day!

The Science of Fear

5th grade flipped its lid classroom! Students completed tasks in a hyperdoc today where tasks were completed at their own pace with areas of independence and collaboration. For one section of the project, students took a look at the science of fear from different angles: neurology, physiology, and psychology.

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Dome Day!

4th grade had a very egg-citing day! Dome day started with a test of nature's humble dome - the egg. How much weight can those brittle things hold - well a lot actually! The shape is actually very strong! Then we explored the dome's use in engineering. Then students got to build a large geodesic dome to prepare them for the afternoon - where they would need to build their own geodesic dome. It was a fun and dome-anding day! Take a look:

Bridge Day

Our bridge day started with a quick challenge - can you create a bridge using only 1 piece of paper and up to five paperclips to support 100 pennies? They really had to think about how to manipulate and reinforce the materials to be successful on the task. Next, fourth grade students took over the class for the day as they researched, planned a lesson and materials, and then taught the lesson to other students. Using a jigsaw format, each student had individual and collaborative responsibilities. All of them took this very seriously! All knew they would have to pass a test and that their ability to teach would have a direct impact on other students. It is very fun to see how seriously and professionally they took this on! Some even have great classroom management already!

Thrilling Collaboration

5th graders were challenged to create the most "thrilling" coaster possible. Curves, loops, and corkscrews were awarded a point value if included. Given limited time, limited materials, and a collaborative team, students worked hard to see what they could accomplish. The focus for this task was the process and collaboration rather than final product. After all, we learn from mistakes - so we may as well fail fast! There was plenty of trial and error and tweaking! Take a peek at this very "thrilling" activity.

A Very Busy Day

Day 2 of 3rd grade GT was a very busy one!Students met our chess instructor, Mr. Arney, followed by an engineering task where they created a perch for Fred - a very curious worm, and then ended the day with a not so typical math task. They had to figure out how much they might weigh on another planet, how old they would be in dog years, and so much more! Check out some footage from the day in the short video.

O-zo Scary!

Fourth graders took on the role of spookologists today as they planned a haunted house experience for our little friend Ozobot. They decorated a room while applying a theme and considering emotions of visitors. With the scene set, they were ready to add special effects. Each room had to have an interactive element some included motion sensors from our Lego robotics kits to make spooky sounds or sudden movement. Others opted to code additional Ozobots (some used line code and others used block code) to be scary spiders or wicked witches moving around a cauldron. The short videos of each room look simple - but there was a lot of critical thinking and creativity involved to make it look simple. (Created and recorded by kids - some are quite blurry- Lesson on focusing an iPad coming soon). Zombies: Mad Scientist: Spiders: Blackout: Ghosts: Witch: Mummies: Bats& Vampires:

Trick? or Treat?

5th graders did some city planning as they determined if their road would be coded for a fast path to the treat at the end of the road - or if all Ozobots would instead be delayed as they did tricks. This task involved lots of collaboration, planning, time management, and of course - fun! Take a peek in the video below.