Team Building

We are starting the school year off with a lot of team building. Team building is important for many reasons. It promotes collaboration between classmates, fosters creativity, enhances leadership skills, and aids overall communication. Each class participated in three team challenges.

 1. Marker Message: Several strings were tied to a dry-erase marker. Each student held a string, and they worked together to write a message. This challenge is much harder than it looks, but all teams were ultimately successful.

2.  Toxic Waste:  A bungee cord was attached around a bucket holding tennis balls.  Ropes were tied to the bungee cord.  Each student held the end of a rope.  The object was to dump the tennis ball into the empty bucket without touching the toxic waste or bucket.  

3.  Hollywood Improv:  This was an acting challenge.  Students had to choose a random character, setting, problem, plot, movie quote, and props to use in an original team-created movie trailer.  

Missouri Creative Adventures

It was another great year at MOCA, Missouri's Destination Imagination state competition!  All three of our teams earned trophies, and the SelfieZ are advancing to Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee! We're so proud of our creative problem solvers!  

DIgos:  Jace and Tara earned 3rd place for their Fine Arts Challenge, "Get a Clue."  They successfully acted out five characters with two people!  I absolutely loved the performance and the artwork!

SelfieZ:  Oliver and Alana earned 2nd place for their Project Outreach Challenge, "The Meme Event," and they are moving on to Global Finals!  They have been teaching others about self-acceptance!  Everyone should love their "SelfieZ."

Quintuple Quiddities:  Emily, Jolee, Lilly, Ashton, and Alyssa earned 3rd place in their Improv. Challenge, Close Encounters.  Their performance had the audience going bananas!  

National History Day 2016

It was a clean sweep! All my 6th grade students are 

advancing to the state National History Day 

Competition!

Katie-1st Place Individual Presentation

Emma-1st Place Individual Exhibit

Jeremiah-2nd Place Individual Exhibit

Jack-3rd Place Individual Exhibit

Maddy and Cecilia-1st Place Group Exhibit

Cora-2nd Place Documentary

Way to go, 6th grade!

Community Connections

Creating Community Connections with Commercials

Our videos have been becoming so popular, that we've been getting requests from teachers and administrators.  This one is promoting our upcoming student-led conferences.  The theme is "Binder Boogie," and they really enjoyed making this one!  When making commercials, students use teamwork, writing, reading, creativity, and public speaking skills.  Sharing the commercials helps us connect with our community!  We love to invite guest to our school to see the amazing things we are doing!

Please join us for our Binder Boogie and Groovy Book Fair on March 23, 2016!

Here are a few more commercials my 5th grade class has created this year...

Cecilia's Christmas Card

Happy Holidays from Emma!

MakerSpace

We've been having a great time exploring our MakerSpace!  Our MakerSpace is shared space where students can explore STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).  The MakerSpace is set up in stations where students can explore hands-on, inquiry-based activities.  So far, the Challenge students have explored making circuits, building roller coasters, creating shape drawings, making 3D shapes, programming with SCRATH, programming the Pro-Bot Car, and making music with the Makey, Makey.  We will change stations periodically, and we are hoping to get some new items soon!

It's Electric:  Students are making complete circuits!

               

                     Marble Roller Coaster Wall

Marble Roller Coaster Wall

3D Shapes with Straws

Makey Makey