Discovery Time Share

Ms. Angle's 1st Grade class has been on a personal learning adventure over the past several months called Discovery Time.  Students brainstormed their own interests, wonders, and passions first.  Then, they followed an inquiry cycle.  At the end, they shared their learning with a grade 2 class. 

The LOFT Creation Stations

The ES Ed Tech team has been transforming the LOFT into a creative indoor 'playground' for students where the SAS DSLOs (character, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, content knowledge, and cultural competence) are finding traction.

The learning activities are organized under 5 themes: Art, Building, Coding, Engineering, and Filmmaking. Then each theme has various stations where students can explore, make, and innovate based on Challenge Cards specific to that station.  Challenge Cards come in levels as well to take into consideration that students from ages 5-11 use this space.

In addition, students are tracking their progress with the use of a Creation Stations Passport.  They must note down which station they completed (under the correct theme) and demonstrate and/or explain to a teacher which level they accomplished.  Success is noted with an 'Explorer', 'Maker', or 'Innovator' stamp in the student's passport.    

Here is a short video of grade 1 students exploring, making, and innovating at just some of the stations.

How to Arrange a Playdate in Mandarin - Green Screen by Do Ink

Students in Xu Laoshi's mandarin class used the app Do Ink by Green Screen to record realistic videos of 'How to Arrange a Playdate'. 

Discovery Time with Ms. Analu

Post written by Ms. Analu

"We have embarked on a fantastic journey called Discovery Time.  The kids shared different passions and areas they would love to explore.  As they shared their interests, Mrs. Buxton and I helped the kids sort them into different categories:

• Movie Making – (Star Wars clips)
• Sewing – (stuffed animals)
• Building – (castles, dollhouses, Star Wars characters)
• Science Investigations – (volcanoes)

They made a plan.  They asked questions.  They researched.  Now they are doing – creating! It has been so much fun!

We would like to thank Mrs. Buxton for guiding us through this journey and Ms. Nora for teaching us how to sew.

At the end of this cycle, we will reflect and see what worked well and what could have been better.  Then we will start a new cycle.

It was wonderful to see the kids collaborating, thinking critically, persisting and trying again.

Take a look at a glimpse of our Discovery Time today."

Tiny Tap

I am testing out a new app called Tiny Tap. Grade 1 students are trying it out as a fun way to share their animal research. 

Game 7,

http://www.tinytap.it/games/g18mb/Game-7
Handmade with TinyTap - Free iPhone/iPad App

Sent from my iPad

Beebots

Beebots are a coding station at the Creation Stations. Students learn how to operate a Beebot, make the object follow a path, and then create their own path for the Beebot to follow.  Some key skills learned are problem solving, iterating, and persevering.  Meko learned all of the skills and by his 7th attempt he succeeded at making the Beebot follow the path he had invented!  

Creation Stations

Creation Stations are located in the upper level of our Elementary School's library. The ES Ed Tech team has organized this space to be an inspiration for both students and teachers to be creative and learn through experimentation. Each station supports one of the five themes: art, building, coding, engineering, and filmmaking.

Students choose a station and explore, make, or innovate at it. Here is a video of a Grade 1 class that recently visited Creation Stations.