Stimulating Science Simulations

Have your students taken a benchmark test recently?  Do you have a limited time to review the questions with them before turning in the "secure test materials"? Would you like a different way to review that involves the students as leaders and lets you, "the teacher",  take a backseat? I've got just the thing... Math Meet-ups.  The idea isn't new. It's really the same as stations, centers, rotations, task cards, etc.  The big difference is that a student is in charge of each question and does the models their solution for their peers. WARNING: This took A LOT more preparation than I originally anticipated. BUT... it was really worth it. First, I created a short video, in Adobe Spark, that all 5 teachers played for the students in order to explain the process. Second, I created a Powerpoint slideshow with timings to manage the rotations from question to question. (3 minutes per question and 30 second transitions). Step 3 involved assigning the studen...

I am going to admit something today.  I never wanted to learn to play chess.  Then a colleague got all excited about the idea that we could both teach a chess unit and get our students together at the end for a real life game of human chess like the wizard chess game in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".  I caved in and now I'm learning chess.  Surprisingly, I am really enjoying it.  Not surprisingly, the kids love it.  Here is a quick peek into our classroom today.   Today was the first day that I had them calling out and writing down their moves.  Before we could do that, I thought it would be a good idea to label our life size chess board and practice calling out some moves on it.  I was being formally observed today because this year is my license renewal year.  I'm pretty sure my lesson was a big hit with the administration too.

The 3rd grade AIG students have just begun a math/science integrated unit thematically centered around gardening.  Our first activity was to determine the perimeter and area of each raised bed in the garden.  We measured the length and width on the outside of the beds to find perimeter and measured the inside edges to find area.  

My 3rd grade students have learned to use latitude and longitude cartesian points for graphing.   If you want to view their work and cannot go to our International Night then download the Aurasma app and follow kaiserkids.  Then use your device and the aurasma app to see the finished product. Disclaimer: We do not claim that the animals can really be found in these locations, although they are African Animals.

What does the desk blotter of an engineer look like?   According to my 5th grade students, it would look something like this...

The 4th grade students were asked to choose a structure and conduct research about it.  They wrote about their selected structure and were grouped together based on their selections.  Then began the fun.  Replicating the structure together. I wish I had thought of this but the credit goes to classroom teachers at New Century International Elementary.  Check out the final products.

This school year has not gone as planned.  Nowhere in my plan did I leave room for thoughts of doing anything other than moving up to 5th grade with the most wonderful group of 4th grade students I had the privilege of teaching last year.  Thing is, my plan wasn't entirely within my power to control.  Sparing everyone the details, let me just say that after 6 wonderful weeks with my students I found myself moving into a new position.  We were having a great year!  The students had matured and we had fallen into step together as 5th graders.  The quality of their work was greatly improved and everything about our year was going great (in our classroom world).  Suddenly, I was faced with a decision that may not make sense based on what I have said about my students. Unfortunately, this decision couldn't be made solely on the basis of how perfect things were going with my classroom.   The dilemna: to accept or not to accept a position working as the ...