Quest News
Carroll Elementary School
Term 4 Updates
1st grade will wrap up our zoo project in a few weeks and then we will study biomimicry.
2nd grade is currently learning about circles and pi in our study of Mathematics in Nature.
3rd grade students will write commercials for their toys after Spring Break.
4th grade has completed the Design Thinking project and our final project of the year will focus on various math concepts.
Zoom Rules
Please review these Zoom rules with your child:
1. Find a quiet place to meet.
2. Microphones on mute until I tell you to turn them on for group discussion.
3. Wait your turn to speak and do not chat while anyone else is speaking.
4. Cameras ON during direct instruction.
5. DO NOT LEAVE THE MEETING UNTIL I SAY GOODBYE.
Gifted Program Student Contract
1. I must be a responsible student and do the work in Quest to the best of my ability.
2. I understand that it is my responsibility to report promptly to the Quest classroom each week and go directly back to my regular classroom when the Quest class is complete.
3. I understand that I will respect the rights of my classmates.
4. I understand that I must be responsible for the work in my grade-level classroom.
I understand that failure to comply with the terms of this contract may be cause to review my Quest program placement.
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Please remind your DVA children to attend all of their classes, keep up with their classwork, and join my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I appreciate your continued support at home.
Supply Pick Up and Platform Change
I will send home appropriate supplies for Quest classes when students temporarily move to DVA. Please remind students to return these supplies to my classroom when they return to campus.
Temporary DVA students are expected to attend Quest classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays with my regular DVA classes. Zoom links are available in a Seesaw announcement.
DVA Student Expectations
Students will join Zoom meetings during their WIN time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please join on time, have access to art supplies, and be ready to work. I will do my absolute best to make these classes feel as normal as possible so we will hold discussions, students will have time to work independently, and I will be available to answer questions.
Zoom links have been posted in a Seesaw announcement.
In-Person Student Expectations
Seesaw Assignments
Some of the critical thinking challenges and logic puzzles are quite tricky and I do not expect students to know every answer to every question. These puzzles are meant to challenge students and I will work with them when they are stuck or require assistance with research. These assignments replace our usual Logic Packets in our classroom folders. Students work on these if/when they complete the daily project early and as such these activities should take several weeks to complete.
1st Grade Year At A Glance
Animal Nation
Our main unit of study is based on the Texas Performance Standards Project called Animal Nation. Students will study different animals to learn about their basic needs and ecosystems in which they live. We will talk about all of the Animal Kingdoms and learn a little bit about each one so that they can become zookeepers at our imaginary zoo called Zooland. They will also be learning about how zoos are run and the jobs people have at the zoo.
Key Concepts for our study:
- What makes a good zoo?
- What do animals need in order to live happily in a zoo environment?
- How can we make a better habitat for the animal they will be researching?
Students will be given a zoo animal to observe, describe, and research. From this knowledge, students will identify the animal's basic needs and how they are met. Students will then analyze different outcomes for their animals if those needs are not met in a zoo habitat. Their learning will culminate with an animal book authored by your student and a presentation.
2nd Grade Year At A Glance
Mathematics of Nature Unit
Our main unit of study is based on the Texas Performance Standards Project called Mathematics of Nature. Mathematics in Nature is a science and mathematics unit that allows students to explore and gain knowledge about mathematical patterns found in nature, such as tessellations and the Fibonacci sequence. The unit also has interdisciplinary connections to other subject areas. Students will examine mathematical patterns found in nature, such as tessellations, the Fibonacci sequence, and pi.
Students will meet these goals in their explorations:
- Ask questions and explore theories
- Have opportunities to generate new ideas
- Develop the essential skills of logical thinking, creative problem solving, intellectual risk taking, and communicating
- Become familiar with various patterns in nature and where they occur
- Understand the details of how and why such a pattern is constructed and which mathematical concept it illustrates
3rd Grade Year At A Glance
Big Business of Toys
Our main unit of study is based on the Texas Performance Standards Project called Building a Business - Game and Toy. This project generates an understanding of marketing, consumer awareness, and business models by studying the games and toys industry. Students will learn about the making and selling of their favorite toys. Then in small groups, students will found their own toy companies. Each group will develop a prototype of a new toy, along with one of the following: a business plan for a toy/game company; marketing campaign to sell the toy/game.
4th Grade Year At A Glance
Invention Project - National Inventors Hall of Fame
Our main unit of study is Invention Project, which is part of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Students will gain an understanding of the process of innovation. This unit will guide your child to build an innovation mindset, which will empower them to realize their potential and overcome challenges in any area of life. Creating inventions will emphasize creative problem solving through real-word challenges, teach the design thinking process and provide hands-on engagement in STEAM for deeper conceptual learning.
Students will meet these goals in their explorations:
- Develop the essential skills of logical thinking, creative problem solving, intellectual risk taking, and communication
- Make connections across disciplines
- Identify a need
- Create an original idea or object that satisfies a need or addresses a problem
- Investigate whether or not the innovation already exists
- Test the innovation, make modifications, and draw conclusions
- Keep records and document progress
- Relate scientific methods to real life
Classroom Supplies
In-person students will collect their work in a classroom folder and upload pictures to Seesaw, same as always.
DVA students will submit work through Seesaw. However, some students may be more comfortable working with paper and pencil rather than using the drawing tools in Seesaw. This is perfectly fine and acceptable, so please make sure your student has access to notebook paper or a spiral, pencils, and general classroom art supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue stick, scissors). DVA students that choose to work on paper should keep all assignments in a Quest folder at home and upload pictures of completed assignments in Seesaw.
Students will work on various STEAM projects this year. I will give advance notice if craft/recycling supplies are required for upcoming projects, but don’t worry if you don’t have an item listed in a particular lesson; you can substitute as necessary with items that are available at home.