Exciting Things are Happening
Wright, Crockett, and Curtis Quest
Passion Projects: iDream, iDesign
iDream:
Please take time to have a conversation with your students to get them thinking about what they love in their lives, to do, to have, etc..., and what really bothers them in their lives, in the world, etc..., and what is something they can do to make this better or improve the situation. We are going to use the bracket below to guide their search to identify a topic about which they are really passionate. It would be helpful if you all talked about this some at home. Help them go beyond their first initial responses, i.e., I love my family, friends, pets, etc... What really bothers me is when my siblings come in my room without knocking or tear up my belongings. They may want to research a topic that will lead to their future career. How will this career choice make the world a better place?
When we come back in January, students will spend time working on their chosen topics and creating a product to use to share the information they have learned. These products will be showcased in the spring at a time and place to be decided later.
iDesign: This past week, the students began delving into Stop Motion videos. They watched some videos that defined stop motion and looked at some examples. After doing this, there were three activities to complete, a Story Map, a Materials List, and a Story Board. These assignments were outlined on our class Edmodo page as referred to in last week's newsletter. If you need to review this information, you can access all newsletters on my website. carlacheshire.weebly.com
This week, the students will create a Stop Motion video in class if they have not already done so at home. Please make sure they bring all the materials needed to create the video.
Some students wanted to create their video at home. These students should bring their videos to school on a device or a way to share with the class.
Question Starts for iDream Projects
- Why...
- How would it be different if...
- What are the reasons...
- Suppose that...
- What if...
- What if we knew...
- What is the purpose of...
- What would change if...
Have your student make a list of some of the responses and bring to class this week.
Wonderopolis
Finding Students' Hidden Strengths and Passions
Hour of Code
In Quest, the students have already been exploring coding on the website, Made With Code, and they are currently learning to create their own video games using the app, Pixel Press Floors.
Scratch is also another great website that Quest has used in the past to introduce computer programming. This site was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab.
You will notice that these resources do not use the traditional programming languages. They make the fundamentals of coding more understandable to children by using blocks of "code" that users drag and drop onto a palette to create a program. The blocks attach to each other like Legos or a jigsaw puzzle. Take some time to look at these websites and join us this week for an "Hour of Code."
Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard is a product that came about from Google's 20% Time or Genius Hour time it uses with its employees. The Google company gives their employees 20% of their work week to focus on their passions and interests. One group who was really interested in virtual reality (VR) gaming wanted to make this more affordable for everyone. In 2014, they developed a viewer out of cardboard that would hold a smart phone and an app that contained several virtual reality experiences. Using the app, the cardboard viewer and a phone, users can visit places all over the world and beyond in 3D. One experience that my students really love is the Urban Hike option on the Google Cardboard app. This allows you to visit iconic cities around the world... Paris, Tokyo, San Francisco. There are also apps that take users into outer space, on roller coasters, and into the world of dinosaurs. In addition, there are many VR games that can be played. New apps and uses are being developed daily for this new technology.
If you are interested in Google Cardboard, take a look at their website to learn more.
Also, check out how Mattel reinvented its View-Master after Google Cardboard came out.
Google Cardboard Phone not included.
Dinosaur App
Mattel View-Master VR
Carla Cheshire
My schedule is:
Monday: Wright (817) 598-2828 ext: 4960
Tuesday and Wednesday: Crockett (817) 598-2811 ext: 4429
Thursday and Friday: Curtis (817) 598-2838 ext: 4556
Email: ccheshire@weatherfordisd.com
Website: carlacheshire.weebly.com
Phone: (817) 598-2811