In motivating students for the Iowa Assessments, Mrs. Thomas, Mr. Wahls, and Mr. Peterson discussed with students how to “Turn up the HEAT!!” We can turn up the heat on our tests, in our classwork, and even in life through our character. Students also participated in mannequin challenge by 'freezing' in studious positions to create a Turn up the HEAT video for the assembly.

Mrs. Stephanie Thomas, ES and MS School Counselor

These students have read one million words or more for AR this school year!

Back: Brooke H., Ellie B., Ellie D., Kelby S.
Front: Keaton R., Nataniel E.

Mrs. Deb Henkes, CR Technology Coach

Students in Mr. Lawrences's 6th & 7th-grade science labs were challenged to use science, technology, and engineering to create working prototypes of real machines. Students used cardboard and a variety of additional resources to create their prototypes. Students worked both in groups and individually. Examples of types of machines that students created were pop dispensers, candy dispensers, and a hydraulic crane.

This is an ongoing project so look for more examples of amazing student work to come!

Examples of student science lab projects:
Ellie shows how to make a pop machine - https://youtu.be/VCEDjkRFA34
Aiden details how to create a hand- https://youtu.be/TZqE8Vn8YAc

Mrs. Stephanie Thomas, ES and MS School Counselor

Mrs. Stephanie Thomas, ES and MS School Counselor

Students meeting Eagle Pride Expectations were able to participate in creating butterfly snack bags following our author visit!

Mrs. Kathy Connelly, CRES Teacher

On April 27 Brandon Friedlein (left) and Chad Kreel (right) from Community Savings Bank visited Mrs. Connelly’s and Mrs. Palmer’s third grade classrooms at Clayton Ridge School. They read the book “One Grain of Rice”, which they presented to the classrooms and gave each child a piggy bank as part of Money Smart Week.

Mrs. Deb Henkes, CR Technology Coach

Critical thinking, problem-solving, using engineering concepts and teamwork are essential components for a successful "Marble Run" as well as great skills to have for classroom learning, and future jobs! Students in Mrs. Lawrence's 4th and 5th grades classes were recently challenged to use all of these skills to create a marble course where the winning marble travels to the end destination in the SLOWEST overall time (not the fastest!) without stopping.

Students had access to a variety of materials to create their course such as cardboard tubes, tape, etc. As students worked in groups to build their marble course, they ramped up the creativity through using the environment to their advantage by building on walls, chairs, tables, and even the floor. They learned a lot about gravity and friction in the process! (HINT: What will cause the marble to speed up as it rolls along? - Gravity!)

Mr. Louis Cook, HS Social Studies

Mrs. Rhea Cano, CRHS Spanish

On Tuesday, April 17, Clayton Ridge Spanish Club students travelled to Chicago, Illinois for a day of cultural experiences. Students began their day with a show given by the Hispanic Flamenco Ballet, during which students were shown traditional dances from countries including Colombia, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, among others. Afterwards, students went to the Field Museum, where they explored the Ancient Civilizations exhibits to learn about the Aztec, Mayan, and Incan civilizations. They were also allowed time to explore other exhibits at the Field Museum before departure for home. Funds made at the annual Spanish Club taco supper were used to pay for all students' tickets to the dance presentation and entrance to the Field Museum. The Spanish Club thanks the Clayton Ridge community for their continued support, which allows students to become global citizens.

Pictured Below:
Front: Mrs. Rhea Cano, Nichole ., Tania L., Nicole S., Kaitlyn K., Kirisa K., M., Joseph A.

Second: Grace M., Breanna M., Natalie D., Claire K., Ivy A., Courtney O., Brianna M., Sophia B., Mariah K., Emily S., Erik S., Paul S., Beau C.

Back: Taylor P., Sierra P., Abrianna M., Haley K., Kristin W., Victoria B., Cisco G., Emily B., Brandon W., Sonrae S., Heather C., Amber A., Brianna B., Terry H., Nathan H., Easton H.

Students in Mr. Kolbet's statistics class first learned the different tests necessary for hypothesis testing with varying sample sizes. They then learned some new technologies and presentation tools from Ms. Shaw. Some of the students' final projects are linked below.

Mrs. Deb Henkes, CR Technology Coach

Design thinking, prototype iteration, and complex communications were a few of the concepts discussed with students by Iowa State professor Pete Evans on Wednesday, April 25th. Clayton Ridge was lucky enough to have Pete bring the ISU FLEx Lab to visit our campuses and challenge our students to consider their role in the future of technology development as well as providing hands-on activities with tech in its current form.

FLEx is an ISU outreach program featuring a mobile learning program for advanced design technology benefiting 3rd through 12th students and beyond in a 21st century paradigm. Structured around STEM, design thinking, 21st Century skills, and Universal Constructs (4 C’s), this environment extends distant educational offerings by delivering full-scale augmented and virtual visualization, digital to real prototyping, circuit bending and visual programming.

The FLEx lab visited the with 6th and 7th graders at the middle school in the morning and then headed to the high school in the afternoon to work with physics students and a few other groups. One of the highlights of the session was the virtual reality roller coaster experience designed by an ISU student with the ISU campus as the location.

For more information about the lab, Google: FLEx Forward Learning Experience. The FLEx lab visit was organized by Mrs. Henkes with the invaluable and much-appreciated assistance of Mrs. Fassbinder.
#ISUFlex #GoEagles #DesignThinking #EaglePride