PACT & Prime Time News
November 2016 - Nixon Edition
From the Desk of Mrs. Anderson
Change in Prime Time for 2016-2017 School Year
Prime Time is a demanding academic program serving second and third grade students in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. Traditionally, the program has offered two semester-long units each academic year, varying in their content area and focus. Students participating in a unit are determined at the beginning of each semester based on screenings and other available data. The goal is to identify students showing the highest level of readiness for advanced work in a particular area. The small groups for Prime Time units usually meet twice a week for approximately 40 minutes.
For the 2016-2017 school year, the PACT department made the decision to use the time in the fall to explore ways to better identify and serve second grade students who demonstrate high potential. Interventions may look different in our diverse buildings, but all will share the same goal of identifying and developing students’ talents. Second graders will, however, be screened for the Prime Time unit in the spring of 2017.
2nd Grade Extensions
With a small group of 2nd grade students, I have been working on creativity. By taking the Inventions from the 1st Superkids magazine I was able to offer an extension where students were introduced to the Engineering Design Process.
We started by reading the book Not a Box by Antoinette Portis. In the book, a small rabbit shows how he uses his imagination to turn an ordinary box into many different things such as a building and a car, for instance. After reading the book we, as a group, brainstormed several other uses for a box.
Next, I showed the students a bunch of extra paper plates and presented our problem, “what should Mrs. Anderson do with all these extra plates?” Students brainstormed on their own a list of at least 10 ideas, then picked a final choice and drew out a simple plan, gathered materials, and set to work on their creations. I have put together a short video showing the process and their final products.
We have also been creating optical illusions. 2nd grade students created Decotropes, flipbooks, and spider web op-art.
Catch the Wind
In the Engineering Class, “Catch the Wind”, students have been spending time learning about simple machines through making them and testing them out. So far in class they have worked on inclined planes with boards and toy trucks; the wheel and axel through creating cars with found items; the lever with catapults, bouncy balls, and plastic cups; and the pulley using string, ribbon, spools, and cups. Along with the pulleys we had an Engineering Design Challenge called Ghosts in the Graveyard. Students worked in small groups to design a transporter that would lift cotton balls (ghosts) from the bottom of a pulley to the top.
Another thing students are learning, and that is being reinforced daily through the simple machine explorations, is the science concept of force. We will continue with simple machines with the Archimedes screw before moving on to the engineering design process and building windmills.
4th Grade Math Challenges
4th grade students have been learning different problem solving strategies for math through Math Challenges such as Guess and Check, and Draw a Picture. We will be moving on soon to using a table or chart, look for a pattern, and make an organized list. I will also be infusing Fermi math into the curriculum, which uses estimation, calculations, reasoning, and research to solve challenge problems.
Also, we will be taking a few days here and there to do Engineering Design Challenges. In fact, we just completed one called “Creature Catcher”. In this challenge students worked in small teams to design a device that would catch as many creatures as possible (three different sizes of plastic arachnids). This was challenging because the device had to fit within a 12in by 12 in square, had to be completed within 30 minutes, and students were only given string and pipe cleaners to work with. The students really enjoyed this hands-on activity and it works perfectly to celebrate their successes in this class so far.
Speaking of successes, I’ve just started using gamification in the classroom this year with the teacher created online game, Classcraft (www.classcraft.com). Gamification focuses on applying the principles of games to non-game situations, such as the classroom as a whole. Classcraft uses play, engagement, and collaboration to create a positive learning experience in the classroom.
5th Grade Math Extensions
In 5th grade math I’ve introduced students to Fermi math (see 4th grade) and the digital math game, Lure of the Labyrinth. In the world of Lure of the Labyrinth, students progress through three sections, or "wings." Each is related to a different math strand that is part of a the typical pre-algebra curriculum:
- · Proportions (including fractions and ratios)
- · Variables and Equations
- · Number and Operations (including geometry, order of operations and modular arithmetic)
Each of the three wings includes three puzzles, and each of the puzzles has three levels. The levels progress from easy to hard. And, continuing with the "rule of three," students have to successfully solve each puzzle three times before they can eliminate a room.
Students play the game first before I teach any lessons, so for the last four class periods that is what they have been doing. This week I started providing math mini-lessons based on what parts of the game students had experienced so far.
Here are some useful links to learn more about this educational game platform.
http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/educators.php
http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/library/index.php connect to: Games as a Part of Today's Culture, What About Games Makes Them Good for Learning?, Ten Articles About Kids, Games, and Learning, Using Lure of the Labyrinth to Support Reading, Background Papers, and Links to More Learning.
Contact Me
Email: CaAnderson@cr.k12.ia.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/andersonpact/
Phone: 3195881421
Twitter: @AndersonGTeach