Building and Tinkering

To follow along with Keeler school, we started utilising some Lego that we found in our building.

Rejuvenating the Lego 

When we found the Lego it was pretty disgusting. Years of sitting in a classroom gathering dust. So after a thorough washing at home and a long time to air dry, the Lego came back to school and put into some great use!

I had a great helper throughout the cleaning process

The Project

Two of our grade 1 and 2 teachers wanted to use our learning commons to divide their classes into smaller groups to do some building centres for the grade 2 science unit, Building Things. The learning commons hosted the Lego building and iPad Lego building centres and the other two groups were back in their classrooms. We gave the students some free building time so they could play and tinker with each of the materials (Lego, iPad, Straws & pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks & modelling clay, foam building blocks, and smaller wooden blocks)

After every student had a time to play with each of the material and build something of their choice, the task was to build something specific with each of the different materials. This what they were asked to build:

• Lego - something that moves
• Lego App - some kind of box or container
• Straws & pipe cleaners - a creature
• Popsicle sticks and modelling clay - a shelter
• Foam Building Blocks - a piece of playground equipment
• Small Wooden Blocks - a tall tower

What we found out was that the kids (in general) were way more creative in the free building sessions. When we put certain parameters on the building tasks, their creations seemed dulled down and lacking creativity.

So We CHANGED It Up!

As I began working with these two classes, I was also beginning a similar project with another grade 1-2 class. This time we changed the project around to see if it would make a difference with the quality of learning. Here's what we did (and are still working on as it's continues to progress):

1. Each student had a chance to play and free build with each of the materials.
2. We will then have a class discussion about what we all made (using the photos they took with the iPads) and why they made it - This will help develop the assessment criteria for the next part of the project.
3. Students will co-create a target rubric of the assessment criteria.
4. We will watch some video and multimedia of what other people have built with some of the materials (this is the expert portion).
5. The final task will be to build 3 different models. Students will choose their materials and also the structure, or 'thing', they want to build. We will also generate a list of possible 'things' they might want to build, but not limit them to this list.
6. Students will be assessed according to the student generated criteria. This could be done as a self assessment, by their peers, and/or the teachers.

Here are some more pictures and videos of what they created during free building:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59FhiBm9OF0&feature=g-upl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83tCcKFPZ3I&feature=g-upl

Diagnostic Assessment & Space Exploration

Accessing Prior Knowledge & Starting on the Right Foot

We began an exciting group project the other day and thought it was important to start with self-reflection and diagnostic assessment through informal and formal conversations. Students filled out group proposals (below) where they had to consider their strengths within a group. We also challenged them to think about their group members and how they've worked together in the past...

Project:  You have been recruited by CETSA (The Canadian Extra Terrestrial Space Agency) to create a community proposal and a recruitment video to lure earth-dwellers to colonize your planet. 

** Students will hold a "recruitment fair" in the Learning Commons for all grades of the school (and perhaps other schools through online video/voting). Students will vote on which planet they would like to colonize based on given criteria. 

Day 1: The Hook
Each student received a letter in the mail from CETSA directing them to save humanity.They showed up to school with their letters clutched in their hands or crinkled in their pockets, ready to accept their mission! They were then tasked with identifying and resolving hazards in a colonization report to permanently settle a planet in our solar system. They will soon create a recruitment video/presentation to lure settlers to their planet - which they will later create a government for.

We gave students the sheet below, allowing them to choose their own partners. Using a sheet like this had a number of predicted and surprising benefits, here are the big three:

Self Reflection - Students were able to discuss their strengths and shortcomings in a safe environment, among chosen friends.

Group Reflection - Students analyzed the relationships within their team and identified possible issues, as well as where they may soar. It was interesting to see how students grouped themselves - some students purposefully avoided their friends!

Access Prior Knowledge -  Students were forced to access prior knowledge and to discuss what they already knew about the planets and what they wanted to learn. This discussion was further enhanced by the pesky, roaming teachers asking clarifying questions and taking notes.

The sheet we used is below, as are some samples taken from students on Friday!

Group Work and Getting Started

Some of the responses...
Some of these are hilarious, others are insightful... I think the process and the discussions we video-taped were the true gold in this. 

Problems with "big giant words such as the Encyclopedia" 

The "Who does more work" comment showed up on lots of these. 

Human Typewriter and has great potential in research and studies...

This group really hit the nail on the head! This was exactly the same problem they had in our last project... Although I didn't know about the hitting!

It's okay to laugh a lot! 

So I built a Lego Wall...

Lego and Math

So I built a Lego wall to teach math today! Initially I was going to glue the lego base-plates to a wall and wallpaper it from top to bottom - but I realized that the true learning potential came from being able to work on the base plates, and then to post them to share progress. 

Lego Baseplate with velcro on the
back to mount to the shelf.

After discussing a few options, we settled on velcro tape. We fastened it to the back and mounted the other side on the edge of a bookshelf. This way it could get that “wallpaper” effect that I wanted, while at the same time have the portability and individual work space of a single plate. Although I’ve just done the first “wall” I’m going to go in early tomorrow to make the other 3 (on the ends of the book shelves sticking out of our walls). 

Part of our work this year is going to be around experimenting and finding ways to use lego for math. Considering that it is a grid, we’ll be able to work on having students model patterning, multiplication (through arrays and groups), addition, subtraction, area, perimeter, rotations and an endless number of other tasks. Actually, it could be fun to set it up as a cartesian plane and play some battleship... Or to create different graphs to show collected data. 

I’m excited to move on this... Luckily we have an amazing teacher who wants to spear-head this with me, so we’ll be throwing some stuff up on this blog in no time, I’m sure!  

Some days I just love my job. 

Mike MacKenzie


Lego Wall:

5 QR Code Uses

Our 5 favourite ways to use QR Codes -

Debit Cards - We've created "Library Licences" for students to come to the commons and take out books. The idea behind the licences is simple: With student photos, barcodes, and a signature, they'd take seriously the books they borrow and the standard they return them in. Plus, they all laugh when we tell them in serious voices, that no matter what their parents say, they are not allowed to drive the car!

Anyway, the grade 6 teachers wanted to teach the students about debits, credits, and managing a bank account, so they created the ultimate money-management system: a Google spreadsheet for each student linked to their own personal QR Code. This is fairly forward sighted as we only have ipads and iPods borrowed from the ILC downtown... But we have big plans if a grant comes through...

These are our Library Licenses... I've had to cover up all of the student info-
 the other one just shows what goes where.

Learning Commons Commercials/Area Descriptions -As we're converting our library into a Learning Commons, the students are just now starting to understand the possible uses of the spaces. As such, the fifth graders are working on creating video advertisements for each section and posters to house QR codes that link to the commercials. Both will inform guests and students about ways to use the space and will make the areas more appealing.

Book Responses - Students are working on a number of reading responses including movie previews and reviews and dramatic reenactments, among others. We're connecting the QR codes to the inside/outside covers of books to help future generations of students determine interest in the books and to see the legacy of students past.

Past Events - Having student work on the walls is important in building the atmosphere and philosophy behind the Learning Commons. It has a growing history that needs to be recorded and displayed, even if it is video! QR Codes connect our Learning Commons to past events and memories. This is especially important for those kids who rarely experience success in school - the posters on these walls with the videos linked to the QR Codes remind students of the success they've achieved. It also shows others in the school what can be accomplished through hard work and determination.

Classroom Newsletters - Our teachers are working on classroom web pages that contain everything from student work and rubrics to newsletters and year plans. Teachers have been throwing QR Codes in students' agendas and on newsletters. The result? Increased traffic from both parents and students from home and at school... Edging us ever closer to that 24-7 learning!

This isn't part of the newsletter - but if you have a second,
I'd browse the awesome work our grade 6 teachers are doing!