4th Grade: Exploring the Multiple Intelligences

The 4th graders had a chance to complete a survey to see how they were smart according to Howard Gardner and his Multiple Intelligences Survey.  In order for the kids to understand what their results mean in their lives, they needed to know what it means to be Linguistically Intelligent or Bodily-Kinesthetic.  The kids participated in a QR Scavenger Hunt to learn about each intelligence.

After researching each intelligence, the 4th graders broke into groups and created a quit skit to demonstrate one of the intelligences.  They performed for the class and we had to use our notes and new knowledge to figure out which intelligence they were showcasing.

 

4th Grade: What is Smart?

“It’s not how smart you are, it’s how you are smart.”

-Howard Gardner

This year in 4th grade we are working to develop our talents so that we can consider how we can use our talents to do something meaningful in the future.  To start off, I had the kids tackle a quote quizzler.  It revealed the quote above.  The kids loved working through the puzzle…and I loved watching their strategies.  

After reading and discussing what we thought the quote might mean, I asked the kids what it means to be smart.  The 4th graders used Google Draw to showcase their thoughts.  You can see their various perspectives below.

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After thinking about the word SMART and its meaning, the children completed a survey to help determine what their strengths and weaknesses were in regard to the Multiple Intelligences.  Howard Gardner believed that there were many ways to be intelligent and that we all have areas of strength and weaknesses individual to us.  Below you can see graphs of the 4th graders’ results.

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2nd Grade: Working on our W.I.G.

The 2nd graders did their October Check In on their WIG, our Wildly Important Goal. They are working to learn their multiplication tables with automaticity to help prepare for some higher level math we will be doing in the second semester.  I am so very proud of the effort and practice many of the kids are putting in.  When we started in September the majority of students had 0-1 correct in 45 seconds.  This week we had many kids that were correctly answering 7-9 in 45 seconds.  Every child answered at least one correct, with the average being 5.

Before our checkpoint the kids had a chance to play a game on Kahoot to test their knowledge.  We all had a great time.

There were many lead changes throughout, but here were the final results of our Kahoot.

Kahoot

 

So proud of Taylor.  She had one correct in September, but got 9 correct during our October Check In.  Way to to, Taylor!  Keep up the good work.

Taylor October

2nd Grade: Squares, Squares, Squares

In 2nd grade we have been having some fun with the square.  The kids started by sharing what they know about the square in their journal.

**Click on the images to see them full size.

We also looked at a logic puzzle called How Many Squares.  The kids had to count the squares, explain their strategy.  We then counted a second time to see if we could find even more.  Most kids found 16-24 their first time around, they were surprised to discover there were many more. 

This week we also looked at the magic that can happen when we fold a square in various ways…new polygons emerge.  The 2nd graders loved learning all of this new math terminology.

The students had the opportunity to use a protractor to the angles on various squares around the room.  They discovered that all squares have 90 degree angles.  This information helped them when they worked to write a program to create a square in Hopscotch.

Some 2nd graders took their square program to a new level.  They made it like a game.  You click on their character and a fact about a square appears.

3rd Grade: Is Failure Always Bad?

In 3rd grade we have been learning about the importance of having a GROWTH MINDSET. We have explored this idea through our Impossible Notecard activity, the Marshmallow Challenge, and our Trash or Treasure activity with our notecard “fails”.

I wanted the kids to see that failures happen to any person willing to take a responsible risk in life.  The kids went on a QR hunt and read about examples of Famous Failures.  People from Michael Jordan who didn’t make his high school basketball team to Walt Disney to Dr. Seuss who struggled to get anyone to publish his first book.  The 3rd graders looked at patterns between the various people they researched.  They looked at common rules they seemed to follow in life, as well as similar characteristics that they have in common.  We used Google Classroom to reflect on these patterns and parallels.

The kids then thought about what people THINK success looks like versus what it ACTUALLY looks like.  They created a slide showing the difference between what we think versus reality.  They also wrote a poem showcasing the tie between, risk, failure, and success.

 Sophie

Trevor

Grace

Evan

Bela

Rachel

Hanson

Aubrey

Ethan

3rd Grade: The Problem is NOT the Problem

I wanted for the 3rd graders to continue to push out of their Comfort Zone, so I gave them the Impossible Notecard as a task.  Each student was given a 3×5 card.  They were asked to cut it in a way that I could slip my entire head through the notecard.  The note card had to remain in one piece, making it more challenging. 🙂

As the kids worked to solve the problem I listened and recorded the comments that I heard.  “This is too hard.” “I think I might have an idea.” “Not even Einstein could do this.”  “It must really BE impossible.”  “I quit.”   “That almost worked.”  I introduced the concept of a Growth and Fixed mindset.  The kids and I looked at the comments they made, labeled whether they were an example of Growth or Fixed mindsets and then we thought about how we could twist the fixed mindset comments.  We connected this to some of the self-talk that was happening during HOE and the Marshmallow challenge.  We also talked about how having a Growth Mindset helps us climb into the Courage Zone.

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After 20 minutes of trying to find a solution for the Impossible Note Card challenge, you can imagine how many scraps of paper were left.  Not wanting to be wasteful, I read The Most Magnificent Thing to the kids.  It is about a little girl that goes in and out of a Growth Mindset as she attempts to build the most magnificent thing.  I then challenged the 3rd graders to use at least three of our scraps to make something unexpected.  I loved seeing the variety of ideas.

3rd Grade: It’s All About Mindset

These first three weeks of GT have pushed the kids out of their Comfort Zone and into the Courage Zone.  It hasn’t been, nor will it be, easy, but we are learning that pushing into the Courage Zone is where the real learning can happen.

To start off the year, each 3rd grader was asked to design a puzzle piece that showcased a time they felt challenged, a time they felt proud for overcoming a challenge and how this connects to the idea of BEING A THINKER. The students were also asked to find 5 GT level words that taught us a little about who they are as a person.  It was great sharing each puzzle piece and then thinking about how our pieces fit together.  This complete puzzle is a good reminder that we need to all contribute to the bigger picture of our learning.

Marshmallow Challenge

To help get out of our Comfort Zone, while learning the importance of collaboration, the 3rd Graders were given the Marshmallow Challenge.  They were tasked with building the tallest tower using spaghetti noodles, tape, and string.  They also had to add a marshmallow to the top of their tower, so had to consider the added weight.  It was great seeing the kids using their creative problem-solving skills.

HOE Pre-Test, Lesson 1-2

The 3rd graders took a pre-test on Hands On Equations (a precursor to algebra).  It is always fun seeing the deer in headlights look from the kids.  They sit an stare, trying to make sense of what they are seeing, before diving in to try to tackle the problems. After scoring and graphing our results in our Interactive Notebooks, the kids were introduced to the HOE tools.  They learned that a blue pawn has another name, X and that we use a scale to remind ourselves that both sides of the equations MUST always be equal.  The third graders used Guess and Check for the first two lessons.  I think they are having a lot of fun tackling these problems.

 

2nd Grade: A Great Start to a New Year

In second grade the kids started with a chalk talk.  They walked silently around the room responding to a series of questions that would lead to writing our mission statement.  They had to put their own thoughts and respond to their classmates.

After our chalk talk, the children were ready to present their homework.  I sent home a white square and the kids were to use their Green Thinking hat ( new ideas) to turn their square into something unexpected.  I loved seeing the creativity.

In these first couple of weeks, the second graders were give a challenge.  They had to work in teams to build the tallest, free standing, paper tower.  They were given 20 sheets of paper, tape and scissors.  It was interesting listening to the conversations.  I heard some groups talking about the need for a strong base.  They weren’t always sure what that meant, just that they needed one. 🙂

Second Grade Wildly Important Goal: 

95% or more of the 2nd Grade GT students will be able to correctly answer 20 multiplication problems in 45 seconds by December.

This WIG will follow us through our first semester. Knowing our multiplication tables will help with some higher level math we will be tackling in the spring.

The kids took a pre-test the first week.  Most of the kids got 0-1 correct, with one getting 5 out of 20 correct.  I decided to have the kids test again our 2nd week because so many indicated that they had started practicing.  Below you will see the kids with the most growth.  They moved from getting 1 correct to 6, 7, or 8 in 45 seconds.  WOW!  Way to go guys.

**You can click on the pictures below to see them in full size.

It is About Time!

I do not think I have ever made it into 3 weeks of classes without blogging, as well as barely tweeting and instagramming. Definitely not the norm for me and one I hope to start rectifying now.

As I have said before, I want for parents, friends, and family to feel a part of the learning that is happening in the GT classroom. It should not be a mystery. I know that the parents of these amazing kiddos have a great deal to share with us. I love when parents share articles, video clips, etc. that relate to things that we are learning about in the classroom. Actually I love when you share any thing that provokes thought, even if not related to our units.

I am always striving to improve the GT program here at Bulverde Creek. I want the kids to feel challenged, encouraged to be risk takers, to feel free to experiment with their thinking. This year each grade level wrote (on their own, with minimal say from me) a mission statement. The mission statements are to align with what the kids expect to get out of GT. My job, and their’s, is to be sure that our learning is following the path of this mission. This aligns with Bulverde Creek’s implementation of the Leader In Me philosophy. You will also see that your children have WIGs (Wildly Important Goals) and Leadership Roles in the GT classroom.

I would like to work this year on putting the kids in the path of more hands-on constructivist learning. I would like to do this through an addition of Makerspaces and Curiosity/Genius Hour. I am not exactly sure how this will work with my various grade levels, but I know I want to ease into it. I am excited about the possibilities and seeing what these children are capable of.

I am wrestling with a lot of changes I want to make, while incorporating Leader In Me, in an effort to grow our program. Perhaps all of these potential changes and new ideas is what is keeping me off blogging and tweeting. 🙂

I hope that your children are enjoying GT so far this year. I look forward to growing and learning with them this year and in years to come.