JUNE 2009

Oh, WOW! Just finished a week-long class on VERMICULTURE! From 9 to 11 in the morning, at Aldridge Gardens in the field trip garden, 10 students learned about WORMS!! Katy, a 10th grade helper, was my right-hand person. There were 8 boys, 2 girls. There were 8 small people going into kindergarten, one going into 1st grade, one going into 2nd. They came from all over - Macadory, Bluff Park, church schools. Yet they melded into this cool bunch of dirt explorers! It was hot, it was sticky, sometimes it was smelly! We identified poison ivy, gourds, lilies, tomatoes, bamboo, pillbugs (rolly-polly bugs), butterflies, beans, and bees. We learned about (short word) ROT and (long word) DECOMPOSITION. We recited the silly poem about "Ooey Gooey was a Worm." We had a meeting in the Stump Circle where we read about the Magic Schoolbus. We also read about what (who?) could be found under a rock, what's in the Diary of a Worm, and used magnifying loupes (5x) to really get down and observe THINGS. The explorers drew pictures, a few wrote words, of the things they saw. They used pens so there wasn't a big to-do about erasing mistakes (Soooo helpful!).

I remember, as an undergrad, writing a paper on how I could teach anything from picnic table in the yard...ah, youth! Oh, BTW, I haven't yet gotten a grade for the last paper I wrote, and the hindsight is killing me. There have been SO many new articles since I wrote it, so much MORE new information, more people who agree with the idea, that would have made it better. C'est la vie! Now, the latest class has us examining Leadership. It's funny. It feels like opening a whole new view on the world. You know, I've always been so appreciative of my leaders. I appreciated that they did- whatever- they did so that I could do what I do. But this class has opened my eyes to the power welded, or not welded, by school leaders. And the resulting percolation into classrooms. Or is it an upward movement? Yes, I know I have to have a vision of what I aim to teach, I have to stand behind, believe in what I have as my goal, and make sure my students know what the goal is... What I hadn't solidified in my mind was how much this all matters from MY leaders. So now I'm embarking on a campaign to rekindle the Hoover vision of a technologically POWERFUL educational system so that we make the BEST use of all the tools given us to enhance the lives of our students. So there!

Sorry, early morning soapbox!

Back to last week - one day we created fingerpainted worm tracks by pouring a puddle of liquid laundry starch on the back of freezer paper (the shiny side is too slick). To that Katy added a couple of drops of blue, yellow, and red food coloring. Stir it all together and you get the greatest shades of brown! And really GOOEY fingers! We let it all dry and the next day we added worm eggs (splotches of brown puff paint), we printed worms using stamps carved from potatoes (we added the leftovers to the compost pile!) and several more made with a trail of glue covered with sprinkled dirt. It really does LOOK like a worm- when they stretch out you can see the particles of dirt moving down their digestive system. We had a failed experiment (but a GREAT photo!) of making gummy worms. If you take 3/4 cup boiling juice + 1 package of unflavored gelatin, mix, pour into a loaf pan, and submerge about 10 drinking straws in it, cool and squeeze out the "worms". We tried it also with a package of BLUE jello + 1/2 cup boiling water, the rest is the same. The straws were too skinny so getting the worms out was sticky, hard to accomplish, and didn't work well!! YOU try it with FAT straws! But the photo of everyone showing their blue tongues is priceless!

Oh, the best part! We made worm condos! Everyone got to take home a tennis ball tube with a (decorated, of course) coffee filter paper (w/ rubber band) "roof." Rocks in the bottom, dirt, clay soil laid the foundation. Created a decorated, removable paper skin for the tube (worms like DARK!!). Added a touch (!) of water and chose the best 5 worms and an egg or two with a little compost to inhabit the home.

I didn't know pre-K's could do so much! This was a GREAT bunch of kids; they shared, they discussed, they worked hard, they cleaned up (don't tell their moms!)! I had a Blast! Thanks!

Hello, out there!
This is still May! Wow! That's so hard to believe that the school year is over. If you are anything like me, though, the thoughts of what's coming next are bubbling to the surface. In a way, I really wish we had year-round school. Nature doesn't stop and start a snowball from rolling down the slope...it doesn't make sense to me to stop and start school for the summer. Yes, a vacation now and then is lovely - I'd never get anything painted or cleaned out but I know I feel I do best with a regular schedule (ask me again during the regular schedule and I'll tell you differently!). I'm a creature of habit and I feel guilty about not taking my shower 'till ten. I mean, I've worked, but in my jammies with a cup of coffee nearby.
I'm finishing a thesis paper (due next week) so I'm not in my right mind. I play all the games I see my students play to avoid the inevitable...well, I haven't seen them have this great NEED to clean house...to avoid sitting down and actually writing the paper. I've changed it at least 5 times and I am not sure about this edition. My professor liked the last start but I had already changed it again before I heard from her. If you really want to know, it's about using all of the wonderful technology Hoover provides to reach out to other schools (in the HCS system, for now) to differentiate for students who need to progress further faster. Not truly acceleration, like grade skipping, but allowing them to advance in subject areas at a natural pace for them (remember the snowball??). Because all of the schools are connected via closed-circuit, it seems to me that, with a well placed video camera or webcam, classes from one school could be broadcast or taped, to be used for students in another school. Or maybe a teacher at one school might be a mentor for a student at another. (eew, that sounds like more WORK, doesn't it? Teachers are already stressed as it is!)
Here's a for instance, anyway; suppose there was a student who was very interested in learning another language, or had a gift for mathematics. Why not allow them to pursue a talent or learning desire? If whatever the topic might be isn't available in the student's home classroom, maybe it's down the hall or in another elementary or middle or high school. We have the technical capability. Maybe I'm not seeing all the pros and cons, but it seems to me that it would not take a lot of effort to send out an SOS email about a student who is HERE (pre-tested out of American History for knowing 96% of the content that will be taught in the next 2 months) and would benefit from being (virtually) THERE, with a more advanced American History class or something else that lights their fire.
I've been talking about this with everyone who will listen (like you, right now), trying to get my thoughts in order, reading everything and have found a couple of encouraging compatriots - one was Mr. May, our Art teacher. He latched on to the idea and ran with it. He suggested a couple of students who, haivng done their work for him, would benefit (possibly be less disruptive??) with access to additional/different instruction. He doesn't teach batik (I've asked) but Judy Davidson at Rocky Ridge does, perhaps she could video a lesson (which would have it in storage for multiple uses...?!(for me, too!!)) or stream a lesson to Mr. May's room sometime. Right now, Mr. McKinley, who helped coach the Altamath team, is creating MathCasts (short video/virtual blackboards that explain/examine math procedures) to help the team members (or any math student) work on constructing math concepts. As you know, there's a power point on this wiki that shows students what they need to know/how to work the math problems given in the Altamath test. The world is out there. We need to be able to access it. Oh, BTW, it works both ways - what if a student at Berry needed a refresher class in something offered at Riverchase... We have the schedules what what is being taught when, now we just need to fit them to the students!! Anyway, the possibilities are endless, in my mind.
One last parting shot, an Enrichment teacher at another school mentioned that the streaming videos, etc. would also be useful for a student of hers that has a physical challenge and if often at home, ill. Through the wonderful (I've said that before, haven't I?) technology provided by Hover City Schools, she can have that student in her class with the others, via Skype or Moodle (I'll digress on that one, later).
Thanks for playing along with me, it's only 8am, I've got 2 hours before my shower!!
Let me hear YOUR thoughts!
XXOO!!
Mrs. Mac

May 09 MacBlog

Happy LAST MONTH of SCHOOL!!

Thanks to all who came out for the Share Fair!!
And thanks to all for loaning me your children this year!!

I found the following on line and felt that this encompassed a lot of what our Design Unit was all about:

Learning and innovation skills increasingly are being recognized as the skills that separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century, and those who are not. A focus on creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration is essential to prepare students for the future.

Creativity & Innovation

Think Creatively

• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
• Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
• Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and maximize creative efforts

Work Creatively with Others

• Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others effectivel
• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work
• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas
• View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation is a long-term, cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes

Implement Innovations

• Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur

Browse Creativity & Innovation Resources

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Reason Effectively

• Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

Use Systems Thinking

• Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Make Judgments and Decisions

• Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs
• Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view
• Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments
• Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
• Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes

Solve Problems

• Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
• Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

Browse Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Resources

Communication & Collaboration

Communicate Clearly

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts
• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes and intentions
• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade)
• Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their impact
• Communicate effectively in diverse environments (including multi-lingual)

Collaborate with Others

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams
• Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
• Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member

This next weeeeeeeek will be filled with inventory of the LEGO boxes. I've been a real witch about them - I have a baggy of LEGO pieces I found on the floor. I'm going to exact a penalty from the team that needs them back!! We've got to take care of the things that we share! Oh, and cleaning up the room. Teachers are supposed to have all of their stuff that's on the floor moved out into the hall so the custodians can strip the floors....ahhhhh!
Please put on your lists for me for next year: Duct Tape HotGlueGun-Glue Sticks Printer Ink
On second thought, don't. I'll remind you again next year!! But now you'll be forewarned!

Thanks for a great year with these small people. I wonder what kind of mischief we can get into NEXT YEAR!! Keep in touch, I'll try to write in the blog more often (especailly if people out there write to me, too!) Stay safe and excellent to each other!!

XXOO!!

Mrs. Mac

Forget February! It's MARCH!

Okay, okay, I missed February's posting - I meant to "get a round tuit" but didn't. It was an exciting month and March is following it's example. I'll try to make up for missing it!
The Talent Pools are all burbling with activity on this Robotics and Design Unit. Of course, there were a few set-backs - some students didn't quite understand that when I said "I want you to write down the design steps" that it meant WRITE DOWN the design steps. When a group/team tells me they have completed a project I ask them to sit down with me and share their journals. For each activity they should have a tab and then they should start with 1. Identify the Problem. I had a couple of journals that were shared without even a Title!! of their projects. Au Contrare! I believe I'm identifying a problem here... that what they are working on producing is haphazard, can be done in a slapdash manner, and doesn't have any rules. WRONG!! I will not allow the team to go on to the next activity without satisfying my criteria. Title. Identify the Problem (some projects identify the problem for them!). Then 2. Brainstorm (& research - you can get some good ideas through research!!), LISTEN to each other and WRITE THE IDEAS DOWN! Even if you don't like a particular idea, take the time to write it down, it may lead, later, to a better idea. Draw pictures. LABEL the pictures! I tell these junior engineers that by writing all this down & drawing pictures together they make sure that they are all on the same page, talking about the same thing, coming up with a common goal. 3. Design what your best idea should look like (I want 3 designs so your team has a choice), label the parts of your design. (I figure I've been saying this to my classes for two months now, now I'm saying it to you, the parents) 4. Build your best design using materials that the team provides. If you don't have the materials, what will you do in my class? 5. Test your design, sometimes the test is provided for them, sometimes they have to devise their own tests (WRITTEN, if you please! Charts are fine!!). I suggest that they try a test at least 3 times, so they can take an average or know that it's not just an "oops" before they try to change anything. Keep records!! So you can 6. Evaluate What went well? What didn't? How far, how fast, how high? Problem solve! If a prototype boat sinks...if a paper table falls over....if a vehicle veers to the left, figure out why, fix it and try again! 7. Redesign, if necessary, then try, try again.
Yes. I am being as hard as possible. Some students couldn't wait to create a "balloon car". Problem (not provided for them): Create a vehicle that will travel at least ____ feet using a balloon. I provided all kinds of information on Newton's Laws, photos from the Internet of ooodles of ideas for balloon cars. I believe my 5th grade would still be playing with the balloons if I hadn't said "Enough." We have videos and photos of some of the test runs that you will be able to see at the Share Fair in May. I love the fact that the tiles on the floors are one foot square, it makes measuring how far so much easier!
I have told the students that while I'm glad they like these projects, the projects are not MY prime concern. My goals for this unit are 1. To learn/use the design steps (on paper, in their journals, to solve problems), 2. To be responsible - responsible for the Lego Kits they are using (I have a baggy of parts found on the floor...), responsible for bringing in their share of the materials needed for their projects, and responsible for their behavior in the group and in my room. 3. To learn to work in a group. When we started they decided that they wanted to keep the same group throughout this unit. They chose one person in their group to be "Captain", this is the person who cheerleads the group, keeps the projects flowing, is responsible for the Legos and cleaning up after each class (not that they have to DO it all, they are the ones I am relying on), etc. However, after almost two months of togetherness, working as a group was getting to be so difficult (or that other groups' projects looked like more fun) that a couple of students asked if they could change groups. A discussion of What Does a Team Look Like?, How Does YOUR Team Look?, What Can YOU do about It? has helped. I have given the teams the option to change "Captains", if they want (but I'm not making more business cards!). I do feel that our Talent Pool Group Problems have strengthened the attainment of my goals and, however much the students may complain, they are learning how to problem solve.
Anyway, PI DAY is coming up! Since the numerals in Pi are 3.14, Pi Day is held every year on March (3rd month) 14th. Shakespeare obviously missed his chance to quoth, "Beware the Pi of March!" Since March 14 is a Saturday this year, we are celebrating on Monday, March 9, during the Altamath Team time (8:15-9). BTW, the 16 fifth grade students on the Altamath team are competing this Saturday, March 7, so good luck to them all!! The competition is also held for 6th and 7th graders as well, so encourage your 4th & 5th grade students to try out next year!
March is the last month in the Mini-Courses on Building Big that I've been offering to 1 & 2 & 3's. I'm also seeing some fourth graders for an independent project who decided it looked like fun. This month the topic is Skyscrapers! So we'll see what occurs! The PBS series is based on the book Building Big by David Macaulay and investigates the history, engineering, and building of Tunnels, Dams, Domes, Bridges, and Skyscrapers. You & your child can participate on-line at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/. I hope you've seen some of the videos of these mini-courses!
There are 3 R2D2's taking shape in my room. This is an independent project near and dear to the hearts of three "Robo-Boys" from Ms. Corgill's class. I'll post photos soon. Another independent project is a "Go-To Box" on Disasters being put together (for others to go to) by a team of students who see me on Tuesdays.
Friday afternoons are taken up with Celebrate Science, a competition for student science exhibitors for the McWane Center. They are SMART foxes - McWane is looking for science stuff that will appeal to students so who better to devise a new exhibit than students?? Our team took 3rd place last year so we are pumped this year! We have a GREAT idea, we think, so everyone is working diligently on creating the reasearch for and the building of our prototype, due to be judged at McWane in early May.
I'm sure there is more but it'll have to wait. So long for now!
Remember: Be Excellent to Each Other! &
Learning is like rowing upstream, not to advance is to fall back. Chinese Proverb
Mrs. Mac

JANUARY 2009 MacRichment Newsletter!

From now on, THIS is where you, parents, will find the monthly NewsLetter. I'll send home a note to accquaint/remind you with the MacRichment Wiki and, hopefully, you will get even MORE information from now on! If it's not in the blog, it may be in one of the other sections!

Well, NOW we've done it! We've begun "It's in the Design!" And two students have already said how much they LIKED the activities! The game plan is that the classes have divided themselves into teams of at least two but not more than four. They have decided on a captain and a "professional" name. Why a Captain?, they have asked. A captain is responsible for the group - if they leave a mess, I contact the Captain. If they aren't getting to work as they should, it's the Captain's problem. This and the fact that they must, upon choosing what activities they want to work on (one at a time, please!), come up with the materials they need. I am hoping they will find new ways to use cast-offs, learn to share responsibility for aquiring what they need, and still have fun doing it! Please be sure to ask your student for a business card! They will also be used to advertise the projects and give credit to their designers. And to pass out to admirers!

Anyway, the plan is to continue with these activities until the end of school. We also plan to hold a Share Fair and will invite you properly when the time comes. At the Share Fair you will see the projects that have been accomplished. There will be friendly competitions, much picture taking, perhaps even refreshments!

Please be sure to take a look at the menus, listed in the navigation box. A vote was taken and the students decided that they would not change teams but wanted to be able to choose from different menus. The Robotics Menus will be on the wiki this week!

I'll be back! Be excellent to each other!

December '08 MacRichment Newsletter

December 20, 2008!

I'm sitting here in my jammies 'cause I am having trouble getting motivated to get dressed and go SHOPPING on the last Saturday before Xmas!

It's so hard to believe that the month of December at school is already over! And I have not blogged about it!

Projects are filling the tables and some have been presented! Because of time, space, and sheer numbers I've asked that the students give a brief summary of what they chose to pursue, touch on what they accomplished, and, basically, leave an invitation to anyone who would like to know more. The students are proud of their work and so tend to elaborate a bit longer than necessary!!

So far, however, we have had an interesting mix! Baseball (including where are the best seats in the Atlanta Stadium), Winter Holidays (with a dreidel game and a statue representation of all the tenants of Kwanzaa), Stonehenge (again, with a domino-Lego representation!!), the Mystery of Big Foot (with a diorama!), the Loch Ness Monster (!), a Power Point Travel Agency tour of Washington, DC, and a look at the possibilities of Alien Life forms! These were my risk takers who paved the way for the next bunch (I'm sure there were more who would have been happy to take the plunge, but time didn't permit!)

I hope to get the rest of the projects shared by the end of the first week in January so that we can move on to Robotics! I'm almost as excited about that as the students are! I plan to set it up in a menu-format, almost like centers, where groups work on an X-Menu assignment and then move to another Y-Menu, then to the Z, etc. A few of my students have had the opportunity to learn some programming in the 5th grade CIA Enrichment Block so they will be able to continue on that path. Parents are welcome to visit, to see what's going on, first hand. No, the students may not bring the robots home to share with you!! We'll take bunches of photos so check back here often to see the latest!

Okay, okay, I've put it off long enough. Time to get dressed and go out into the fray!
More soon!

Remind me to tell you about *the AltaMath Bunch,

my 1st grade *RoboBoys,

*The "Let's Get Geeky with It" Group,

*The Building Big Mini-Courses,

*the Actresses and

*the Children's Hospital Service Project!

among other things!!

XXOO!!
Mrs. Mac

MacRichment Newsletter November 2008

Monday
AltaMath Competitors Class 8:15-9
3rd Grade 12:30-2:30

Tuesday
4th Grade 11-12
5th Grade (Ross, Adams, Sullivan) 12:30-2:30

Wednesday
5th Grade (Dunn & Barnes) 10:30-12
5th Grade Enrichment Block 1:40-2:40

Thursday
4th Grade 9:30-11
5th Grade (Ross, Adams, Sullivan) 11-12
5th Grade (Dunn & Barnes) 1-2:30

Friday
Mini-Course Building Big 9-10
1st & 2nd Grade In-Class Enrichment (times vary)
3rd Grade Celebrate Science Class 12:30-1 (weekly)
4th or 5th Celebrate Science Class 1:30-2:30 (flip-flop weekly)


Here's what is happening in our classes:

When the students arrive they get out their personal journals:

Math Thing (See *example!) +
Problem Solving example or game (See **example!!)

*Sum Fun: Find a quick & easy method to compute the sum of the first 100 counting numbers. (no calculators allowed) PS the answer is 5050, how'd you get there?.
1+2+3+4+5+.....+97+98+99+100

**Sharpening Your Senses: Try to imagine the things listed below. Rate yourself on each one: easy, hard, unable at all.

Imagine the taste of peanuts. + - X
Imagine the smell of gasoline.
Imagine the sound of a car starting.
Imagine the feel of swinging high on a swing.
Imagine the taste of a banana.
Imagine the smell of toothpaste.
Imagine the sound of a dropped book hitting the floor.
Imagine the feel of biting into an apple.


Then they are set free to work on their Challenge Projects:
Students choose one folder/topic, choose 3 activities from that folder/topic.
Students got an okay from Mrs. Mac, decided on when they will present (short,
less than 10 minutes) what they have done.

See List of possibles below: (how to boggle your brain in one easy lesson!!)

Challenge Activities
You may choose from:
Tic-Tac-Toe
On each sheet are 9 activities. You choose three, in a row, in a column, or a diagonal. Meet with Mrs. Mac to decide the time-line & deadline of your choices. Use the Criteria Cards to make sure you do the BEST Job Ever!!
Africa....................... Asia......................... Australia
Book Characters ........Book Report.............. Early Settlers
Europe..................... Famous Artists.......... 5 Themes of Geography
Genetics.................. Geometry.................. Native Americans
Oceans.................... Periodic Table............ Poetry
Rainforest................ Seasons.................... Shapes
Soil......................... South America............ Stock Market
Weather.................. World War II ..............Write your Own!

.....................................................................................


Individual Plans
In a meeting with Mrs. Mac, student chooses 3 activities, will agree on one teacher required actitivity and together decide the time-line & deadline of your choices. Use the Criteria Cards to make sure you do the BEST Job Ever!!
Ancient Egypt .....Civil War .......Elections
Geometrics ........Math History ...Rocks & Minerals
Space Exploration ..Novel Study ...Winter Holidays
Write your Own!

Questivities
Each Questivities folder contains 12 different sheets of activities based on your Learning Style, Intelligence Style & Bloom’s Taxonomy. Choose ONE sheet. You will do all of the activities on the page: Project Question, Project Activity, Thinking Questions & Active Questioning. Meet with Mrs. Mac to develop a time-line & deadline. Use the Assessment Mini-rubric to make sure you do the BEST Job Ever!!
Your Human Body .......Weather .......Write Your Own!!


Engine-Uity Sheets
Each folder contains 5 different areas to choose from. Each sheet has 6 activities keyed to Bloom’s Taxonomy. You choose one sheet & choose 3 activities. Meet with Mrs. Mac to develop a time-line & deadline. Use the Criteria Cards to make sure you do the BEST Job Ever!!
Atoms & Molecules: Parts of an Atom..Atomic Scientists..Forces w/in an Atom..Common Molecules..Properties of an Atom
Photography:
Developing Film..History of Photography..Parts of a Camera..Careers in Photography..Using a Camera
Weather Phenomena:
Rainbows..Snow..Lightning..Tornados..Hurricanes
Nature’s Survivors:
Tic-Tac-Toe..Coyotes..Owls..Raccoons..Rabbits..Snakes
Endangered Species: Giant Pandas..Wolves..California Condors..Orangutans..Polar Bears
Sports:
Basketball..Ice Hockey..Baseball..Tennis..Football
Unexplained Phenomena:
Big Foot..Bermuda Triangle..Loch Ness Monster..Black Holes..UFO’s
Mysteries:
Buried Treasure..Stonehenge..Optical Illusions..Halley’s Comet..Magic
Desert Dwellers:
Mammals & Birds..Plants..Ancient Peoples..Modern Indians..Reptiles & Insects
Communications:
Phones..Print Media..Internet..Television..Radio
Write Your Own!

Web-Quests are guided investigations, using the Internet, where the students research, learn about, and accomplish the tasks set for them. Web Quests usually come with their own rubric (so you can know what is expected & do the very BEST of which you are able!) Meet with Mrs. Mac for time-line and deadline!
Civil War Library Quest...World War I WQ...Simple Machines WQ I
Aerodynamic Adventure WQ...Evaluating Math Games WQ
Design a Tour of Washington, DC WQ...Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner WQ
Adventure into the Unknown WQ...Simple Machines WQ II
Mars or the Moon WQ..Wind, Water, Sun or Coal WQ..Lewis & Clark WQ
Gold Rush Players WQ..Canada, a Family Vacation WQ

Criteria Cards (Please note: these are NOT activites! They are reminders of what is necessary to do the best job possible!)
Each card is tied to one activity and is designed to help the student look at all aspects of the project and do their best work.
Making Things
Learning Center...Time Capsule...Museum Exhibit...Mosaic
Model...Terrarium...Game...Mobile...Demonstration
Pantomime...Experiment...Role Playing...Puzzle...Diorama
Prototype...Scavenger Hunt...Dance...Sculpture...Mask
Skit or Play...Tableau..Puppet Show

Writing
Speech...Questionnaire...Greeting Card...Haiku...Letter
Magazine...Book...Interview...Debate...Glossary
Crossword Puzzle...Oral Report...Autobiography...Editorial
Newsletter...Panel Discussion...Newspaper Article
Group Discussion...Script for a Play...Poem...Song
Short Story

Visual
Map...Outline...Poster...Graph...Flow Chart
Drawing...Mural...Picture Postcard...Timeline
Venn Diagram...Book Cover...Brochure
Quilt Pattern...Advertisement...Technology
Animation...Transparency...Audio Recording
Photo Shop Photo..Multimedia Show...Electronic Survey
Podcast...Light-board...TV Program
TV Commercial...Video...Photographic Essay
CAD Project...Database...Radio Report
Slide Show...Write Your Own!!

BLOOM's TAXONOMY

Knowledge (Easiest thinking, most often used, examples: dates, events, places, vocabulary, key ideas, parts of diagram, 5Ws )

Comprehension (Examples: find meaning, transfer, interpret facts, infer cause & consequence, examples )

Application (Examples: use information in new situations, solve problems)

Analysis (Examples: recognize and explain patterns and meaning, see parts and wholes)

Synthesis (Examples: discuss "what if" situations, create new ideas, predict and draw conclusions)

Evaluation (Examples: make recommendations, assess value and make choices, critique ideas)

Just so you have an idea of where we are, what we're doing and how it's happening!