Principals on the Loose!

     Once upon a time there was a class of 4th grade GATE students who were diligently working on productive thinking and problem solving to figure out a great mystery happening in our school.  ACS Child Nutrition Program director, Mrs. Connie Kennamer, brought to our attention that so many milk cartons go unopened and are wasted each day.  She is worried about the students missing out on the nutrients found in milk and the waste problem.  She wondered why students are not drinking their milk.  As we were actively participating in a productive thinking activity listing all kinds of ideas (maybe kids don't like milk, they might not like drinking out of a carton, maybe they play and talk too long and might not have enough time to drink the milk) and were really "into" our discussion, a funny thing happened.

All of a sudden Principal #1 (Mrs. Sheets) came into the class and said the magic words, "I have a creative idea!  Will you all help me see if it works?"  (Of course!!)

So our deep thinking about this milk epidemic was pushed to the side to help our principal in need. 

Suddenly, Principal #2 (Mr. Walker) entered the scene.  He wanted to check out our cool gadgets.  My students were HAPPY to help!  We demonstrated our robot buddy, Ollie, first.

Mr. Walker even got in on the fun by driving Ollie around the classroom!  A few kids were ready to share Osmo and all the fun apps you can use with the Osmo:  building words, creating tangrams, navigating a pinball type app...so fun!  Mr. Walker decided to try this one, too.

We didn't leave out Mrs. Sheets and Mrs. Lee...they got to check out our cool tech stuff, as well.   These students had a great time teaching the adults how to use our technology!

Then....just as the kids were having fun....the principals left.  

The students were so engaged in  were experimenting with the technology...they were excited...they were creating new things...was this in my lesson plan? No.  Not really.  I just didn't have the heart to say, "Please put up the cool stuff and let's get back to the milk problem."  So, for today we got a little off track...but look what great things happened as a result:

 

These girls used our Little Bits engineering pieces to create a face that would light up and the tongue would wag!  (When they asked me for a paper plate...I wondered why...just check this video out!)

These kids found the Makey Makey in a box and hooked up a FORK to use as the joystick to play a game on the computer!

Learning to connect the alligator clips to the Makey Makey!

Can you see the fork?  They hooked up the Makey Makey
and tapped on the fork instead of the space bar!  Cool!

Kids were spelling and working on math (tangrams) and practicing
engineering (Newton on Osmo)  - all while having fun!

This class started out using higher level thinking to try and solve a real world problem, but ended up creating, experimenting, exploring, collaborating, cooperating, giggling, talking, sharing, encouraging, and teaching.  I think all those skills will help us as we get back to our milk problem next week. Beware...the principals are on the loose!  They might just pop in and take your class on a different path and great things may happen!  We love having principals who care, love, and enjoy being with our students who also want to learn new things FROM our students!

Tech Gadgets Arrive in G.A.T.E.!

Want to make a teacher feel like a ROCK STAR?  Let her use these awesome tech gadgets in class!  I can honestly say I felt like a "COOL TEACHER" for at least one day!  The students and I have been anxiously awaiting our tech gadgets....and WOW!  They are fun!  Third grade G.A.T.E. students have had the chance to experience Ollie and Sphero (iPad controlled robots of fun), Osmo (REALLY COOL iPad learning games with tangrams, word puzzles and science controlled pinball!), and elementary engineering kits called Little Bits.  Whew...it was a couple of whirlwind days in GATE, but, oh boy, it was fun!

These girls are learning about math, technology, problem solving...and having a great time!  Osmo is a great interactive way to manipulate these shapes into tangram puzzles.  The Osmo has a mirror that somehow magically works with the camera on the iPad to project every move on the iPad.  FUN!!

Little Bits engineering kits...

A few of our students made a doorbell and attached it outside our classroom!  

If you come visit our class, please ring our doorbell! 

(How super cool is that!?)

Other groups made flashlights, electric spinners, fans, and more!

Ollie and Sphero

We are learning how to control these robots with our iPads.  

They have some crazy dance moves and stunts as they jump the ramps!

We've had a blast with our new IQ Fit games, too.  They aren't robotic or electronic, but are great THINKING puzzles for problem solving and are FUN, too!

I LOVE being a gifted teacher!  I am learning new things about technology each day!