Fun by Design
So many inspiring and enriching activities take place every week that it is truly hard to choose which ones to highlight on the blog. Having the opportunity to post pictures and write to you about our myriad adventures validates how special the learning is inside of our classroom. However, the past few days have been especially thrilling, so let's start there.
As you know, yesterday was our family education program. The time we share with you is incredibly special, and observing the loving interactions between children and their parents/special guests is a privilege. The Jewish calendar (luach) that you created and assembled is a spectacular demonstration of interdisciplinary learning. The students had the opportunity to share their new found knowledge of the lunar cycle and its connection to Jewish time, highlighting the integration of our science and Jewish studies curriculum, but they also organized their thinking into Telling BrainFrames, which incorporated our writing strategies, and specifically the EmPOWER approach to writing, into our program. Finally, the display of collaboration and creativity is evidence of their ongoing social-emotional development. As teachers and as parents, we should be proud of their many accomplishments.
This morning in Social Studies, to complement our study of the Southeast region, and particularly Everglades National Park, we introduced a design challenge to the students related to the flat-bottomed boats often found in the shallow waters of the Everglades. Their task is to create a "boat" that can carry a load of 25 pennies, and their materials are: 10 straws, 1 piece of 12-inch plastic wrap, 2 6-inch pieces of duct tape, and 2 8-oz plastic cups. While the challenge also explores the physics of buoyancy, our goal is to reinforce the engineering design process. This includes: defining the problem, collecting information, brainstorming and analyzing ideas, developing solutions/building a model, testing your prototype, and redesigning for improvements. Their objective today was to work their way through the first four steps. Tomorrow, they will finishing building, test their models, and rework the design as necessary.
We also had a visit from our Shin-Shins, Bar and Shira, this morning. They introduced the students to Massad and put them through "training exercises" to assess their potential. What ensued were hilarious games, but all were geared towards teaching the kids what skills one needs to be a successful Massad agent: staying on time, general knowledge, hiding in environments (camouflage), and communicating with others (particularly nonverbally). It was great, great fun.
Finally, during today's math lunch...which boasted a more robust attendance than last time...we reviewed simplifying numerical expressions and introduced how to solve simple binomials.
If we accomplished this much in only three days, imagine how much more excitement is in store for the remainder of the week!
(Stay tuned for the results of our Watercraft Design Challenge!)
As you know, yesterday was our family education program. The time we share with you is incredibly special, and observing the loving interactions between children and their parents/special guests is a privilege. The Jewish calendar (luach) that you created and assembled is a spectacular demonstration of interdisciplinary learning. The students had the opportunity to share their new found knowledge of the lunar cycle and its connection to Jewish time, highlighting the integration of our science and Jewish studies curriculum, but they also organized their thinking into Telling BrainFrames, which incorporated our writing strategies, and specifically the EmPOWER approach to writing, into our program. Finally, the display of collaboration and creativity is evidence of their ongoing social-emotional development. As teachers and as parents, we should be proud of their many accomplishments.
 |
| Team Tammuz |
 |
| Team Elul |
 |
| Team Nissan |
 |
| Team Tishrei |
 |
| Team Cheshvan |
 |
| Team Sivan |
 |
| Tean Tevet |
 |
| Team Adar |
 |
| Team Av |
 |
| Team Shevat |
 |
| Team Kislev |
 |
| Team Iyar |
 |
| Team Iyar |
 |
| Luach: 5778 |
This morning in Social Studies, to complement our study of the Southeast region, and particularly Everglades National Park, we introduced a design challenge to the students related to the flat-bottomed boats often found in the shallow waters of the Everglades. Their task is to create a "boat" that can carry a load of 25 pennies, and their materials are: 10 straws, 1 piece of 12-inch plastic wrap, 2 6-inch pieces of duct tape, and 2 8-oz plastic cups. While the challenge also explores the physics of buoyancy, our goal is to reinforce the engineering design process. This includes: defining the problem, collecting information, brainstorming and analyzing ideas, developing solutions/building a model, testing your prototype, and redesigning for improvements. Their objective today was to work their way through the first four steps. Tomorrow, they will finishing building, test their models, and rework the design as necessary.
 |
| The kids watch an excerpt from the film HOOT about the Everglades, and are about to have a conversation about the design and the design process. One important take away? In this type of challenge, we don't "fail." We iterate! |
 |
| The first of many photos to come of students planning their prototypes...(Alex and Harry) |
 |
| Mira and Charlotte |
 |
| Eden and Josh |
 |
| Suri and Eve |
 |
| Emily and Jacob |
 |
| Naomi and Sophia |
 |
| Sam and Sophie |
 |
| Adam and Eva |
 |
| Alexis and Michael |
 |
| Jacob and Josie |
 |
| Jonah and Gabriella |
 |
| Nate and Arielle |
 |
| Orli and Eli |
We also had a visit from our Shin-Shins, Bar and Shira, this morning. They introduced the students to Massad and put them through "training exercises" to assess their potential. What ensued were hilarious games, but all were geared towards teaching the kids what skills one needs to be a successful Massad agent: staying on time, general knowledge, hiding in environments (camouflage), and communicating with others (particularly nonverbally). It was great, great fun.
 |
| Learning about Massad... |
 |
| Learning about Massad... |
 |
| Nate and Josh are competing in a game of general knowledge: Nate has just beat Josh in a race to identify a famous person whose name begins with the letter K (Kelly Clarkson). As the "loser," Josh is about to get a bopping on the head. |
 |
| Will Suri or Eva first figure out the name of a country that begins with the letter U? Aaaack! The suspense! |
 |
| Fierce. |
 |
| Meet the Massad Class of 2017! |
Finally, during today's math lunch...which boasted a more robust attendance than last time...we reviewed simplifying numerical expressions and introduced how to solve simple binomials.
 |
| 14 smiles + 14 lunches = Endless fun! |
If we accomplished this much in only three days, imagine how much more excitement is in store for the remainder of the week!
(Stay tuned for the results of our Watercraft Design Challenge!)
