Witches Final Projects Continue

 As I looked around the room today, I realized that these student-directed projects have created a unique feel in the room. While I may be reducing the students' need for me, the engagment, learning, and focused energy swirling around the room is well-worth it.  Today's progress included a student carefully cutting out car keys for her witch's potion, another figuring out how to access his jeopardy link from the blog, two students proof-reading their digital stories, all the while carefully checking off personalized game plans and returning to work (often annoucing, "I am ahead of my game plan already!"). Today's highlights:
1.Watching two boys struggle and succeed in making a witch's bucket, without complaining, getting frustrated, or needing assistance from me.
3. Upon completion of their projects, each of the students looked around the room and asked permisison to help classmates or the remainder of class (this is what collaboration should look like!)
 2. One student completed his digital story for homework...homework that he assigned himself..for fun...

Final Witches Project

We have had our first three final projects completed! They will share them with their classmates on Wednesday, but here is a sneakpeek!

     The Grand High Witch                                                The Grand High Witch

The Grand High Witch

Track and Field Day 2012

he boys took to the field for Track and Field Day yesterday. Each student competed in three events and demonstrating impressive sportsmanship throughout it all. Mr. Shep organized a silly teacher competition to start off the day, and Dr. Trusty was a last minute entry into our short track hurdles event. Finally, a special thanks goes out to Ms. Krebs and Mr. Porter for all of their hard work planning this special day.

The Witches Final Project

My reading class began their final projects today after choosing from five options:

1. Write a Storyjumper or Storypatch story that tells about the Grand High Witch before she became “grand” or “high”or maybe even a “witch."
2. Write a Storyjumper or Storypatch story about an adventure in the school of the witches.
3.  Create and present a persuasive speech as the Grand High Witch, trying to convince your audience that you really aren’t all that bad.
4.  Create a three- dimension potion that could free the children from the witches’ spells
5.  Create a jeopardy game based on the book to present to the class using http://jeopardylabs.com/build/

I was surprised by some of the selections the students had made, especially after deciding on certain project options with particular children in mind! However, as I looked around the room at each student completely immersed in their projects I appreciated the value of self-direction. After the students spent time brainstorming their main ideas and supporting details, they began filling out their "game plan." I asked the students to design a self-directed timeline to complete their project by next Wednesday. This involves each student setting specific goals for each day, assigning homework if needed, and checking and re-assigning goals after each class. It was fascinating to hear their different plans, from “I’m going to get it all finished by Friday and double check things on Tuesday” to “I am going to just plan today, and start my actual project tomorrow.”

Personally, I have always aimed to finish assignments well in advance, and have probably encouraged/planned for my students to do the same. Watching the students’ planning process, I realized that each student would have their project completed by Wednesday, while working on very different time schedules. Furthermore, the opportunity to create their own plan helps the students learn more about their working style, instead of mine.

Measurement Unit Begins

We have begun working with measurement this week! We created giant rulers to practice working with 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 inches. Here is a quick video of our work!

Phonological Awareness

Even though many of our Ninth Agers are confident readers, it is always helpful to do some work with phonological awareness. Here is one short activity I will be doing with my reading group tomorrow to practice manipulating phonemes.

Say cub . . . Now change the /u/ to /a/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say cart . . . Now change the /ar/ to /ī/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say bell . . . Now change the /e/ to /aw/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say pin . . . Now change the /i/ to /e/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say bike . . . Now change the /ī/ to /ā/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say chalk . . . Now change the /aw/ to /e/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say bat . . . Now change the /a/ to /ē/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say moon . . . Now change the /ōō/ to /a/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Say phone . . . Now change the /ō/ to /i/ . . . Say the new word . . .

Kid Blogging about Reading Novel

In reading class, the students are blogging on Kid Blog to explain two of the many examples of fantasy in Roald Dahl's novel, The Witches. Blogging is a great chance for students to fine tune important writing skills, as well as to provide and receive praise and "polishing" (constructive criticism) through student comments. Finally, blogging gives students the opportunity to recognize a productive way to connect and share with the wider community. Today we have finished our first round of editing and commenting, and we will finalize the project tomorrow.

 Feel free to check out the students' work, and we always welcome additional feedback!

Kid Blog Witches Fantasy Posts