Monday, May 16

Today's Content:

• Project-Based Learning:  Room Design

•  Digital Learning:  Social Studies Twitter Chats

• Shifting Culture: Falcon Way Update

Falcon Focus: Project-Based Learning

Students search online to build cost estimates

Some students chose online design programs

Over the last couple of  weeks, 8th grade math has been using project-based learning to give students a chance to dream up some ideas for the new building.  Mrs. Atkinson posed the question to 8th graders, "What would you like to see included?"  The result has been an array of creative and inventive ideas to enhance our new campus.  While some concepts are more feasible than others, there's no reason not to consider at least pieces of some of their  ideas and appreciate the creativity that went into the process.

Once students selected an element to design (a "chill-out' or break room, indoor athletic facility, or outdoor recreation area), students were asked to establish the square footage of the space and its components.  Some students elected to use online design programs (see above), while others stuck with pencil and paper.  Students also researched online for cost estimates of the different design elements (see above).

   

Click on the image to see Mrs. A's Prezi

Some groups had time to start working with Tinkercad after creating their 2-D model.
See their 3-D file below.

For final products, students created either 2-D or 3-D models of their space, and presented on the total square footage, estimated cost, and overall "coolness" of their designs.  Watch the video below for a presentation over the addition of an indoor futbol field.

Tinkercad 3-D version of the above group's plan

A final extension Leslie is exploring is the use Tinkercad, an online 3-D design platform, to bring an element of authenticity to the project.  This would allow students the opportunity to see how the design process might work in the real world, by bringing smaller design elements to life with a 3-D printer.  Hopefully this piece works out; but even if it doesn't right now, you can expect to see this project even more developed in the future. 

Falcon Focus: Social Studies Twitter Chat

Teachers exhibited a lot of effort and creativity as they planned out STAAR review activities this spring.  Every room you looked in, students were moving, collaborating, discussing, and self-checking; as well as  Kahoot-ing, Quizizz-ing, Quizlet-ing, and utilizing countless other innovative digital learning tools.  One different technology approach that you may not have considered, however, is Twitter.  As part of their review, 8th grade social studies gave students the option to participate in a 3-week Twitter chat series.  Topics started with early exploration and colonization the first week, and ended with reconstruction and a call for any last questions the last week.  Students had the opportunity to answer teacher-generated questions, to read other students' responses, to respond to other students, and to ask their own questions.  Below is an excerpt of one of the chats.

If you're wondering how the a conversation flows on Twitter, you can view the entire chat transcripts on Storify.  Click on any of the three images below.  

Falcon Focus: Falcon Way Update

In the Falcon Way meetings on May 11 and 12, both students and teachers were asked what one thing they would like to see happen to build a community of CORE values from day one.  The most common responses are listed below.  Do you notice any similarities or differences?

If have any questions or would like some help implementing these or other strategies, please let me know.  And remember...

It's a great day to be a Falcon!