Monday, March 31, 2014

1st Grade - Woodrow Wilson, 28th president was today's ponderer. Students played 20 questions for the warm-up activity. We were introduced to Max the Magician who looks at patterns to find the one solution that works.

5th Grade - Schelp which means a stupid or clumsy person, was today's vocabulary word. Percy Spencer who invented the microwave oven was today's ponderer. Students solved the 20 Questions mystery object problem for the warm-up activity. For the rest of the school year we will be discussing some philosophical questions for the affective lesson. Today's question came from Parmenides - Can you think about nothing at all? The rest of the afternoon focused on environmental modifications that have been made to the earth since 1900 in Edmond.

Friday, March 28, 2014

4th Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Candid which is honest and sincere. The ponderer was Langston Hughes, who followed the advise of Mary McLeod Bethune and started the Harlem Renaissance. Students drew several small drawings for Loosen Up as the warm-up activity. The affective lesson focused on the understanding that being gifted means different things to different people. During the Transportation System study, students had to build a self-propelled vehicle using materials purchased with an allotment of money.

3rd Grade - Their vocabulary word was Underdog which means a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest. Henry Ford who invented the assembly line, not the automobile, was the ponderer of the day. Students completed Loosen Up drawings for the warm-up activity. Students continued to develop their visual thinking skills in Crystal Pond Woods by trying to decipher Max's Fanciful Phrases. The Relationship lesson focused on our relationship with the government. Finally, the Wonder lesson focused on the outcome of an experiment.

Thursday, March 27, 2013

5th Grade - The vocabulary word for today was Occlude which means to obstruct or block. Due to the Cheyenne counselors' visit, students spent a few minutes finishing up Industrial Revolution products and sharing them with the class. The rest of the regular activities were canceled for today.

Wednesday, March 27, 2014

2nd Grade - The second grade vocabulary word was Wean which means to withdraw from any type of habit. Zachary Taylor, Mallard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan were the ponderers for today. Zachary Taylor was supposed to be sworn into the office of President on March 4, but being a very religious man he refused to be sworn into office until Monday. Therefore, technically, David Rice Atchison (Senate Pro Tem) was actually President for one day and everyone since then should be a later number than what is given. Students completed Loosen Up drawings for the warm-up activity. The affective lesson focused on making and keeping friends may help alleviate stress. Students began Evaluative Thinking in Crystal Pond Woods. Today, they learned to develop observable, measurable and factual criteria to help make a decision.

3rd Grade - Their vocabulary word was Underdog which means a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest. Henry Ford who invented the assembly line, not the automobile, was the ponderer of the day. Students completed Loosen Up drawings for the warm-up activity. Students continued to develop their visual thinking skills in Crystal Pond Woods by trying to decipher Max's Fanciful Phrases. The Relationship lesson focused on our relationship with the government. Finally, the Wonder lesson focused on the outcome of an experiment.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

4th Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Candid which is honest and sincere. The ponderer was Langston Hughes, who followed the advise of Mary McLeod Bethune and started the Harlem Renaissance. Students drew several small drawings for Loosen Up as the warm-up activity. The affective lesson focused on the understanding that being gifted means different things to different people. During the Transportation System study, students had to build a self-propelled vehicle using materials purchased with an allotment of money.

5th Grade - The vocabulary word for today was Occlude which means to obstruct or block. Today's ponderer was Elijah McCoy who invented many useful products among which was a way to oil trains while they were moving. Students completed several small drawings for Loosen Up which was the warm-up activity. Becoming empathetic or understanding was the focus of today's affective lesson. The afternoon was spent finishing up Industrial Revolution products and sharing them with the class.

Monday, March 24, 2014

1st Grade - Today's ponderer was Annie Oakley. Ms. Oakley was raised in a poor home and learned to shoot so there would be food on the family table. Students drew several different small drawings for the warm-up activity. In Crystal Pond Woods, students developed their creative thinking skills as they created animal riddles.

5th Grade - The vocabulary word for today was Occlude which means to obstruct or block. Today's ponderer was Elijah McCoy who invented many useful products among which was a way to oil trains while they were moving. Students completed several small drawings for Loosen Up which was the warm-up activity. Becoming empathetic or understanding was the focus of today's affective lesson. The afternoon was spent finishing up Industrial Revolution products and sharing them with the class.

Friday, March 14, 2014

4th Grade - Today's activities centered around the word barrier. A barrier is something material that blocks or is intended to block passage. The ponderers were Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey who broke the segregation barrier to major league baseball. Students figured out items from a What in the World puzzle for the warm up activity. The afternoon was spent designing and building a miniature golf course using physics terms and having a barrier around the perimeter.

3rd Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Innate which means possessed at birth, inborn; a natural characteristic. The ponderer was Albert Einstein who failed his entrance exam to engineering school. These students also tried to figure out the nine close up items from What in the World for the warm-up activity. In Crystal Pond Woods, these students played Web Walkers a visual/critical thinking game. We discussed the relationship between fairness and rules. In the Wonder study, students conducted two different experiments as they learned to develop a hypothesis.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

5th Grade - Today's activities centered around the word barrier. A barrier is something material that blocks or is intended to block passage. The ponderers were Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey who broke the segregation barrier to major league baseball. Students figured out items from a What in the World puzzle for the warm up activity. The afternoon was spent designing and building a miniature golf course using physics terms and having a barrier around the perimeter.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

2nd Grade - The vocabulary word for today was Swelter which means oppressed by heat. "Crazy Bet" or Elizabeth Van Lew, who was a northern spy, was today's ponderer. Students tried to figure out nine close up items from What in the World for the warm-up activity. We focused once again on the importance of friendship for the affective lesson. Students researched about different types of friendship tokens that different cultures use. In Crystal Pond Woods, students once again used their visual thinking skills to sort a deck of cards into groups and name the groups.

3rd Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Innate which means possessed at birth, inborn; a natural characteristic. The ponderer was Albert Einstein who failed his entrance exam to engineering school. These students also tried to figure out the nine close up items from What in the World for the warm-up activity. In Crystal Pond Woods, these students played Web Walkers a visual/critical thinking game. We discussed the relationship between fairness and rules. In the Wonder study, students conducted two different experiments as they learned to develop a hypothesis.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

4th Grade - Plausible which means something that seems reasonably true but may not be was the vocabulary word of the day. Milton Hershey, the Chocolate King, struggled with several businesses before discovering his personal secret to success. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle picture for the warm-up activity. The affective lesson centered around the understanding that being gifted means different things to different people. For the Systems unit, students quickly researched how the invention of trains impacted different people and animals. Students then shared their findings through skits in front of the rest of their classmates.

5th Grade - Due to snow days and other activities, this group had two vocabulary words: Spurious which means false, counterfeit; Oscitant which means inattentive. The ponderers were John Walker who invented the friction match by accident and Guglielmo Marconi who invented the telegraph. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle drawing for the warm-up activity. Students considered their behavior and ideas for journaling for the affective lesson. The afternoon was spent completing their industrial revolution essays and working on their products.

Monday, March 7, 2014

1st Grade - William Howard Taft, who was our country's largest president, was today's ponderer. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle drawing for the warm-up activity. Yolanda the Yarn-spinner assisted students as they wove colorful words into their stories.

5th Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Spurious which means false, counterfeit. The ponderer was John Walker who invented the friction match by accident. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle drawing for the warm-up activity. Students considered their behavior and ideas for journaling for the affective lesson. The afternoon was spent completing their industrial revolution essays and working on their products.

Friday, March 7, 2014

4th Grade - Plausible which means something that seems reasonably true but may not be was the vocabulary word of the day. Milton Hershey, the Chocolate King, struggled with several businesses before discovering his personal secret to success. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle picture for the warm-up activity. The affective lesson centered around the understanding that being gifted means different things to different people. For the Systems unit, students quickly researched how the invention of trains impacted different people and animals. Students then shared their findings through skits in front of the rest of their classmates.

3rd Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Acclaim which means enthusiastic public praise and approval. Thomas Edison, who received little formal schooling, was today's ponderer. Students worked with tangrams for the warm-up activity.The affective lesson centered around how friends can help us relieve stress. In Crystal Pond Woods, Max the Magician had students completing visual analogies.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

5th Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Spurious which means false, counterfeit. The ponderer was John Walker who invented the friction match by accident. Students completed a Surprise in the Middle drawing for the warm-up activity. Students considered their behavior and ideas for journaling for the affective lesson. The afternoon was spent completing their industrial revolution essays and working on their products.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

2nd Grade - Mrs. Hart worked with the Enrichment students while Mrs. Rains was gone today. The second grade vocabulary word was Climate which refers to weather conditions; a condition or attitude. There were two ponderers today: John Tyler was known as "His Accedence" and James Knox Polk was known as "dark horse". Students worked with tangrams for the warm-up activity. Having friends can help us relieve stress was the focus of today's affective lesson. Max the Magician had students playing the Dot game during their visit to Crystal Pond Woods.

3rd Grade - Today's vocabulary word was Acclaim which means enthusiastic public praise and approval. Thomas Edison, who received little formal schooling, was today's ponderer. Students worked with tangrams for the warm-up activity.The affective lesson centered around how friends can help us relieve stress. In Crystal Pond Woods, Max the Magician had students completing visual analogies.