Convergent & Algebraic Thinking:
We worked on solving our logic puzzle from last week with a little bit of help.  Then we worked on a problem-solving math activity.  The kids did well with it!

Movie Making:
The kids were SUPER excited to finish their task lists, create storyboards, and start filming.  I can't wait to see what they come up with!

Affective:
We continued our Mindfulness Practice with 4-7-8 Breathing.  The kids are making good progress on using these techniques to relax and focus.

We continued our reading in Way to Stay in Destiny.  Theo has met the girl who will be a large part of the story later on.  He's also trying to figure out how to follow his dreams of playing piano, while still following his Uncle's 'rules".  It's a tough spot to be in!

We also learned a little about "Growth Mindset" with Big Ideas video and a short response activity.

Until next week,
​Dr. Kraeger

Our day was productive, fun, and filled with teamwork!

Convergent & Algebraic Thinking:
We continued our work on convergent thinking with a pretty tough logic puzzle.  It was so tough, in fact, that we're going to continue it next week.  

Our algebraic thinking was challenged a bit with more word problems.  It's a bit surprising to the kids how easy the basic equation solving is, but how tough it can be turning a word problem into an equation.  We'll keep working on that!

Focus Unit: Documentary Movie Making
Our exploration of documentaries continued with some research to build our knowledge and an example of a short documentary created by high school students.  Here's a link to the movie we watched: We are Hungry.

Affective:
We explored our self-reflection and self-directed learner skills through some mindfulness practice with a video called Calm Down and Release your Amygdala.  We learned that the amygdala is the part of the brain that makes us feel anxious.

We read more of our novel, The Way to Stay in Destiny, and found out more about Theo, his musical talent, and his hidden spunk!  This fit well with our discussion about the brain and how knowing about our talents/skills can help us become self-directed learners.

HW:  Edmodo Movie Making Question

Yours,
​Dr. Kraeger

What a treat Thursday was!  It was wonderful to see my old friends that are now fourth graders!  They've come a long way since last year, and I can tell it's going to be a great semester!

We took some time to revisit the "Marshmallow Challenge".  The kids did much better this time with even better planning, design, and teamwork!
​Check out the photos: