Unit Study:
We kicked off our new unit-Frogs with a research project! The kids learned why it's important to study frogs and why they're called an indicator species. Next, the kids looked on our Target Glog to check out different frogs/toads and choose one to research. The choices are incredibly varied, which makes the project even more fun! We will continue to spend class time to research our frogs, find answers to our "Thick" Research Questions, and finally prepare a project to share our learning. Project ideas and rubric can also be found on the Target Glog.
Genius Hour:
Wow! The projects we saw were incredible! We had everything from electric circuits to jello brains, to holograms, to homemade pie to a rocket launch to a handmade upcycled hoodie to many other interesting projects! We were super impressed with the depth of learning in these projects! The evaluative thinking the kids did on their Project Evaluations was very insightful. They also did a wonderful job using their reflective thinking to examine their own efforts, learning, and possible changes that could be made. We love this unit because the project involves almost all of our gifted standards! It's so engaging for the kids, as well! A few kids didn't get to present this week, so they will present next week.
Pi Day!
We used our mathematical and critical thnking to measure circles and calculate Pi. We also read, Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi" to explain about how Pi is calculated. This Pi song helps the kids remember the digits of Pi to wow their friends and family. We also created Pi Skylines using the digits of Pi and "Pi-Ku" poems with 3 syllables, 1 syllable, and 4 syllables. Finally, we measured, poured, mixed, and chilled our chocolate and banana pudding pies. The kids were very excited to enjoy their delicious creations later! YUM!
You may have seen a payment envelope and permission slip for our In-House Frog Dissection on May 8th. Please return both within the next week or two.
HW: Edmodo-"Thick" Question about your frog
Until next time,
Dr. Kraeger