Last Wednesday Mrs. Romero's class from West End Academy traveled to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center as the culminating event for a year-long study of space exploration. The class was able to see the iMax, The Hidden Universe, which gave students a look inside the VLT or "Very Large Telescope" and the incredible astronomers that operate it. Students did a mini-lesson where they worked in groups to create the Mars rover lander parachutes, then got to test them out from a second story balcony. The trip was a huge success and we are so thankful for our gifted funds that got us there, and the US Space and Rocket Center educators for the experience!
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In Birmingham City Schools G.A.T.E. classes you'll find students frequently practicing 21st century skills of communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Today in Mr. Melton's class at Lewis Elementary School students were asked to build a tower from six popsicle sticks and a piece of masking tape. Students experimented with different structures and found that if you create a wider base, it was more likely to stand up. Students showcased their stick structures and discussed what might make them stronger and taller. Next up Mr. Melton brought around a brown bag that said "Be Brave" on it-- Students were instructed to reach into the bag and feel what it was. I joined in, and took my guess at what it was. Instead of having students call out answers, he had them quick write on the subject. Writing is absolutely one of the most critical skills that students need today and practice all the time in various formats with quick immediate feedback is what makes students strong writers. After their construction the lesson turned to a Socratic Circle. Socratic circles are a strategy that allows students to discuss in a safe and productive format, and to evaluate each other's discussion. Students listened to a song called "New South" by Kate Campbell and analyzed the lyrics. It got them thinking about their region as part of Melton's Geoliteracy curriculum. He also used a great vocabulary card technique, where students shaded in the words they knew and circled the ones they did know, so that they could talk about them in discussion. Today in Mr. Melton's class students were thinking, discussing, analyzing, reading, writing, and building. All within the span of an hour. |
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April 2016
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