Lego Robotics

Whether we are organizing, planning or creating, Lego Robotics is REALLY COOL!

Middlesex Math Tournament

Students, are you ready? Let's begin!

Some real math enthusiasts were in on Saturday's math challenge. Welcome to the Middlesex Math Madness Tournament where students were met with both individual and team math/logic problems. These children rocked the boat with their math savvy, enthusiasm and best effort. 

The event begins with a little friendly competition among the individuals with math problems in much the style of a Math Olympiad. Each student struggling with math concepts not directly taught in school. 

As the event continues, students work together to complete 10 more questions as a team. This adds on the extra challenge of less time and the skill of divvying out the right problems to the right students. In other words, realizing what other students have as skills and dividing up the problems based upon those skills.

So proud to say these silly kids came out to show off their math 'stuff' and enjoy a lovely Saturday getting their 'MATH ON!'

Plant Charades or Plant Pictionary

Either way these kids were able to show off their plant savvy.

Plant Study Guide

Students were challenged to become the teacher with one of these two fun games to launch them off. 





At the start students gained their audience with a game of charades to act out plant behavior or quickly drew a diagram or picture for their peers to guess. 

As experts in the field, the student groups made simple fill in study guides for the class to fill in during and after their presentations. This helped to give guidance regarding what they need to teach the class. 

In the end, the process was a hit, the students showed off their skills in both teaching and plants. Way to go 220!

Math Problem Solving

What's a teacher to do with left over parts from her classroom project? Have students make individual table supply boxes, of course!

Each post left a hollow box tall enough and wide enough to hold writing supplies for all the members of the group, but how to organize is the question. With a little help from a 3D printing app and a 3D printer we will solve the problem!




Taking the time to sketch ideas and decide as a group what will work best becomes the most challenging aspect. Bigger slots for highlighters and smaller slots for pens and pencils seem to be a norm, but rectangles vs. triangles seems to be the biggest rage. I even wonder what will win.





Listening to the intricacies of the app leaves the children wondering what to do first but eager to try. What tool to use, what method to try, should I build and then hollow out or piece smaller parts together, how do I put the parts together so they stay together are all questions that burn among the tables. But where to start seems to be the overarching topic.



And as you expected, measurement comes into play. The children quickly discovered that each 'box' was slightly different so we labeled them so they would get the same one back. Our discussions of volume are chiming through the room. I overhear the children, "You don't need the volume but you still need all three dimensions!" "They will all be used, but separately!" The enthusiasm is evident and the children get underway.

After PARCC Down Time

PARCC definitely changes our routine in a way that warrants some flexibility. So we all enjoyed some indoor recess time as a well deserved break.

The Invertebrates come to an End

And, class two has just completed their study of the invertebrates. I am sad to say goodbye to animal classification as this was the most fun we've ever had doing it. Allowing the children to research and utilize their findings to be the creator of their own animal allowed them the freedom to be creative, the opportunity to learn and the lightheartedness of a self made game. Being the 'scientists' discovering these new species with riddle clues allowed them a rich fun learning experience. 

After announcing their discoveries to the class, students were called upon to decipher the animal secrets by unpacking the specific features of the more familiar invertebrates. I was very impressed with their findings. Students were able to share the features of their own researches animal group, the riddle animal and the findings of the other scientists and artists. They were even quick to use the text book and internet to find more classification ideas. Way to go 220!

It amazes me how fifth graders come to us without the clear cut skill set of finding and using information independently to learn from and leave with many of the skills required to do research. This time, I didn't have to give them any extra directions to use resources to add to our animal facts.