Movenote: A New Tool that has Spread Like Wildfire @ COE!

Recently, several Chandler Oaks teachers have learned about a new tool to use with their students called Movenote.  Movenote lets students combine photos or documents with video so they can talk about their work. This is an awesome tool to use to encourage reflection, fluency, presenting and sharing!  But it's not really about the tool, it's about all the great learning that is taking place when students use it! Check out these examples to see COES students hard at work sharing their learning!

Ms. Estrada's 1st grade class: What traditions do you celebrate in your family?
Ms. Ortega's 1st Grade Class: Procedural Video- How To Make A Snowman
Ms Imperial with 2nd Grade: Poems about Pets in Spanish
Ms. Morehead's Kindergarten Class: Read Aloud of Published Writing Sample 1  Sample 2  Sample 3

I think you'll agree that our students have found a lot of great uses to communicate what they know and have accomplished!

2nd Grade Uses Social Media to Research

Second grade students have been working on a unit that investigates the central idea: Humans manifest their characteristics differently.  One of their lines of inquiry was to investigate human characteristics that contribute to success and failure.  They needed to reach a large variety of people, so they decided to use the power of social media to ask the question, "how do you achieve success in life?" Second grade students have a technology standard that asks them to "use communication tools that allow for anytime, anywhere access to interact, collaborate , or publish with peers locally and globally." This was the perfect opportunity to reach other to others!

Second grade created a blog and then reached out to others to help gather information.  Email, Facebook and Twitter were all tools that were used to help spread the work about the inquiry.  People participated by leaving a comment on the blog.  Students then discussed the many things people credit for their success and how they might be able to plan for success themselves.  Drop by their blog and participate today- share your views of success!

2nd Grade uses Kidspiration to Help Solve Problems

Second grade students used Kidspiration software to show their understanding of the central idea and lines of inquiry for their unit on How We Organize Ourselves.  Their central idea was: Societies respond to problems with actions.  
Students were given the following fictional situation: A new kid, Johnny, comes to Chandler Oaks from another state.  There was a hurricane, so Johnny and his family had to evacuate their home.  He only had time to pack one bag and had to leave many of his favorite things at his old home.  He feels homesick, because he left everything familiar behind and doesn't know anybody at his new school.  They are living in a hotel, and his whole family has to stay in the same room.  He’s not really sure what will happen in the next few weeks.

Student's needed to identify the problem, and some possible actions- both good and bad. They then described one action that they thought might help solve the problem. Students used Kidspiration to help them organize their thinking (one of the research skills) and to communicate clearly in writing (one of the communication skills).  Check out this example:

Students Take Action- Every Day!

One of the elements of the IB Primary Years Program is the Action Cycle.  It's the continuous cycle of choosing, acting and reflecting.  We try hard to help our students understand this cycle and how action can happen in many ways.  Sometimes, it's spontaneous and seemingly small, like deciding to pick up some trash outside even when it isn't yours.  Sometimes it comes from curiosity and passion, like when 5th grade presented about UNICEF to a second grade class.  Second grade students wanted to know more, so 5th grade took action and created bookmarks with information and passed them out.  Still other times, action is the result of seeing a need and wanting to do something about it.  Like when students noticed our reading garden was in need of weeding. 

All these little things together make a big difference, and when students reflect on the things going on around them and choose to take action, we all reap the rewards! 

Second Grade Responds to Problems

Second grade students have been investigating the central idea "Societies respond to problems with action" during their How We Organize Ourselves unit.  One problem that is current to our students is safety!  We recently wrapped up two weeks of safety reminders.  Second grade took the opportunity to teach us about the problems we face at the crosswalks and how to do it safely.  They researched the problem, then decided how they would take action. Students in Mrs. Koester's class decided to make a Power Point and Ms. Birrell's and Ms. Kenisell's classes made public service announcement videos.  2nd grade presented at the assembly this morning to help other students make safe choices.  Check out their work below! 
Other second grade classes are also investigating problems - look for some of their projects soon!

The Crosswalk Problem

4th Grade Supports No Name Calling Week!

Fourth graders read a story about no name calling to second graders. Then they asked students if they wanted to sign a no name calling poster and act out a skit to show how to be safe with name calling and help reinforce the strategies for the younger students: stand up for yourself, ask a friend, find an adult, and exit the area. YEAH FOURTH GRADE!

Second Grade Inspired by Sesame Street & Wil.i.am

Second Grade has been exploring what it means to be human in their Who We Are unit.  Their central idea, "Humans manifest their characteristics differently" has led to some great learning about which characteristics we share, which ones we don't, how we define success, and how our characteristics contribute to our success or failure.  They were inspired by a song that was featured on Sesame Street.  Singer Wil.i.am performed his song "What I Am" with several characters from the show. Second grade thought this was a great way to demonstrate what they've been learning, so they showed the video and sang along at our Friday Assembly last week.  Check out their performance, as well as the original video from YouTube. 
Link to lyrics

1st and 2nd Grade Students Study Dia de los Muertos

Senora Imperial has been busy!  Students in first and second grade are studying the Mexican culture as they learn new Spanish words. One celebration they learned about was Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead. Students learned about how this celebration honors the dead and is not meant to be a scary time, but a time of remembrance of those who passed away before us. Students created a skull art piece in remembrance of someone they knew or just for fun.  This was an especially timely lesson for first grade as they just began their Who We Are unit. They are exploring the central idea "Families recognize personal and cultural events."  The study of different kinds of families, different kinds of traditions, and the different ways people celebrate fit right in with this lesson! 

2nd Grade Uses Smart Board in Who We Are Unit

Mrs. Koester and Mrs. Van Curan used the Smart board in the village to help teach their Who We Are unit.  After a discussion about inherited traits, learned behaviors and instincts, students came to the smart board and sorted some traits into the proper category and explained their thinking. Students are developing an understanding of the central idea "Humans manifest their common characteristics differently."  

Second Grade Begins their "Who We Are" unit - with Animoto!

Students in second grade watched the Animoto below today to start their first unit of inquiry - Who We Are.  They are investigating the central idea "Humans manifest their common characteristics differently." They will be exploring what characterisitcs we share, and ways we are different.  After watching the Animoto, students reflected on what they saw, noticed, thought, or questioned. 
If you've never used Animoto before, you should check it out. It's a great way to display photos, but for teachers, it's a great way to engage students and get them asking good questions and make connections! 

Second Grade Investigates Matter- and it's Delicious!

Second grade has been studying matter and how it changes states.  Our second grade scientists were inquirers when they investigated how cooling effects matter by making ice cream from scratch.  Students worked cooperatively to make their mix, add it to a bag of ice with rock salt, and shake it up.  They started to notice the mixture changing after a few minutes.  What a delicious way to understand the changing states of matter!