Jumping right into coding.... and having fun

How do you teach a group of 5th graders about computer coding and how to write code?   Not an easy task for even the most experienced of teachers!!!!

Mrs. Walker's 5th graders at COES today jumped right in using their Samsung Notes and an app callled Lightbot One Hour coding.  There are lots of programs and apps out there that will help to make this easier but Mrs. Walker's behind the scenes research in deciding which one to select paid off.  It seems that the students really enjoyed the chance  to make a robot walk around, turn corners and jump up and down steps.   While playing, they were learning some important concepts.  A computer will only do what it is told to do, and you cannot skip a single step or instruction if you want it to work well.  Paying attention to details and thinking a problem through from start to finish are definitely skills we want our students to develop... and judging by their engagement, it seems like a little time for fun is just the way to get started.  Check out more fun ways to learn about coding at hourofcode.com.

3rd Graders Make Work Easier

Third grade students recently finished their summative assessment for their How the World Works unit. Their central idea was work happens when a force causes change.  Students were challenged with creating something that would solve a problem or make life easier.  Students had to address the work that would happen and  the energy needed to help solve the problem or make work easier.  Students could present their creation using any format they chose.
Check out a couple of samples from Ms. Olson's class. These students used Padlet, an online bulletin board, to organize their ideas. Students really exercised their creativity and came up with some pretty innovative ideas!

http://padlet.com/embed/849kiccuee8g

http://padlet.com/embed/1y8amntkfqao

1st Graders Take Action @ Home!

1st grade students have been learning about natural resources in science. Some of Mrs. Sharp's students took action by going home and reusing common household items and turning them into something new and useful. We get excited when students are able to put their learning to use out in the real world- nothing is more satisfying to a teacher!  

Check out some of their creations below!

Anuj used a shoe box for a question/answer type game about birds.


Briley made a bird feeder out of a large water bottle.

We celebrate students who take action at home- if your child has put their learning to use at home, fill out one of the Action at Home forms and send it in to their teacher.

5th Grade Students Design a Green City

5th Grade students finished their Sharing the Planet unit last month. The inquired into the central idea Using and conserving resources alters our relationships with communities and environments. To show their understanding at the end of the unit, students were given the real world task of creating a "Green City" that would run entirely on alternative energy. In their presentation, students had to discuss the impact on the community and environment as well as the conditions that must be necessary for the alternative energy forms to successfully power the city. Check out some samples below from Mrs. Walker's class:

4th Grade Students Explore Soil

4th grade students recently investigated the different kinds of soil and their properties such as their ability to retain water.  Students made predictions about what would happen as they passed water through the different types.

Ms. Wike's Class Builds and Programs Robots

Students in Ms. Wike's 3rd grade class recently completed several robotics lessons. First they tried their hand at programming using the game LightBot. This helped build their understanding of using step by step, specific instructions for their robots.  Next, they began building their robots using Lego WeDo kits.  Groups of students selected a project to build and followed Lego's schematics to put it together.  It wasn't always easy! Finally, they programmed their robots to each do a different action. Check out the pictures and videos below. You'll see a hungry alligator, twirling birds, a sleeping giant get raised by a crane and flying airplanes.  Pretty incredible- and they are only 3rd graders! I can't wait to see the things they can accomplish when they set their minds on something!

Kindergarten Learns Science Safety with SLIME!

Kindergarten students got to put their Science Safety Contract rules and guidelines when they made glitter slime! Students in Mrs. Roger's class use science tools and safety gear to mix and explore their slimy concoctions!

4th Grades Take Action!

4th Grade studetns are investigating the central idea, The availability of usable water affects people’s opportunities, in their Sharing the Planet unit.  Ms. Gray’s 4th grade class was inspired by a guest speaker from Round Rock Water to clean the trash from the reading garden. The speaker told the students one way to keep our water supply clean is to keep the trash out of the environment, so students decided to start in their own back yard!  Many students use the Reading Garden, so Mrs. Gray's class helped both other students and the water supply.  That's putting learning in action!

Kindergarten Investigates: WORMS!

Kindergarten students got their hands dirty ins science this week.  In their exploration of living and nonliving things, they had the opportunity to compare gummy worms and real night-crawlers   Students used their observation skills to describe both worms and make note of similarities and differences.  

Kindergarten Paperslides

Kindergarten students recently wrapped up their Where We are in Place and Time IB unit. Their central idea was: Homes are unique all over the world. They inquired into: types of shelter, the difference between home & shelter, and organisms without a home. As their summative (end of unit) assessment, students did a "paperslides" project. The students picked an organism and drew them with and without a home. The students then recorded their slides and explained their learning.  Check out a few samples below:

1st Grade Investigates Magnets

The first grade How We Organize Ourselves unit delved into the central idea "Curiosity drives investigation into our world." To help them better understand this idea, students investigated the properties of magnets. The students had previously made predictions using a T-Chart on what would be magnetic and non-magnetic and then they went around the classroom to investigate if their predictions were correct or not.

4th grade Showcases their Knowledge of Matter

After investigating the properties of  matter, students demonstrated their understanding by finding examples that highlighted the different properties around the building. They used digital cameras to take pictures and then uploaded them to the laptops. Groups then created a PowerPoint to explain what they observed about matter around the school.

Kindergarten inquires: How Can We Use Tools?

Kindergarten students recently inquired into tools and their uses. Students were given different science tools such as magnifying lenses, graduated cylinders, balances, magnets and goggles and were asked to use them to explore and learn about what they might be used for. Students used their thinking and research skills to use the tools and draw conclusions about the world around them.

5th Grade Inquires: Can We Bear Proof a Trash Can?

As part of their Where We are in Place and Time unit, 5th graders inquired into building a bear proof trash can.  

To investigate the line of inquiry, human exploration and discovery through the scientific process, students learned about the design process and how to test a product.  To begin this study, students responded to the scenario of needing to keep bears away from human food and trash in a national park.  They worked collaboratively in groups to sketch a design, build a model and present the model to the class.  To extend their learning, students then collaborated to create their own testable question with one variable.  This group tested their predictions using cars, a ramp and measuring stick.  Check out some of their ideas!

5th Graders Become Environmental Consultants

Here are some great examples of learning about resources in the 5th grade  IB unit Sharing the Planet. Students learned about resources by exploring the central idea, “Using and conserving resources alters our relationship with communities and environments.” At the end of the unit, students were given a problematic situation they had to solve.  They became consultants for fictional communities and were asked to evaluate the use of resources in that community.  They looked for strengths and weaknesses and then developed an action plan to help the community move forward in an environmentally responsible way. These are examples of students looking at resources that are used in everyday products, researching and organizing our information in Kidspiration and Prezi, writing letters to companies to gather information on their impact and choices, and creating and action plan for a community. 

Kinder Students Investigate Matter

 

Kindergarten has been studying about matter and the effects of heat upon matter. The children were each given an ice cube and told to see who could melt it the fastest. The children put the ice cubes out in the sun remembering that heat was what caused ice to melt (going from a solid to a liquid). One of the children thought about it and rubbed the ice cube on the pole for the basketball goal because he knew that metal got hotter than cement in the sun. What an awesome connection! COE kindergartners are thinkers!!

Ms. Herold's Class Uses Kidspiration

 

Ms. Herold's class used Kidspiration to show their understanding of light, heat and sound energy.  First grade students worked cooperatively with a partner to look through the picture gallery to find things that produced heat, sound or light.  Students made lots of connections and even noticed that fireworks would belong in all three categories. 

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!