Wrapping Things Up!
It is hard to believe that this year is coming to an end! In a few short days your child will be an elementary graduate but we didn't let that get in our way of critical and creative thinking in the GATE room. The students transferred their knowledge of Earth's spheres and global warming to make a claim about how global warming affects the spheres and worked collaboratively on a debate about the causes and effects of global warming. Below is the challenge.
The Challenge: You are either the "Environmentalist or the representative of a Big Oil Company. Things are starting to heat up in regards to Global Warming and the environmentalist are calling the big oil companies out on emitting too many greenhouse gases to the extent that law makers are thinking of changing/passing laws that would severely impact the profit margin of the big oil companies.
In groups students had to assume the perspective of either the environmentalist or the Big Oil company and prepare claims, counterclaims, and rebuttals to present the "law makers." This was a great way for students to stretch their thinking and assume a perspective that they may not ordinarily take on. Passions were high when debating and many great cause and effect relationships were brought to light.
Have a wonderful summer and best of luck in all future endeavors!
The Challenge: You are either the "Environmentalist or the representative of a Big Oil Company. Things are starting to heat up in regards to Global Warming and the environmentalist are calling the big oil companies out on emitting too many greenhouse gases to the extent that law makers are thinking of changing/passing laws that would severely impact the profit margin of the big oil companies.
In groups students had to assume the perspective of either the environmentalist or the Big Oil company and prepare claims, counterclaims, and rebuttals to present the "law makers." This was a great way for students to stretch their thinking and assume a perspective that they may not ordinarily take on. Passions were high when debating and many great cause and effect relationships were brought to light.
Have a wonderful summer and best of luck in all future endeavors!
Carbon Foot printing and Discussions.
Eastern Elementary currently has two 5th grade GATE groups. Typically both GATE groups work on the same lessons during the week, but things have been a little crazy with field trips and testing so we are a little off. This week on group processed an article about greenhouse gases and discussed the topic while the other group learned about carbon foot printing. This group did a work up of their own carbon foot prints and identified ways that they can help reduce their carbon foot prints. Every little bit helps our Earth!
Current Events and Cause and Effect
The students have begun tackling a hot topic/current event the past two weeks. They have been learning about our climate and how it is changing. This is currently a hot topic in the media and the students have been very motivated to research and share their thoughts!
To begin the students read an article about greenhouse gases in which they were forced to think in 4 different ways. The students had to find a piece of the text that they argued with, agreed with, aspired to, and found an assumption by the author. While this may seem simple enough, it is actually very difficult to agree and argue the same thing. This is called the "4 As" protocol and it forces the user to think deeper and differently than they have in the past.
After working through the 4 As protocol the students begged to have a discussion/Socratic Seminar so that they could discuss their thinking. It made my heart smile to watch them make claims and provide evidence from the text and a video that they had viewed as well as provide their own reasoning! The debate was lively and I do believe that we had the most full participation!
We will continue to discuss the causes and effects of climate change and will explore our very own carbon footprints in the coming days!
To begin the students read an article about greenhouse gases in which they were forced to think in 4 different ways. The students had to find a piece of the text that they argued with, agreed with, aspired to, and found an assumption by the author. While this may seem simple enough, it is actually very difficult to agree and argue the same thing. This is called the "4 As" protocol and it forces the user to think deeper and differently than they have in the past.
After working through the 4 As protocol the students begged to have a discussion/Socratic Seminar so that they could discuss their thinking. It made my heart smile to watch them make claims and provide evidence from the text and a video that they had viewed as well as provide their own reasoning! The debate was lively and I do believe that we had the most full participation!
We will continue to discuss the causes and effects of climate change and will explore our very own carbon footprints in the coming days!
What's Up With the Weather......Or Should I Say Climate?
This week the students participated in an inductive thinking strategy that allowed for a lot of discussion and debate about eco systems. After gathering our ideas and coming to a agreement on different topics the students participated in an activity that would allow me to formatively assess their prior knowledge about Earth's Spheres. I was delighted to find out that our classroom teachers have done an amazing job teaching the students key concepts about the spheres! We also discussed the interconnectedness of the spheres and how ALL of them are necessary for life on earth. Finally the students were asked to make a claim (and provide reasoning and evidence) about which spheres interact during a given natural disaster! We are working hard in the GATE room!
Presenting!
We had more field trips this week, but were able to squeeze in most of the students presentations about Neuroscience and the Growth Mindset. We still have a few more students that need to present and then we will move on to thinking about CAUSE AND EFFECT in terms of the climate!
Finishing Touches
This past week as well as next week are filled with field trips for 5th grade students. Therefore the students are putting finishing touches on their projects and will begin to present them in class. As students finished their work, they were given an article with and excerpt from J.K. Rowling's commencement speech for students who were graduating from Harvard University. This speech was not your typical graduation speech, in it she highlighted the need to struggle. While students read the excerpt, they were asked to identify places in the text that they, Argued with, Aspired to, Agreed with, and could make assumptions. This is a thinking strategy called the 4 A's and it allows students to think deeply and differently about a text. We then held a discussion about the text and connected it to the Growth Mindset.
Below is the organizer that the students used for the 4A's protocol.
Below is the organizer that the students used for the 4A's protocol.
4as-protocol-worksheet.pdf | |
File Size: | 113 kb |
File Type: |
Happy Spring Break!
Happy first evening of Spring Break! Hopefully some Spring-like weather will find its way to us soon! There has been ALOT going on in the school lately that has caused us to miss some GATE sessions (field trips, winter weather, MISA testing) and I had hoped to have the students finish up their projects prior to break, but Mother Nature had alternative plans. We will use the first week back to complete our projects, present, and move on! Wishing you all a very safe, happy, and relaxing Spring Break!
Finishing Touches
The students are still working on their self-selected project to show their knowledge of Growth Mindset and Neuroscience. It has been such a pleasure to watch the students work and to watch their projects evolve. Students are combining a mixture of technology, crafting, art, drama, and so on in order to create an original presentation!
Let Your Creativity Run Wild!
This was an exciting week in the GATE space as the students finished up their research and began planning/implementing plans for their presentation! The GATE room saw everything from sculptures, talk shows, puppet shows, power points, Google Slides, "Draw My Life," skits, and so on. I love sitting back and watching the students creativity flow and watching them problem solve!
Research and Planning
This was an exciting week in the GATE classroom as students are starting to complete their research and think about how they would like to present their information! Students will be working with success criteria in which they "grade" themselves as well as have peers review their work prior to presenting to their classmates. We will be working on planning out our presentations this week.
Research
What a crazy week! Two snow days in one week! While the weather outside was frightful the atmosphere in the GATE room was perfect for research. The students dug deep into analyzing their "famous failure," the growth mindset, and neuroscience. We will continue to research through next week as well as decide how they would like to present their information.
Final Task!
This week the students reflected on the work that they have been doing with neuroscience and growth mindset. We came together and discussed times when we know that we had a growth mindset as well as times when we really had to reach down and persevere through the struggle to reach our goals.
The students were also introduced to their final task for this topic. While most students have chosen to research a "famous failure" some students are choosing to create a commercial that highlights neuroscience and the growth mindset. Students also had a choice in who they wanted to work with. Some chose to work alone while others are working in small groups. This is a hefty task in which the students will have to pull in all of their knowledge so far and transfer it over so we will be working on this for the next couple of weeks.
The students were also introduced to their final task for this topic. While most students have chosen to research a "famous failure" some students are choosing to create a commercial that highlights neuroscience and the growth mindset. Students also had a choice in who they wanted to work with. Some chose to work alone while others are working in small groups. This is a hefty task in which the students will have to pull in all of their knowledge so far and transfer it over so we will be working on this for the next couple of weeks.
Welcome to the Third Marking Period!
The past two weeks have been a little crazy in the GATE space as we have had days off, a delay, special events, and homeroom testing. However in the time that we did have together the students were working hard! The students have been reading a story in which the main character has a VERY fixed mindset. The students were tasked with rewriting a portion of the story so that he has a growth mindset, stating how it would change the story, and then supporting their decision with information from our research. While the students were working on this I conferenced with each student individually about their progress in GATE an together we created goals for the new marking period. The students will have one final task in terms of the working with the Growth Mindset before we shift our focus to our climate.
Point of View!
This week the students read the Jr. Great Book story, "Kaddo's Wall" again, but this time with a different purpose. Prior to reading the story the students drew a card with a character's name. They then had to think about the story in terms of their character's perspective and determine how their character would react. The students then engaged in an academic argument with their table mates about Kaddo. It was great to see the students stay in character to argue their points. Some students were able to sway the minds of others to let them see a different side!
Welcome Back!
The fifth grade GATE students wasted no time getting back into the swing of things during this VERY cold first week back! The students read an African folktale about a wealthy and greedy landowner whose luck turns on him. The students examined the landowner's (Kaddo's) mindset throughout the story, participated in a Socratic Seminar, and wrote a response about how Kaddo's mindset impacted the story. Great job guys!
The Growth Mindset and Research!
This week students used their background knowledge from their neuroscience research to incorporate the Growth Mindset. Students watched a series of videos, TedTalks, and lectures about the Growth Mindset that have confirmed everything that they have researched! They also worked through a "Block Party" protocol in which they examined famous quotes and determined their relevance to our concept of Cause and Effect.
Students then took all of the information that they have learned thus far this school year and wrote a motivational letter to "Their Future Self." This letter had to incorporate a time in life when they struggled but persevered, their feelings through the struggle, identify what was happening in the brain during their struggle, identifying their preferred learning style, and give tips for how to overcome struggles based on learning style! Wow! They sure were busy.
As we begin the new year students will look for examples or non-examples of the Growth Mindset in Literature.
Wishing you and your family a safe, fun, and happy Winter Break!
Students then took all of the information that they have learned thus far this school year and wrote a motivational letter to "Their Future Self." This letter had to incorporate a time in life when they struggled but persevered, their feelings through the struggle, identify what was happening in the brain during their struggle, identifying their preferred learning style, and give tips for how to overcome struggles based on learning style! Wow! They sure were busy.
As we begin the new year students will look for examples or non-examples of the Growth Mindset in Literature.
Wishing you and your family a safe, fun, and happy Winter Break!
First EVER Eastern Elementary Neuroscience Convention!
I am so proud of these little neuroscientists! This week the students had the opportunity to present their research to not only their GATE classmates, but also to their homeroom classes. Homeroom teachers were given a time slot to walk through the presentations and learn a little about what CAUSES the brain to learn. It was such an awesome experience for the 5th grade GATE students and they were ALL shining stars!
We will continue to work with the brain for a bit longer as we use the this research and tie it into having a Growth Mindset. The students watched a TedTalks video about having GRIT. Scientists are researchers in many different fields are beginning to give Grit a lot of attention as they strive to answer the question, "Why do many of our most talented students/workers fail to achieve/reach their potential?" If you hear your child whispering "Grit" to themselves or a friend, they are just reminding themselves that they can persevere and not to give up!
We also watched a short commercial that Exxon Mobile produced about a year or two ago. This commercial is so powerful because it begins by saying "This is the one place I'm not afraid to fail." This line is SO powerful and I want the GATE room to be a place where students are not afraid to fail! This commercial is also very special for me as one of my best childhood friends is the Scientists in the commercial. We are from a small town where a lot of people grow up and stay, but she had GRIT and NEVER let setbacks derail her! This video shows that greatness can be achieved by anyone, anywhere!
We will continue to work with the brain for a bit longer as we use the this research and tie it into having a Growth Mindset. The students watched a TedTalks video about having GRIT. Scientists are researchers in many different fields are beginning to give Grit a lot of attention as they strive to answer the question, "Why do many of our most talented students/workers fail to achieve/reach their potential?" If you hear your child whispering "Grit" to themselves or a friend, they are just reminding themselves that they can persevere and not to give up!
We also watched a short commercial that Exxon Mobile produced about a year or two ago. This commercial is so powerful because it begins by saying "This is the one place I'm not afraid to fail." This line is SO powerful and I want the GATE room to be a place where students are not afraid to fail! This commercial is also very special for me as one of my best childhood friends is the Scientists in the commercial. We are from a small town where a lot of people grow up and stay, but she had GRIT and NEVER let setbacks derail her! This video shows that greatness can be achieved by anyone, anywhere!
Finishing Touches and Presentations!
" The fifth grade teams have been working hard on their neuroscience presentations. 5 GREEN presented to our GATE class this week and have invited their classes in next week so that they can share all of this great information and their creativity! 5 GOLD will present to their GATE class and homeroom classes next week. Maybe they can even inspire some friends to "work through the struggle in order to grow your brain!
Geography Bee!
Congratulations to the following students for earning a position as a finalist for our Geography Bee which will be held on Friday, January 5th, 2018.
Mrs. Gembe: Timothy
Mrs. Auxier: Heidy (1st alternate)
Mrs. Atupem: Madison
Mr. Burton: Emma
Ms. Wallace: Chloe and Isatou
Ms. Souders: Dianna
Ms. Janosko: Breanna, Stephanie, Sierra, Julieus, Hailee (2nd alternate)
All students in 4th and 5th grade took a standard Geography test. The top 10 scores have qualified as finalists and we have two alternates who should study just as hard in case a finalists is not present on January 5th. Our finalists and alternates were given an Atlas (that will need to be returned after the Bee) as well as access to a Google Classroom that is set up with study sites. I will be offering voluntary "study sessions" during your child's lunch period on Wednesdays as well as some before school sessions (see letter that was sent home with finalists/alternates). Parents of finalists/alternates please email me (or send a note into school) with your child's t-shirt size so that I can order "Geography Bee Finalists" shirts (free for students).
Mrs. Gembe: Timothy
Mrs. Auxier: Heidy (1st alternate)
Mrs. Atupem: Madison
Mr. Burton: Emma
Ms. Wallace: Chloe and Isatou
Ms. Souders: Dianna
Ms. Janosko: Breanna, Stephanie, Sierra, Julieus, Hailee (2nd alternate)
All students in 4th and 5th grade took a standard Geography test. The top 10 scores have qualified as finalists and we have two alternates who should study just as hard in case a finalists is not present on January 5th. Our finalists and alternates were given an Atlas (that will need to be returned after the Bee) as well as access to a Google Classroom that is set up with study sites. I will be offering voluntary "study sessions" during your child's lunch period on Wednesdays as well as some before school sessions (see letter that was sent home with finalists/alternates). Parents of finalists/alternates please email me (or send a note into school) with your child's t-shirt size so that I can order "Geography Bee Finalists" shirts (free for students).
Creations/Presentations!
The students have worked hard this week in their "teams" to determine how to use everyone's strengths to present their findings about the brain. Students were challenged to come up with an original way to present their findings and answer the questions "How does the brain grow?" The creativity was running wild in the GATE classroom this week. Some students are using technology to make newscasts, commercials, and Powerpoints, others are using tri-fold boards and models to present information. One team even transformed a model of the solar system into a model of the brain and its different parts! We will use this week to complete our presentations, present them to our GATE classes and invite our homeroom classes in for a neuroscience museum! You know that students are into their learning when they ask if they can come in during recess to continue their work!
Neuroscientist at Work!
This week the students were introduced to citing works for various research projects. We discussed why it is so important to give others credit when using their ideas and learned how to use a great free site that will ensure that we are citing our sources. Check out easybib.com!
Now that the students understand the importance of citing other's work they formed groups of 3 to become a "team" of neuroscientists. The students are working hard to determine what CAUSES the brain to learn or grow? The students used Cornell notes to view several videos as well as check out information from different sources. The students showed great maturity in dividing the work load to ensure that each member was contributing to the success of the group. After break the teams will determine how they want to present their information to the class and work on a presentation. Stay tuned!
Now that the students understand the importance of citing other's work they formed groups of 3 to become a "team" of neuroscientists. The students are working hard to determine what CAUSES the brain to learn or grow? The students used Cornell notes to view several videos as well as check out information from different sources. The students showed great maturity in dividing the work load to ensure that each member was contributing to the success of the group. After break the teams will determine how they want to present their information to the class and work on a presentation. Stay tuned!
Writing About Our Learning Styles
It is hard to believe that one whole marking period is under our belt already! This week the students spent time writing about their own unique learning styles. Research has proven that writing things down can help increase the knowledge base for some learning styles...and we are all a unique mixture of visual, tactile, and auditory learners!
The students also worked through a brief exercise in which we analyzed a quote that is believed to be from Albert Einstein that will set us up for a unit on the Growth Mindset and Neuroscience. This next marking period will be very exciting!
The students also worked through a brief exercise in which we analyzed a quote that is believed to be from Albert Einstein that will set us up for a unit on the Growth Mindset and Neuroscience. This next marking period will be very exciting!
Creating Big Ideas to Guide us Through the Year
It was so nice to have everyone together this week (Outdoor School had the groups separated) and watch the students interact. This is going to be a great year! The students were busy this week using inductive thinking and working through the Taba Model of Concept design to create Big Ideas about their concept for the year; Cause & Effect. This model has students brainstorm ideas and then guides them to making their own generalizations or Big Ideas about the concept. It is such a great critical thinking tool that allows students to make authentic generalizations because they are working with their own ideas! We have posted our Big Ideas in the room and will use them throughout the year to refer back to.
The students also started breaking into our Neuroscience unit as they took a learning styles quiz. After taking the quiz the students were given a report of their preferred learning styles and what that means. The room was filled with comments like "Oh, that makes sense!" or "What, oh wait, now I understand." Or "That is so me!" The great thing about this quiz is that it gave the students tips to help them increase their learning potential based on their learning style! Now the students can test the tips and see if the effect will be positive or negative! The learning styles quiz is linked below.
The students also started breaking into our Neuroscience unit as they took a learning styles quiz. After taking the quiz the students were given a report of their preferred learning styles and what that means. The room was filled with comments like "Oh, that makes sense!" or "What, oh wait, now I understand." Or "That is so me!" The great thing about this quiz is that it gave the students tips to help them increase their learning potential based on their learning style! Now the students can test the tips and see if the effect will be positive or negative! The learning styles quiz is linked below.
Establishing our Beliefs
This was the first full week of GATE for 5 Green. Your children will be visiting the GATE room 3 times a week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for approximately an hour each day. Seeing that this was our first full week of GATE we established our belief system with a little help from Lou Holtz. The students watched a short inspirational speech that Lou Holtz made to a group of college graduates in which he talks about how to be successful in life by keeping things simple and doing the right thing. He talked about how "There is never a wrong time to the right thing and never a right time to the wrong thing," how we dictate where our life goes by the choices that we make and that we should love, honor, and commit to the things that we do. The students were asked to write down thoughts or ideas that resonated within them and these became our beliefs for the year. Now when we may have a day when we struggle we can look at our beliefs and re-commit ourselves! To view the video click on the button below.
This week also brought about a lot of pre-assessment so that I can meet the needs of the students where they are rather than re-teach or teach material that is over their heads. I look forward to meeting with 5 Gold this coming week.
Remember that we do not have school on Friday, October, 20th 2017 due to Association Day. Enjoy your time off
This week also brought about a lot of pre-assessment so that I can meet the needs of the students where they are rather than re-teach or teach material that is over their heads. I look forward to meeting with 5 Gold this coming week.
Remember that we do not have school on Friday, October, 20th 2017 due to Association Day. Enjoy your time off
What's Happening in 5th Grade GATE??
This year the fifth grade students will be working through an integrated yearlong unit about Cause and Effect. Students will analyze different Causes and Effects in science as they become neuroscientists to learn about the Growth Mindset and how a healthy brain functions as well as. Students will become Earth Scientists as they investigate how Earth's spheres interact and the effects of those interactions. Each learning seed/lesson will require students to use factual information learned in the classroom to form generalizations about Causes and Effects. We will focus on the following generalizations this year.
- Events have causes; sometimes simple sometimes multifaceted.
- Cause and effect relationships predict and explain events in new contexts.