Shoebox Science Fair

This week the ASPIRE 5 scholars began working on their shoebox science fair, which will serve as our culminating event for 5th grade science.  After selecting any topic that we covered in class this year, students wrote a driving question that connected it to a real-world problem facing humanity today.  Next, the scholars chose at least one depth and complexity icon and at least one content imperative to guide their research.  For example, a student could explain how overfishing of a species affects the food chain it is a part of.  In turn, they could explore multiple perspectives of their issue through the lens of a fisherman, scientist, or nature conservancy group.  They could also explore the origin of the problem by exploring the history of the fishing trade and economy in that region.  To our pleasant surprise, many of the groups remembered Ian Byrd's Differentiator, and used it to write their driving questions.

Students were given a list of "must haves" and "can haves" for their project, but exploring and modeling the global issue remained the essence of their work.  Options included graphs to display data, interactive quizzes, a summary of a career that related to their topic, a written or illustrated guide for possible solutions to their problem, and an essential vocabulary flipbook.  So where does the shoebox come into play?  Everything had to fit in or around their shoebox.  Next week, everyone will have the opportunity to share their project, and to explore and leave feedback for their classmates' work.  I believe it will be an exciting ending to our science class, and they should learn a lot from their peers while remembering many of the topics we covered in 5th grade.

As usual, the scholars ran with this project from the very beginning, and have made it better than my original vision.  They made an enormous amount of progress during the first day, so we changed our schedule around to give them even more time.  I think the shoebox design and model of their issue excited them the most, but their issues and driving questions were the most impressive aspect of their work to me.  A few examples of projects include creating more energy efficient circuits, correcting adult misconceptions of the movements of the Earth, Sun, and Moon, showing the trends of fossil fuel and alternate energy consumption in the United States, and comparing animal adaptations in different continents.  All of them show higher level thinking, and apply what we learned in class to an issue that affects their lives.  I can't wait to see the final products.  We will be sure to keep them on display during graduation if you want to see them too.  A special thank you to all of the parents who supplied shoeboxes for this project.  We couldn't have done it without your support!

Humanities and the Civil War

Most of you know that ASPIRE 5 uses a William and Mary gifted and talented curriculum for social studies.  While we cover the same topics in the GCISD curriculum, the William and Mary program provides opportunities for our students to explore them with greater depth and complexity.  This has been especially true for our Civil War unit.  As we began our journey, we made some difficult decisions about other parts of American history that we would not explore with the same depth in order to make a full commitment to understand the impact of the Civil War on our country.  We finally ended the unit this week, and as we reflect on the many tasks our scholars undertook, there is no question we made the right decision.

The theme of our unit was Cause and Effect.  We tried to integrate this theme in every aspect of the Civil War, including the events that led to the war, individual battles, medical issues, and Lincoln's assassination.  We also integrated Language Arts on many occasions, as we read many primary sources, and wrote a variety of products.

The first highlight was the Soldier Diaries choiceboard.  After reading several authentic letters from Civil War soldiers, the scholars chose a product to express their feelings about the hardships of war and what the soldiers were experiencing.  Next was the Medical RAFT.  After students read journal entries from Civil War doctors, the scholars chose a combination of perspective, audience, topic, and product to express their reactions.  The Appomattox Court House assignment required the scholars to choose a way to write their thoughts about the end of the war from many different perspectives, including soldiers, Generals Lee and Grant, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, or newspaper reporters.  The best may have been last as we explored the nation's reaction to the assassination of President Lincoln by analyzing Walt Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!" and rewriting it from the South's perspective.  (Thank you Mr. Wahpekeche!)  We also visited the Texas Civil War Museum, which allowed the students to view the weapons, uniforms, medical tools, and personal items they had been reading about.

All of the above tasks allowed the scholars to immerse themselves in the different minds of the stakeholders of the Civil War, and write samples that conveyed their emotions and convictions.  Students wrote poems, speeches, letters, articles, and journal entries that demonstrated their knowledge of the significant events, issues, and people of the Civil War, and their lasting effects and legacies.  This would not have been possible without the incredible primary sources offered by the William and Mary curriculum, as there is nothing that has the same impact as the words from someone that was actually there.  As a result, there is no doubt the students have a better appreciation for this difficult time in our nation's history.  They used higher-level thinking to explore multiple perspectives of complex issues, and used their creativity and writing skills to reflect on what they learned and felt.  I was very impressed with their ability to capture the essence of what they explored, and I can't wait to see how they use this new appreciation as we continue to study the events that shaped America.

Financial Literacy 2.0

Last week, the ASPIRE 6 Math scholars began their financial literacy unit.  First, students learned how to write checks and deposit slips, and how to keep a balanced check register.  They simulated owning a business by advertising a product, writing checks to other students, and recording their deposits and withdrawals.  Next, students learned about the many features that banks offer.  Scholars were given the opportunity to design their own banks, and they created consumer scenarios that required them to identify the better bank.  Next, we visited the difference between credit and debit cards.  After comparing and contrasting their characteristics and analyzing their pros and cons, scholars reviewed financial situations that required them to identify the better card to use.  Finally, the scholars learned about the complex world of credit history, scores, and reports.  After creating three fictional credit profiles, scholars applied for loans, and had them accepted or denied by their loan officer peers.

The scholars were very excited about this unit.  Learning about money seems to be very interesting to them, as they loved hearing about real financial stories from my personal experiences.  Financial literacy is one of the new aspects of the math curriculum that went into effect last year.  It provides students with opportunities to learn about very complicated issues at a young age.  I believe that our students will benefit from this exposure when they begin to make their own consumer decisions in the future.  Hopefully, these lessons will allow them to be informed about the many options they have in the financial world, and to be responsible with their spending power.  I encourage you to have conversations about your own financial experiences with your child.  They are very curious about the topic, and I know they would enjoy hearing your stories.  

Poetry Smash

This week, the ASPIRE 5 scholars have been writing a variety of poems in Language Arts.  One of the more interesting techniques we challenged them with was the poetry smash.  First, Mrs. Fullhart gave them time to browse a large selection of poetry books.  Everything from Emily Dickinson to Shel Silverstein was available.  Scholars were asked to write down lines that stood out to them on colored paper strips, with lines from the same poem on the same color of paper.  Next, they had to arrange the lines into a new poem that made sense.  Scholars were allowed to insert their own lines using white paper strips if they desired.  Of course, students were required to cite all of the authors and poems that were used in their smash.

The results were nothing short of amazing.  Scholars chose many different themes.  Some were clever and witty, while others were dramatic and emotional.  Each poem shared one lyrical quality; if you didn't know any better, you would never know they were taken from multiple sources.  In our opinion, this was a successful assignment for gifted students because it challenged them to synthesize lines from different sources into a new product that connected and flowed.  It required significant research, vision, and creativity to find, arrange, and add lines that fit into the final puzzle.  We were very pleased with their smashes, and the artistic way they put the lines together.  If you would like to see the poems, they will be on display outside our classroom next week.  We hope you enjoy them as much as we have.  Finally, we would like to thank our librarian, Mr. Wahpekeche, for writing a sample smash of poems by Walt Whitman.  It was truly amazing, and it set the tone for the rest of the day.  Thank you for helping our students become better poets!    

Home Stretch

In our first week back from spring break, the ASPIRE 5 scholars picked up right where they left off.  In 6th grade math, Mr. Boykin's class continued their data and statistics unit by exploring stem and leaf plots as they related to Owl City songs. (Fireflies!)  They also interpreted histograms that reflected Harry Potter data, and collected categorical data from surveys of our friends in 1st and 2nd grade ASPIRE.  Over in Mrs. Fullhart's 5th grade math class, scholars continued their STAAR review by learning financial literacy terms from their peers, and playing games such as Bazinga.  Good luck to the 5th grade math students as they take the STAAR test on Tuesday!

In language arts, students completed a reading STAAR practice activity each day, and competed for prizes such as cupcakes and Peeps!  We also started to put the finishing touches on our fantasy book club, as they discussed and analyzed chunks of reading, blogged about their reactions, and created a final product to summarize their experience.  Feedback on the book clubs was very positive, as many students are already looking forward to the next one.

Over in social studies, the scholars began the Causes of the Civil War unit.  After exploring and writing cause and effect relationships in their own lives, students joined a group to research and present a pre-Civil War system in the United States.  (Groups included social systems of the North and South, economic systems of the North and South, and political systems of the United States.)  Scholars were given many choices for their presentation, and the teachers helped them design a Statement of Purpose with the help of Ian Byrd's Differentiator to define their research and product.  We are looking forward to watching the presentations next week!

In science, the scholars completed two force labs.  The second one required them to design their own experiment, and collect data to show a relationship between force and an object.  Several groups had to make adjustments to their experiments to make them successful, but that is part of being a scientist, and it was a good learning experience for everyone involved.  In addition, the scholars began their Newton's Laws in sports presentations, and we are also looking forward to watching them next week.

Overall, this was an amazing week to spend with the ASPIRE 5 scholars.  They came back from the break ready to work, and they produced quality work samples to demonstrate their learning in all subjects.  We can't believe the last nine-weeks has begun, but we still have a lot to accomplish, and we are looking forward to many exciting learning experiences before the end of the year.

Manifest Destiny

Last week the ASPIRE 5 scholars created a Manifest Destiny cause and effect model to learn about westward expansion of the United States.  First, the students were allowed to choose which region they wanted to explore.  Choices included Oregon Country, Mexican Cession, Louisiana Purchase, Texas Annexation, Gadsden Purchase, and Florida Acquisition.  All scholars were required to make a multi-flow map to show cause and effect, and answer 2-4 depth and complexity cards, which include high-level questions that you can taylor to fit almost any topic.  Scholars were also allowed to choose 2 more elements to present from a list that included before and after pictures and drawings, positive and negative effects of their land acquisition, "what if" scenarios that required them make implications, and a William and Mary reasoning web.  For their presentations, students were required to use at least 3 different types of media.

We were very impressed with the student products.  The aspect we were the most proud of was their ability to take a large amount of information and synthesize it in a way that it is easy for their audience to understand.  Every group captured the essence of their topic, and presented it clearly and effectively.  As a group, the ASPIRE 5 scholars have shown tremendous progress in this area throughout the year.  I frequently say that ASPIRE is at it best when the students are learning from each other, and this was a prime example of how it can be be successful.

Another area the scholars have shown growth in is the sophistication of their products.  The quality of the content and visual aesthetics of their presentations showed evidence of thought, effort, and creativity.  The multi-media approach to this project allowed them to showcase a variety of skills such as app mastery and artistic layout and design.  In addition, the students demonstrated their learning with a variety of high-level thinking strategies, including black, yellow, and green hats, inferencing skills, and depth and complexity icons.

Overall, I believe this was a very successful project.  The scholars explored a complex topic, and contributed to the learning of the entire class.  In the weeks ahead, students will have more opportunities to synthesize information and to learn from each other through the design of sophisticated products.  We are very excited about how far they have progressed in this style of learning, and we are looking forward to even greater examples as we continue to grow together.

Flow

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow is the state of mind you find yourself in when you are fully immersed in an activity that gives you focus and enjoyment.  To achieve flow, the activity must require a skill level and challenge that is high enough to be engaging, but not to the point of frustration.  Educators have recently applied the study of flow to the classroom, and this week a few of our activities reminded me of why the concept is especially important to gifted students and the ASPIRE Academy.

We often hear that students and parents turn to ASPIRE so that the scholars will be challenged.  After all, if a learner has high ability and the work is not challenging, Csikszentmihalyi's model shows that it could lead to boredom and apathy.  However, if the skill level is not as high as the challenge, it can cause anxiety and worry.  This presents the task that ASPIRE (and all) teachers face, which is to find the right balance of challenge and skill.  Of course, this is different for all students, which demonstrates the need for differentiation.  However, I wanted to highlight a few recent activities that I believe either reached flow, or were very close.

The one that stands out the most was an equation puzzle.  Ms. Moore and I created an intermediate and expert one-step equation puzzle that required scholars to solve problems and match them with answers to form a 15 piece rectangle.  They were filled with challenging problems, misleading matches, and edge equations that didn't even have matches.  Students worked in pairs on the level of their choice.  You could feel the determination, struggle, excitement, frustration, and focus all at the same time.  It was definitely an unexpected "in the zone" activity that found the right balance.

Another activity from the week was the Circuit Analysis Lab.  Scholars gathered electric equipment of their choice such as batteries, switches, motors, lights, and wires, and built series and parallel circuits.  When they completed their circuits, scholars created digital products to reflect their components, energy transformations, and direction of current.  Skill level was already high because of circuit labs earlier in the week, but the challenge was new and open ended, which allowed scholars to adapt the activity to their level.  The scholars did a great job of creating a circuit that pushed the levels of their comfort zone, as some used multiple devices and pathways.

In addition, our "Soapy Raft" activity in social studies pushed the students to the verge of flow.  The scholars had to choose from a list of stakeholders, occasions, audiences, purposes, and subjects to express the aftermath of the American Revolution.  (For example, one choice was a British soldier writing a letter to King George as an apology upon his return home to England.)  Skill level was generally high, as the students had knowledge to draw on from our Revolutionary War unit, and the challenge was again adjustable to fit individual needs.  Students wrote poems, letters, speeches, proposals, and declarations.  Some had to research angles and perspectives that we had never considered during our studies.  The work was engaging and the final products revealed creativity, research, analysis, inferences, and effort.

What do all three of these activities have in common in addition to skill and challenge level?  There was always a tangible intensity in the room while the students were working, and all three activities required a stopping point for class change, specials, or lunch.  Every time there was disappointment, as they wanted to continue working.  Imagine, a class that does not want to stop for lunch!  Total immersion allows students to lose that sense of time, and makes school a worthwhile endeavor.  That feeling is my goal every time I create a lesson.  I don't always get there.  Boredom, apathy, and relaxation still exist in my classroom.  However, that doesn't stop us from constantly striving to improve until they are eliminated, and flow is a constant state achieved by all learners.

Genius Bar

One of the strategies we are employing on a regular basis in 6th Grade Accelerated Math this year is the Genius Bar.  Differentiation is paramount to the success of our class, which includes 25 scholars.  As we move through the curriculum at a rapid pace, our students need different ways to demonstrate their understanding of concepts and skills.  Some need the repetition necessary to become confident and fluent.  Others want to apply the skills to real-world situations to justify the purpose for learning them in the first place.  And then there are the scholars who are ready to integrate concepts with related skills they haven't even learned about before.  We call this option the Genius Bar.

For a typical math choiceboard, there are four levels of assignments, including novice, practitioner, expert, and genius.  Three to four students routinely choose to work on the Genius Bar problems.  We find them from a variety of sources, but my favorite is Challenge Math for the Elementary and Middle School Student by Edward Zaccaro.  They usually require a little bit of coaching, such as introducing a formula.  Other than that, the scholars must rely on their problem solving ability and number sense.

The benefits of our Genius Bar are easy to see.  The students feel challenged and free to test their abilities to solve unique and relevant problems.  When they solve them correctly I can sense the excitement and pride they must feel.  It is often fun to work on them together.  There are some negative issues we are working to improve.  Many times the students who need to do them the most choose an easier assignment just to avoid a challenge.  In addition, sometimes students that need to be practicing the fundamentals want to try problems they aren't quite ready for.  It is an ongoing process to teach students about making good choices that fit their interests and abilities.  However, I believe that leveled choiceboards have been a successful part of our math class this year, and I am very proud of my Genius Bar group for pushing their limits and working outside of their comfort zone to become the best they can be.

Star Wars Day

We're always looking for themes in ASPIRE 5, and last Friday we went all in with Star Wars Day.  The timing was perfect, as we were studying the Sun in science and the Revolutionary War in Humanities.  And of course, the latest Star Wars movie is currently setting box office records around the world.  We announced our plans to the students a week in advance to start their curiosity and anticipation.  It also gave them a week to pick out their Star Wars shirt.  Mrs. Fullhart and I kicked around several ideas, and we finally agreed that it would be best if we designed an open work day to give the scholars the flexibility to choose from a set of activities and when they wanted to complete them.

As always, the day started with math.  Since we teach different levels, we had separate scavenger hunts that included problems with various Star Wars characters and concepts.  After math, we all came together and presented the passport for the day.  All scholars had to sign up for the science Bazinga review, which was offered 4 times.  The Bazinga game incorporated questions about our Sun, Earth, and Moon unit along with Star Wars trivia.  For Humanities, scholars had to complete two assignments from a list.  For the first choice, scholars wrote a comparison of R2-D2 and the new BB-8 droid.  (Character summaries were provided for students that have not seen any of the movies.)  Another choice required the students to create a Star Wars "crawl" in the computer lab that set up the story of the American Revolution.  Other students chose to write analogies for Star Wars characters and historical figures from the Revolution.  Another option for scholars was to write a letter from Yoda to a character in their Revolutionary War Book Club book.  Of course, they had to use "Yoda speak" for this assignment.  (Read my blog, you must!)  Finally, scholars were challenged to follow the lead of JJ Abrams and George Lucas and write about a "force for change" to help our community.  To add to the experience, we had Star Wars door prizes, music, room decorations, coding opportunities, and a trivia contest.  Most of the students joined in the fun with a variety of shirts and stories.

Looking back, this was more than just another day with a clever theme.  While the Star Wars universe drew the scholars in, the choices required them to think critically, make connections, analyze characters, and consider global issues.  Hopefully the scholars will remember the day for a long time, and maybe it will serve as a reminder that learning can be challenging and fun at the same time.  We appreciate the support of our Star Wars Day from all of the parents.  Stay tuned, because you never know what's next in ASPIRE 5!