Discussion Box

A custom supported by our collaborative environment here at The New School is Discussion Box. Discussion Box gives students the opportunity to voice their concerns. Students write down their concerns and place it in the Discussion Box. Every few weeks during Snack we choose an entry from the Discussion Box and the student who wrote the entry leads a whole group discussion expressing their concerns, opinions and ideas for problem solving. Each child is encouraged to share their views on the topic and to present any ideas as a solution. Some of the discussion topics thus far have been how much to feed our guinea pig Snickers so she does not get over weight, having more “free gym” days instead of organized games, planning a Pajama Day, using our indoor voices, picking up after ourselves, going outside in the rain, having teachers run laps at gym with the students and hanging posters up promoting student clubs.

Equalizing

Beginning in the Fall, a group of eight kindergarten, first and second graders took part in a math class focusing on Equalizing. Using a variety of manipulatives they investigated how to make different lengths and weights equal. They decided to add on or take away from two different lengths of string or chain links to make them equal. Using wooden cubes and a balance they decided how many cubes to add on or take away from the balance to equalize the balance. This investigating led the students to create their own addition and subtraction number sentences.

My Side of the Mountain Book Club

Beginning in the Fall, eight of the 3rd grade students took part in a book club that read My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. Each week the students were assigned chapters to read and a role such as discussion director, connector, word finder, illustrator or summarizer. Each student had the chance to complete each role at least once. When the groups met, the summarizer started the literacy circle discussion by sharing their summary of the chapters they read that week. The discussion director would then present their questions that prompted rich, insightful discussion. The connector shared how the reading connected to themselves, another book or the world around them. The word finder chose unfamiliar words from the reading that they looked up the definition of. As a group, they would put these words into sentences. The illustrator drew a picture that represented a part of the reading and the other students had to guess what part the drawing represented before the illustrator told what it was. As a culminating project, each of the students wrote a newspaper article portraying the main character Sam Gribley and his adventures. A few of the students are reading The Far Side of the Mountain, the next book in the series, at home or during Silent Reading.

Human Body Systems

The older students began their exploration of the human body by learning about the skeletal system. They took part in a variety of activities that helped them come to conclusions about the human body. Insightful discussion took place about what bones we have in our bodies and where they are located after jumping rope and thinking about how our body is able to move. By feeling their own arms, legs, head, and torso they each came up with an estimation of how many bones we have and then compared their numbers to a more accurate count they found by looking at posters of the skeletal system. Students were surprised how difficult it was to put together a skeletal puzzle of “Mr. Bones,” but they persevered and were then able to discuss how bones are connected by joints, tendons, and ligaments. Another activity they had fun with was learning about the benefits of having opposable thumbs. They experienced this by taping their thumbs to their index fingers and then figuring out how to write their name, tie their shoes and button a button.

The older students concluded their exploration of the human body by researching the circulatory, respiratory, nervous and muscular systems. Each set of partners was assigned a specific system. They used books and internet resources to educate themselves about the parts, purposes, problems and preventions of their system. Each group used their writing skills to type a paragraph describing each category. They used what they learned to create very inventive 3D posters representing their system that they presented to all the students. 

Louis Braille Book Club

Our third book in a series for this book club is about Louis Braille, the boy who invented a way for blind people to read.  All of the participants in this book club have really enjoyed learning about people who are blind, deaf or both.  During our reading of Louis Braille, we got a chance to "feel" braille books that were checked out of the library and make our own braille sentences and names.  We even had a challenge to "read" eight braille words and write down what we thought they were.  Some of the tricky words were other people's names.  

Centers for our youngest students

Centers are an important part of the day for Kindergarten and First Grade students.  Every day they participate in at least one language arts, math and gross/fine motor center. Children learn by playing games in these centers, whether they are adding, subtracting, learning letter sounds or reading sight words. To simplify their contracts, we use symbols to help them navigate what they are going to be doing at each time.  First Graders tend to have a mixture of centers and individual work during the same time.  There are also times that Second Grader students join the mix, especially during the gross/fine motor centers. This provides them important opportunities for play and social interaction.