Week 19 - End of Year
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In class, students are filming stop motion videos based on the narrative or informational scripts they wrote. It is quite a process! Critical thinking skills are taking over our classrooms with this final stretch of the project. Students are carefully setting up backgrounds, moving characters and props "just right," patiently taking pictures at just the right moment, lining up audio recordings with pictures they're taking, using proper fluency and expression in their voice recordings, and so much more.
Many mistakes and setbacks have confronted the students as they film, but they continue to use growth mindset skills and phrases we've been focusing on throughout the school year. It's inspiring to see the students' stamina as they overcome some pretty big challenges! Home Assignment: Due to the nature of each child being at a different step in the project, please continue checking your email for specific instructions each week. This will wrap up Discovery for the school year! |
WEEKS 17-18
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In class, students are working hard to develop their choice of a narrative story or an informational presentation for their stop motion videos. This week, we practiced writing solid introductions and opening sentences to grab viewers' attention. Some students will finish the writing part and begin working on creating their video props (characters, background, etc.).
Home Assignment: Because each student is at a different step in the process, please check your email for specific assignments the next couple weeks. The goal is to complete most of the work during Discovery class time. If students are absent or need more time to complete work, they will be invited to spend some time on it at home so they can be ready to film the week of April 11th. Be looking for emails the next couple weeks!
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WEEK 16
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In class, we are applying writing skills into the process of developing our stop motion videos. Each student is choosing to write a narrative or an informational piece.
Home Assignment: Each student also gets to choose which medium (or objects) he/she would like to use for the stop motion video. We will provide paper, crayons, scissors, and glue in class. If your child would like materials beyond those items (playdough, toys, rocks or nature items, etc.), please send them to the next Discovery class. |
WEEK 15
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In class, we are going through a document-based inquiry to learn the profound impacts gratitude can have on our lives. This background knowledge will be the foundation for individual stop-motion videos students will be creating soon.
Home Assignment:
OPTIONAL: Keep a 5-day gratitude journal. Write 3 things you're thankful for each day. |
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WEEK 14
DUE WEEK OF: March 14-18 |
Welcome back to Discovery! In class, we are learning the process of creating stop motion videos.
Home Assignment: Pick two videos to view. Write down the medium (or objects) used in the videos you selected. List other objects or mediums that could be used to make stop motion videos. The assignment sheet is in your child's binder, but you can also find it here: Stop Motion Mediums Worksheet
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YouTube video links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=546AHy7JyrU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFrNy84Bb6s&feature=emb_logo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zc7bH9MlYc&t=1s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEglOulvgSY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDLZ5ZCpU88, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAqtViJlYQ
WEEK 13
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In class the next couple weeks, students are working hard to complete their final catapult models. Students are welcome to bring supplies from home to use, but it is not required. We are providing plenty of supplies. The overall goal with this project is for students to 1) learn the Engineering Design Process, 2) practice how to combat setbacks in the process, and 3) practice healthy group work/collaboration skills. Loads of growth is happening through this project. Students will bring home their final catapult when we are finished.
As a side note, we will not hold Discovery from January 24-March 4th. Discovery will start back up the week of March 7th. Please reach out to Mrs. Jones or Mrs. Barton if you have any questions in the meantime! |
WEEK 12
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Happy New Year! The students were very intentional and hardworking in class this week. They seemed refreshed and ready to dig in.
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WEEK 11
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In class, we are reading The Most Magnificent Thing, by Ashley Spires. We are holding in-depth conversations on what it means to have a growth mindset based from evidences in the book. We are discussing what a growth mindset will look like when we are in the developing phases of the engineering design process.
Students will meet in groups to critically evaluate their catapult design plans. Students will begin building prototypes with their groups. This involves testing and redesigning, testing and redesigning, and testing and redesigning! It's a lot of work--physically, mentally, and emotionally! We are working hard to practice having a growth mindset and remembering that mistakes inform us to make tweaks and changes to make our designs that much better! |
WEEK 10
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For the second session of our STEAM unit (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), students compare jets taking off from an airport runway verses from an aircraft carrier. Vocabulary such as launch, catapult, thrust, and fulcrum are introduced. After doing further research on catapults, students are tasked to design and build a catapult that launches "indoor snowballs."
Home Assignment: Students will complete the assignment found in their binders after watching this video: What is Engineering? 
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Additional Research for Catapult Design (optional):
WEEK 9
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Image: Newsela Staff
In class, we are learning about the Engineering Design Process. We are taking a deep look at the process through annotating informational articles. Students are also experiencing their own engineering skills by designing and building a structure that holds a book 4-6 inches off the ground. We are focusing on the importance of testing and embracing the step of redesigning to produce better solutions. This takes a growth mindset!
Home Assignment: Using what we know about the Engineer Design Process, follow the instructions on the following sheets (also found in Discovery binder):
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WEEKS 5-8
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In class, students have explored ways to help people in our community who need food. Students will lead a school-wide food drive and donate items to the local Family Crisis Center. Each group came up with a solution and developed an action plan.
Home Assignment: Because each group has different action plans, homework will vary for each group of students. For the next few weeks, please look for personalized group emails explaining what students have chosen to complete at home. |
WEEK 4
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This week, we are studying the impact of nutrition on our health and how it connects with the topic of hunger. We are going through an in depth close reading experience. This rigorous process allows students to analyze text while making deeper connections to complex matters and other content areas.
Home Assignment: Using what we have learned about hunger and nutritious food, students will draw (or write) non-perishable foods that could be collected for children in need. |
WEEK 3
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To kick off our service learning unit, we are exploring informative articles, narrative pieces, pictures, and videos to gain background knowledge on the topic of hunger. To gain a more empathetic perspective of helping others, we also read the children's book, Maddi’s Fridge by Loise Brandt.
Home Assignment: Students will share at least one thing they learn in class this week with a family member. Once they’ve done that, a parent needs to write a signature on the box that matches what the student shared (worksheet found in Discovery binder). While you do not need to view the resources yourself, you may use the QR codes & resources in the Discovery binder to “jog” your child’s memory! This assignment is due the week we return from Harvest break. |
WEEK 2
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In class, we are learning about mindfulness and how it can clear our thoughts of the things we don't need to make space for learning new things. Here is a video we'll use in class to kickstart our discussion: Mindfulness for Children.
We will continue using “listening to understand” and “positive first” as a foundation to learn further communication skills. Our focus this week includes asking thoughtful questions and compromising. We will discuss why we are sometimes afraid to ask questions. We will also practice asking questions to learn how powerful they can be in preventing miscommunication. For this week’s home assignment, students will find an opportunity to compromise when they can’t have something 100% their way. This can happen at school, home, or anywhere else. Students will select one of the following ways to complete this assignment: Option 1: Students will make a quick voice recording explaining what they did. Email the recording to his/her Discovery teacher one day prior to class. Option 2: Students will write out a script that shares their experience compromising with someone else. This can be done on the homework sheet in the Discovery binder or printed from the computer. |
Here are some strategies we used while practicing compromise:
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WEEK 1
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For the next few weeks, we will be learning about communication skills. This week, we are focusing on listening to understand, effective non-verbal communication & how to positively respond when we disagree.
In class, students will develop "positive first" sentence stems. Students will practice using a "positive first" statement when they disagree with something someone else says or does. Examples of "Positive First" Sentence Stems:
Home Assignment: Watch for a moment this week when you disagree with something. Respond by starting with a "positive first" statement before sharing your own thoughts. Draw a picture of the moment, and write the sentence you used. Complete this assignment on the My "Positive First" Moment Worksheet (found in your child's Discovery binder). We will share experiences next week in class! |
