Class News

Thank you to everyone who donated machines and parts for use in our fourth quarter problem-solving activity! Have a wonderful summer!

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Our fourth quarter unit involves solving a problem--constructing a machine that has some kind of beneficial connection to the environment. This is actually the same unit we are working on in EAGLE, except that the theme project requirements are different. We have gone over the written details of this project in class, and I have asked them to bring potential machine parts, including springs, old kitchen gadgets, and so on. There are size limitations to help ease storage congestion in the classroom.

The most critical thing about this project is that the students must build the machines on their own, and in class. We distinguished between parental help with welding or drilling a few parts and having a family project where other family members direct ideas and construction. I explained clearly that I would rather have the saddest little looking machine built entirely by a student than a beautifully manicured contraption that someone else built. For some students, this is a brand new challenge and the results may be imperfect, and that is absolutely okay. Students are expected to complete almost all work in class (with the exception of work with tools that can't be brought to school) so that they can get support from me and from each other during the building process.

If you have machines at home (calculators, printers, cd players, etc.) that you no longer want or need, we will be happy for you to donate them so we can disassemble and re-assemble them, and also so we can use the parts for our Rube Goldberg-inspired machines.

Our third quarter unit focused on a variety of problem solving strategies. We have reviewed CPS (Creative Problem Solving), and learned the SCAMPER technique. We will also be experimenting with the scientific method and team roles in solving problems this quarter.

Overview
This is a new class for all 5th graders this year. Students attend once a week during their "special" class times, so they will go to art, music, media, P.E., and thinking skills.

We focus on problem solving strategies and skills, including things like defining given problems, generating many different ideas, evaluating options, generating criteria, and offering supporting evidence for decisions and opinions.

Classroom activities involve small group discussions, role play/simulated scenarios, examining real world and imaginary problems from various points of view, logic and math puzzles, creating charts and other visual organizers, and writing to explain thinking.

Unit Themes

We switch units about once each quarter, and each unit involves problems from various subject areas.

Paper or Plastic?
--Using knowledge of different kinds of learning styles to solve problems independently and in groups

Finding Nemo (and Other Stuff)
--Using the Creative Problem Solving model--mess finding, idea finding, solution finding, and so on

Do you Have CPS in Another Size?
--Using alternative problem solving strategies, including SCAMPER, team building and role assignments, and the scientific method

Somewhere Out There
--Use assorted problem solving strategies to identify a selected real world problem and present your solution

Assessment

Daily Participation
1) Is the student actively engaged in learning during the entire class?
2) Does the student consistently cooperate with the teacher and the other students?

The teacher and students will give ratings for both daily participation questions for each day in class according to the following scale:
+ I cannot imagine doing a better job at this skill than I did today
V+ I did very well with this skill today
V I met basic expectations for this skill today
V- Most of my behavior was not appropriate for class today
- My behavior in class today was completely unacceptable

Quality of Work
1) Does the student consistently add value to class activities that meets or exceeds grade level expectations? (process)
2) Does the content of the student's work meet or exceed grade level expectations (written mechanics, math skills, etc.), as well as stated assignment or project expectations in class? (products)
3) Does the student consistently produce work that demonstrates new learning for that individual student? (individual growth and initiative)

Some class activities will have specific task rubrics for assessment. Additionally, students will have "quizzes" 3-4 times per quarter, although not all quizzes will be written! Generally, students will be given a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an activity to complete, and they will demonstrate what they have learned and assessed according to the three questions above (under "Quality of Work").