If—
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If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
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Collection Basket
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Have you ever been in a group of people who passed a basket to collect an offering; money, food or otherwise? Individuals coming together to invest in something bigger than themselves; pieces coming together to strengthen the whole?
Our studies, adventures and ideas are the treasure that we hunt and gather—for both the classroom and the larger community. When we turn in projects/work of any sort—we are making our offering, dedicating our found, earned and honed resources into the communal Collection Basket. It is an honor to be able to serve and strengthen each other and Tomorrow—we pay it back to all those who came before by paying it forward to those who might yet become.
Our Collection Basket is a deliberate reminder of our riches, honor and responsibility. It reminds us to celebrate and hold dear our rich opportunity to learn so that we might serve, study and grow with people who love and challenge and support us. It reminds us of the value that awaits and rewards effort, precision, generosity, tenacity. It reminds us to make any last minute notes anywhere we want to build out next, any pending questions, curiosities. It reminds us to live presently, mindfully, fully; engaging with each other, ourselves and the riches all around and throughout.
Read MoreMetacognition
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Metacognition—cognition about cognition, knowing about knowing. Meta, Greek for after or beyond. Cognitive from the Medieval Latin for known.
Awareness empowers us. It removes the blindfold, focuses the lenses and lends us understanding. When we can not only *see* where we're going, but also have an idea of where we want to go, why and how to get there. Just like the XMen training and honing, Cyclops focusing and disciplining his laser-light sight, igniting everything in its path.
Read MoreDictionary Divers
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Choose a word or select one at random, and read and research its definition across 2-3 cited sources, discussing and diagramming all of its parts and pieces of the whole.
When and where? Greek? Medieval Latin? What were these places like? How did these words sound and who used them where and for what?
Whole stories built from single words!
Word stories can be randomly selected for inclusion in our Classroom Blog and Newsletter.
Read MoreWe Need Louder Coffee Shops!!!
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Coffee houses are too quiet and it's threatening our freedom.
We can prevent wars on battlefields if we come together in coffee shops. Our freedom, our survival depends on our commitment to #AgreeToDisagree—curiously, generously, courageously.
Read MoreWorkshops
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We evolved over eons, learning by doing—it's the way our brains learn best.
Workshops empower us to leverage that reality—a brief mini-lesson unites us in focus on a goal, an exercise, and then we break to work independently and/or collaboratively on that exercise, toward that goal. During this time, of course, the teacher is free to confer with students individually or in small groups to help them move forward in their own exercise, growth and goals.
Then we return to the Sharea to share our ideas, findings, questions and next steps. We generously support and challenge each other in our exploration and growth with specific questions and celebrations.
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Chalk Talks
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Chalk Talks
Dr. Pat Norman is the wonderful inspiration and introduction to Chalk Talks—which, if you are unfamiliar, are an incredibly powerful communication tool—especially for topics where everyone has a lot to say and the ideas require and deserve thought and processing.
A question is written up on the board. Students are invited to silently read and reflect and add their thoughts in a thought web on the board. We have ample time to allow for slow and thoughtful answers, and plenty of time for everyone to participate. We are, of course, welcome to make any notes in our Field Notes, and we will break off into groups to discuss and regroup, possibly even following up with a journal entry to document and share our thoughts. [...]
Read MoreSocratic Circles
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Tch Channel—manna from the heavens. Not only do they generously supply solid video examples, but they offer up all supplementary material as well.
Here Patricia Price walks us through Socratic Circles and simply and clearly demonstrates our responsibility to make it their responsibility—and she uses Common Core language to do it.
Read MoreBloom's Taxonomy
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Understanding beyond rote memorization. Internalizing to apply in real world situations. This is what Superhero Training is all about—and the training is deepened with the guide's mastery. The more and the deeper I, or any other leader, studies and pores over the material, the ideas, the more naturally it will weave together in our thoughts and in our conversations with each other.
Read MoreMaslow's Hierarchy of Needs
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Our prehistoric Lizard Brain helped us survive to evolve curiosity and experience wonderstanding. We can leverage our metacognition to manage our R-Complex—but first we must appease its basic needs—food, shelter, love, belonging.
This particular image is kind of a joke—but the internet has the ability to empower us in imperative ways. Sugata Mitra and Kahn demonstrate this clearly and powerfully.
Read MoreRituals
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Humans have a soft spot for ritual—an inherent tendency toward it rooted in our R-Complex, our prehistoric remnants, our Lizard Brain.
Ritual served us and helped us survive, which is why that gene survived and propagated.
When we exercise our metacognition, we can leverage this tendency and maximize its superpowers. We can leverage ritual to help keep us focused and centered. To honor this reality and exercise our metacognition to focus and center, we practice a brief and symbolic opening and closing ritual to thoughtfully begin and end our days together.
Read MoreKeep Asking.
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Where did all asteroids come from?
Where did the asteroid belt come from?
Where did the red spot of Jupiter come from?
Why is there so much clouds... on the planet?
Who are we?
Where're we going?
Read MoreOpening Up Shop
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We all have a lizard living within us; a snake charmed by ritual—a snake who, recognized + charmed, rests along with its tendencies toward aggression, territoriality and blind reactiveness. We've named this tendency R-Complex.
It's an important weakness to be aware of, a vulnerability we need to reinforce—in ourselves + in each other. And our ritual is a recognition of that Reality; our commitment to ourselves, to each other, to Tomorrows Unknown. Our commitment to #PayItBackByPayingItForward.
We also have a Light. It brightens + warms us.
Read MoreMap of the Year
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As we set sail into our annual adventures together, we will map our goals + expectations with each other, and we will also keep in mind our context with the year.
We will embark on many explorations throughout the year together, exercising, challenging + nurturing each other as we discover the Treasure all around + throughout us.
Read MoreCurious Cartographers
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We're always exploring.
As dedicated explorers, we deeply value + respect the maps we craft + hone in ongoing effort to help orient, protect + guide us in our adventures.
We're Curious Cartographers, constantly crafting, examining, exploring + improving our maps. From our Crew Map to our Game Plans/Lesson Maps, to the goals + treasures we set + pursue in our Learning Logs—we delve into our Treasure Hunts with dedication + determination toward stronger + more sustainable Tomorrows.
Read MoreBridging the Gap, Day 7—Writer's Workshop: Bridging Ideas
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Today we will explore, describe and articulate what our own fantasy realms might look, feel, smell, taste and sound like. Who will be there and what adventures will we embark upon? What quests and monsters will we tackle? How will we transport to and from our fantasy realm? What bridges our reality with our fantasy?
Read MoreBridging the Gap, Day 7—Reader's Workshop
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5—Film Studies
Compare/contrast with Wizard of Oz and The NeverEnding Story (and MirrorMask?) with Bridge to Terabithia.
Explore elements of Fantasy/Reality.
Recall our myths from last week.
Bridging the Gap, Day 7—Scientific Explorations
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Forces/Physics—force is either a push or a pull; tension/compression. What pulls? Gravity. Mass, dancing forces.
Read MoreBridging the Gap, Day 7—Mathematician MeetUp
/SWBAT—Students will be able to. We start every lesson with this ritual to center and focus students so they know their goals, maps and measurements. (italics will just be practiced, not spotlighted).
4.MD.5—Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint <rvw; build twd. polygon>, and understand concepts of angle measurement (as degrees of a 360 circle). <caternary curve ==> polygons ==>angles as degrees ==> measure angles>
4.MD.6—Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure. <caternary curve toward polygons, measure angles> (+4.NBT.3—Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.) (2d circle on board, measured, 3D slices measured...)
4.IE.6b—Measure and estimate the weight, length and angle of objects <guesstimate string length, weights, then angles as they take form; measure to verify, signal to check in
4.IE.6e—Construct and interpret graphs from measurements. <graph angles:number of weights>
Standards for Mathematical Practice—Posted & Reviewed to empower mathematicians.
4.IE.6a—inference vs. observation and understand that scientists' explanations come partly from what they observe and partly from how they interpret their observation. <are we inferring? observing?>
4.IE.6c—Formulate and justify predictions based on cause-and-effect relationships.
- 5m: Total Recall: (AoC 76, Whiteboard) Quick group graphing rope characteristics and history <how might we organize and why?> from Morning Meeting. (4.IE.6e, 4.SLS.1, 4.SLS.1b, 4.SLS.1d, 4.SLS.2; Whiteboard)
- 5m: Powers of Observation: (twizzlers, caternary curve string, image of cables on overhead, whiteboard, Journals). <Compare/Contrast (C/C) cables/twizzlers/string (Venn Diagram), groups diagram in journals, quick Share + Jot (4.IE.6a, 4.IE.6e; WB, Journal)
- Slicing the pie—Rulers to protractors. All angles of a polygon should add up to 360*, is it obtuse or acute? Guess it then measure it. Explore with caternary curve. Is this a polygon? No. It's a curve. What's the key difference?
- 30m: Caternary curve: (15 minutes, string tied with knots and paperclips, weights, protractors, rulers, journals, instructions/AoC 76-79) <partners, large + small groups> (4.MD.5, 4.MD.6, 4.IE.6a, 4.IE.6b; WB, Journal, A/V)
- 5m: Guesstimate length; graph guesses, test, quick check in. (4.IE.6b, 4.IE.6c, 4.IE.6e, 4.MD.6; Journal/Whiteboard/Signals)
- 5m: Note, Turn + Teach—Hypothesize; what are you guys thinking/anticipating? (4.IE.6c, 4.IE.6a; Journal)
- 5m: Large Group Discussion—Discuss polygons. Discuss angles as degrees of a circle (dimension). Guesstimate angles through process. (4.MD.5, 4.IE.6b, 4.IE.6c; WB, A/V)
- 5m: Small groups discuss angles/curve, following multistep instructions (AoC 77-79), observing and discussing tension, progression of angles; measuring and noting along the way. Graph results on WB. Discuss any measurement variances—why are they there? How precise do we need to be for this project? (4.SLS.1, 4.SLS.1b, 4.MD.5, 4.MS; WB, Journal)
- 5m: Sketch, Measure and Label polygon and caternary angle/arch. (4.IE.6b, 4.MD.6; Journal)
- 5m: Catenary curve to arch; does anyone else see anything familiar? Maybe something we studied earlier in the unit, strong in compression instead of tension? Can we turn this curve into a polygon? Do our angles add up to 360? (Journal/Groups/Whiteboard)
- Ext: Journal—extrapolate/extend—a) How many corners on a circle? b) What means dimension? Explain dimension, how and what it is/means and anything else you know about dimension. (essential and unanswered questions, thoughts welcomed in both Collection Basket and C3 Chest).
In addition to visual check ins and auditory amblings (eavesdropping and note taking) aligned with individual student goals, the following relics serve to archive and gain deeper insight into student understanding.
- Whiteboard—our CTO of the day will ensure that an image of the whiteboard is snapped and emailed to our blog for later review.
- Total Recall: Rope
- S+J (2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6)
- Notes
- A/V—Audio and Visual cues serve as data points also. I listen and note in my own Field Notes
- QCHK
- T+T
- Discussion
- Journals—our Math Journals serve as ongoing documentation of our mathematical explorations. These are returned to the Collection Basket.
- Venn Diagram: cables/twizzler/thread
- Sketch each version; label with estimated angle.
- Various Notes; polygons etc.
- Vocab/label: tension, angles, measure angles, caternary angle, polygon, cable
