Learning Outside The Walls Of Bixby

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

One of the many great things about a Bixby education is the opportunity our students have to experience different ways of learning. Starting with kindergarteners going on their weekly trips to Bridgewalk Pond, first graders learning fractions with manipulatives, and second and third graders traveling to far off lands in Mark’s cardboard boat – our students reap the benefits of all Bixby has to offer. In March, I get to accompany the fifth graders as they spend three days and two nights at Cal-Wood! This is one of the most enjoyable and unique learning experiences available to students this age.

We hike, explore, learn survival skills, study the effects of forest fires and revel in the wonder of the Colorado Mountains. I’ve seen students come together to build shelter, struggle to build a fire, and celebrate as they complete an orienteering course. We have campfires, roast marshmallows, and wonder at the night sky: free of light pollution and heavy with stars. It’s a bittersweet beginning to the end of their time at Bixby, but such a great way to show them how much they are capable of and how much we believe in them.

Empathy, respect and responsibility are three values that we strive to model for our students. Being away from parents, their homes, and the rest of the Bixby community as they represent our school will put all three of those qualities to the test. Having been to Cal-Wood five or six times, I can say Bixby students shine and make me proud to have been a part of their education.

-Robert

Area and Perimeter in 4th & 5th Grade Math With Kitty

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

We began our area and perimeter unit by finding the area of rectangles. For elementary children, rectangles/squares allow students to see how multiplication can be applied to finding the solution. We always begin at the beginning and for area that means covering various objects with square units (we used square inch tiles). Before finding the area they were to make an estimate. Estimation is a valuable skill; it improves learning and is used in everyday life. Most students enjoy making their best guess and then seeing how close or how far away their estimate was. Students had different levels of understanding: some completely covered each object and then used various methods to count the tiles. Most had enough previous knowledge of rectangular area to use some version of length-times-width. Some fully covered the object but used only the length and width. Others laid down tiles on only the length and width, and still others were able to use a ruler to measure the 2 necessary dimensions and multiply them. All of these methods are developmentally appropriate and they all work. Once students correctly found the area of these small objects, they were challenged to find the area of a room (the math room, the tutoring room, or the gym). This naturally meant that covering the floor with square inch tiles was not an option. This forced them to use a more efficient method and to transfer what they had tried and learned with the small rectangular things to a much larger footprint. Working in small groups, students had to figure out how to use rulers, yard sticks and calculators to find the area.

At Bixby, students are allowed the opportunities to discover these ideas. As children develop formulas, they gain conceptual understanding of the ideas and relationships involved. And students who understand where formulas come from do not see them as mysterious, tend to remember them, and are reinforced in the idea that math makes sense. Rote use of formulas offers none of these advantages. It is a common joy of mine to see students make these connections (“Oh, I can just multiply this side by that side! That is so much easier!”). I can give them the language (you mean multiply the length-times-the width), but the discovery is all theirs.

Sports Field

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

We are so blessed to have such beautiful grounds here at Bixby School! Besides the gardens, lower yard and the picnic areas, my favorite outdoor space is the Sports field. With the views of the flatirons (and the weather that comes over them), the shade of the blue spruce trees, the sunny grassy area, and the sweet smelling honeysuckle bushes, it is impossible for anyone to suffer from nature deficiency!

After lunch, 4th and 5th graders have the opportunity to play in this rich natural setting. We begin with a 10 minute organized game. Through a democratic process, the students vote on the game of the day. This gives them the chance to play and cooperate with all their classmates. Different games work better with larger groups and are not usually played in small Sport classes. Some of the favorites include Capture the Flag, Kickball and Cross Over China Wall. After the game, students have the remainder of their time for free play.

I recently asked some students what their favorite part of Sports field time was and their responses were:

” I like that we get to hang out with our friends.”- Autumn

” Sports field has more space and freedom to run.”- Jack

” I like to build fairy houses with nature.”- Charlotte

” My favorite is the 10 minute game, Kickball is so much fun!”- Josie

“There are less restrictions then on lower yard.” – Diego

“During free play, you can do whatever you want, sell insurance, play a game or just go crazy.” – Hunter

Fun, freedom and the outdoors- a great combination !!!

“Charting Our Course”- Lessons On Community and Collaboration By Patricia Jarvis

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

Over the last three weeks I have had the opportunity to work alongside our third grade students and their art teacher Robert, their geography teacher Mark and Lynette, another third grade parent volunteer, to make the third grade classroom project for the upcoming auction at Bixby School. In the spirit of drawing on common interests, allowing for independent creativity and collaboration among our students and us adults, we introduced the idea of making a board game together. Our game will trace the steps of the great explorer Ibn Batutta, complete with adventures and harrowing experiences along the way that may leave our travelers thirsty, hungry, even ship-wrecked and potentially devoured by crocodiles!

Already it is clear that another one of Mark’s deeply engaging units of study has taken a hold of the students’ interests and has provided us with a rich knowledge base from which our students are boldly leaping forward. And speaking of boldness: The children have been exploring some of the most challenging parts of this project with rich conversations around collaboration, sharing of ideas, time-management, and task-planning involved in this project; -all with unwavering grit, persistence and motivation. On several occasions they have chosen to stay late to complete their game pieces; they have compromised on the specifics of some of our game rule-making process; they have helped each other when handwriting was a challenge or Batutta’s travels on our game board seemed to come to a standstill.

This past week our collective knowledge on how to proceed briefly came to that dreaded standstill. The task at hand had changed from free creativity and multiple independent steps for our students to producing a map of the world in the 1300’s that would become a piece of wall art and also be our game board. We had arrived at a moment of transition: Now we were struggling with what media to use to render a very detailed map on a piece of plywood. Paint sharpies were a favorite but a trial on a piece of wood from home produced blots and spots and the realization that this may not work well. Free-hand drawing seemed daunting and so did the thought of all of the students working on this one piece simultaneously. As one student said: “What if one of us messes up and then everyone might be mad?” Another student echoed similar concerns: “We might only have one shot at this but no one here has done this before.” We pondered options: Should we just go and buy a printed world map so we could avoid the difficult task of producing the map ourselves? Would it make sense for an expert or at least a “really good artist” do this step for us? For me this conversation became poignant in more than one way: I had just completed a parent tour of our school with a prospective new family. Our conversation during that tour centered upon questions around learning, independence, risk-taking, engagement and the power of meaningful relationships. All skills and concepts that would lead to a rich life outside of school if learned as part of school and beyond. Here those very concepts were unfolding before me in our community at Bixby School: Our students decided they wanted to proceed and find ways to make this map as a group. In our discussions on how we could learn more about the process and techniques involved, we asked our art teacher Robert if he had any suggestions. Here we clearly had found an expert in our community who quickly offered much more than advice in passing. Mark, in the meantime, had taken the initiative to reproduce an outline of the image of our map onto a piece of plywood. This past Friday hesitations and worries dissolved into a reflective 45-minute session on painting techniques and how to share a 30×30 space as a group canvas to draw on as Robert provided his art class time with this group. Paint brushes in hand, our students continued to chart their course through this project and resumed their own journeys as learners, leaders, and members of our vibrant community!

I can’t wait to see what will happen next . . .

In closing, I will quote a great local leader in education, David Hawkins:

“On a ladder there is only one way to go: You have no significant choices, except to get off-as many do. But with climbing a tree there is prompt and positive reward. Every new turn brings novelty.” (From: The Informed Vision)

Second Grade Research Reports

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

“Research is formalized curiosity. It’s poking and prying with a purpose.”
– Zora Neale Hurston

Research can seem a daunting task in second grade. There is a lot of background work that precedes any written work. Students first choose a topic and then they determine three or more categories to study. From there they finally use books to conduct research, taking notes as they work. Last, they use the Internet to fill in the gaps of their studies. It can be very arduous process!

Not to mention, the final product from this work is to compose a five-paragraph essay, a task that is advanced for second graders. With proper scaffolding and appropriate pacing, this task can be a great introduction to a concept that will be practiced in many grades to come. Organizing information into paragraphs, translating notes/ideas into full sentences, using transition words, and topic/concluding sentences are all important skills that require focus and critical thinking. This is a big project, and there are few other assignments that require this extensive of a commitment. Exposing students to advanced concepts is challenging, but in the end, it can help them be more prepared for the progression of their education. Bixby’s small class sizes allow for plenty of one-on-one instruction during this project to make it the most meaningful.

Further, as with any project, personal interest is a powerful motivator. When one is intrinsically curious, research isn’t just an assignment anymore; it is an adventure in learning and discovery. In second grade, we let individual interests drive our studies. All students are given the freedom to pick any topic they like. I love to see my students choose topics of personal meaning. Several students chose countries of heritage. Others chose home cities, or favorite animals.

Consequently, students were excited for the project because they had the autonomy to select any topic. When provided encouragement and support, the challenge of conducting research and composing a report is a very rewarding experience for students. In they end, they are very proud of their work. Many of them surprised themselves with their capabilities! Keep an eye out for research reports on the gym tables soon!

Creativity & Meaningful Learning in Language Arts

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of the creative effort.”
~Franklin D. Roosevelt

In our 4^th/5^th grade literature class we have been getting into the rhythm of doing homework weekly. In my last post I explained the various clubs that we started in order to tailor the homework to our students interests and strengths. There is no surprise that our Creative Club keeps gaining momentum, and more students are joining weekly, as children are naturally creative spirits!

Our creative homework began with a series of small tasks that have been building over the weeks, starting with having the students fill out questionnaires to get them thinking about the trajectory of doing creative projects for literature homework. Next, they were asked to pick a book and write a proposal about an art piece they would create that depicted elements of their chosen book. The next week they were to create the proposed piece. Some did drawings, others dioramas. Both the proposals and the work itself brimmed with joy and showed interest on the part of our students. The next assignment entailed using the same book for inspiration and writing a creative story. While I eagerly await their stories to be turned in, I have designed their next assignment, which entails creating a summary both in writing and through visual representation.

Diorama of White Fang by Jack London

Having our students work with the same book for these assignments will help them further refine their thinking, and their representation of their metacognition, through both their writing and their art. Since we started with small tasks we can now easily scaffold our projects and introduce more complex assignments as we go. In addition, starting with creative assignments often makes homework more palatable for our students, and hopefully decreases the anxiety that homework often produces as a side effect. As we get ready for our first substantial book report, we will repeat our first steps (Brainstorm / Proposal / Produce / Creative Writing / Visual & Written Summary ) so our students will have a creative and manageable way to begin such an endeavor, that includes small tasks that weave between written work and hands on creative work.

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.”
~Steve Jobs

The desired effect is to feed the creative spirit, nourish and build academic skills, and provide a meaningful learning experience. Making learning meaningful and enjoyable is always my goal as a teacher and combining mediums in the classroom is one way I have found to achieve this. Our students creativity is now spreading out and becoming a visible element in our literature classroom, as the students drawings from read aloud dawn our walls, and they create large visual panels to represent our genre studies. I look forward to continuing to watch our students reading, comprehension, and creativity, blossom and bloom through their creative endeavors and their diligence.

Fantasy Panel ~ In Process

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

~Albert Einstein

Integrating Music Into Bixby’s Preschool Curriculum

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

One of my favorite things about working with preschoolers is that I get to bring my love of music into the classroom on a daily basis. Music has so many wonderful applications in the classroom from storytelling to games or transitional songs. It’s nice to be able to share something I love with my students.

“The Dancing Song” is a fun game that we like to play outside. The game involves sitting in a circle and waiting for a turn to dance in the middle when your name is sung before sitting back down. After each person has gone, pairs of people are called until everyone has gotten a turn. It’s a silly little game and the song is likely to get stuck in your head, but it’s a nice way to learn new names, build confidence by dancing in front of peers, and build new friendships by dancing with new classmates. At the very least it’s a fun way to get some energy out.

Transitional songs are silly little songs that we like to sing to help our gaggle get from one place to another. They often sound strange like, “put your finger on the wall, on the wall, put your finger on the wall, on the wall…” (to keep from touching the food on the lunch table) but they are extremely effective. Waiting can be challenging for many students but singing songs or silly rhymes can be a fun way to fill the time. If you’re a preschool parent don’t be surprised if your child starts singing “make new friends” when you’re waiting at the supermarket, and if they’re talking about a jellyfish, don’t worry it’s a song not a new classroom pet.

We are very fortunate, in addition to Ms. Danielle’s fantastic collection, to have some instruments of our own in preschool. We have a collection of shakers and bells, xylophones, and drums. We also recently received a very generous donation of ukuleles that we’re excited to explore. One of my favorite games to play with the instruments is a “freeze dance”. Stopping with the music requires careful body control and self regulation which is great practice for us in preschool.

Our most recent addition to the preschool is a musical garden! You might be able to see it, or more likely hear it, on your way into school. Complete with hanging metal pots, pipe chimes, and metal bowls, the structure offers a variety of sounds for the children to try out. The garden is still “in progress” but so far the kids have loved experimenting.

Wait, That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen!

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Bixby Teachers

“Experience, the name men give to their mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde

We took some chances with science fair projects this year, your children and I, and the lessons emerging aren’t exactly the ones we expected.

We didn’t count on the less-than-cooperative live subjects.

Last week, two science fair teams loaded 90 ants into six soda bottle ant farms. They dipped cotton balls in water and laid in pieces of fruit, just as their research suggested. They lovingly poked air holes into the cover, and set their farms in a cool, safe place. By Tuesday, before anyone could differentiate food or count tunnels, the vast majority of ants had died. Only a few stragglers survived.

At the same time, a second grade class readied three different soil mixes for Venus flytraps, only to have the plants wither before anyone could re-pot them.

Happily, our sea monkeys are looking good… Mostly.

So now seems like a good time to talk about the word “failure” in science class. For many of us, myself included, a project-gone-wrong feels like a neon sign pointing toward inadequacy. Many school age kids feel the same way. “Failure” is a thing to be avoided at all costs. Yet it’s hard to avoid failure without avoiding challenge, and that’s the last thing we want for Bixby kids.

Science class is a prime, safe space to talk about failure. By looking at failure the way science does—as an opportunity to learn, as a way to create a new foundation for the next scientist to build on, as a thing to be expected, occasionally, instead of feared—children can appreciate all the effort they put into creating those ant farms and preparing that soil. They (and I) can embrace the risks and rewards of trying something entirely new. They can take pride in stepping out of their comfort zones, and take stock of all they learned that they didn’t know before.

As one scientist writes, “Scientists fail all the time. We just brand it differently. We call it data.”

We’ll spend the coming weeks celebrating the fact that science doesn’t always go the way we think it will. What does, really?

Inside The Classroom

Monthly Archives: February 2016