Merry Christmas

 It's that time of year when a teacher is struggling to keep all of the balls in the air. Between shopping for their own Christmas list, managing a classroom of children, keeping up with the crazy holiday schedules and events, and somehow always being present with a smile on their faces.  

You know what I am talking about! I'm currently there, however, add in a supposedly 3-week remodel that ended up taking 3 months and you move in during Thanksgiving! Somehow in my house, we are smiling through it and taking it one day at a time, the boxes are staying in the garage and my 14-year-old daughter convinced me that decorating for Christmas was more important and she was right. It may not be perfect, but it's our version of perfect right now.  Through her, I'm learning that it's okay to say no and it's okay to just let the little things go! We may not have artwork up, our walls are bare, and I can't find half of our things, but the memories we are creating will stick with them longer than having my house done! 

As for school, that's a different story, our district doesn't get out until the 21st. Great for the parents to have kid-free shopping time, but our kids are so excited for the upcoming holidays and their attention spans are even shorter than before. I am embracing the fun and trying to create engaging Steam labs that will capture their attention for a short time and help give the classroom teachers a short reprieve. 

I let my daughter pick out all new themes for this! She planned and designed it all. 

After setting up this tree, I realize we need a much taller one next year, but this was my husband's and I's first tree ever! 

Coding with WonderDash and Lego WeDo

WonderDash

This week my students have begun our coding unit with WonderDash Robots and WeDo Legos. They absolutely love writing code with these programs. I am using these activities with 1st and 2nd graders. WonderDash WonderDash is a coding program that utilizes iPads and WonderDash robots. There are several coding programs available to use with the robots for every age group. In my gifted and talented classroom, we use Blockly, Path, Wonder, and Xylo. They do have a program Go, that simply allows you to drive the robot without coding. In my class, we tend to only use Blockly and I have the students create their own lines of codes. I love for my students to document their work on Seesaw, so we can share what we are learning with families and other GT groups. The students will take a screenshot of their finished line of code and they have the ability to record their robot in action.

WonderDash offers cards with challenges for the students to complete or create. The cards have students complete 6 different types of coding challenges: sequences, loops, events, conditionals, functions, and variables. These cards offer exciting adventures that WonderDash will conquer and offer a bonus challenge at the end of the adventure.

   

WeDo Lego

My personal kids absolutely love Legos and can get lost in their own world creating complex designs. Lego has entered the coding world for our earliest learners with WeDo coding. The program will run on laptops and iPads, allowing students to follow step by step to create several designs, much like the Lego design books, then they move the coding phase and will create lines of code and bring their Legos to life with real working motors and lights.

 

Mancala

This is one of my favorite games to play with my Search students. This is a classic game that I

remember playing in school that involved critical thinking and strategic planning.

1. Play online: you can select the difficulty. https://mancala.playdrift.com/

a. You can have your child learn to play on the computer first to learn the rules or

make your own game and practice together.

2. Or you can create your own Mancala game by using an old cleaned out egg carton. 

3. You can also purchase your own. Below are links to a few I have found on Amazon. 

Rush Hour

Another favorite game in Search is Rush Hour. In our classroom we have the

physical game and it is a great game to work on critical thinking. I love that
the game allows the students to work at 4 different levels and as they
master one level they can continuously challenge themselves. I do have both
games in the class, I introduce Rush Hour Jr. to kindergarten. Then they
progress up to Rush Hour. For my first graders, it’s a matter of preference,
some choose Jr and some the regular one. For 2nd and up I recommend the
regular Rush Hour. This game is perfect for all ages, as my 5th grader will
still play with this!

Easter Steam Challenge

One of my families favorite holiday is Easter, so naturally we love to try out the Steam challenges at home before I try them at school. One of my students favorites and my personal children's is the Save the Egg Challenge. During the COVID 19 Crisis, they created their own creations. This is a challenge they love to do each year, trying different designs and materials.

I use this challenge every year with my 2nd graders at school, but realistically it could be done with any age.

You can purchase this challenge on my TPT site. I have a full version for the classroom or a simplified combo for homeschooling!

Easter Pack   Protect the Egg