Grade four has been studying about simple machines in science class. The students were given the task of designing and building a functioning "gumball" machine that had at least: one lever, one incline plane, one wheel & axle, one pulley, and one set of gears. Together, they came up with some incredible creations while learning about the engineering process! Enjoy some of the machines Mrs. Lampe's class created!
0 Comments
Happy New Year!
Before winter break, STEAM Club learned about series and parallel circuits. Then, using only a few basic materials, the students were given the challenge of building their own series circuit that would light a single bulb from a string of Christmas lights. It was very exciting to make the bulb light up! Our Tuesday STEAM Club had an extra session due to the Thanksgiving break. For a one day activity, the students were given a design challenge: to build the tallest possible tower using only mini marshmallows and toothpicks. They had five minutes to plan and twenty five minutes to build. The highest tower came in at 14 1/2 inches!
In Art Club, the students learned about an artist named Romero Britto. "Romero Britto is a Brazilian neo-pop artist, painter, and sculptor. He combines elements of cubism, pop art and graffiti painting in his work, using vibrant colors and bold patterns as a visual expression of hope and happiness." - Wikipedia The students created and designed harvest pumpkins inspired by the style of this artist. We hope you enjoy our artwork! Students in rooms 6-O and 6-Sc came to CLIC for a curriculum enrichment project in social studies. They were learning about Russian history and, in particular, about Faberge Imperial Eggs. If you've never heard of them, or would like to learn more about them, click the button below to be re-directed to an informational website. On Day 1, the students browsed materials, brainstormed themes and design ideas, and began to work. The first step was to paint a plastic Easter egg and a wooden egg stand. On Day 2, the students embellished and decorated the eggs. You can see the finished eggs on display on the first floor at Proctor. They look incredible! Great job, grade six!
Last week, Mrs. Lampe's grade four class came up to CLIC to dissect owl pellets. We used tools, such as tweezers and toothpicks, to pull apart the pellets and used hand lenses to see what types of bones were inside. We found mice, other rodents, and even birds! Then, the students worked together to identify the bones they found and assembled them together to create skeletons. Great job, grade four!
The fifth graders at Proctor created, designed, and built cardboard creations inspired by Caine's Arcade and the Cardboard Challenge. What is the Cardboard Challenge, you ask? Check out the video about Caine and his amazing cardboard arcade. Isn't that an incredible story? Caine's creativity is contagious. The fifth grade watched this video and discussed the importance of creativity. They also learned about the engineering/design process. With their homeroom teachers, the students brainstormed, sketched, and developed ideas for their own cardboard creations. The students utilized the CLIC room for three days to design their projects. They taped, cut, positioned, taped, painted, and taped their cardboard. (They did a lot of taping..) Here are a few students working on their projects: Once the projects were finished, the fifth graders had the opportunity to share them with the entire school. For the first half hour, they were able to go around and play the games other classes had made. For the second half hour, the fourth and sixth graders got to play, while the fifth graders were in charge of running and explaining their creations. Fun was had by all! My name is Mrs. Kristen Condon and I am thrilled to be the CLIC teacher and coordinator this year at Proctor! Creating engaging and memorable lessons, while building confidence and instilling a love of learning, is paramount to a child's success. Being able to incorporate creative and hands-on activities in my classroom has always been one of my favorite aspects of teaching and I'm excited to bring that energy and passion to the CLIC program. A little about my professional background: I am a certified elementary teacher in the state of Massachusetts. Prior to coming to Proctor, I taught fourth grade math and science for seven years. This past May, I received my M.Ed from Northeastern University in Learning and Instruction with a concentration in STEM Education. When I'm not teaching, I enjoy creating and making jewelry, playing tennis, and gardening. |
AuthorKristen Cahill, CLIC program teacher and coordinator at Proctor School. Archives
October 2018
Categories |