Kindergarten - Students are learning about and practicing critical & creative thinking skills. This month they've been working on critical thinking skills using analogies and listening skills which require them to think about concrete ideas in unique ways.
1st Grade - Students are learning about scientific thinking with Sybil the Scientist. This month they've learned about what scientists do and the tools they use to collect, sort, and classify data.
2nd Grades - Students are reviewing inventor thinking and learning the SCAMPER process for creative thinking. They are working with Isabel the Inventor to transform objects into things that are used in new ways by substituting, combining, adding, making larger and smaller, eliminating, and rearranging parts. They will begin writing their news stories for the Crystal Clarion to go along with their Scamperations!
3rd Grade - We are about to complete our novel unit centering around the book Frindle, by Andrew Clements. Students are doing lots of dictionary challenges, word puzzles, and they've even created their own new words!
4th Grade - Students just completed a fascinating unit on Cultures and Celebrations around the world. They compared and contrasted similar festivals and foods - and even got to sample some delicacies from Germany, France and Italy. The study culminated with each student researching a country and creating a Google slides presentation to share with the class.
5th Grade - Our two class teams, Mangle and Psiclops, are competing to see which group can solve the Athenian Secret. As we travel through Ancient Athens, each group will solve various mathematical/logic problems to earn drachmas and clues to the secret. At the end of the unit, we will use our drachmas to purchase some Greek items. We are also preparing for our Quiz Bowl tournament on February 19th.
6th Grade - Students began creating their own amusement park last week. They began by studying roller coasters and how they work - including the physics of potential energy, kinetic energy and gravity. They have started designing their own coaster for their amusement park, and will create 5 other rides to go in their park. In addition, they get to choose what types of food will be served and what will be sold in the gift shops. To complete the unit, they will create a park map and a digital ad to market their new amusement park.
Math Olympiads--5th grade advanced math students have been participating in the MOEMS program every Monday during their lunch period. They have been working collaboratively to practice non-routine problem solving and once monthly they compete independently through the MOEMS monthly challenges! We will have our 4th competition in February and our last competition in March.
Quiz Bowl--Jr. High & HS Quiz Bowl teams have been diligently preparing for tournament season. Jr. High will travel to the state tournament on February 23rd and Sr. High will compete in the regional tournament on March 9.
Jr. High & HS students receive their weekly GT minutes through Advanced Placement courses such as AP US History, AP Literature and Language, AP Biology, AP English, Freshman Composition, and College Algebra.