We have so many things to celebrate in Room 14! The students learned so much about city planning and all of the systems that make a city work. They designed a beautiful and innovative city of the future, and collaborated to put the whole thing together. Our class did an amazing job at TWO exhibitions in one day! They looked like professionals as they presented to our panel, consisting of a city planner from the City of San Diego, a transportation planner from MTS, two environmental educators from the 1 to 1 Movement, an architect, and our director. During our community exhibition, they presented their work and showcased the entire project process for our visitors. They educated our community on some of the problems we were trying to address and about some possible solutions.
It was clear that this project mattered to students. During our daily work time, John wanted to take care of the final product and always carefully moved it from our workspace to our storage space. Asher was so thrilled about his gondola and the way the project turned out, he would simply hang out near the model and admire it throughout the day. Throughout, students did draft after draft to make their work the very best. Zach would come up with a completed house, and ask, "Is this precise enough?" and he would often answer his own question. The quality mattered to them.
It was also clear that they knew their stuff. During the panel, several students like Lia and Lorena memorized their whole part of the presentation. They also were prepared for the Q & A portion. When one of the experts asked our Power group about why the city didn't have nuclear power, Julian replied, "We did talk a little about fission, but we didn't end up using it... because it has chemical waste." At the end of exhibition, Gianni showed Ms. Cribbs the project and explained all the systems, including the rest that were not his specialization. The following day, when presenting to other students, Aidan eagerly volunteered to host the other students the whole time, sharing information about all the systems.
It is when doing projects like this, we see the best in students. And, it's so gratifying to hear their reflections. Pointing to our Hopes and Dreams Quilt, Isaiah said, "At the beginning of the year, my hope and dream was to become a better builder, and I did it." It was clear that they all felt proud of the work they did.
We also said goodbye to Ms. Dennis, our student teacher from Point Loma Nazarene. We were so lucky to have her in our class, and we wish her the best in the future! Luckily, she'll be right down the hallway in Room 3, as Ms. Hawke's student teacher for the remainder of the year.
Enjoy Spring Break, rest, relax, practice your math facts, and get ready to launch another amazing project!
It was clear that this project mattered to students. During our daily work time, John wanted to take care of the final product and always carefully moved it from our workspace to our storage space. Asher was so thrilled about his gondola and the way the project turned out, he would simply hang out near the model and admire it throughout the day. Throughout, students did draft after draft to make their work the very best. Zach would come up with a completed house, and ask, "Is this precise enough?" and he would often answer his own question. The quality mattered to them.
It was also clear that they knew their stuff. During the panel, several students like Lia and Lorena memorized their whole part of the presentation. They also were prepared for the Q & A portion. When one of the experts asked our Power group about why the city didn't have nuclear power, Julian replied, "We did talk a little about fission, but we didn't end up using it... because it has chemical waste." At the end of exhibition, Gianni showed Ms. Cribbs the project and explained all the systems, including the rest that were not his specialization. The following day, when presenting to other students, Aidan eagerly volunteered to host the other students the whole time, sharing information about all the systems.
It is when doing projects like this, we see the best in students. And, it's so gratifying to hear their reflections. Pointing to our Hopes and Dreams Quilt, Isaiah said, "At the beginning of the year, my hope and dream was to become a better builder, and I did it." It was clear that they all felt proud of the work they did.
We also said goodbye to Ms. Dennis, our student teacher from Point Loma Nazarene. We were so lucky to have her in our class, and we wish her the best in the future! Luckily, she'll be right down the hallway in Room 3, as Ms. Hawke's student teacher for the remainder of the year.
Enjoy Spring Break, rest, relax, practice your math facts, and get ready to launch another amazing project!