Code Breaking

Today our gumshoes were up to the task of deciphering coded messages.  They looked at several different types of ciphers and codes and picked out patterns to uncover the underlying message.  They also wrote their own codes for their friends to crack.  Use these websites at home to continue with your explorations!

Mirror Writing

Cryptology

Code Examples

More Code Examples

Cryptokids

Crack the Code

We also practiced the Habit of Mind, Persisting as we looked at more DNA codes to match suspects to their crimes.  We used a "stuck on the escalator" analogy to discuss perseverance and taking the next step in our learning to overcome challenges.

Third graders sent their solo time reviewing median, mode, and range with some friendly penguin buddies.  They grouped the penguins to create data sets for their friends to calculate the averages.

Second graders used math along with crime scene investigation and looked at foot prints as evidence. They used their own shoe measurements to predict their height.  Did you know that the average foot length is about 15% of a person's height?   They then got to compare their actual height with that of their mathematical prediction.

 

We also threw in some brain stretchers and conquered the daily set puzzle!

Face Off!

This week our second graders faced off against our third graders in some review activities.  Points were awarded for winning challenges and it was a close match, but the team that came out on top was.... Third Grade!

The first challenge was a logic battle in a friendly game of Mastermind.  Student teams used clues to decode the other teams color pattern.  They really enjoy this game and can build skill at home using this website.

Next students put their close reading skills into action by finishing an article on DNA from last week. They created summaries and questions for the other team to answer.  Each correct response without consulting the text earned two points.  Each correct response found in the text earned one.  I was so impressed with their careful reading and recall!

Students also put in to action their questioning skills to guess the opposing team's mystery object in a 20 questions style game.

Second graders had some time to hone their Set skills and third grade spent their solo time reflecting on their accomplishments so far this year.

Parts of Thinking

Today students did part two of our Critical Thinking Series.  We discovered the 5 Standards of Critical Thinking (clear, relevant, fair, accurate, and logical) as well as the 8 parts of thinking ( Purpose, Question, Information, Concept, Assumption, Inference, Point of View, Implications and Conclusions).  We put these parts of thinking to the test discussing different scenarios where we have have problems with each of those parts of thinking.

Second graders looked at using forensic evidence and how to process a crime scene.  We also were fingerprinted and got to examine the prints.  Students determined whether they were a loop, a whirl, or an arch.

Third graders did some field study follow up mixed with math by looking at their footprints and using them to determine their height.  They checked their measurements to see the correlation.

We also played several brain games.  The favorite Set as well as Mastermind.

Finally we practiced our close reading skills to understand DNA and its use as evidence in court. Next week student teams will share their summaries and complete in a comprehension battle. 

CSI Field Study with the Richland County Sheriff's Department

We had a fantastic trip today!  Thank you to the sheriff's department and our wonderful chaperons! 

Waiting for the bus!

Students listened to a presentation by Investigator Bouknight and then rotated through three crime solving stations...

Footprints- Detective Carrie assisted each student in making a footwear print. Students made observations and learned about footprints as forensic evidence.  They learned several techniques for finding and lifting prints including using a gel lifter, electricity paired with mylar film, and dental stone for casting.  They also learned about using oblique lighting to find tracks and photographing prints as the most important form of documentation.

Tread comparisons.

Using static electricity to lift a shoe print.

Fingerprints- Students heard investigators talk about the three types of fingerprints and how even seemingly similar prints can reveal unique differences.  Students got to be fingerprinted themselves and examined their own print pattern.

Getting fingerprinted.

Mock Crime Scene- Students documented the scene by sketching the site and evidence.  They also learned to use magnetic powder to dust for prints.

Documenting the crime scene and dusting for prints.

ALERT 101

Today we added to our second grade numbers and were free of those pesky third graders. :) We spent the day talking about our goals as a class, what we do, and why we are here.  Students read the Gifted Child's Bill of Rights and looked at what being gifted means to them.  Take a look at this box office hit we made today.

We also did our morphic thinking daily routine, solved some deductive reasoning puzzles, and looked at using flexibility as a part of creative thinking by reading the book Round Trip.  We didn't forget about our CSI theme for the semester.  We did some casework by using close observation of fingerprints to solve a crime and learned and put into action some detective strategies for asking good questions.

It Beats Me: Heart Rate Data Project

     For our Morphic Thinking morning warm-up, students created similes about themselves when they do or do not use the Habit of Mind- Managing Impulsivity.  This was meant as a follow up to last week's lesson. They came up with some cute comparisons!

• When I do not manage my impulsivity, I am like bee because they never stop buuuuuzzzzzing.
• When I do manage my impulsivity, I am like a butterfly because I am nice and friendly.
• When I do not manage my impulsivity, I am like a hungry worlf because a hungry wolf goes crazy when he is hungry.

     Third graders were back to our data investigations this week.  Students are completing a real world project to show what they know about creating line plots and describing a data set in terms of median, mode, and range.  Students are working in partners to use the results to answer our question, "How fast does the heart of a third grader beat after exercise?"  Today we collected data by measuring our heart rates after two minutes of jumping jacks.  

Jumping Jacks!

     Second graders' solo time focus was on questioning and eye witness accounts.  Students participated in various activities geared toward understanding quality questions in interrogation, the often unreliable nature of eye witness testimony, and the power of close observation.

     Our Habit of Mind focus for today was Gathering Data through all Senses.  Students connected this to crime scene investigation by making observations of evidence.  They learned the terms quaLitative (describe with Language) and quaNtitative (measure with Numbers). They also watched this video and learned the definition of inference and how inferences help explain the observations that we make. 

Inference- an explanation of an observation based on prior knowledge.

An explanation of an

observation based on

prior

knowledge

    Our second Habit of Mind focus was on Metacognition.  We used the metaphor of the students having the power to "drive their brains"- put on the brakes to rethink and reflect, put on the gas to be proactive and take initiative in their learning, and in this reflection, make choices that put them on the road to success!  We also read the book The Three Questions and spent some time reflecting on our own learning for the day. For more on metacognition for children, check out this article.

Metagognition Article

      We also did some brain stretching plexers.  Try these for yourself!

CSI, The Brain, Critical Thinking, and Habits of Mind

    Today second graders had a crash course in our theme for the semester: Crime Scene Investigation!  We played the roles of handwriting analysts, forensic sketch artists, and looked closely for evidence on a ransom note left behind in our classroom!  For more crime fighting, your student can further explore these links to CSI activities and games.    

Forensics

Art of Crime Detection

Perp Walk

Face Memory

A perfect match by our sketch artist!

     We also looked at critical thinking and different types of thinkers. Ask you child about Naive Nancy, Selfish Sam, and Fair-minded Fran. Students should recognize quality thinking as accurate, fair, clear, relevant, and logical. Carrying on with the same theme, students learned about the connections they make in their brain when they learn and how to strengthen these pathways. This year we want to be very intentional about building a growth mindset in students. It will be our goal to emphasize the part of effort and perseverance in learning and intelligence as something that can be grown or grow stagnant. To evaluate our current perspective on intelligence, we took the mindset quiz at this link. Feel free to take it yourself! We want to turn "I can't do it!" into "I can't do it yet!"  

Showing how connections are made and strengthened in the brain!

     We also continued to look at the Habits of Mind and students played a matching game to become more familiar with them, did some brain stretching analogies, and enjoyed a friendly round of The Set Game!  Next week we will be a combined class and welcome our third graders to their new day of instruction.

The New Crew

     We are so happy for our second grade friends to join us!  We spent today learning the ropes and introducing some ALERT staples: Morphic Thinking, the Nerds, Habits of Mind, and Renzulli Learning.  We also were introduced to our year long theme of Systems.

Our new crew ready to stretch their minds and work out their brains!

     We kicked off our Morphic Thinking morning routine where students warm-up with a spontaneous problem and boundary breaker.  We will be including these weekly.

Spontaneous Problem: A spontaneous problem is a brainstorming type problem to be solved in a specific amount of time and scored according to the number and creativity of responses generated. The point is to challenge students to be flexible thinkers, to elaborate on original ideas and to think fluently and creatively about a specific topic.

Today's Spontaneous Problem: Name something hidden within something else.

Boundary Breaker:  A boundary breaker is a group experience which works toward creating a sense of community. Students gain an awareness of and respect for the opinion of others by the use of questions that go beyond superficial depth and have no right/wrong answers. Boundary Breakers also provoke a higher level of thought that merges cognitive and affective thinking.

Today's Boundary Breaker: What comes to mind when you think of ALERT?

     We explored our creative side by discussing and demonstrating the four keys to creative thinking. We began by taking a simple figure, looking at it from various perspectives (flexible thinking), brainstorming what it could become (fluency of ideas), choosing the idea like no one else's (originality), and filling in the details of our picture (elaboration)! Our lesson was themed around our mascots of creativity the NERDS candies. These creative pieces became the covers of our ALERT binders reminding us to "think outside the box"!

     A main focus for the day was looking into Art Costa's Habits of Mind.  We discussed these strategies of successful people and discussed ways we do and will use them this year inside and outside our classroom.

     Students completed their learner profiles on Renzulli Learning, an online program we use that differentiates activities based on student's strengths, styles, and interests.  They can log in and complete activities at home as well!

     We wrapped up with a look at systems.  Students learned the definition, the parts (boundary, input, output, elements, & interactions), and examples of systems around us. They had a nearly perfect team score in our systems Kahoot quiz!

Generalization for Systems:

• Systems have parts that work together to create a whole.
• Systems interact.
• Parts of systems are interdependent upon one another.
• A system may be influenced by another system.

     It was a great first day!  I am so excited to work with your student!