Roller Coasters in the Media Center!

How do you keep 6th graders engaged, collaborative, and problem solving?  Try a Kinex Roller Coaster kit!  What started out as hundreds of pieces and little sense of direction, has turned into a 3 foot tall working roller coaster built by a group of 6th graders during WOW.  Sue Kraus brought the Kinex in and the group of students got to work.  What do you do if you are missing a piece?  Problem solve and discuss where you can exchange another to make it work.  What happens when the car doesn't make it all the way around?  Look at the design as engineers and together come up with a plan to make it work!  Great extension activity in the Media Center at Oak Ridge!

 

You should try Mystery Skype!

Microsoft Education and Skype in the classroom provide some pretty amazing opportunities for you and your students! I was able to try out the Mystery Skype and it was a huge success!

Mrs. Glew and I worked together to set it up.  I coordinated with the Skype and she prepared her students by practicing using the atlas and how to ask yes or no questions to narrow down locations across the world. 

 

I was able to connect us with a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park! 

 

Once they guessed the correct location, he did an awesome short presentation on the geysers, the animals, etc.  I even learned some new things!  The kids were completely engaged!

 

He showed us antlers and horns too!  Then the students were able to ask him questions like "What would happen if the Super Volcano erupted?" "Is it dangerous for people to visit there"? I loved all the thinking and learning that happened and can't wait to do it again!