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!

 

Teamwork, Giving, 7th Graders, Baby Blankets????

How do you make it a warm holiday for newborns in the Cedar Rapids area when they need to spend some extra time in the hospital?  Of course, a warm fleece tie blanket made by 7th graders at Excelsior!  Teamwork at its' finest, the floors of the 7th Grade hallway at Excelsior were covered with fleece, scissors, and students who have all come together in their OCM classes to make blankets for newborns in our local hospitals.  It is hard enough to be a new parent, but having to spend extra time in the hospital with your new little one is stressful and exhausting.  The students and teachers have found a way to ease this with the blankets.  Students donated all the materials and have spent the last 2 weeks assembling the blankets.  This is the 3rd year for Excelsior donating blankets for the holidays and with this teamwork, I imagine many more!  Great Job!