It’s that time of year again: time to do the awesomely awesome Omega PIP presentations!
Each student in the Omega classroom did a research project on something that was of interest to them – hence the name, Personal Interest Project, or PIP.
And what a variety of interests, indeed! Projects included research on magic, dreaming, dungeons and dragons, forensics, mythology, Dr. Who, historical impact of pottery, the Northern Lights, the Clash, the Bermuda Triangle, the Irish Independence Wars and more. Since each student had to present his or her research, you can imagine the varied and wonderful learning that was going on!
Students had three rubrics for which they needed to fulfill requirements: the paper portion, the presentation portion and the PowerPoint portion.
The paper portion of the presentation had nine main categories in the rubric, each with a list of requirements. These included organization, amount and quality of information, paragraph construction, conventions (i.e. spelling errors), sources, no plagiarism, works cited, title page, and inclusion of rough drafts. This portion of the project was worth up to 200 points.
The second part of the project, of course, was the presentation portion. Omega teachers evaluated the kiddos on their verbal presentational ability, creativity, relevant questions for students to ask and how well students listened to the presentation.
Still, the PowerPoint presentation was another integral part of the project. They requirements fell into 7 categories in which students needed to create professional-looking slideshows that enhanced their presentations. Many students chose to work with a new and exciting web-based application: Prezi.
During the presentations, each student created an activity for the rest of the class to try. Everything from Jeopardy-like games to relay races of sorts, these allowed students to demonstrate their understanding of whatever topic was presented.
You wouldn’t believe how each and every student came through and not only completed the requirements, but really sparkled and radiated their interests through their presentations.
One student, Alex, let us film a part of his presentation on fishing. He was clear, and thoroughly understood the complexities behind why people are overfishing, but also conveyed what we all can do to curb this global problem:
These students are rock stars! They’re already talking about doing their own version of TED Talks for their PIPs for next year!
Just before our winter break, the third grade class completed a unit on how things work. They investigated what might make a machine do what it does.
At the end of their unit, they invited the whole school to watch as different groups of students made their wonderful contraptions come to life.
Citizen Scientists
Take a look at the video to see what the students made – in action!
This activity was inspired by Rube Goldberg machines. To take it a step further, the third graders used this as inspiration for several centering lessons on chain reactions in their emotional and social lives.
When the kids were working collaboratively, they had to use these things to receive full credit:
At least three simple machines
At least five exchanges of force
Examples of friction
Examples of gravity
And, of course, teamwork.
This presentation of their machines was the culmination of the entire unit. Students did several experiments based on the scientific method that helped them build upon their prior knowledge for this activity.
It’s pretty amazing how just a little rolling ball can have such a powerful impact on integrated systems.
Of course, this unit blends in so well with our theme of systems thinking this year.
The third grade class just completed a unit on the Legend of Chocolate in Spanish. Their Spanish teacher, Cynthia, worked with West, their third grade teacher, to create a unit that would complement what the students were learning in their main classroom.
Students studied about how things work – machines, phones, etc. – in their main classroom lessons and in Spanish class, students learned about where chocolate came from.
At the end of the unit, third graders got a chance to see how chocolate is made, and how the machines work to make all that chocolate.
In their Spanish unit, students learned many new vocabulary words such as food (comida), drink (bebida), the Toltecs (los Toltecas), as well as many more vocabulary words.
They learned abut Quetzalcoatl, the god of Light and Tezcatlipoca, the god of darkness. Quetzalcoatl was the god to bring the food of the gods – chocolate – to the people, especially when they were so hungry. He taught them to farm, and how to turn cacao into a chocolate drink fit for the gods!
Third graders at the French Broad Chocolate Tasting Room
From there, they learned the mythical story about where chocolate originated. They learned the story in Spanish and even learned to recite it.
At the end of the unit, they took a field trip to the French Broad Chocolate Factory and had a tour of the Tasting Room. They listened to Evan, a Chocolatier, talk about cacao, where it comes from, how the Chocolatiers turn the cacao beans into chocolate and how they try to be as sustainable as possible in the process.
The crew at the French Broad Chocolate Factory led everyone into their “back rooms” where students could see all the machines at work. From rinsing, to sifting the cacao beans, to grinding them down into chocolate, they were able to see the entire process from start to finish.
Students sampled chocolate – the dark, unsweet kind directly derived from cacao – from different regions and it has a different taste from different regions!
Learning about chocolate and cacao
At the end of the presentation, the third graders performed the skit of the Legend of Chocolate in Spanish for the French Broad Chocolate Lounge Staff.
Did you know that the French Broad Chocolate Factory uses solar power to heat all its water? And that they make every attempt to source all their ingredients locally?
They also deal only with farms that use fair trade in their practices. In fact, the owners and employees make trips to cacao farms in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Peru and help harvest the cacao by hand.
They have developed mutually beneficial relationships with farmers in those countries.
Watching the grinding machine take off the outer shell of cacao.
Rainbow would like to extend a special thank you to the Chocolatiers – especially Evan – for a wonderful lesson on chocolate, sustainability, how things work, and the idea of being as responsible to the planet and to each other as possible!
On Thursday, October 20th, the Omega class had a Lock-In at Rainbow – but this event might be better-called a Lock-Out because the event was in honor of their current unit.
One Omega teacher, Jason, helped students discover constellations, planets, and other mysteries in the sky. Students began the unit that began at the end of October.
Constellations are so fun because students have to use their imaginations to compose their shapes in the night sky and use the stars as guiding points.
The Omega classroom became its own spaceship to travel to far away places in the starry night sky.
Stardate 20.11.14
Students arrived back in their classroom – after a full day at school – at 6:30 pm to set up their sleeping space prior to the evening of Myth, Stars and Mystery.
Before the night sky was all aglow, the students settled in to watch a modern day myth: Star Wars. Students transported themselves to a galaxy far, far away to understand how to use the Force for good.
This movie would illuminate the elements of a hero’s journey and myth, as well. Students explored this concept in an English extension of their astronomy unit.
At light speed, students propelled into a world of myth and legend, learning about the stars and constellations.
During the film, students worked to create gifts for the younger grades that would remind all the Rainbow students of the stories in the night skies.
Fun Fact: Did you know that for more than 5,000 years, humans have looked into the night sky and saw the same configuration of stars that they do today?
Another Fun Fact: Humans can only see 5,780 stars in the night sky with the naked eye. There are millions and millions more they cannot see.
Once the movie ended, the students reflected on the connections to the unit of study prior to layering up for an outdoor exploration of the winter sky.
After the students had the opportunity to look thousands of years into the past (this is exactly what happens when you look at the stars), they migrated back into their classroom.
They took some time to reflect about their experiences and their learning prior to dozing off and dreaming the myths and legends of the nigh sky. In the photo above, one student read to another before lights “out.”
The group gathered for a community breakfast in the morning, discussed different cultural myths connected to the zodiac, and prepared for a normal school day on Friday – a great send-off before heading off for break.
If you were on Rainbow’s campus today, you might have been spooked.
Ghosts and goblins roamed the forest, flanked by aliens, tigers, bears, wizards and other magical creatures for the most frightful day of the year: HALLOWEEN!
First, Kindergarten sang some ghostly songs. Preschool chimed in, too.
Then each grade paraded around, valiantly confronting whatever bear, cupid, witch or robot they encountered along the way…
Then students departed the meeting grounds in search of spooky treats in not-so-scary places!
We are thrilled to have our K-8 families back on campus!
Tomorrow, our Pre-K families return to campus.
What a glorious first day it has been!
Making Friends
Returning and new students were glad to see each other. Some had met only days before at their class pot luck, and others have known each other for years. We know one thing is for sure: all our students and families have become part of the Rainbow family.
The First Day…
Students in all grades showed how much they remembered in classroom activities in every grade. Some completed forms that were about what they did over the summer.
Others created artwork, joined a Centering Circle, and others engaged in Imaginative Play.
Some classes took tours of the campus to familiarize themselves with some of the new changes – such as our expanded campus.
We had lots of wonderful photo ops for the first day, coffee for parents. The energy on campus was just glorious.
Take a look at our 2014 First Day photo gallery – you can click on each image to see a bigger version.
