The Big Finale!

We celebrated our last day together with some fun culminating activities.  Students competed in a QuizetLive review game to earn first pick at supplies for the edible car challenge.  We then had fun racing our cucumbermobiles and rice crispy cruisers.

We also spent some time looking at the Chinese expanded form number system which helped us fill in the missing pieces we needed to finally unravel the mystery of the Moli Stone!  Next we started developing our own number system based on elements of those we haves studied this year.  Students shared their ideas and let their friends attempt to decode their own personal "Moli Stones".

We also squeezed in a game of Blokus which has been a fan favorite all year!

I will certainly miss this wonderful group!  I am so proud of all they have accomplished, their love of learning, and the community they have built with each other.

Kinetic Contraptions

Spontaneous Problem: Name things that cause motion.
Boundary Breaker: Explain this quote: "A design isn't finished until somebody is using it." -Brenda Laurel

Math was a big focus for today as we considered the number system of Ancient Egypt and their use of hieroglyphics. Students did some decoding, adding, and subtracting with the symbols and made comparisons between that system and ours.  They discovered that without place value, it is a lot more work to write most Egyptian numbers than our own.

We also revisited our design work from our short time together last week, and used new materials to create a free rolling cart.  Students got to test their work in a downhill race and brainstorm solutions to any difficulties their carts encountered.   We then read 'What Makes Things Move?" and groups were able to begin adding a self-propelled feature!

 

Our Habit of Mind focus today was on Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations.  Students read the poem, "Too Long at the Park" and used it to make their own poems showing connection to circumstances where they have discovered lessons they could apply to future experiences.