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Please use our website as a resource to keep up with current legislation, our local program and plan, resources,
and most importantly - what our AIG students are up to! Enjoy!
and most importantly - what our AIG students are up to! Enjoy!
Elementary: The pAssion Project
CMS: TAKE-HOME STEM KITSDuring February and March, our CMS AIG students are getting special shipments - weekly take-home STEM challenges! Each weekly kit includes instructions and materials to explore STEM in a new and fresh way. We may or may not be making salt crystals, catapults, pasta towers - who knows? The only way to find out for sure is to visit your AIG Google Classroom and sign up using the form provided! Our students will complete these tasks independently but will also receive enough materials to complete the activity AGAIN during our weekly Zoom. With parental permission, our kids are encouraged to record each challenge on social media using the unique hashtags found in their kits. We also have our own Instagram account - follow us at @gates_aig (again, with parental permission)! This is going to be FUN!
Hey elementary kids - you'll be doing this after spring break!GCHS: AIG Book Club
CMS KIDS: Are you ready for another book club? (Hint Hint!)
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What we have here folks are two girl who LOVE to make an impact! Avery and Katelyn, both students at CMS, decided to design and sell Pura Vida bracelets for profit. They, in turn, will donate all of their proceeds to Relay for Life. These girls designed their bracelets, set a price so that there would be a profit, created a Google Order Form, publicized through word of mouth and social media, and MORE! Not only did they meet their goal of selling 50 bracelets (they sold 57), they took a chance and plan to sell an additional 43 - totaling 100 bracelets! Check out all of their great info below!
TED Talk
CONGRATULATIONS AVERY AND KATELYN! You used this project as an opportunity to make an impact - that makes you both superstars! Be sure to leave these girls some love in the comments!
Welcome back to our Passion Project Spotlights! We are starting with Benjamin, who created the "Porch Side Podcast." Benjamin's initial goal was to host a live talk show, hoping to reach over 20 viewers in a live session. As many of our Passion Projects go (and what is so beautiful about this journey), Benjamin had to evolve his goal as he worked. The end result was two very entertaining and enlightening video podcasts with CMS employees!
Benjamin definitely has a talent for speaking of the cuff and has that special "thing" that makes him a great podcast host. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. Never quit, Bemjamin! Check him out! *A special THANK YOU to Mrs. Manglona and Mrs. Harders for taking the time to interview! TED TALKMotivation - Podcast with Mrs. Manglona (part 1)MOTIVATION - PODCAST WITH MRS. MANGLONA (PART 2)"Space" [and more] - PODCAST WITH MRS. Harders (Part 1)"SPACE" [AND MORE] - PODCAST WITH MRS. HARDERS (PART 2)
CONGRATULATIONS BENJAMIN! You have certainly found a talent (and hopefully a market) for a kid-based podcast! Be sure to leave Benjamin some love in the comments!
Next up in our Passion Project Spotlights, we have Colton, a sixth grade and aspiring soccer player. Colton hasn't been content with his soccer skills in the past so guess what he did - used the Passion Project as an opportunity to improve! Intially, here were Colton's goals: Goal 1: Chipping the ball Goal 2: Curving the ball Goal 3: Blocking the ball Goal 4: Kicking the ball really far After an unexpected injury, he had to switch his plan up some. He decided if he couldn't get out there and physically play, he would start researching. His check-ins (meant to be very simple) started to look like this: 1. Where was your learning at the start of this week before you did anything? I didn't know very many good strategies for soccer. 2. Where is your learning at now? I know if I'm playing soccer I can see how the other team will play and tell my team what to do. 3. What activities did you do to move towards your goal? Reading about soccer strategies.
CONGRATULATIONS COLTON! When your project didn't work out as planned, you persevered and still came out on top! Be sure to leave Colton some love in the comments!
Our next Passion Project Spotlights features Caleb D., an eighth grader who wanted to cook an amazing meal for his family. Inspired by Gordon Ramsay, Caleb decided to tackle Beef Wellington, a delicious, multi-step recipe.
This project was so much more than just a one-time cooking event! Over the course of the six weeks, Caleb researched to find the exact recipe he wanted to use, priced his ingredients at various stores for the best deal, and watched videos of techniques he would need. After he prepared the meal, his family critiqued his cooking. Be sure to check Caleb's photos below. To get the FULL EXPERIENCE, listen to his TED Talk presentation to hear him explain the steps photo-by-photo! Watching a "how-to" videoStep-by-step photos
TED TALK PRESENTATION
CONGRATULATIONS CALEB! You did an awesome job of documenting your cooking adventure!
Be sure to leave Caleb some love in the comments!
slideshowted talk
CONGRATULATIONS COURTNEY! Your food looks delicious, your blog is well-documented, and your TED Talk and slide show were fantastic! Be sure to leave Courtney some love in the comments!
THE BACKGROUND INFO - DID YOU KNOW...In the 1950s, the 3M Company started a "15% Project," which allowed employees to peruse an idea that interested them and would benefit the company. Out of this 15% time came Post-it Notes, masking tape, and more. Building on 3M’s idea, Google began a "20% Project" initiative which gave their employees one work day a week to spend on a pet project that they would not normally work on the other four days. Because of this program, almost 50% of Google’s products come out of the 20% time, including Gmail, AdSense, and Google News. WHAT ARE OUR KIDS PASSIONATE ABOUT?Why not let our students in on this opportunity? This idea of pursuing a Passion Project is spilling over classrooms everywhere. Teachers are allowing students to do something that really interests them that they wouldn’t normally be able to do at school. Our CMS AIG students have been exploring their passions through an independent study of their choice. With an end goal in mind, they have practiced skills such as time-management, integration of technology, creativity, and public speaking. They have been self-motivating, Zooming, and checking in every week using Google Classroom. THE Timeline: A BRIEF RUNDOWNWeek 1: Introduction and Topic Selection Weeks 2-4: Steady work and Check-In #1, 2, and 3 Week 5: Draft Talk development, Check-In #4 Week 6: Final Check-In and TED Talk Presentations (We made it, guys!) THE Ted talksThe students you will soon see spotlighted researched, plan, and put in time and effort over the past six weeks to complete a Passion Project of their own. Now only are we still navigating uncharted waters during a time full of new things, THESE PROJECTS WERE NOT GRADED. The reward from the hard work was the fruit of a new skill, new knowledge, or self-exploration. I am so proud of these students. Be sure to check-in for new spotlights and follow their journeys!
Elementary Book CLubs Come to a Close
"I'm not the type of person to read for fun, but I would read more of his books!" -Makaylin H. (Lemoncello Book Club)
World's Greatest Toy
In our latest installment of problem based learning, the elementary AIG students were asked to PICTURE THIS: You are a toy designer hoping to launch the next great toy that will be popular for years to come. You and your design team must come up with an overall description of the "perfect toy," including its features and details. How do you come up with the “perfect toy” and why will today's children be drawn to it?
They were given a few resources to check out before starting: A list of “Hot Toys of the Past,” “The History of Toys" infographic, and an article titled "The Future of Toys.” As always, they were provided with an optional thought-gathering sheet. Our kids were asked to present their new toy to representatives of a toy company (their fellow students) and explain why it will be successful with today’s children.
Here are a few more of our awesome toy ideas!
BONUS Material: Classic Toy Hall of Fame!
Our elementary students have been knee-deep in PBL (Problem Based Learning) the past few weeks. They have pitched ideas for a fresh new "app," created time capsules, designed a comic book characters, and now they are publicizing the "next great stunt" and recruiting a team for a mission to Mars. Would you attend either of these events? While they're at it - they've also created a new Thanksgiving mascot!
The next great stunt
Our kids were given the following scenario: You are a stunt-person preparing for the next great daredevil trick. What should this trick be and what needs to be considered as you prepare for it? Design an advertisement promoting the "Next Big Stunt"!
Like always, the students were given three or four pieces of information to review (infographics, articles, videos) and they got to work! It was recommended that their advertisements convincing, informative, and reassuring (that everything will be under control and safe!). Other considerations included safety factors, location, time, equipment, etc. and the cause behind it (charity, raise awareness, set a world record, just be truly outrageous). Check out some of our student products!
mission to mars
Next, our elementary kids were asked to picture this: NASA hopes to launch manned-missions to Mars in the next few decades and YOU are on the Recruitment Team! Your goal is to recruit volunteers to go on a Mission to Mars. Here's the catch: the trip is very risky, the living conditions will be difficult (compared to Earth), and there is NO return trip. Do you think you would be successful?
Create a new Thanksgiving mascot!
Hello! There will be a Zoom Meet and Greet/STEM presentation this afternoon with Dr. S. Day, the first woman to earn her PhD in Computer Science from NCA&T. Please take a moment to check out the flyer and letter below. This is a fantastic independent STEM learning opportunity for our middle and high school students to consider - reach out to anyone you know who may be interested! The event will take place from 3:00-4:00 pm today, November 17, 2020. The Zoom information is as follows: Topic: Developing Your Very Own Algorithm for Success Time: Nov 17, 2020 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting: https://ncculaw.zoom.us/j/92214774570 Meeting ID: 922 1477 4570 If you attend, please let me know! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!  |
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