Friday, November 17, 2017

COUGAR CUB INVENTOR’S WORKSHOP @darcierankin @resvt #Makerspace #Create

Hello!  The annual Cougar Cub Inventor's Workshop is coming up soon!  On Thursday November 30th the RES community is invited to come and create with us! We have many outside community volunteers that are going to make the evening special---and I hope many of you will also be able to join us (either as volunteers or just to make and create alongside students).  Please check out the information below, and let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks Darcie
1.  If you are interested in volunteering at a station, you can sign up here:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084fabad292-rescougar5
2.  I am seeking two baby plastic wading pools if you have one you could loan us for the night, please let me know!

3.  If you have a class newsletters, please consider adding the dates and times of the event.  If you have class blogs, please consider adding the below detailed information.  Please consider announcing and encouraging families and students to attend!

Richmond Elementary School , in conjunction with
the Society of Women Engineers, ECHO Science Museum, Radiate Art Space and  MMUSD Educators is proud to present the third annual:
COUGAR CUB INVENTOR’S WORKSHOP
Thursday November 30th, 2017
5:30 – 7:30pm
RES Gym, Library and Art Room
Cost: 2$ per project (to cover cost of disposable resources, scholarships available)

What is an Inventor’s Workshop?
This workshop is a family-friendly event to MAKE, create, learn, invent, craft, recycle, think, play and be inspired by celebrating arts, crafts, engineering, science and technology.  Students will work with their families to create!  Activities will be facilitated by engineers and teachers, but tasks will be open ended and creative.  Families will have an opportunity to learn together as they experience the fun of making / building / constructing / designing and more! A variety of activities will be available to challenge students from Grades K – 8.

Activities planned for our workshop include:
Cardboard Challenge:  Create with cardboard! The possibilities are endless!
Making a keyboard with bananas!  MaKey MaKey Boards are electronic devices that convert many regular objects into keys on your computer to control programs like Scratch or videos games.  Objects that are conductive, even slightly, like fruit or people, can be used with the MaKey. 
*New this year*Build and Launch a Rocket!  Using makerspaces materials we will build rockets that reach for the stars as they travel several stories into the night sky.
Creating lighted artwork with throwies!  LED Throwies are LEDs connected to coin batteries to create artwork with light.  They can be added to greeting cards or origami, or used to create nightlights or glowing badges. We will have a station to add LEDs to our rockets
Creating interactive circuits with littleBits!  littleBits are electronic modules that snap together with magnets to make circuits.  Each bit has a specific function (light, sound, sensors, buttons, motors, etc), and modules snap together to make larger circuits. We will have a teacher on hand to use synthesizer Little Bits to create awesome sounds.
Checking out a 3D printer in action!  CHMS and RES students have been using a 3D printer during technology/enrichment classes. Come and watch a 3D printer in action and explore the Tinkercad software we use to make our designs.
Creating abstract art with a digital microscope!  DinoXcope Art is artwork created using a digital microscope to photograph intentional arrangements of materials.  
Programming interactive games with Scratch!  Scratch is a visual programming language.  Use colorful interlocking building blocks of code like legos to build interactive games and programs.
Green Screen! Green screen technology is used to create background scenes for pictures in films and photographs.  Come and create your own awesome photo.
JitterBots!  Back due to popularity, you can create your very own jittery robot!

      SNAP Circuits, Art Creation with Radiate Art Space, ECHO Engineering Challenge, Keva Planks, Robots…and more!!!!
Please contact Darcie Rankin, RES Enrichment Teacher at darcie.rankin@cesuvt.org with questions.
We hope to see you there!

Meeting Our Preschool Buddies! @resvt #Community #Grateful #PreschoolBuddies

We are so thankful that our community grew just a little bit bigger today!  The feeling of magic in the room was amazing!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Link to Video: https://sharalike.com/s/qTJD

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Bus Stop: Building Community & Self Confidence Through Improv @BenWhiteEdu @resvt

We had an awesome time getting to know one another on a whole new level for Fabulously Fun Friday!  It is always so exciting to watch students get out of their comfort zones and just have fun!  We were so grateful that Mr. White decided to join us!

Friday, November 10, 2017

Traveling to Mexico: Have You Ever Tasted A Grasshopper? @resvt #DifferentCultures #Mexico

Wow!  One of our students recently traveled to the place she was born, Oaxaca, Mexico.  To share her incredible experience with us, she and her parents put together a slideshow.  Her presentation was amazing and truly captivating!  She showed us artifacts from Mexico and even let us try some chocolate and grasshopper, a couple of her favorite treats from her trip!  Have you ever eaten an insect before?  It's a pretty great experience!

You can check out her presentation here:


Below is a slideshow of our experience:

Link to Slideshow: https://sharalike.com/s/qTfc

Mindfulness Through Music @resvt @RachelPlatten #Mindfulness

When I was getting ready for work, Rachel Platten's song "Better Place" began to play.  I thought of my students as I listened to the words.  For mindfulness, we closed our eyes and breathed together as we took in her words and made them our own.
Students really connected with the song and asked me to share it with all of you.  Enjoy!



Link to video: https://youtu.be/pvI9PuGorwI

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Being Kind: A Discussion @resvt #Bullying #StandUpForOthers #KindnessMatters

Today we watched this video.  Through writing, we reflected and answered the question, "What does it really mean to be kind?"  Students then shared their thinking and personal experiences in a class discussion. 
It's important to remember that it sometimes takes courage to be kind.  As a society, we need to be kind and stand up for one another.

(When watching the video with kids, stop the video at 1:30 and replay at 1:34 to the end.)



Link to video:  https://youtu.be/mnKPEsbTo9s

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Feeling Inspired and Thinking of Others @resvy @sharonmdraper ‏ #ActsOfKindness #OutOfMyMind

As we read aloud and discuss Out Of My Mind, we think deeply about the main character Melody.  One student decided to capture how she felt Melody sees colors, by making each of us a small symbolic gift, connecting us even more to Melody and the story!  I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such thoughtful and creative students!  I get to witness acts of kindness like this, big and small, each and every day!