I'd like to show you some of the products of our work in CS First and "Gumball's Coding Adventure!" Click the green flag to start running each program.
I think we have some budding computer science enthusiasts on our hands!
30 December 2016
Computer Science at JWP (Part Two!)
This month, we have focused nearly all of our time on Computer Science. In the last post about Computer Science, I focused on what the younger students were working on, while mentioning what the older students were about to start.
I think we have some budding computer science enthusiasts on our hands!
I think we have some budding computer science enthusiasts on our hands!
09 December 2016
Morning Announcement Video Success!
Halfway through November, we ordered a green screen for the STEM Classroom.
We've been having a great time every morning making video announcements for the elementary students!
The students plan the script, find the backgrounds, and use an iPad app called Touchcast to record. Touchcast allows them to use a teleprompter to read their script while they are recording.
Any 6th grader is welcome to sign up for helping with the announcements on our Google Doc that's shared with everyone in the class. We meet at 8:00 every weekday but Tuesdays.
Check out our playlist of past videos here:
Can't wait to use our new green screen for announcements! Thanks for the help with set up, @JeremyErler #isd2835 pic.twitter.com/4QKGbX1kEe— JWP STEM Stars (@JWPSTEM) November 14, 2016
We've been having a great time every morning making video announcements for the elementary students!
The students plan the script, find the backgrounds, and use an iPad app called Touchcast to record. Touchcast allows them to use a teleprompter to read their script while they are recording.
Any 6th grader is welcome to sign up for helping with the announcements on our Google Doc that's shared with everyone in the class. We meet at 8:00 every weekday but Tuesdays.
Check out our playlist of past videos here:
30 November 2016
Computer Science for K-6 at JWP
Hello, Bulldog family!
We've had the immense privilege the past couple weeks to start diving in to Computer Science in our STEM time.
Younger students have been focusing on sequencing, algorithms, and short programs by utilizing the websites code.org and kodable.com. Both these sites have great tools for pre-readers and emerging readers. It's been amazing seeing the way that kids help each other, support each other, and have a growth mindset! Here's a great short video featuring a couple 1st graders in action!
The middle and upper elementary students used Lightbot and Code Combat to get a taste of coding, and now we're jumping in to the CS First lesson, Gumball's Coding Adventure, which uses a tool called Scratch. (Scratch is made by the great people at MIT.) When we're done with the step by step introduction to Scratch from the lesson, students will be given the opportunity to create their own programs! I'm looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out of it!
Computer Science in Education Week is coming up from December 5-11. I want to make sure that all the students here at JWP get a taste of what it's like so that they may be able to take up the opportunity to learn more if it interests them. Here's some Minnesota statistics from code.org:
We've had the immense privilege the past couple weeks to start diving in to Computer Science in our STEM time.
Younger students have been focusing on sequencing, algorithms, and short programs by utilizing the websites code.org and kodable.com. Both these sites have great tools for pre-readers and emerging readers. It's been amazing seeing the way that kids help each other, support each other, and have a growth mindset! Here's a great short video featuring a couple 1st graders in action!
— Rachel J. Pierson (@RPiersonEdu) November 22, 2016
The middle and upper elementary students used Lightbot and Code Combat to get a taste of coding, and now we're jumping in to the CS First lesson, Gumball's Coding Adventure, which uses a tool called Scratch. (Scratch is made by the great people at MIT.) When we're done with the step by step introduction to Scratch from the lesson, students will be given the opportunity to create their own programs! I'm looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out of it!
Computer Science in Education Week is coming up from December 5-11. I want to make sure that all the students here at JWP get a taste of what it's like so that they may be able to take up the opportunity to learn more if it interests them. Here's some Minnesota statistics from code.org:
Thanks for being a supporter of learning for your children! Ask them about the projects we're working on, and let them wow you!
Excellence without excuse!
Until next time!
Edit: Sorry for forgetting to tweet the link yesterday!
15 November 2016
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Good evening, JWP Families!
This week is Conferences week, and I wanted to make sure that you have lots of ways to get in touch with me if you would like to discuss your child's progress in STEM, or even just to get a good idea of what we do in STEM!
Below you'll find all sorts of ways to get in touch with me. Please contact me at any time!
School Phone: 507-231-7796
School Email: rpierson@isd2835.org (You may use Google Hangouts to text or call me here)
Web conferencing (no account needed): appear.in/rachelpierson
My planned hours for in-person conferences this week are from 4-5:30 on Tuesday, and 4:00 to 8:00 on Thursday. Stop in the STEM room, check out our new green screen, and we can have a conversation!
This week is Conferences week, and I wanted to make sure that you have lots of ways to get in touch with me if you would like to discuss your child's progress in STEM, or even just to get a good idea of what we do in STEM!
Below you'll find all sorts of ways to get in touch with me. Please contact me at any time!
School Phone: 507-231-7796
School Email: rpierson@isd2835.org (You may use Google Hangouts to text or call me here)
Web conferencing (no account needed): appear.in/rachelpierson
My planned hours for in-person conferences this week are from 4-5:30 on Tuesday, and 4:00 to 8:00 on Thursday. Stop in the STEM room, check out our new green screen, and we can have a conversation!
31 October 2016
End of First Quarter Fun!
Happy 31st Day of October! That means in less than 24 hours, October is over and we're already in to November. This Friday, November 4, is the end of the first quarter. I can't believe how quickly our first quarter went; everything is awesome--the students are all working hard to accomplish the tasks I set before them, and they are rising to the challenge!
For some fun today, we're going to be working in Google Drawings with "magnetic poetry." The words are easily dragged around the image, and kids can create their own holiday-themed poems! Here's my example:
For some fun today, we're going to be working in Google Drawings with "magnetic poetry." The words are easily dragged around the image, and kids can create their own holiday-themed poems! Here's my example:
As I mentioned above, the end of the quarter is Friday, so please go through Google Classroom with your children and make sure they have each assignment turned in. If all students have their work turned in by Thursday and Friday this week, we'll do a BreakoutEDU. What is Breakout, you may ask? It's inspired by "escape rooms," and give students chances to solve puzzle to unlock a box. Here's a video by the official Breakout people on what it's all about:
Hope we can get to that point by the end of the week!
As always, if there are any questions, clarifications, or things with which I can help you, do not hesitate to contact me!
Have a great week!
27 October 2016
Digital Citizenship Week
Happy October, friends and family of JWP STEM!
First, let me apologize for not updating the first post this month earlier - I got to spend some time learning with other people! Over MEA weekend, I got to spend two days up in the Twin Cities: one day at the Target Headquarters learning more about computer science education, and another day at a Math and Science EdCamp. Both situations really helped solidify that we are doing awesome things here at JWP. The weekend prior to that, I was again in the Twin Cities learning from the great educators at ITEM - Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota. While mostly geared toward librarians, there are a lot of great STEM items that were shared there. Again, it was good to realize that JWP is on the forefront of helping our students get the most opportunities for learning.
One of the ways that we have been learning this week is using a tool called Nearpod, which is a hyped-up way to present slides to students. Nearpod teamed up with Common Sense Media to create lessons about Digital Citizenship and online safety, and gave them away free to media specialists. (We love that word!) 4th through 6th graders worked through a Hyperdoc that had media resources on Oversharing, Strong Passwords, Cyberbullying, and thinking before they post on social media. The culminating project was a poster or digital item that helped people hear the message of positive digital behavior. There were lots of great submissions! Come through the hallway by the STEM room to see lots of them, or enjoy a snippet in the examples below.
Our younger students are working through a hyperdoc of their own teaching them to "Pause & Think" before they do anything online. The video and song also remind students to help others have a positive attitude, to stand up to cyberbullying, and to balance their time between online and offline activities. We then used a tool called Buncee to create graphics of some of our online safety rules. Enjoy a sample below! Click the arrows to look through a few slides.
First, let me apologize for not updating the first post this month earlier - I got to spend some time learning with other people! Over MEA weekend, I got to spend two days up in the Twin Cities: one day at the Target Headquarters learning more about computer science education, and another day at a Math and Science EdCamp. Both situations really helped solidify that we are doing awesome things here at JWP. The weekend prior to that, I was again in the Twin Cities learning from the great educators at ITEM - Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota. While mostly geared toward librarians, there are a lot of great STEM items that were shared there. Again, it was good to realize that JWP is on the forefront of helping our students get the most opportunities for learning.
One of the ways that we have been learning this week is using a tool called Nearpod, which is a hyped-up way to present slides to students. Nearpod teamed up with Common Sense Media to create lessons about Digital Citizenship and online safety, and gave them away free to media specialists. (We love that word!) 4th through 6th graders worked through a Hyperdoc that had media resources on Oversharing, Strong Passwords, Cyberbullying, and thinking before they post on social media. The culminating project was a poster or digital item that helped people hear the message of positive digital behavior. There were lots of great submissions! Come through the hallway by the STEM room to see lots of them, or enjoy a snippet in the examples below.
Our younger students are working through a hyperdoc of their own teaching them to "Pause & Think" before they do anything online. The video and song also remind students to help others have a positive attitude, to stand up to cyberbullying, and to balance their time between online and offline activities. We then used a tool called Buncee to create graphics of some of our online safety rules. Enjoy a sample below! Click the arrows to look through a few slides.
28 September 2016
International Day of Peace - 6th Grade Live Stream
Last week, Ms. Conlon's 6th grade class had the opportunity to participate in Pass the Scope Edu for the International Day of Peace. We used an iOS app called Periscope (from Mrs. Pierson's account) to broadcast live video from our classroom.
Some reasons to do a live stream:
Our topic we discussed related to the International Day of Peace was the Sustainable Development Goals. These seventeen goals were adopted by world leaders in September 2015. They would like to accomplish these goals by 2030, giving us a goal time of 15 years. For more on the Goals, click the link above, or watch the Flocabulary video below.
Our students did a great job of talking about some of the goals set for us! Watch the video here: https://www.periscope.tv/w/ar2SeTYzNzIxNzB8MXlOR2FucG5xcFZKahA3a6wlxSocccg_WpEazkdsiiBwJTbV8NEBuAGm9cm4
Some reasons to do a live stream:
- Connecting with other classrooms around the world
- Helping us to realize our actions have influence on others in the world
- Exposure to thoughts and ideas that may enhance, challenge, or expand our thinking.
Our topic we discussed related to the International Day of Peace was the Sustainable Development Goals. These seventeen goals were adopted by world leaders in September 2015. They would like to accomplish these goals by 2030, giving us a goal time of 15 years. For more on the Goals, click the link above, or watch the Flocabulary video below.
Our students did a great job of talking about some of the goals set for us! Watch the video here: https://www.periscope.tv/w/ar2SeTYzNzIxNzB8MXlOR2FucG5xcFZKahA3a6wlxSocccg_WpEazkdsiiBwJTbV8NEBuAGm9cm4
06 September 2016
Welcome Back 2016-17
Summer vacation is now over, and the kids are now back in school!
I'm so happy to welcome everyone back to STEM class this year. We have another great year of learning ahead of us, including projects with:
- Google Apps for Education
- Digital Citizenship
- Computer Science/Coding
- 3D Design/Printing
- Green Screen Video
- STEM/Science Fair
- and more!
If you'd like to receive updates on assignments or late work from Google Classroom, please make sure your parent contact is updated with a Google-account linked email via the Infinite Campus system. You'll find a link to do that on the JWP home page, which is linked in the right sidebar.
As always, if you have questions, comments, opportunities for the students to learn something, or if you just want to chat, please stop in, call or text. You may also choose to join our STEM Class Announcements via the Remind app or website. You'll find that link in the sidebar as well.
Other ways to contact me:
School Phone: 231-7796
Google Voice: 246-6862
Twitter: @jwpstem
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