Genius Maker Hour Time Snapshots

Genius Hour is still going strong!  After observing our kiddos at work, we've decided to expand the definition of work time on Thursday afternoons to "Genius Maker Hour Time" <-- a combination of "Genius Hour" and "Maker Time".  We're certain there is a more clever title, but the children think its hilarious when we say "Genius Hour Maker Time" (a hint on pronunciation, the faster you say it, the better it sounds!)

 

Enjoy these snapshots from our first "Genius Hour Maker Time"!

Special Guest Blogger: Genius Hour Edition

My blog is about Pandas.  I will tell you a lot about pandas I mean a lot.  My panda telling is about to
start in 10......9.....8.....7....6.....5.....4......3.....2......1.......START!
 Did you now that pandas are solitary animal's which means they live on
their own. Pandas are relatives' to the red pandas. Did you know that the word panda means "bamboo
eater". Pandas are black and white. Pandas live high in the mountain's of China. In the winter pandas go
to the bottom because its warmer. Did you now that there only 1,600 pandas left. Giant pandas are mammal's. Just a fact about me I love love love love love  pandas. Well, I think I am done!

  the end 

October Highlights - -

October has been a very exciting month!  So far we've:

 explored optical illusions,

listened to silly stories about math,

worked on our first round of the "Pringles Challenge" with Crozet EDEP,

practiced our communication skills with the book Zoom,

created works of art using positive and negative space,

and enjoyed the beautiful fall weather OUTSIDE!

 

We were also lucky enough to have 2 special visitors this month!  A special thanks to the Ivy Fire Department and Mr. Adam House, roller coaster engineer from Great Coasters Inc.!

 

Discovering what is hidden inside the panels of the fire truck



Using Skype to ask all of our roller coaster questions 

We're looking forward to our "Mad Genius" party this Thursday - here's a sneak peak of our décor...

 

 

Genius Hour Project - DONE!

 

Genius Hour snapshots 10/03

Lending out a bit of genius for the day

Working on a home-made bowling game

Researching stars - perhaps not interested in being interrupted!

Go-kart building

An extendable reach - for those days when "you don't feel like getting off the couch!"

LEGO house with working lights!

Brainstorming project ideas

Working with Mrs. Cooke to create a satchel for Rainbow Loom pieces!

Genius Hour snapshots 9/26

Working on blog - stay tuned as we feature her hard work as a "Special Guest Blogger" on this blog!

Need some help during Genius Hour?  Why not "borrow" a Genius for the day - they can help you on your project, or assist in project brainstorming!

Working hard on a Pokémon diorama

Close-up on a hand-crafted Pokémon

Zoob Skeleton

 

Finally figured out how to create a working joint!

Let's go fly a kite

Our budding director - planning to film a mini-documentary about EDEP

Fashioning her own ninja costume!  The cape is hanging in the EDEP office for safe keeping until the next Genius Hour!

Yellow LEGOs from Red Hill still getting a bit of use - this time for a Pikachu model complete with tail and rosy cheeks!

Genius Hour snapshots 9/19

Working on a blog about pandas

Researching and collaborating to discover where Pokémon began and to design their own Pokémon cards

Combining two things she loves (1) art (2) Dad - - creating a giant piece of original artwork for Dad

Tu-tu created from Zoobs - he even gave us a twirl

Pentominoes

Pentominoes come from the fictional story of William the Conqueror and the dauphin of France who were playing chess...The story tells the tale that the dauphin threw the chessboard at this opponent in a fit of frustration and how the son of William the Conqueror responded by breaking the chessboard over the dauphin's head - - breaking it into thirteen pieces, twelve pentominoes and one square!

 

We used the pentominoes to try to create one large rectangle using ALL of the pieces (no throwing, or breaking over heads!)

 

 

1st Genius Hour Project - COMPLETE!

Task: To create a "giant" banana out of LEGOs

Challenges: Not enough yellow LEGOs at Meriwether - a generous thank you to Red Hill EDEP (and our former teacher Ms. "B" for sending an ice cream container full of them!)

Presented to fellow students on 9/12 - students also watched entries from his video journal (on the iPad)

New Staff Spotlight

Laura Elzey - 4/5 Teacher

 

      This is my third year at Meriwether and second year with EDEP, I am very happy to be at Meriwether both in the morning and afternoon this year! I am somewhat of a Charlottesville native; I've lived here for about ten years off and on, but my heart remains in my "hometown" on the Easter Shore of Maryland. Keep Calm and Crab On!  When I'm not at Meriwether, I enjoy adventuring around with my 4 almost 14 year old daughter, and anything that has to do with the sun and sand. I graduated from Old Dominion University, GO MONARCHS! This year I am hoping to finally make it to one of our football games. I love crafts, antiques, photography, reading (newbie book worm), movies, music, baseball (GO Orioles!) and of course Pinterest. I am excited to explore Maniac Math Mondays, Tech Tuesdays, "Real World"  Wednesdays, TLC Thursdays, and Fun Fridays this year with your children at EDEP!

Things are looking a bit different at EDEP this year...

MANIAC MATHEMATICIANS (MONDAYS)

mathematics based games, puzzles, problem solving, LEGOS, Minecraft, drawing to scale, building challenges, SPORTS, cooking projects, number recognition, reflex math

 

 

TECH-KNOW (TUESDAYS)

Past, Present, and the Future of Technology, Digital Citizenship, Inventors and Inventions, Scratch, Minecraft, FreeRice, Digital Literacy and Responsibility

 

 

“WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD” (WEDNESDAYS)

Exploring career interests, manners, life-long learning, community service, practical skill-building, world cultures and communities

 

 

TLC (Think, Learn, Create) THURSDAYS

!!!!GENIUS HOUR!!!!

 

 

FRIDAY FUN DAY

Exactly as it sounds – a time to work on projects from the week, explore previous subjects more deeply, and have fun with friends at EDEP!

Roller Coaster Engineers

After watching a "Top 10" video from the Travel Channel, students designed and built their own roller coasters!

LEGO Challenge

LEGOs are always a popular choice, but what happened when the kids were given LEGOs and a challenge?

Structure must be freestanding



Must be a group effort




Build as tall as possible

With a 10 minute time-limit (the stop watch was out and running!) we had some great success and one tragic last second collapse.  The good news is, everyone had fun!

Why is it called a marshmallow?

Ask your kids...they know the answer!  During our unit on Inventors and Inventions Ms. Straume gave the kids a bit of a history lesson on the marshmallow.  Ancient Egyptians used the roots of the marsh mallow plant mixed with honey as a remedy for sore throats (who knew?!)

Since you can't very well learn about the history and modern production of marshmallows without sampling at least one - we broke out the bags of marshmallows (sampled a few), paired them with their toothpick friends, and started building!