Living with Intensity

"Because they can be so greatly stimulated, and because they perceive and process things differently, gifted children are often misunderstood. Their excitement is viewed as excessive, their high energy as hyperactivitiy, their persistence as nagging, their questioning as undermining authority, their imagination as not paying attention, their passion as being disruptive, their strong emotions and sensitivity as immaturity, their creativity and self-directedness as oppositional." excerpt from Living with Intensity by Susan Daniels and Michael Piechowski
It doesn't always make it easier to deal with gifted children's intensity to understand the theory mentioned (Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities), but it helps to recognize that what makes gifted children difficult to parent or teach is actually an asset and strength. It just needs growth and direction. Without that great drive, nothing great will be achieved.

Happy Holidays

Third Grade
Third Grade has been working on simple machines. We completed a science experiment on friction and have gotten to use the Lego Simple Machines kit. Each student has completed one rotation on either wheels and axles, levers, gears, pulleys, inclined plane, or screw and wedge. We have also made a concept map using Kidspiration software and listed two things learned in the station.
Fourth Grade
Students have completed their Independent Investigative Method research on an eminent person. They have identified achievements, obstacles, above average ability, task commitment, courage, creativity and caring for the person they chose to study. As soon as we get back from the holidays, we will begin creating a project to share what was learned.
Many of the students are getting close to finishing their ABC Book of Me so we will work on the cover art in January(fractals, marbling, paste paper, etc.)
Fifth Grade
Fifth grade competed in the Alabama FIRST Lego League competition. They pulled together fine presentations on a booster to a prosthetic leg and a comfort room for cancer patients. They handled the robot competition with gracious professionalism making modification at the tournament, and doing their best. Way to go.
We wrote thank you notes to all the sponsors and helpers. It takes a community to put on a project of this magnitude.
Next semester, we will finish What are Your Chances? - a probability unit and begin Record Breakers, a unit looking at World records, a favorite. We will also begin a unit on Autobiographies. In this unit we look at how talent is developed in children's authors and then in ourselves.
Happy Holidays,
Colleen

Third Grade

Third Graders have begun our unit on inventions. They are very excited to get to work in the Lego kits on simple machines. We have talked about systems and will go over safe lab proceedures and the Wheel of Scientific Investigation and Reasoning. Our first experiment will be on friction and our first simple machines will be the screw and the wedge.

Fourth Grade

The 4th graders will finish up their research on an emminent person this week or next and we should soon begin creating a project to present their individual. The students completed their first Math Olympiad and although we didn't get a lot of points everyone had a strategy and attempted most of the problems. I was proud of their persistance.

Dream Rocket

Students last year were sponsored by the Huntsville Fiber Guild to participate in the Dream Rocket (www.dreamrocket.com ). Our panel was displayed in Alabama Constitution Hall (www.thedreamrocket.com/in-the-schools/item/447-chaffee-elementary-school?tmpl+component&print=1 ). We have now been awarded another panel sponsored by Lowe Mill. The panel is only 2 feet by 2 feet so I can't have that many students work on it. I need to decide which group will participate and which theme to address. If any parents would like to help out, I am happy to have help. The students really want to stitch, but they are unskilled and it is time consumming to rethread for them. I also will need some supplies since I have no budget for this.

Fifth Grade Robotics

Wish our 5th graders luck. On Friday December 3 and Saturday December 5th, the students will participate in the FIRST Lego Robotics. They have been learning to program the robot to complete missions as part of the competition (www.usfirst.org ), and they have prepared a presentation to address a body system problem. One group will present a comfort room for cancer patients and one group will present an innovation to help patients with prosthetics get up stairs. We got to visit Fourroux prosthetics and learn about the great innovations occurring right here in Huntsville.

Chaffee SPACE

Turning a new leaf. Today I begin to use this blog to communicate what is happening in SPACE to parents of Chaffee students. I certainly will appreciate any feedback since I am not sure what parents are looking for.
It is tough to know what needs to be communicated. Some parents are looking for more information than their child is sharing. Some parents are on overload, and just need to know what they need to do to keep their child learning. I don't have a good idea of who will even take the time to read this.
A brief summary of the activities occurring are:
3rd Grade-
Mystery of the Moli Stone (Numerical Systems)
4th Little Pig (Creative Problem Solving)
Inventions (Systems)
Mary Cook Center (Logical thinking)
4th Grade-
Math Olympiad (first test 11/18/2010)
Images of Greatness (giftedness)
Natural Disasters (Creative Problem Solving)
At the Mall (Algebra)
ABC Book of Me (giftedness)
5th Grade-
Math Olympiad (first test 11/18/2010)
FLL Robotics (competition December 3 and 4)
What Are Your Chances? (probability)
Learning contracts