Saturday, April 8, 2017

Celebrating: ECT (Enrichment Creavity Time)

It's time for celebrating, and I am proud to share this week's celebration.  Thanks Ruth for encouraging us to choose a special moment and write about it.  I am excited to celebrate with everyone.  Spring break has passed, hopefully winter is over soon, and round 2 of state testing starts next week.  Two weeks of testing which changes everyone's schedule in our building and in Room 234 our schedule will have a celebration everyday after testing.

KA and HD chose to research cancer. Both girls lives have been impacted by cancer in their families.
They chose different kinds and their creativity is making the different ribbons to display each
type. I learned that every form of cancer has a color attached to it.  These displays will be placed in the library
so their learning will go beyond our classroom.

RK built the White House with popsicle sticks.
The roof lifts up and she included facts about three rooms that she was interested in learning more about. 

ECT (enrichment creativity time) has been a highlight of third trimester. Our district has encouraged the entire K-12 staff to include creativity throughout the school day.  We have had district PD on what it looks like and sounds like. I decided learners in Room 234 would be apart of the decision making process.  I posed a question: What do you want to learn more about and how could you use your creativity to share your project?  When you ask a group of fifth graders and allow the gates to be wide open, their responses are amazing.  The best part about the process for me (and them) was it was an opportunity for exploration as well as a chance for each learner to share their project with their peers. The criteria included:
  1. Learning goals
  2. Plan including a timeline
  3. Materials (most supplied from home)
  4. Completion and sharing with peers
AM built a rubber band car. He chose this topic because we were
studying force and motion.  He loves science! The best part of his ECT project was that
his car did not run smoothly, and he is still revising his plan. I am confident that he will
revise and share his car with us.











18 comments:

  1. What fun to have a creative celebration of learning each day after testing. I love your question and the simple criteria for the project.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not all about testing in our room. Testing is just a snapshot of our learners. Happy Saturday!

      Delete
  2. All the projects you've shared sound and look marvelous, Maria. What a great thing for the focus instead of the anxiety of testing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's fun for the students to stop and reflect on their friend's learning. The conversations next week will be the highlight of the week.

      Delete
  3. One of the things I feel is sorely lacking in the CCSS is creativity. How great that this is celebrated and encouraged in your school.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our district is encouraging and allowing us to explore creativity. it's been fun but challenging learning curve.

      Delete
  4. Such a great plan: "in Room 234 our schedule will have a celebration everyday after testing." I think project-based learning is wonderful. I recently read a biography of the Wright brothers; their father allowed them to stay home from school (not advocating that) if they were engaged in a useful learning project at home. I wonder how much that impacted their accomplishments.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My heart lifts up when students tell me they went home and continued their learning without being asked. Just because they are curious....

      Delete
  5. Great learning! Great reason to celebrate!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Diane, hope you're having a great week.

      Delete
  6. Creativity is so, so important, but so lacking in the school day due to the focus on covering everything that could possibly be on the state test. I just love the projects you shared. You can see the students' pride and learning. Have a great week and hope your days are filled with spring sun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jennifer - took me a while but I shifted ownership to my learners and success!

      Delete
  7. I love this kind of work with kids. It reminds me of Genius Hour work. Time for school to be something that students really drive. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've read about Genius Hour, and I am sure several of the same ideas merged together for our ECT.

      Delete
  8. Choice leads to voice, Maria, and your students' work exemplifies this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Choice leads to voice" I am going to borrow this quote. LOVE IT!!

      Delete
  9. This sounds heavenly and how encouraging to have district support!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mandy, it's been a huge push the past two years. I like the K-12 conversations with one focus.

      Delete