On one of the rainy days this week, it was a close and controversial vote, but the children opted to go outside 6-5. Some borrowed sweatpants from Acton to keep warm, others mittens, and we doled out several umbrellas. It was a delight to watch them transform from a group of five bored and angry children because they had to be out in the cold rain, to a happy group of eleven making a new collaborative game together of huddling under umbrella forts, then evolving the game to coordinate various umbrella formations like a group of synchronized swimmers. It was very fun to watch, and a great lesson that it’s ok to let children be bored or upset. If we give them space and time, they usually figure things out for themselves. They are hardwired to play and learn.
We are noticing a renewed focus during core skills. The children have begun tracking when they start working, when they stop, and how often they get up to meander around others’ desks. It’s been an effective way for some of the children to develop self-awareness around their work habits. Each day they are increasingly focused. At this Friday’s badge ceremony, three heroes have earned core skills badges! Badges represent a LOT of focused work.
During quest, the children have been having a great time solving crimes! This week, there was a kidnapping. Who could have done it!? There were three suspects and through fingerprint, footprint and handwriting analysis, interviews with suspects, they are close to catching the culprit! This week the heroes also practiced dental identification and extracted DNA from their own saliva.
Did you know that the Samurai wrote haikus? During civilization this week, the Discovery learners compared and contrasted English Knights from the Middle Ages with Japanese Samurai from the same time period. Then they wrote and presented their own haikus!
The children are moving forward on their Letters of Gratitude during communications, and completed their first drafts this week. They have also been engaging in challenges related to their contract promises. Each week, they choose a promise and vote at the end of each day for the hero who did the best job upholding their promises. They must provide specific examples, share character callouts, and the hero who wins the vote earns two “hero bucks” which they can use at our school store or to buy materials for the laser cutter.
