Imagine IT: The final leg
Looking back at the last semester and the implementation of my ImagineIT, I can see how much work my students have done and how proud they were of their accomplishment. This past week, which was the last week of the semester, students had their Invention Fair. Students presented their Inventions to other classes as well as to the administration. During this time, it was so clear how excited they were about their prototypes and the creations they came up with. From the start, which was coming up with a problem and thinking of a solution, to actually going through a business/product design and finally building their prototypes, students have grown tremendously and are a lot more creative.
Looking forward, I learned this week, that I will continue to have the same classes for the next semester. Originally, I thought I will be getting new groups of students so that I can redo the same projects with some twists. However, that is not the case. Therefore, I will continue sparking students creativity and thinking about engineering. For this semester, I am planning to really get my maker space set up, and have students work in centers each week so that they get to experience different concepts and ideas. I would like to do at least one QuickFire challenge each month, and will need to think of what materials I can supply for 100 students. I may continue this project just with 5th graders, instead of 4th grade, just because of the technical difficulties of having materials for over 110 students.
This semester I want students to spark their curiosity even more, and continue thinking as engineers through that innovative lens.
Looking forward, I learned this week, that I will continue to have the same classes for the next semester. Originally, I thought I will be getting new groups of students so that I can redo the same projects with some twists. However, that is not the case. Therefore, I will continue sparking students creativity and thinking about engineering. For this semester, I am planning to really get my maker space set up, and have students work in centers each week so that they get to experience different concepts and ideas. I would like to do at least one QuickFire challenge each month, and will need to think of what materials I can supply for 100 students. I may continue this project just with 5th graders, instead of 4th grade, just because of the technical difficulties of having materials for over 110 students.
This semester I want students to spark their curiosity even more, and continue thinking as engineers through that innovative lens.
Timeline made by using Read Write Think Resources
Imagine it Update
This semester I am continuing to spark students' imagination and think about how does STEM and especially Engineering affect their everyday life. One of the activities we worked on in the past few weeks, was a QuickFire challenge, "The Alphabits". Students used the PicsArt app on their apps to edit pictures of "letters" they found for words I gave them. It was a very exciting and a great learning opportunity. Students were able to work together, think outside of the box, and create something unique and their own.
imagine it- spring update 3/13
In the past few weeks I have been busy implementing new QuickFire challenges and putting emphasis of how much engineering applies to everything that is around us. In the last quick fire assignment, students had to create a mask that represents something about them. I have given them some materials but they were open to use anything they wanted. This was a big chance for them to be creative and be able to express themselves. We also had a prior discussion about how people wear and put on a mask on daily basis. It was really interesting to see what students wanted to show and represent with their masks. In the end, they had to attach an writing piece to their mask that explains what their masks represents. It was a learning process for all of us and very exciting at the same time.
IMAGINE IT- FINAL REPORT
Over the past year I have been working on my big Imagine IT project. This whole process has proven to me that you can always improve and make something better. Throughout this journey, I have added, edited, changed, and rethought the parts of the whole project, while keeping the main idea and concept the same. I have become more inspired and worked very hard to improve my students understanding. I have done lessons that have exposed students to brand new concepts and opened their creativity. Students shined with their work and became proud inventors with ideas I would have never thought of. I am really proud of the progress and their excitement throughout the whole journey. As they continue to work within the same idea, but now expanding to different aspects of Engineering Around Us, they are able to see how what we started with makes sense and how it relates to the beginning of the school year.
Being able to see my fellow teachers’ students work on social media has helped me understand that we are all in the same process. Twitter has become like a safety blanket covered with ideas and educators who are trying to embrace their students and their work. I really enjoy seeing daily updates from my fellow teachers and see how big of an impact they have on our Chicago students.
Overall, Imagine IT project has influenced me tremendously. I have been trying to find new ways of pushing myself and teaching students something completely new, something they are not used it. Through QuickFires, being committed to a set timelines and the Deep Play group I am able to create a class that has never existed at my school. Students and teachers get excited to visit the class in the following weeks, because they know they will be working on exciting projects that deepen their understandings. I have been lucky enough to have a grant donation help out with my classroom Maker Space which is a huge hit amongst all of my classes K-8. I am so honored that I have been able to be a part of MSU Urban STEM Leadership Fellowship and I will continue to challenge myself with making my students better learner.
Being able to see my fellow teachers’ students work on social media has helped me understand that we are all in the same process. Twitter has become like a safety blanket covered with ideas and educators who are trying to embrace their students and their work. I really enjoy seeing daily updates from my fellow teachers and see how big of an impact they have on our Chicago students.
Overall, Imagine IT project has influenced me tremendously. I have been trying to find new ways of pushing myself and teaching students something completely new, something they are not used it. Through QuickFires, being committed to a set timelines and the Deep Play group I am able to create a class that has never existed at my school. Students and teachers get excited to visit the class in the following weeks, because they know they will be working on exciting projects that deepen their understandings. I have been lucky enough to have a grant donation help out with my classroom Maker Space which is a huge hit amongst all of my classes K-8. I am so honored that I have been able to be a part of MSU Urban STEM Leadership Fellowship and I will continue to challenge myself with making my students better learner.