Fifth grade students in Ms. Abell's class have been creatively constructing games, and sharing them with others! After watching a video about Caine's Arcade, and then doing research on what makes games fun, and what makes people enjoy playing them, these innovators designed new games and invited others to try them. I must say, I very much enjoyed myself playing every game...there were challenges, ways to gain bonus turns or items, and it was difficult to stop when time was up and players had to move to the next game. The students also created videos of their work and others playing their games, and are now beginning some documentary work to explain their own processes and strategies for game design. A big thanks goes to Ms. Abell for her own creative work to design this experience for VVE Cardinals. We look forward to seeing the upcoming documentaries!
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A few students in VVE Kindergarten classes have been doing some research on animals. After they shared their research interests, we created this Padlet with links to research information. Students then read, watched, and listened to information, and added their data to printed booklets. As they wrote, students were encouraged to use emergent writing processes as they added text and hand-drawn pictures. Emergent literacy allows students to make choices between when they wish to practice copying words with conventional spelling, and when they wish to use their own understandings of letter-sound correspondence to sound out words. In the video examples below, you will see both conventional spelling and emergent spelling as these budding readers/writers develop their composition skills in developmentally appropriate ways. Further, they are practicing their reading skills as they read back what they wrote. Students then imported saved photos of animals and of their hand-written data into the Shadow Puppet EDU app and added voiceover to read and explain what they learned. We look forward to more reports over time!
It is hard to believe that the Thanksgiving holidays are already upon us! At VVE, we are taking time to celebrate together, through feasting together (Kindergarten Charlie Brown Feast), helping each other, writing about those things for which we are thankful, and even running and dancing together. Cardinals are thankful for family, friends, and many wrote about being thankful for their teachers. Our VVE teachers give so much to help our young learners, and I'm ever grateful for the many ways we learn and grow alongside one another. Thank you, VVE, for being a school filled with care, support, and love.
Fifth grade Cardinals have recently begun their biography research project which focuses on learning and writing about a person who has made an important contribution to society. Fifth graders selected a person they wanted to research, then each began a Padlet to collect research resources. Ms. Moore came in and did a little research lesson on how to select key search terms, and then use them in the different databases we have access to at VVE. We discussed how the resources at the top of the Symbaloo grid have the most simple, straight-forward information data and those lower on the grid have more complex search abilities and allow a researcher to find higher-level texts (e.g., more complex vocabulary, higher lexile levels). In coming days, the fifth graders will write about what they learn and we will add QR codes that link to students' Padlet bibliographies.
Valley View continued its annual tradition of celebrating and honoring our veterans this year. Our assembly opened with Boy Scouts marching in our US and Texas flags, and leading us in the pledges and moment of silence. Next, directed by the fabulous Mr. Zenon, our Second Grade students sang a medley of the US Service Songs, followed by a rendition of a thank you song to our service people. Stellar VVE Volunteer, Jackie Smart, created a slideshow with the images and names of all VVE students' and staff members' family who have served in the armed services. We then invited all veterans present to join Ms. Dusek on stage and each one shared a message with our VVE Cardinals. We were especially amazed to share in one Cardinal's family presentation of a special US flag that flew over ships just after WWII. It was a special day of remembrance and honor, and we are grateful to have shared with our VVE family.
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VVE Tech & LearningHolly Moore, Educational Technologist, shares student learning here, in our Cardinal Community Blog. Archives
February 2019
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