September 2015
Dear 4th and 5th Grade Parents,
It is time for your child to participate in enrichment clusters. The enrichment cluster program reflects our commitment to nurture and celebrate the gifts and talents of ALL our students. Enrichment clusters provide important extensions to our curriculum and closely reflect the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. The enrichment cluster program offers children another opportunity to participate in meaningful and interest-based activities while acquiring new skills.
Below, you will find the descriptions for the fourth and fifth grade enrichment clusters. The enrichment clusters were based on the children’s interest surveys which were completed in the classroom at the beginning of the school year.
We are asking the fourth and fifth grade students to think about four enrichment clusters that they are most interested in attending. Please take a moment to read through the descriptions with your child and discuss where his/her interest and talents may lie. Your child will be making the final decision in class. Placement into enrichment clusters will be made based on students’ choices and available space within each enrichment cluster. Every child will be guaranteed a place in one of his/her four selections.
Students will register for their four selections in class this week. Students will receive their enrichment cluster assignment at their first session, which is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 9, 2015. 4th and 5th grade Enrichment clusters will continue to occur through December 4, with the Enrichment Cluster Showcase on December 11. Enrichment clusters will take place during our Friday E-slot time of 8:00-9:00 am.
If you are willing to share your talents or expertise in one of the cluster areas, feel free to contact Nicole Levitan at 512-464-4384 or Nicole_Levitan@roundrockisd.org.
Sincerely Yours,
Jan Richards Johanna Kelley Nicole Levitan
Principal Assistant Principal Enrichment Coordinator
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LME Explorers Guild
Do you love exploring the unknown? We need some brave volunteers to join us on an expedition to discover the truth behind famous monsters and mysteries. Are they real or can they be debunked by science and logic? What is the evidence? Become an amateur cryptozoologist and delve deep to get the answers! The truth is out there! Can you find it?
Moviemaker Institute
Stop Motion Animation...Claymation...Movie making... and more! If you enjoy imagining stories with Legos, stuffed animals, or other toys at home this is your cluster. Anything or anyone can be a star in your movie. In this enrichment cluster you learn how to plan, video, and edit your own movies!
Serious About Science
If you are serious about science, don't mind getting a little dirty and love to perform hands-on experiments then “Serious About Science” is for you! Chemistry, astronomy, botany, biology, physics and more....the possibilities are endless. Do you have a favorite experiment you have been hoping to try? We are ready! Safety first, fun second with “Serious About Science”.
Boxes, Boxes, Boxes
It's all about boxes in this enrichment cluster. What can you do with a cereal box and other recycled boxes? If you like using your hands, mind and being creative than this enrichment cluster is for you. Come in and let’s explore the world of arts and crafts using cereal boxes, other recycled boxes, tape, glue and much, much more. The world is your box...now let’s see what you can do!
Games, Giggles and Greatness
Have you ever been interested in creating your own Olympics, LME Book of Record Holders, or Who Can Do That the Longest? If you have, but want to be a little different like egg tossing, keeping a ping pong ball in the air with a blow dryer, rolling an old book over and over to the finish line… or wherever your imagination takes you. Then join us in “Games, Giggles and Greatness”.
Minecraft Masters
Do you love creating amazing projects in Minecraft? Are you a wizard at using redstone, or an expert at designing fantastic structures? Would you like to learn even more about using Minecraft? Join the “Minecraft Masters” enrichment cluster and work together with like-minded kids to make something you'll be proud to show off to the world!
B2
We are going to “bottle up” all kinds of creativity and fun in this enrichment cluster. Bottles and bottle caps…bottle caps and bottles. So, bring some bottles, bottle caps and your imagination to see what you can create!
Games! Games! Games!
Do you have some favorite games that you would like to introduce to friends? Do you enjoy the challenge of learning to play new games? Board games, card games, number games, strategy games, and much more! Join us for Games! Games! Games!
B.Y.O.Ball
We'll learn about and play a variety of sports and have a chance to see what athletes' foundations do for the charities they support -- and maybe build life sized board or table games to be played at LME and maybe even beyond!
Clay Creators!
If you are interested in what you can do with clay this enrichment cluster is for you. Using many different clay techniques you will make your own creations. What is the process of making a finished ceramic piece? How does clay stay together? How do you add color to your work? Come to the “Clay Creators” and you will find some mysteries of clay!
Ready, Set, Play!
Do you love being active? Have you ever wanted to challenge your physical abilities through games, sports or any physical activity? This cluster will be high energy and fun! You will challenge and help each other find their inner athlete to become the best teammate around! Join us in this enrichment cluster if you're ready to play!
Photography Fun
Do you like finding something interesting in an ordinary place and capturing that moment with a picture? If explaining what you see with pictures is something you would love to do then this enrichment cluster is for you. We will learn to create art with a camera, frame and compose objects or people and display our greatest pieces for others to enjoy.
Junior Wildlife Explorers
Do you enjoy learning about wild animals? Have you always wanted to go on a safari? Do you spend an excessive amount of time watching YouTube videos of animals in their natural habitat? If you answered yes to any of the above questions than the “Junior Wildlife Explorers” enrichment cluster might be the one for you. Join us as we explore wild animals that live in Africa, the mountains of the US, Asia and just about anywhere else in the world. It will be just wild!
WRITING IS RIGHT!
Do you enjoy writing? Do you love to write stories, plays, poetry, lyrics, essays, reports, and/or memoirs? Do you want to develop your skills? Do you want to be left alone so you can just write, write, and . . . write? If the answer to these questions (or most of these questions) is a resounding “YES!”, then “Writing is Right!” is the enrichment cluster for you! Why? Because you will have time to write!
Artistic Edibles
It's time to play with your food! Do you enjoy cooking? Do you enjoy crafting? If so, grab a plate and unleash your imagination in "Artistic Edibles". It might not look like food, but it totally will be! In this enrichment cluster you will take fun and healthy snacks to the next level. Your lunchbox will never look the same!
The Future is coming...Soon
The current world population is 7.2 billion. Over the next 12 years it is expected to grow by another BILLION people. That means by the time your get out of college, there will be 8.2 BILLION more people on Earth. We already have a hard time feeding our world. With the current limits on fertile soil and fresh water, how will we produce enough food to feed all these people? Join this enrichment cluster to explore modern garden techniques to produce more food with fewer resources. It’s YOUR future.
Voracious Volunteers
Have you ever wished that you could make the world a better place, but aren’t sure how or where to start? Do you like to fill others’ buckets by doing small things to make their lives better? If so, then “Voracious Volunteers” is a good enrichment cluster for you. We will learn about some of the ways people in our local and global community use their interest for helping others to change our world in a positive way. We will then take our interests and talents outside of our school to assist those around us. Come ready to have fun, learn, serve, and be transformed.
