2nd and 3rd grade Enrichment Clusters Have Begun!

Last Friday was the first meeting of our 2nd and 3rd grade enrichment clusters.  We have fifteen different clusters meeting that involve a variety of topics based on our 2nd and 3rd graders' interests. Please read below to find out what exciting and engaging activities took place during this first meeting.

Take One
The "Take One" enrichment cluster jumped right into things by getting all the students on the Chromebooks and showing them how to join the LME WeVideo group account. The students added a link to WeVideo on their Chrome favorites bar with the assistance of our awesome 5th grade helpers. We also spent some time exploring flip cameras learning how to record and delete video. Next week we will learn how to upload videos into WeVideo, so that we can begin to explore all the editing options available in WeVideo. We will also talk about our goals for the cluster and form groups based on project interests.

Wonderful World of Watercolors
Today in our first meeting of the “Wonderful World of Watercolors” we learned that water coloring started many thousands of years ago. Ancient people used water colors on cave walls to tell a story. We also learned that the German Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), who painted several fine botanical, wildlife, and landscape watercolors, is generally considered among the earliest water colorists. Lastly, we watched a video on how to use our water colors and painted flowers using the blending technique from the video.

Games Galore
Today during the first session of “Games Galore”, we all played a name game called Slap Pass. Students passed energy around a circle by slapping their hands together and saying the name of another student in the cluster. After our name game, students told the rest of the cluster what their favorite game was and explained why they were excited to join Games Galore. Finally, we learned how to play the card games Uno and Old Maid and practiced playing them with a small group. Overall, it was a fun and successful first meeting!

Flying Lion Travel Agency
We had a GREAT time learning to be junior travel agents during the first meeting of the “Flying Lion Travel Agency” cluster. First, we learned about what a travel agent does and brainstormed ideas for exciting travel destinations throughout the United States. Once we selected our destination, students started exploring! They looked at books on their state, visited the Culturegrams website on our iPads, and more! Finally, our cluster members came up with a name for their agency, picked partners, and started to work on their travel plans. Lions love to travel! Welcome aboard!

Hocus Pocus
We arrived excited to start learning magic tricks in our Hocus Pocus cluster with Ms. Rumpf and Mrs. Hwang. First, Ms. Rumpf showed us a trick. She guessed the number we were thinking. It was maaagic! Then we watched a few videos on different magicians including Houdini and David Copperfield. One video was a 4 year old boy performing tricks on China's Got Talent. He was very good! After that, we learned the floating cup trick and performed it. At the end, Ms. Rumpf told us the secret of guess the number trick. Finally, we will be learning card and dice tricks. We might even learn how to pull a rabbit out of a hat!

Clay Creators
“Clay Creators” began with two Reading Rainbow videos about the ceramic process the Naranjo family, in New Mexico, used in making their amazing pots. Then we watched an artist from Hawaii, inspired by the volcanoes on the Big Island, demonstrate processes of using the potter's wheel, glazing and raku firing. One student worked on the potter's wheel while other students learned the pinch pot techniques to make a variety of works. We used math to figure out how to divide the clay evenly. Nice work Clay Creators! Every student will have a turn to use the potter's wheel.

Mindbenders
The “Mindbenders” enrichment cluster had a fabulous first meeting. We brainstormed a list of different types of ways we like to challenge our brain using puzzles and logical thinking. Crossword puzzles, mazes, logic elimination grids, mind benders, sudoku, and ken kens were just a few named. Next, we spent time exploring apps that had to do with logic games. We were able to help each other to solve the different levels. We cannot wait to explore on the logic apps again next week!

Culinary Creations
Delicious smells filled the room and hallway as we kicked out off our first enrichment cluster of “Culinary Creations” by making an Indian dish called Churumuri. Mrs. Priya led us in a fabulous power point presentation about types of rice and the history of this dish. Students enjoyed cutting herbs, tomatoes, and cooked potatoes. Lots of measuring, stirring, and adding spices made this a super tasty dish served in a cone. Our chefs understand the importance of washing dishes and keeping our kitchen clean. Students voted for next weeks "travels" to take us to the country of Italy to create customized pizzas. Students are thinking about "passport" style cookbooks as our final product!

Robotics Rock
The “Robotics Rock” enrichment cluster had a grand time today kicking off our robotics cluster. We welcomed the President of the Westwood High School Robotics Team, Govind Girish, who shared his interest in robotics with us, how he got started building robots, and showed videos of robots in competitions doing cool things, like shooting a large ball into a target zone. Then, we got to choose which Lego WeDo robot we wanted to build and got to work! In our cluster, we will explore and build using Lego WeDo, Lego MindStorm, Sphero and a special project that Govind is going to do with us when he comes back. We can’t wait until our next Friday meeting!!!

LEGO Lovers
The “LEGO Lovers” showed their creativity during the first cluster meeting. After we discussed 11 little known facts about the history of LEGOs, the students divided up into teams of 3 and made their own creations. Everyone got to share their creation with the group and explain what it was and how it worked. The group decided that in future sessions everyone would work on parts on making a LEGO city. Some want to make skyscrapers; others want to make houses, cars, helicopters, museums or boats. For the showcase we will have a LEGO city to display.

Help Save the Animals
Today the students discussed the animals they are interested in and would like to save (e.g. snow leopard, cheetahs, dolphins, gorillas). Each student also reviewed an article in “Time for Kids” about an endangered species and discussed why these animals are endangered and how we can help them. They made clay models of animals they would like to save and presented the model to the cluster. We brainstormed about what kinds of presentations we could do to educate adults and kids alike about saving the animals. The children suggested having presentations on iPads, poster boards, building a website, flyers, doing presentations at different companies or to kindergarten/preschools and fundraising with a bake sale or lemonade stand. The students are very passionate about animals and protecting them.

Behind the Lens: Book Trailers
At our first meeting, our “Behind the Lens” enrichment cluster group discussed what a book trailer is and how it is used to persuade others to read a book. We learned that a book trailer is NOT a summary, but more of an advertisement designed to spark interest in a book. We watched several book trailers created by other students and we evaluated them in terms of how effective they were at persuading us to read the book. We noticed and shared the effect that the creator's choice of pictures, music and words had on us as we viewed each one. Finally, several of us chose our books and the rest of us will choose books in which to create a trailer and bring them to the cluster meeting next Friday. We can’t wait to get started!

Magic of your Pencil
We had a great first meeting of the “Magic of your Pencil” drawing enrichment cluster! I shared a portfolio of sketches and drawings I have completed in the past year as I began learning to draw with graphite and charcoal. We also looked at all of the supplies and tools we will use in during our eight weeks together. These include: pencils with various hardness from 2H-8B; special erasers for different tasks including shading, other shading tools such as chamois, tortillions and stumps and different paper types. Each child received their own sketch book and practiced a few of the shading techniques and began sketching. The cluster group decided they would like to give some of their drawings to the Dell Children's Hospital to brighten the day of sick children. We are looking forward to several more weeks of using our creativity and having the time to draw.

Minecraft Masters
The “Minecraft Masters” had an exciting first meeting. We kicked things off by getting to know one another and talking about our past experiences playing Minecraft. Many of the students had experience playing Minecraft on a video game system but not on a computer, so our first mission was to practice using Minecraft on the computer. The students were split up into six groups with three of four students working together to design and build either a house, a skyscraper, or a castle. Over the next few weeks, we will continue working together to decide how we can use Minecraft to create a product or service to share with LME.

FUN
The “Ready, Set, Fun, Play” enrichment cluster was fun so the students decided to rename the enrichment cluster "FUN"! The premise of this cluster is to play activities that we do not regularly do in Physical Education classes, but also ones that could be played in their neighborhoods. First, the 17 students played a tag game called Asteroids and Ankle Biters as a warm up. The main attraction, however, was an old fashioned contest call "Steal the Bacon". "Steal the Bacon" challenged many of their abilities: quickness, fearlessness, and competitiveness. The students participated individually but their score counted collectively toward the team score. If a student actually stole the bacon and returned back to their side without being tagged by the opponent then they earned 1 point. If the opponent tagged the person who originally stole the bacon, then the opponent earned a half point for their team. It was very interesting and exciting to see the students start to understand and employ the strategies necessary for the game. Our 5th grade helpers helped the 2nd and 3rd grade friends identify different types of strategies. Fun was had by all in the “FUN” cluster!

4th and 5th grade Enrichment Cluster Showcase - Our Journey....

This past Friday was our 4th and 5th grade Enrichment Cluster Showcase.  This is the time when the students have the opportunity to share what they have been working on during the eight weeks of their enrichment clusters.  Touring the showcase, you get to see and hear about the students' journeys in areas of their interests.

I was going to write something up and share the pictures I took, but my very own RRISD did this for me (thank you)!  And their pictures are much, much better than what I took.  So I will share their words and photos instead.

Enrichment clusters and developing students' interests is one way we develop world-class talent at Laurel Mountain Elementary.

Patnerships between schools and Central Office is one way we develop world-class talent in Round Rock ISD.

Link to article about showcase: https://roundrockisd.org/laurel-mountain-hosts-fall-enrichment-showcase/

Link to photos: https://roundrockisd.smugmug.com/Schools/Laurel-Mountain/10-11-2015-Enrichment-Showcase/

Wrapping Up 4th and 5th grade Enrichment Clusters

We are SUPER excited about our 4th and 5th grade Enrichment Cluster Showcase tomorrow, December 11 from 8:30-11:00 am.  Please come by and check out our students' amazing work and progress over the past eight weeks in their enrichment cluster.  I will update the blog next week with pictures and highlights from the showcase.  Until then, enjoy the summaries of what our 4th and 5th graders did during their enrichment clusters.  

Artistic Edibles  

In the “Artistic Edible” enrichment cluster students grabbed a plate and unleashed their imaginations!  Students explored their own creativeness creating works of art.  Who would think a simple grape and strawberry could be transformed into a beautiful flower arrangement?  Students narrowed down their service project, spending time teaching the kindergartners and first graders here at LME.  Each week students visited classrooms, read to classes, cooked then taught a craft using tasty treats.  The crafts were too yummy to make it home!

Voracious Volunteers

The “Voracious Volunteers” began our enrichment cluster by discussing what we know about volunteering and talking about why people volunteer.  We learned about the difference between philanthropy and volunteering, watched videos to teach us more, and brainstormed possible audiences for a product or service.  We hosted the guests Mrs. Andrews and Emma (a golden retriever) to teach us about the Austin Dog Alliance and the Bow Wow Reading program.  Mrs. Andrews talked about how volunteering is meaningful in her life, while Emma provided a fun interaction time by being sweet and letting us pet her.  We also hosted the director of the Rock Serving Center and learned how we can help people in need. We then honed in on our service projects and decided we wanted to help homeless animals and people.

During subsequent sessions we made leashes, dog treats, dog blankets and chew toys. We also wrote thank you cards that the shelters can give out when someone adopts a pet. That is how we helped animals in the community.

To help people in need in the community, we organized a hygiene drive. We made posters and flyers to advertise the drive. We also filmed videos that ran on KPAW morning announcements to let students know what to bring in. We collected over 1500 hygiene items to give to the Round Rock Serving Center to be distributed to Round Rock residents in need!

We are glad to serve needs in the community and combine our efforts for the benefit of others. We are leaving the cluster energized and grateful for the experience of helping others.

Serious About Science

Chemistry, physics, botany.....oh my!  Our serious scientists were able to conduct hands-on experiments in almost every branch of science during our time together!  Our experiments spanned from growing crystals to working with solar energy and creating vampire slime to lava lamps.   We also used technology to create a Padlet (virtual wall) to post Steve Spangler Science videos of many of the experiments we conducted.  For the cluster showcase we will be handing out QR codes that will take you to our Padlet so you can have fun with hands on science too!  We hope to engage our audience in a little bit of science Pictionary we played to teach and learn science vocabulary. 

Minecraft Masters

The” Minecraft Masters” decided to create a redstone tutorial world to teach others how to make redstone projects. The students divided themselves into three teams, each headed by a team manager, then elected an overall project manager to keep the work on track. The project consisted of a giant hollow cloud full of redstone projects, linked to an underwater glass dome (also full of redstone projects) by a beautiful stained-glass rainbow bridge. The students did a fantastic job working together in teams, and learned lots of new things from each other about the more complicated aspects of Minecraft. Their "Rainbow Cloud World" looks amazing! 

LME Explorers Guild

We had a great time delving into the unknown for the past eight weeks.  Our cluster was all about exploring famous monsters and mysteries, and the students were allowed to choose their own topic.  Their choices were diverse...from Banksy the street artist to Bigfoot!  Once the students had made their selection, we began researching our topics using a variety of print and digital media.  When it came time to create something for the showcase, the products were as diverse as the topics.  They included Google Slides presentations, PowToon videos, Inklewriter interactive stories, and more.  We hope you enjoy their products.  Students were asked to look at the evidence and make their own conclusions.  The truth is out there!

WRITING IS RIGHT!

In the “Writing is Right!” enrichment cluster, we spent a lot of time . . . writing!  The first three meetings, we talked about writing and the different types of writing and purposes of writing.  We read examples of writing to entertain and writing to inform.  We also listened to a few songs that were written to educate.  We then decided that the best thing for this cluster was for the facilitator to not take up any more valuable writing time.  After that, we came in and started writing--and had a great time doing it.

Games! Games! Games! 

The students who participated in the “Games! Games! Games!” enrichment cluster had an enjoyable time learning how to play several new games and sharing some of their own games from home with other members of the group.  We played dice, word, card, board, strategy, and domino games.  The interactions during our cluster time were meaningful, fun, and sometimes quite exciting!  Hopefully, the students who participated will have an opportunity to teach and play some of these games with peers and younger students at LME and friends and family at home.

B2

Our enrichment cluster, B2, is a fun hands-on activity time where your creativity guides you to endless possibilities. We make objects out of bottle caps such as coasters, wind chimes, key chains, magnets, necklaces, murals, and various other creations. We use bottle caps, decorations, spray paint, magnets, hot glue, modge podge and more. Our cluster encourages others to be creative and make what they want to make which led us to many different unique results. B2 stand for Bottlecaps 2, which means we used a variety of different bottle caps to create these creations.

Giggles, Games, and Greatness

In “Giggles, Games, and Greatness”, we have participated in numerous challenges.  From egg toss, to water relays and mini-shuffleboard to Twister with shaving cream, we have discovered that we all have hidden talents that we didn't know existed.  Students decided on a few games to display at the Showcase to help other students find their strengths.  Come play with us!!! 

Photography Fun

The “Photography Fun” Enrichment Cluster learned how to use a digital camera by learning the important parts and functions.  We then took portrait pictures of each other to create 'Press Badges'.  Each cluster, the students would wear their press badge as we learned another technique using our digital cameras.  Here are a few of the techniques we learned: point of view, perspective, rule of thirds, limb chop, and focal point.  The cluster created a website to display their photos and a calendar for each of the 14 members of the “Photography Fun” enrichment cluster.

The Future is Coming Soon 

In our first meeting of The Future is Coming Soon enrichment cluster, we discussed some of the challenges facing our future population like fewer resources and more people to feed.  Members shared ideas of their own and we learned about innovations others have developed to produce food more efficiently. Through this process, the group decided to try growing plants with hydroponic, or soilless, systems.  Students learned about system designs and gathered supplies to build them. Problem solving was a big part of our cluster as we experimented with different designs and materials. In the end, we created two hydroponic systems capable of producing eight heads of lettuce at a time. The seeds of innovation were definitely planted in our cluster.

B.Y.O.Ball

For the past eight weeks, kids in the B.Y.O.Ball enrichment cluster have worked on two things:  (a) learning about ways their favorite team, athlete or sport helped support charitable causes or build communities; and, (b) PLAYING SPORTS!  While clusters can often be a way for a student to showcase what they already know, this cluster included several students with very little exposure to sports -- an incredibly bold and brave move on their part!  Each week, students would spend the first 15-20 minutes of class focusing on the philanthropic/charitable aspect of the cluster before heading outside to participate in sport.  The sport chosen changed weekly, with one week being a sport most students had previously played (such as football and soccer) and the following week a sport they likely had not (such as ultimate frisbee!).  For the showcase, students decided to create a google classroom to house videos and links featuring their "favorite" doing "good work."

Jr. Wildlife Explorer

The Jr. Wildlife Explorer enrichment cluster spent time together researching animals that they were interested in, going out to the preserve to find signs of wildlife, and watching live animal cams online.  Each student then chose a specific animal to research.  Many students chose endangered animals, while other chose unusual animals. Finally, they either made a slideshow, a poster, or constructed a habitat.  During the last couple of meetings everyone shared what they learned.

Movie Institute

Our enrichment cluster started out with having professional movie maker come in and share with us the process of movie making. We learned about using a video to tell a story about the world around us (documentary), as well as the process of creating a movie by developing planning tools such as a story board and script. Then we learned how to use cameras to capture our story. Some students chose to use Legos and stop motion animation to tell their story, and some used other students as actors. Once we had our raw video, students uploaded their shots to Wevideo and editing began. Students worked in collaborative groups to edit their shots, and published their video to a movie gallery.

Clay Creators

What a blast we’ve had using our imaginations and skills to create unique works of art from clay. Our creations range from sculpture to potter’s wheel pots to pieces made with clay slabs, coils and pinch pot creations. Many of our pieces have been glazed and fired and are waiting to be seen by others. We have produced over 70 works of art. Not only have we been busy learning how to make different clay products, we have had a lot of fun creating and sharing with each other. We are also sharing with the community by donating several of our bowls to the Empty Bowl Project Auction, which provides financial support to the Round Rock food bank.

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

We had tons of fun in “Boxes, Boxes, Boxes!”  Students started the cluster 8 weeks ago by researching what they could create by reusing cereal and other household boxes.  After creating individual lists of projects, each student sketched their product and determined what materials they would need.  Each week, our student were measuring and cutting boxes and other materials to specifically fit their project.  They learned how to use a variety of crafting materials including hot glue guns, spray paint, mod podge, duct tape and fabric in creative ways.  Final products varied from student to student and include desk organizers, notebooks, musical instruments, gift tags, costumes, and airplane models.  Our students truly enjoyed creating something from nothing.

Ready, Set, Play!

The first day of our cluster we had an obstacle course set up for students as a means to ignite their creativity in designing their own obstacle course. Students watched some film clips of the popular show "American Ninja" and footage from the Spartan races to get them excited about our mission. The original plan was to have all the students create a comprehensive obstacle course, but after a group vote, half of the students decided to create their own team sport instead.

The obstacle course group designed a new obstacle course each time we met. They were allowed to peruse the equipment room and collaborate as a team to come up with creative, fun new obstacles each week. On the last day of the cluster students picked one of their favorite segments of the obstacle from each of the seven meetings to create one, massively fun finale obstacle course.

The team sport group created a game called Powerball. It is a capture the flag, soccer, and handball hybrid. Each week students worked on perfecting the rules of the game and learning through experience what needed to be altered to make the game run smoothly.

Busy, busy, busy!!!

Things have been very busy around here at Laurel Mountain.  Our 4th and 5th graders just finished their last meeting with their enrichment cluster.  The Enrichment Cluster Showcase is this coming Friday. And our 2nd and 3rd graders are starting to make their selections for enrichment clusters, So much to talk about.  

But for now, I am going to share the 2nd and 3rd grade enrichment cluster descriptions.  The topics reflect the top interest areas in 2nd and 3rd grade.  The students will make their selections in class this week and will begin their enrichment clusters on January 8, 2016.  The clusters will meet for eight weeks and the showcase will be on Friday, March 4.  

There will be more updates later this week including the 4th and 5th grade enrichment cluster summaries and highlights from the Enrichment Cluster Showcase.  

2nd and 3rd grade Enrichment Cluster Descriptions

Mindbenders: Riddles, Puzzles, and Problem Solving 

Are you a wiz at solving puzzles? Is problem solving a snap for you? Stretch your mind as you discover the magic of challenging your thinking while having fun trying number puzzles, brain teasers, logic twisters, and optical illusions! Play, learn, create with your fellow puzzlers! 

Wonderful World of Watercolors! 

Are you interested in creating beautiful pieces of art using your imagination and watercolor paints? Join this cluster and we will explore famous watercolor artists and paint beautiful works of art!

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 cluster and work together with like-minded kids to make something you'll be proud to show off to the world! 

Behind the Lens: Book Trailers 

Have you ever thought of writing, directing, or producing a movie? Now is your chance to do all three! In this cluster, you may work alone or in a small group to create a movie trailer based on one of your favorite books. As the producer(s), all creative choices are yours. If you like books, and you like movies, then this is the cluster for you!

Take One 

Does putting a video camera in your hands put a smile on your face? Do you dream of directing your own movies or writing your own script? Perhaps you are a budding young actor who comes “alive” in front of a camera! Does the idea of using a computer to edit your movies get you excited? If so, join me as we explore WeVideo and the art of cinematography! 

Ready, Set, Fun Play 

Do you like playing games that are "out of the ordinary"? Does Cup Stacking, Troll Mountain, Make it Take it, Bacon, or track races sound fun to you? How about making up your own game? We can play inside and outside, both in individual and team activities. Fun, Fun, Fun! 

Hocus Pocus! 

Choose a card, any card! Do you like to entertain people? Are you brave enough to stand in front of a crowd and perform? Have you ever wondered how magicians always know which card you picked or how they make coins disappear? In this cluster you will have the opportunity to discover the mysterious secrets behind magic as well as explore, refine and perform real magic tricks that will amaze your family and friends! If you are a performer, come check out the "Hocus Pocus" cluster! 

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! 

Culinary Creations 

Would you like to learn to cook famous dishes from all around the world? Would you prefer to create food that is also a work of art? We could focus on food from one agreed upon country or make food that is served during special celebrations around the world. Would you like to make some gluten free or vegan recipes? It will be your choice in “Culinary Creations”. Get ready to get messy, try some new recipes, and be creative with food! 

Flying Lion Travel Agency! 

Do you love traveling to exciting places and seeing new things? Would you like to explore famous destinations all over the United States? Then come explore with us at the Flying Lion Travel Agency! Become an amateur travel agent and plan perfect trips to see all the sights! 

Drawing: The Magic of Your Pencil 

Did you know artists have many "tricks" or rather tools and techniques that help them make their works of art look amazing and realistic? Da Vinci and other famous artists have used these techniques. If you would like to learn to use the magic of your pencil and a few other simple tools to create realistic drawings, this is the cluster for you! 

Games Galore 

Do you enjoy spending your free time learning new games and teaching them to your friends? If so, join a group of fellow game-lovers as we learn how to play a variety of hands-on games together. Whether we play board games, card games, video games, or outside games…the choice is yours! You might even have a chance to create your very own game and teach others how to play to it. If you love working together, friendly competition, and having fun, then this is the cluster for you! 

LEGO Lovers 

If you like to build, design and create your own LEGO masterpieces this cluster is for you! Come explore the world of making LEGO creations. You can use LEGO designs or create your own. There are endless possibilities. Come ready to be creative! 

Robotics Rock 

Can you imagine a generation where a robotic car is driving you to school? How about one that will clean your room or make you breakfast every morning? If you are interested to learn more about building robots and programming it to your demand, sign up for Robotics Rock Cluster. Maybe one day in the future, you will be given an opportunity to invent a robot of your imagination. What will you have your robot do for you? 

Help Save the Animals! 

If you love animals and want to help protect them, then this cluster is for you! You will research and learn about animals in danger, spend some time outside, play animal games, and create a special way of convincing people to protect animals. Join our cluster and become a hero to endangered animals!

4th and 5th grade Enrichment Clusters are a GO!!!

This past Friday was the first meeting of our 4th and 5th grade enrichment clusters.  The students were excited and there was a TON of activity, inquiry and learning taking place.  Please take some time to read the summaries below to find out what happened in each meeting. I think you will be impresses as I am.  Enrichment clusters are another way that we develop world-class talent at Laurel Mountain.

B.Y.O.Ball

“B.Y.O.Ball” started with an introduction from Mr. Hance's  Scientist-in-Residence partner, Robin Hartman, who was on a nationally ranked Ultimate Frisbee team when she was in college at the University of Southern California.  Ms. Hartman introduced the students to Ultimate through an initiative called Ultimate Peace, which brings together kids from Israel and Palestine to meet, compete and friend one another through Ultimate Frisbee.  The class agreed to create a Google Classroom as a platform to create their final product, which will include some demonstration of a connection between philanthropy, community building and sports.  From there, teams were selected, and the kids, Ms. Hartman and Mr. Hance spent 40 minutes playing a wicked-good game of Ultimate Frisbee and finished the hour celebrating their sweaty t-shirts with high-fives and salutations until next Friday. For the next several weeks, students will participate in different sports, ranging from familiar games like basketball and football, to less familiar, like Olympic lifting and yoga. For more on Ultimate Peace, visit:  

https://vimeo.com/50026514

Games! Games! Games!

The students in the Games! Games! Games! Enrichment cluster generated a list of specific games and types of games they'd like to play.  We also learned to play a dice game called Snake Eyes and divided into two groups to play Scattegories and another game called Blurt!  Students developed a calendar for what we'd like to do each week when we meet. And, we also brainstormed and discussed a couple of options for some sort of service project to benefit our community.

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

In “Boxes, Boxes, Boxes” enrichment cluster today we explored a variety of arts and crafts ideas & projects using cereal boxes.  Each student went to a website to see different ideas for creating cool cereal box projects.  They used a planning sheet to narrow down their top two creations and listed all the materials they will need to complete these tasks. From personal journals, to airplanes, to boats, to shadow boxes, to endless ideas….and some decided to do something completely their own.  We can’t wait to show off our cereal box creations.   It’s all about boxes in our cluster!! 

Moviemaking Institute

For our first cluster meeting, we had Mr. Roby Brown, Director of Video Services for RRISD, come in. He is the RRISD video expert, and he showed us several different ways to create a movie. We then acted out and performed it for the class. In the next few weeks we will introduce the students to different video strategies that will help them produce and edit their own videos.

LME Explorer's Guild

The “Explorer's Guild” had a great first meeting.  A short Reading Rainbow segment hosted by LeVar Burton kicked things off on a spooky note as we gave a first look at the classic monster Bigfoot and the mystery of UFOs.  Then our guild members were encouraged to come up with their own monsters or mysteries that they would like to investigate.  In the coming weeks, I'm going to encourage them to perform research and think critically as we look at the evidence.  Are these monsters and mysteries real or fake?  How did we come to that conclusion?  We look forward to sharing our findings with you at the showcase in December!

Photography Fun

The “Photography Fun” enrichment cluster met on Friday and shared what photography was; the study of drawing with light and shadows.  We discussed Elliott Erwitt's quote, “Photography is an art of observation.  It has very little to do with things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” We shared ideas on what product or service we wanted to have from our eight week cluster.  The group decided they wanted to learn the basics of photography which includes how to compose an image, checking background, and style basics like finding a point of interest, rule of thirds, and perspective.  They were interested in learning about Macro photography and using editing software. After learning about the basic parts of a camera; how to turn it on and off, keeping it safe while not in use, and using the flash, the students created their very own "Press Badge" by taking their picture and adding their credentials.

Minecraft Masters

At the first meeting, the students established guidelines for how to interact in the game, and then we played through the tutorial world to make sure everyone knew how to play. Some of the kids found secret passageways or raced through mazes, while others focused on mastering Minecraft PC controls. During future meetings, students will decide what product they might like to create and work together to achieve that goal.

Voracious Volunteers

The Voracious Volunteers began our cluster by discussing what we know about volunteering and talking about why people volunteer.  We learned about the difference between philanthropy and volunteering, watched a couple videos to teach us more, and brainstormed possible audiences for a product or service our group might take up in the next 7 weeks.  Halfway through cluster, we hosted the guests Mrs. Andrews and Emma (a golden retriever) to teach us about the Austin Dog Alliance and the Bow Wow Reading program.  Mrs. Andrews talked about how volunteering is meaningful in her life, while Emma provided a fun interaction time by being sweet and letting us pet her.  We will host a couple more speakers from local non-profit organizations in the next few weeks to help us learn about them and how volunteering is important within their organization.  We will then get started on a service project or two of the students’ choosing.  We look forward to serving a need in the community and combining our efforts for the benefit of others.

Serious About Science

Our “Serious about Science” enrichment cluster first meeting was a BLAST.....literally!  We used film canisters, water, and Alka-Seltzer to create a chemical reaction ending in an explosion!  In teams of two we explored physics by creating catapults (simple machines) out of school supplies and shot marshmallows into our partners’ cups.  Exploring centrifugal force is always fun so we created spooky Halloween sounds by putting a hex nut in a balloon, blowing it up, and spinning it in circles. Students are considering science lab books, more experiments, and their own science show as possible products!

WRITING IS RIGHT!

In the “WRITING IS RIGHT!” enrichment cluster, we . . . wrote!  But first, we played a game of “Whose Line?” where the kids wrote a random sentence on a strip of paper.  Two improvisers acted out a scene and, at the appropriate time (like “I remember when my granny said to me…”), pulled out a slip and read the sentence.  It was very funny and fun and made us feel “fun.”  We talked about dialog, we talked about settings, and we talked about the structure of the class.  If the kids want to write and want Mr. Holmstrom to just let them do that, then that’s what those students will get to do (at least 95% of the time).  I’ll share scripts so they can see the correct format, we’ll talk about types of poetry, and we’ll talk about . . . whatever they’re interested in.  But, mostly we’ll write.  The kids will guide us to an end product, but I’m going to suggest writing about something that is taught at school and have their writing inform as well as entertain.  We’ll see!

B2

In the “B2” enrichment cluster, we created magnets, coasters and decorations with bottle caps in all different colors.  We used our imagination along with some Mod Podge, stickers, glue and gems. We can’t wait to come back again and see what we will create. 

Games, Giggles, and Greatness

“Games, Giggles, and Greatness” was a HIT!!!  Students paired up for an egg toss with a partner, walked, ran, and hopped around the track with an egg on a spoon and competed to see who could say their name with crackers in their mouth.  Students brainstormed other competitions and games they would like to test next week. Whether we become the 1st Annual LME Guinness Book of World Records, share our Fun Games with an audience, or put together a video of our competitions or something else, the students will lead us there!

Artistic Edibles

On Friday in the” Artistic Edibles” enrichment cluster students grabbed a plate and unleashed their imaginations!  Utilizing healthy fruits and vegetables students explored their own creativeness creating works of art!  Who would think a simple grape and strawberry could be transformed into a beautiful flower arrangement?  Students will narrow down their service project this coming Friday; expect something delicious both on the eyes and in your mouth!

Jr. Wildlife Explorers

In the “Jr. Wildlife Explorers”, the students brainstormed what they wanted to learn about animals. We watched some videos on animal rescue groups, ways animals have helped save people's lives, and unusual animals.  

Clay Creators

“Clay Creators” watched two short videos about hand building pottery in New Mexico and an artist inspired by the volcanoes in Hawaii using the potter's wheel, glazing and firing with the Raku process. Students used the pinch pot technique to make their own creations. They are very excited to use different techniques to create their ideas. 

The Future is Coming…Soon

“The Future is Coming…Soon” enrichment cluster is full of creative minds bent on creating a better future for us all. In our first meeting we spent some time discussing some of the challenges facing our future population. Members shared ideas of their own and we spent some time learning about innovations others around the globe have developed. There were so many amazing ideas floating around that we decided to create a shared google document to catalog them over the week. We are going to change the world!

Ready, Set, Play

In "Ready, Set, Play," our first day began with an obstacle course challenge that consisted of eight different obstacles. Each obstacle physically challenged the student's athletic abilities ranging from core and upper body strength, to agility, coordination, balance and endurance. Each student showed a great deal of determination and excitement to push through the course. After all students completed the course we viewed two video clips of worldwide events in which people participate in to challenge their physical abilities as we did in our opening activity. The two events are "The Spartan Race" and "Ninja Warrior." We then discussed what different activities we could participate in to stay physically active, while still challenging our athletic abilities at the same time. Half of the cluster had an idea to create a new game stemming from traditional games while the other half was interested in designing and creating an obstacle course. So, in the next few weeks we will be experimenting with a variety of equipment and modifying games to create a new one, as well as, begin to design an obstacle course/fun run.

There is so much going on...

I am excited because 4th and 5th grade are starting! At Laurel Mountain, there is a lot of energy and attention placed on enrichment clusters. But today, I wanted to take a moment highlight a few other awesome things that have been going on that are related to the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM). Because SEM is more than just enrichment clusters.

At the beginning of the school year all of the students completed an interest survey. Each class and grade level got their results. You can see the top interest areas posted outside each classroom. And you can see the top interest areas displayed on the enrichment board. This gives teachers a great insight into the interests of their class and individual students. The interest survey results allow us to create meaningful learning experience centered around our kids' interest areas.

And the interest survey data drives the various activities that have been taking place during the Enrichment Slot, or E-slot, on Friday. There have been a TON of different activities taking place, all centered on the students' different interest areas. I have seen cupcakes being baked, space murals being created, volcanoes erupting, LEGO constructions being built, dog trainers presenting...the list goes on and on.

PETS (Primary Educational Thinking Skills) lessons have started. These lessons center around a group of characters who live in Crystal Pond Woods. Each character represents a different type of thinking we use everyday to solve problems (convergent, divergent, visual and evaluative). These lessons take place in kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and some of 4th grade. 

So far this year, I have been able to go into 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms to help with math differentiation. The purpose of this is to create learning opportunities based on the students' skill level and needs. Sometimes I work with students who have mastered a concept, so I bring a challenge activity that focuses on the math concept being taught in class that day. Sometimes, I work with students who need some extra support or a reteach of a certain math concept. 

We have also started to revamp our Total Talent Portfolios. We are renaming them our PRIDE Portfolios. According to Dr. Renzulli, the major purposes of the PRIDE Portfolios are:

• To collect several different types of information that portrays a student’s strength areas, and to regularly updates this information. 
• To periodically review and analyze the information in order to make purposeful decisions about providing opportunities for enrichment experiences in the regular curriculum, the enrichment clusters, and the continuum of special services. 
• To use the information as a vehicle for educational, personal, and career counseling and for communicating with parents about the school's talent development opportunities and their child's involvement in them. 

This year, we are working towards the students taking ownership of the PRIDE Portfolios.  The portfolios are a tool for the teacher to get to know his/her students better.  But more importantly, we want to students to be able to use to portfolios to learn more about themselves.  We want the kids to focus and discover their interests and talents that will hopefully lead to a life-long passion.  The PRIDE Portfolios are a new work in progress and will be shared at PRIDE Night in the spring.

So like the title of today's blog entry says, there is so much going on!  But all of these things are positive, exciting, engaging and fun for the students, All of these activities create world-class talent right here at LME.

4th and 5th Grade Enrichment Cluster Descriptions

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


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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.