Weekly Objectives for 2/23/15 - 2/27/15

Overview - The time has flown by!!!!!  We are now in our final week of the Science Fair.  The student groups have grown in so many ways.  They are now more responsible for their work.  They are able to manage stress and meet strict deadlines.  They have learned how to delegate their requirements.  Most importantly, they now realize that multiple brains are way more effective than just one.  We can't say enough positive things about all that they have accomplished!!!  

Monday - 2/23/15 - 
       Today is the final day for the groups to work on their paper documents.  By 2:35 the "Final Report" must be turned in, along with all supporting paperwork.  We have 12 groups who are now working on their display boards, or practicing their presentations.  We are asking, that any groups still lagging behind, stay after school on Tuesday and Wednesday until 5:00 PM.

Friday - 2/27/15 -
       I sincerely apologize for not keeping up with the blog posts over the past few days.  We have been extremely busy with prepping for the Science Fair.  This is the first chance we have had to get back to the normality of classes.  Thank you in advance for bearing with us.
       The 2nd Annual Sixth Grade Science Fair was a complete success!!  Our top six teams were selected and will now move onto state competition in Syracuse.  We wish them nothing but the best of luck at the next level.  A big thank you goes out to the judges who were integral in the success of the Fair.  Many of them took time out of their busy lives and careers to evaluate your children.
       Today, as a closing reflection piece, the students are completing self-evaluations and peer evaluation forms.  This gives each individual in the group a chance to evaluate their peers and reflect upon their own success/failures.  This step is critical when using the 21st Century skills of Project Based Learning.  Mr. Bish and myself modeled filling out the form on each other before we set the students off on their own.  Modeling an activity is a critical step in the education process.
       Once again, we are so very proud of all of the groups.  They worked extremely hard, and put in a lot of extra hours to ensure that their projects were the best that they could be.  Projects like this, make being a teacher, a very rewarding profession.  Thanks to the community for showing up to cheer on their children, and to the parents in particular for helping make this Fair a complete success.