How can we encourage kids to think critically from an early age? Through an activity that every child is already an expert at – asking questions! The trick is to go beyond simple “what” questions and start asking more complex “how” and “why” questions. I decided to use the book One Plastic Bag to help…
Every school year, I take time during the first two weeks of school for the development of this year’s classroom rules. I started our discussions on the first day of school with the question, “Why do we come to school?” I listed all of the students’ answers on the board, and then said, “If these…
In Science class during the 3rd trimester, the 3rd and 4th graders have been working on self-directed long-term inquiry projects on ENERGY. Guiding students through a project like this was new for me, and I learned a lot along the way. We began the unit by exploring what students already knew about energy, and as…
Adolescence is a wonderful time of development. Kids have new skills and abilities, and also are itching for more freedom and responsibility. They want to do it all, but they still need guidance and support. As our middle school students grow, we look for opportunities for our middle school students to take leadership in the…
Yesterday, the K-2 group ventured out downtown to learn more about Chicago’s rich architecture and food. We have been studying the history of Chicago all year and this was the perfect way to cap it off! We took the CTA bus down to the new Chicago Architectural Center. We were met with a docent to…
Every month, a contingent of our students heads to The Admiral at the Lake for an ongoing service project with the residents of the assisted living community there. However, the Admiral was hit hard by the polar vortex this winter, with frozen and burst pipes; unfortunately, they are still recovering as they continue working through…