Coding and Robotics – 2nd week

Re-setting Strikes: Alden and I felt that the beginning of a new session is a great time for re-setting the strike rules with the Eagles. Throughout the week we held discussions with the Eagles about the various rules. We talked about each rule, made sure it was clear to everyone and explored different examples together. In the end we made a list that you can see in the picture above. The last rule is a new one and we discussed it quite a lot. I like the fact that we constantly reexamine the rules, check what is required and what is not and update the rules as needed.

Coding and Robotics Quest: As part of the quest, this week we had a very interesting discussion about internet safety. We talked about the dangers on the internet, when we should make logic decisions and when we should also rely on our emotions (if something feels “strange” or “unsafe”, there is a good chance that this is indeed the case, even if all the details seem to be good). We’ve made a list of personal details that can be publicly shared on the internet (my favorite color, my favorite sport, etc.) and a list of details that should not be shared publicly, at least without consulting an adult (full name, address, photos, etc.). We have given some examples of
pretenders of various kinds: Adults pretend to be children, hackers pretend to be computer technicians, children pretend to be friends who only want to help, and we analyzed them together. It was interesting and very important in my opinion.

Art: In this week’s art class, we started a new project of creation from nature. I took the Eagles for a walk to the park and they collected lots of different materials with which they wanted to create. The day we went to the park was particularly cold and yet I was very glad that we went.
In my opinion connecting to nature and getting out of the classroom is super significant in almost any weather and the fact that the school is so close to a huge and amazing park is a such an advantage in this regard.

Writer’s Workshop: In this session’s writer’s workshop, the Eagles had to write a Persuasive Essay. Each one of them chose a different national park in the U.S. and they have to write a letter to a big philanthropist who wishes to donate $10 million to one of the national parks to convince him and explain why he should give the money specifically to their chosen park. The first step was for each Eagle to research online in order to get to know the park better. Afterward, we talked about the structure of the essay (an introduction, three explanation paragraphs and summary) and the Eagles began formulating the introduction and the various reasons why the money should go to their park.