Tuesday+-+i-Class

9th March

My first wiki update!! This is a bit of an experiment, so I hope it works. For MENTAL EDGE this morning, we continued along with the explicit teaching of Creative Thinking. Today we used all the components of creative thinking (fluency, flexibiliy, orininality and elaboration) while using the new thinking tool L.A.C.E. We had two minutes to .........list as many uses that we could for a fork, draw a fobwoddlehookant, list things that are tringular in shape and to write what we could do with a mountain of used tin cans. Of course we had to use our creative thinking skills when coming up with our answers.........

Everyone continued with their talent. The writers club are well on their way to creating some inspirational poetry, the mathmaticians have been having fun with polyhedra and the ICT kids are getting incredibly frustrated with the animation programme ALICE!!

After play we had Margaret, Georgia's nanny, come in to teach us about patchwork quilting. Quilting fits in nicely with our concept of patterns. We had a great discussion on the history of quilting and how the patterns within the quilt often tell a story. Today we had a go at creating an Ohio Star. What we discovered is that to create one of these blocks....is not as easy as it looks!! You have to think about use of colour and how you are going to highlight the pattern within it. Many mistakes were made, but most of us got there in the end! Some also went on to try; Corner Nines and Bear's Paw....watch this space!



Our finished Ohio Stars

This afternoon Mr Newton came in for chess.



Tuesday 16th March

We began our day with droodles......droodles help us to think fluently, flexibly and creatively. What's a droodle? Check out the web site.

We then spent the rest of the morning rotating around 3 activities based on our concept on PATTERNS.

Activity 1. Using the Key Words to Unlock Big Ideas chart, ceate a HUMUNGOUS page of questions about patterns.

Here are some of our questions....
 * What functions do patterns have on everyday life?
 * What consequences happen when patterns are removed?
 * What value do patterns have on space?
 * How do patterns adapt to their surroundings?
 * Why is there a structure to patterns?
 * What is the reason for patterns?
 * In what ways do patterns make life easier?
 * Can you find patterns in everything?
 * What roles do patterns have in modern economics?
 * What impact would it make if a brick wall didn't maintain strength and order?
 * Why is there a structure to patterns?
 * What roles do patterns play in our lives?
 * What is the purpose of patterns on a tiger?
 * What causes the tide to come in and out?
 * What if changes occured in to the mathmatical system?
 * Are there people who study patterns?
 * What influence do patterns have over our lives?
 * What are the characteristics of a pattern?
 * What are the differences between parrterns for beauty and patterns for survival?
 * What value do patterns have to us?
 * What systems can benefit from patterns?

Activity 2 Knotting... How does knotting fit in to our concept of patterns?

Here we are using our Habits of Mind....especilly persistance.......to create some knots.

(Photos to come. My USB cord isn't working!)

Knots we had a go at creating.......Chinese Knot, Masthead Knot Mat, Crown Sinnet, Turk's Head, Chain Sinnet, Monkey's Fist......