World Bike {Giving Back}

Mr. UpCyclist will do just about anything that involves biking.  Plus, as my students have heard me describe, he is a complete kind-natured soul and a true 6er - ed psych students, that one was for you!  Hence, Mr. UpCyclist volunteered at the Green Fest event in our county.  For hours, he and puppy Jedi took off the pedals of donated bikes.  Evidently, the donated bikes are headed to Panama and with their pedals off, the bikes fit more nicely in the cargo container.

Yay, for World Bike (the organizer of the bike donations) and nice work, Mr. UpCyclist.  Lil O and I are proud of you and Jedi.

If you want to get involved with World Bike, click here. 

Happy,

Jen

Elaboration {part of the Be Creative Series}

To solve a problem creatively, an idea must be developed and details considered before an idea is executed and implemented. This attention to detail is called "elaboration." Elaboration is another characteristic - like fluency and originality - that creative thinkers possess.  You (and your students) need strong elaboration skills.  Got it?

(chalk drawing by Prof. KP and her lovely daughter, G)

Here are some tricks and tips to help you develop elaboration skills for yourself and others.....

• Experience an activity by incorporating more senses.  What does the setting in a book smell like?   What taste does E=MC² have?  What tactile feeling does a favorite song possess?
• Visualize what is read or seen by creating a drawing, flowchart, or sequencing of sounds or movements.
• Find the balance between having enough details and too many details; too many details can become overwhelming. 
• Learn the “Rules for Converging” - not now, but in the future.  Converging is what happens once brainstorming has taken place.  I think I will blog about convergence soon.
• For parents and educators, consider what tools you encourage your children or students to use to  manage details and plan ahead (e.g.: To-do lists, checklists, iPad apps, etc.). What tools does your child see you using? 
• Like all creative attributes, a nurturing, non-rushed environment that encourages attention to detail and careful planning is preferred, especially in a demanding and busy 21st century.

Did you know elaborative thinking has consistently correlated higher to student achievement (like grades) more than any of the other creative attributes.  This makes sense as learning requires attention to detail and planning. 

Happy elaborating,

Jen

Did you miss part of the Be Creative Series?  Click on each link below to catch up.

Animoto {Updated Code} for Tech Tuesday

Are you a fan of Animoto yet? If you missed this post about Animoto, treat yourself. Animoto is the perfect free video making tool for all those upcoming classroom and graduation events.

To register for your free Animoto Plus account (usually $30/year, but free to us, educators, students & allies), use the following code Animoto supplied to me (this code is good for 6 months for the first 50 users): a4elara6f7c43. Choose the "Plus" option to input the code.

Yippee! I heart Animoto.

Jen

PS - If you missed my last Animoto video, you can see it here.

Life Updated

Just when I want to wind down for the night, Lil O notoriously winds up; albeit for about 20 minutes before she goes to bed.  Evidently, she has creative energy to burn.  In this photo, she is fashioning a beaded collar for her kitty.  Meow.

I love her focus in this Instagram photo and adore how colorful and organized her "studio" is.....

Love this kid,

Jen

PS - Her studio is not always that organized.  Just being real.

A New Take on Class Meetings

You probably remember Dr. I from her guest post here.  Welcome back, Dr. I!  Explain a new take on class meetings to the Upcycled community, please......(and PS - I miss you since you moved to SD!)

(Graphic from The Graphic Fairy; Picniked by Jen)

Many classrooms hold weekly class meetings to help build a positive classroom environment and for each student to have a voice and feel like part of a learning community.

The class meeting structure at one school in San Diego is called CPR (Concerns, Praises, Responsibilities) and it is used in grades 2-5.  My daughter’s teacher, and I agree starting class meetings on a positive note sets the stage for a successful meeting.

• Praises (students compliment one another for something great they did that week….like being a good study partner)
• Responsibilities (students are given the opportunity to take responsibility for something they did, without being prompted … like apologizing for taking someone’s pencil)
• Concerns (students can raise a concern about another student….but it cannot be something that the student already took responsibility for … also, the teacher does not allow more than two concerns to be raised about the same student)

I LOVE the structure of this class meeting and think that it is developmentally appropriate for 7-10 year olds.  The second graders would need more teacher support to learn how the process works, but by the time the students get to 4^th or 5^th grade, they could probably run the meeting themselves.  Talk about empowerment!

Dr. I, I love this class meeting line-up, too, as it promotes student ownership and civility.

Thank you for sharing and big thanks to Ms. H and her colleagues at Francis Parker for making this a vital part of students' days.

All the best,

Jen