Developing the BCS Educator

There is always great excitement on campus in mid-August around BCS as our students return to school...But did you know that our teachers engage in active learning for the two weeks prior to students arriving, as well?

Bullis Charter School’s (BCS) mission calls for “children, faculty and staff to reach beyond themselves to achieve full potential.” The ten consecutive days of staff development prior to the start of every school year is a unique aspect of the BCS program and exemplifies the staff’s ongoing commitment to the BCS mission.

Jessica Lura, BCS Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, believes that actively engaging faculty and staff as learners increases their professional knowledge and ultimately enhances student learning. Specific goals of this beginning of the year staff development are:

• to build a learning community, to welcome new staff members, and to have fun
• to dive into what it means to be a globally competent student and to build our capacity as educators so that we can support our students in becoming globally literate
• to continue to focus on meeting all students' needs and building our content area skills

Throughout the ten days, teachers are engaged in the dual capacities of both teacher and learner. Sessions are designed and led by returning BCS staff, thereby steeping new staff in the BCS mission and culture and unifying the entire learning and teaching community.

Second grade teacher, Paige Minichiello, explains what differentiates BCS’s staff development program from other traditional teacher professional development (PD) models, "As a new teacher to BCS I wasn't sure what to expect...I always enjoyed the PD at my last school district, but found some discrepancies in the implementation of the wonderful things I learned. What I love about BCS is knowing we'll be putting these fantastic skills and ideas to use, because I've already collaborated with my team about it! It feels great to explore new technology and know my students will get to use it, too. I can't wait to help my students become globally conscientious citizens with the help of the amazing staff and parents at BCS. They are truly putting the learning needs of children first."

For staff development for the 2017-2018 school year, a variety of educational topics were presented, including developing global competency, integrating these and the Next Generation Science Standards into specialist content areas (arts, physical education, world languages, etc.), achieving vertical articulation (alignment across grade levels) for Project Based Learning units, and using data to pick areas of literacy focus so that the needs of all students are being met whether through specific technology programs, new in-class programs, or small group instruction.

In support of the global competency strand, the entire staff enjoyed a special viewing of An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. Prior to watching the movie, the staff was updated on global warming trends and data and introduced to the innovations and efforts to decrease man's carbon footprint since the film’s prequel, An Inconvenient Truth, was released. Casey Stanton, National Wildlife Federation Director of Education, who developed the educational materials for both films conducted pre- and post-viewing workshops (pictured at right). Teachers were treated to the newest educational resources and excited to begin integrating these into the upcoming year’s lessons. This special staff development day would not have been possible without the generous support of Dipender Saluja, Partner & Managing Director of Capricorn Investment Group, Participant Media, and the National Wildlife Federation.

Another particularly engaging event was the ‘Tech Tools’ learning challenge. BCS’s Art, Math, MakerSpace, and FabLab specialists led the staff through activities they use with students that integrate technology into the curriculum. A few favorites were:

• Sphero – Painted artwork created using an iPad and an app-enabled ball
• littleBits – Circuitry kit used to build something that lights up
• Makey Makey – Invention kit that turns everyday objects into touchpads, used to build electronic pianos
• Osmo – Game system that enables an iPad to see what's in front of it, allowing students (and teachers) to receive feedback as they use blocks and colored tiles to create patterns, tangrams, etc.

Although this was BCS founding and current middle school teacher Lisa Stone’s 14th year of participation, she still finds opportunities for growth and reflection in BCS’s staff development program. "Innovative approaches to education and the tools employed to implement them are constantly being developed, so each year I learn so much despite being a veteran teacher. Not only do we learn about these innovative approaches, but we also have time to discuss with our colleagues how to implement them, moving together as an entire staff to make the BCS student experience better with each passing year."

The Dramatic Benefits of the BCS Drama Program

As a S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) school, BCS offers music, art, and drama instruction as part of the core curriculum. During weekly drama class, students learn to perform scenes, monologues, and songs from well-known plays and musicals, engage in improvisation, and learn about the technical side of theater including stage direction, scene and costume design, and light and sound engineering. Throughout the year, large-scale drama productions provide students the opportunity to put these skills to use.  This school year includes productions of Haphazardly Ever After (Grades 1-4), The Aliens are Coming (Grades 4-5), Guys and Dolls (Grades 6-8), The Lion King Jr. (Grade K-4), Into the Woods (Grade 5), and A Mid-Summer’s Night Dream (7th Grade).

BCS is fortunate to have on staff two amazing, full-time drama specialists who engage students in this wonderfully creative aspect of the school’s art program. Jocelyn Pickett works with BCS K-4 students and Jeff Clark works with BCS 5-8 grade students. I had the opportunity to talk with both specialists during afterschool rehearsals for The Lion King Jr. and Into the Woods and here is what they had to say about the importance of incorporating a drama program into the core curriculum of any school.

Why is it important to expose all students to drama?

Mr. Clark: It is important to expose students to drama, even those kids who have no desire to perform on stage, because it builds a myriad of skills they may need for future endeavors. Drama provides the students with experience presenting in front of large groups, it teaches them the art of voice projection, and it develops their ability to think quickly on their feet when in a situation in which they need to improvise. Participating in drama also opens the students up socially, requiring them to work with other kids who they may not have chosen to spend time with in a social situation. As part of their assignment, they must create a performance project with this partner—listening to and being heard by the partner. This helps the students develop the ability to listen to the ideas of others and it also provides them a safe place to try out their own creative ideas.

Ms. Pickett: Teaching drama is important because it teaches something that is not often incorporated into a standard school day. Math and science are logical. Life isn’t like that though, and neither is drama. In performance, there is no right or wrong answer. Drama is an opportunity for open creativity and it provides a chance to build creative confidence. It is Ok to make mistakes in drama and in fact, mistakes are wonderful because they may lead to the creation of something beautiful. Mistakes also allow the performer to rebound and improvise. This is an opportunity for pure creation and innovation. The only mistake one can make in drama is to not try or participate.

Another amazing aspect of drama is it teaches one not to be selfish. You quickly learn that the person next to you on the stage is important. This teaches the students to pay attention to the other actors.

What are some of the additional skills students learn in drama class and what are the added benefits of incorporating a drama program into a school curriculum?

Ms. Pickett: As a drama specialist I get to see the actual child; they don’t put on façade in drama class. In drama, students can show how they are really feeling that day and use that emotion as part of their performance. This is true social, emotional learning (SEL). Drama also teaches the students how to deal with disappointment. Not everyone can land the role of Snow White and that is Ok, because Tree #2 is just as important as Snow White in the production. A performance is not about the individual on stage but rather about how to convey a message to an audience. To do this, you need everyone to work together as a group. It is not about one person being a star but rather about creating a piece together as an ensemble. Drama is the ultimate team sport and there are lots of group problem solving skills involved in pulling off a successful production.

How do you choose what the students will act out in drama class?

Mr. Clarke: Currently, the 5th graders are working in class on scenes from the musical 1776. They 1776 was chosen because it aligns with the 5th grader’s core curriculum in history, which focuses on Colonial American and the Revolutionary War. When choosing an afterschool production, it is often all about how to manage the logistics. For example, I need to consider how many students want to participate and then choose a play or musical that has enough parts for all who want to join. After meeting this benchmark, I decide what kind of production would be good to expose the students to. A few years ago we performed Oklahoma, which is an iconic musical because when it was first produced in the 1940s and 1950s, it changed the way all future musicals were created. This musical has real historical relevance and as part of preparing for the production, the students discussed the history of the musical and learned about the time period in which it is set. For every production the students produce, it is important for them to really understand its background and to immerse themselves in its history.

Upcoming BCS Performances:
Performances of Into the Woods will be held on April 28th and 29th at 7:00 pm and on April 30th at 2:00 pm. Performances of Lion King Jr. with the north campus cast will take place on May 5th, 6th and 7th at 7:00 pm, with an additional 2:00 pm production on May 7th. Performances with the south campus cast will take place on May 12th, 13th, and 14th at 7:00 pm with an additional 2:00 pm production on May 14th. Performances of A Mid-Summer’s Night Dream will take place on June 6th and 7th at 7:00 pm.

Using Art to Teach Social Emotional Learning at BCS

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) “is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

Studies have found that developing social and emotional skills at an early age fosters teamwork and problem-solving abilities, helping students grow into good students, citizens, and workers. SEL also lowers stress-levels and reduces certain risky behaviors, including bullying and drug use. Bullis Charter School stays current with these findings and believes strongly in helping its students develop the social and emotional skills necessary to thrive at all stages of life. For this reason, BCS integrates SEL into every aspect of its program, from the six pillars to classroom instruction.

BCS art specialist Amy Felder integrates social and emotional learning lessons into her curriculum throughout the year. She engages her students in creative SEL art lessons including Super Self-portraits where students create drawings of themselves as superheroes who possess one imagined superpower that will help them overcome a fear. First graders study the stars and the moon and create their own version of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. As part of the lesson, they read about Van Gogh and discuss his life struggles. The students practice empathy and imagine what it would be like to be Van Gogh. When learning about how certain townspeople mistreated Van Gogh, they discuss the importance of being caring and respectful towards others and how not doing so can leave someone feeling sad and lonely, like Van Gogh.

Recently, Ms. Felder invited artist Barbara Tolloczko, grandmother of a BCS kindergarten student, to talk to the class about how they can express their feelings through art. Mrs. Tolloczko showed the students a slideshow, explained how she gets her ideas for her own artwork and shared the different mediums she uses for her art. The simplest way to express herself, she explained, “is to draw something with a pencil on paper.”  She next showed the students various ways to add color to the drawing by using watercolors, colored pencils, markers, crayons, or pastels. When the slide of an oil painting depicting a dancing lady appeared, she asked the students, “What did I do to make it look like the woman is dancing?” The students examined the figure before them. The posture of dancer’s head was tilted back, her arms were behind her, she was standing on one leg, and her dress was floating in the air; all signifying she wasn’t standing but dancing.

Next, she discussed with the students how she decides what to draw. Of course, the easiest way is to draw or paint what you see. Sometimes though, it is fun to draw or paint what you imagine. After sharing slides of mythical animals, Ms. Tolloczko asked,  “Did you know that it is also possible to paint your idea or opinion about something? For example you can use snakes to represent someone’s hair if you want to depict them as not a nice person.”

Most importantly, art can be used to express your feelings and this can be done in ways other than drawing a happy or sad face. Ms. Tolloczko showed the students a painting of a lady with an octopus on her back and asked them what they thought this could mean? Perhaps the woman is trying to escape something but can’t. Maybe she feels overwhelmed or is carrying a heavy burden. She then showed the students a slide of a woman dancing and swirling in a bright happy dress. “How do you think she feels?” Mrs. Tolloczko asked the students? “Happy,” they responded in unison. “But, did you know you do not always need to put a person in your picture to show if you are feeling happy or sad. The colors you use can also represent your feelings.”

Armed with their new artistic knowledge, Ms. Felder gave the kindergarten students time to create their own artwork representing how they feel. She instructed them not to share the feeling they were drawing. When finished, she invited them to present their drawings and let their classmates guess the feeling depicted. By the end of the lesson, these young students had all discovered a new way to express their feelings through art. Developing this awareness of their emotions is the first step in learning to dealing with feelings in a healthy way, which then allows the students to control their actions. Instead of acting out from fear or anger, students can empathize with what another is feeling or experiencing and respond accordingly with care and kindness.

Art Education Month--BCS K-5 Art Showcase

March is Arts Education Month and as a STEAM school (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), BCS incorporates the arts into its curriculum, every month of the year. But, to honor this special month, we are excited to showcase the amazing artistic talents of Bullis Charter students.

Kindergarten Imagination

Kindergarten students used their imaginations to create paintings in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. They began their art lesson by reading aloud Harriet Ziefert’s Lunchtime for a Purple Snake and reviewing how to mix secondary colors. Before they began painting, Ms. Felder reminded her students that imagination is the best tool they have to create artwork and this gave them the freedom to paint whatever they wanted.

Third Grade Extreme Weather

After discussing artist Winslow Homer and his weather-focused artwork, BCS third graders worked with groups to create artwork depicting extreme weather conditions, the focus of their current PBL unit.

First Grade Biomimicry PBL and Art

Collaborating across subject matters, first grade students incorporated their artistic talents into their biomimicry PBL.  One student created a scientific drawing by observing an animal’s jawbone in real life and another student created a still life drawing of the biomimicry PBL prototype he created in the MakerSpace.

Advanced Studio Art Projects

In BCS Advanced Studio Art, students created and decorated face masks that are so professional, they should have their own display in an art museum!

3rd Grade Self-Portraits

Third graders worked on their art FLGs by creating self-portraits and writing reflections.

Kindergarten Self-Portraits




Using mirrors to examine their reflections, kindergarten students created self-portraits. The students were taught to use accurate proportions and the correct placement of facial features. They also read Katie Kissinger’s All the Colors We Are, which explains scientifically why people have different skin colors, and they were encouraged to color their self-portraits accurately with crayons.  The self-portraits and a paragraph about themselves will be included in the "All About the Artist" page of the students’ year-long Kindergarten Art Books.

Sharing Best Practices at the CCSA Conference

In March, several representatives from BCS presented at the annual California Charter School Association Conference in Sacramento. 

Jessica Lura, BCS Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, and Kristina Plattner, 6th grade teacher, presented a session entitled “Deeper Learning Through Project-Based Learning and S.T.E.A.M.”, sharing examples from the BCS program and how these innovative, rigorous units facilitate a deeper conceptual understanding of content for our students. 

Seventh grade humanities teacher, Lisa Stone, who was one of only 200 teachers from throughout the country selected by LearnZillion to write curricula for the new common core state standards, introduced this free high quality resource to other California educators. 

Wanny Hersey, Superintendent/Founding Principal and Emily Nelson, BCS Communications Director, presented a session entitled, “Making Your Data Come Alive”, sharing what data are collected at BCS, and how these can be desegregated/analyzed, used to improve instruction and student outcomes, and can paint a vivid picture of a school’s success. 

Sharing Project Based Learning Units at the Bay Area S.T.E.A.M. Colloquium

In January, five BCS staff members presented at the Contra Costa County Office of Education’s STEAM Colloquium, which is designed to inspire and equip educators with tools and ideas needed to develop robust S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curricula at their own school sites.  

Two of our 4th grade teachers, Amanda Marino and Jeri Chi, presented their Project Based Learning (PBL) and Design Thinking Unit “Ethical Zoo Habitat Design” in which students strategically apply their knowledge of ecosystems, organisms, and ethics to create an ethical zoo habitat that would meet the needs of two different animals assigned to the same space. 

Mrs. Marino and Ms. Chi shared how students utilized technology in the MakerSpace as well as vector-based drawing software and the laser cutter in the BCS FabLab to create their designs.

Lynn Reed, MakerSpace Director, showed attending educators on how engineering can be integrated into the elementary science curriculum. She showcased how students work in small groups in the MakerSpace to construct detailed models using basic household items and recyclable materials. 

Additionally, art specialist Andrew Lipson shared examples of the many wonderful projects that integrate the visuals arts into K-8 program at BCS. From prosthetic hands to the muscular clay & wire sculptures, robot turtles, and vector-based logos, his displays inspired many conference attendees.

Teachers presenting about PBL and integrated learning units
at the Bay Area S.T.E.A.M. Colloquium

Turtle Camp at BCS

BCS recently received a $4000 NOAA Oceans Guardian Grant for our school’s ongoing commitment to protecting local waterways.  As part of that grant, Ms. Lura and her co-curricular students organized a “Turtle Camp” for our kindergarten and first grade students to teach them about protecting our oceans and helping save the leatherback sea turtles. 

Check out this great article in the Los Altos Town Crier about the fun event!

SCHOOLS

Bullis Charter School students attend Turtle Camp to learn conservation

Published on Wednesday, 28 January 2015 00:02

Written by Los Altos Town Crier Staff - Town Crier Report

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Courtesy of Bullis Charter School
Bullis Charter School fourth- and fifth-graders guide younger students through activity centers that aim to educate about leatherback turtle conservation efforts. 

Fourth- and fifth-graders at Bullis Charter School stepped into the role of teacher last week when they taught kindergarten and first-grade students how they can help save leatherback sea turtles.

The school developed the event, called Turtle Camp, after receiving a $4,000 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Ocean (NOAA) Guardian Grant awarded to schools that demonstrate a commitment to protect and conserve local and global waterways.

Jessica Lura, director of strategic initiatives and partnerships at Bullis Charter School, worked with students in her co-curricular class “The Blue Crew,” an elective class focusing on reducing marine debris, to design the Turtle Camp for younger students.

“The NOAA grant allowed us to expand upon our school’s mission to teach our students about the interconnectedness of people and their environments,” Lura said. “It is important for students as young as kindergarten to understand that they have a direct impact on our local waterways, and that small actions can have a big impact on our oceans and marine life – in this case, the survival of the leatherback sea turtles.”

Leatherback sea turtle protection and conservation are part of an Environmental Science unit that all grade levels participate in at Bullis Charter School. Lura and her students wanted to build on their knowledge of leatherback sea turtles and explore the negative effects of marine debris on the health of the oceans.

Fourth- and fifth-graders led the younger students through four activity centers, all focused on different aspects of protecting the oceans. The first station included a world map and an explanation of the gyre in the Pacific Ocean and culminated with students signing a pledge to recycle and use reusable water bottles.

“It was exciting to teach the younger students because it gave them a good chance to learn about how all of their actions affect the ocean,” said Sophy Mintz, a fifth-grader at the charter school. “We wanted them to learn about how harmful even one piece of trash can be in the ocean, and we used interactive activities like a skit at the end of our presentation to help them remember the information.”

Another station included a mini-lesson on how local waterways connect to the ocean. Kindergartners used ocean props and costumes to act out a skit demonstrating how a piece of plastic could eventually harm a leatherback sea turtle.

Students also had a chance to draw and write short notes on ways to help preserve the oceans and marine life. The notes will be mailed to their sister school in Costa Rica later this spring.

Teacher Professional Development at BCS

Supporting and developing our teachers is a cornerstone of our program at Bullis, and we have made the commitment to provide opportunities for teachers to learn and to work collaboratively to improve their teaching and to meet student needs. In addition to the two weeks of professional development in August, our teachers meet regularly in grade level teams, in vertical teams, and around curricular and school initiatives.

Just last week, teachers at both the BCS and BCI campuses met in their professional learning communities (PLCs). PLCs provide an opportunity for teachers to self-select an area or topic they are passionate about and to work together to analyze their teaching.  We have PLCs that focus on content areas (such as common core instruction, visual and performing arts), tech integration, design thinking, assessment and global citizenship. During the staff development day earlier this month, teachers worked collaboratively on various areas of professional growth, including sharing best practices aligned with the Continuum, which is an important part of our performance based pay model.   The BCS Staff is grateful to have the support of the BCS Board and parents for continued professional development. Teachers participate in team building activities during a recent professional development day at BCS Of course, when you get a fabulous group of teachers together, we always find time for a little fun and team building.  The pictures below are from Tuesday where staff members were instructed to make a tableau based on various prompts - including “with at least 6 people, make a scene from the Bachelor!” During a team building activity, teachers were instructed to make a tableau based on various prompts - including "with at least 6 people, make a scene from the Bachelor!"

Mr. Malpica Wins Award for Innovation

BCS FabLab Director David Malpica was recently honored for his innovative teaching at the "Cares and Shares" awards ceremony hosted by the Los Altos Community Foundation and Los Altos Courtyard by Marriott, who are generously donating $1000 to our school!

Congratulations, Mr. Malpica!

BCS is a National Blue Ribbon School!

By Wanny Hersey

Superintendent/Principal at Bullis Charter School

I am excited to announce that this morning, the U.S Department of Education designated Bullis Charter School a National Blue Ribbon School for the 2013-2014 school year.

For over 30 years, the NBRS Program has been recognizing exemplary schools from across the country in an ongoing effort to illuminate best practices in education. This year, BCS will be one of just 287 public schools throughout the country to receive this very prestigious award, and the only K-8 program in Los Altos to do so.

We greatly appreciate your support of our programs over the last 10 years.  I hope you will join me in celebrating our school and the wonderful community of students, teachers, staff and parents that have helped make BCS a shining example of all that is possible in public education. 

You can view US Secretary of State Arne Duncan's announcement here:

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

Students' Cell Watercolor Art on Display at Helix in Downtown Los Altos

BCS 5th graders recently completed an integrated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) unit on human body systems, which resulted in their unique art project being put on display at Helix in downtown Los Altos!

As part of the art integration, students created watercolor paintings based on photographs of different types of cells and on the work of artist and microbiologist Dr. David Goodsell from Scripps Research Institute - a molecular biologist who also specializes in distinct artistic renditions of living cells based on scientific data.

In looking at Dr. Goodsell’s paintings, students discussed elements of design used in the paintings’ compositions together with his use of color and tone to depict space and portray the cells in both an artistic and scientific manner simultaneously. 

Students use black and white reference photos to
 create their cell watercolor paintings

Students then used black and white reference photos, watercolors, and watercolor pencils to create their own paintings of cells and viruses.

Fifth grade teachers collaborated with one of our art specialists, Mr. Lipson, to get in touch with Dr. Goodsell and arrange for him to view the students' artwork and discuss it with them via Skype.  Dr. Goodsell also shared one of his latest paintings with students and described the process he used to create it.

The artwork will be on display at Helix in downtown Los Altos for the next several weeks.

Wanny's Words: Eighth Graders’ International Architectural Design and Engineering Project

By Wanny Hersey

Superintendent/Principal at Bullis Charter School

Last week I had the pleasure of serving on the judging panel of our eighth grade students' 3-D school designs presentations for the international “School of the Future Design Competition” sponsored by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI)   These middle school students used the Design Thinking process and technologies at the FabLab@BCS, such as the laser cutter, to create environmentally responsive school models during their Architectural Design and Engineering intersession.

As you know, BCS is committed to educating the whole child using curricula that is project-based, integrated across academic areas but specifically in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), all with a focus on developing 21st century skills. But what I thought was most interesting for community members to see was that the 8th grade students were challenged to envision an innovative use of the Blach site where the Bullis Center for Innovation is presently located and to create a model that not only takes into consideration the learning and physical environments but also addresses how their proposal connects learning to their community so that the there is a mutually beneficial partnership.

The students also presented their designs to the BCS Board of Directors on Monday.  Board members, as well as many members of our local community, had the opportunity to see the amazing projects first-hand and ask students questions about the process.  We also congratulated the winning group who will work with their teachers to prepare for the regional level of competition next month!

Take a look at some of the amazing 3-D models!

Second Grade Students Showcase Their Leatherback Sea Turtle Projects

Leatherback Sea Turtle conservation is an around-the-clock effort for the Leatherback Trust (LTL) located in Playa Grande, Costa Rica – where our sixth graders travel annually to learn about and participate in the research and conservation of this endangered animal.

Over 3,000 miles away, BCS second graders engaged in their own endeavor to help save the leatherbacks, beginning with a teacher-run field trip to Half Moon Bay in October to learn about the lifecycle of the leatherback sea turtles. 

Among the many activities that day was a relay race where students recreated the lifecycle stages of a leatherback sea turtle by first dragging their bodies across the beach with their front fins, then digging a hole in the sand, maneuvering to get the eggs into the hole from their backpack, and finally covering up the hole (all with fins on their hands the entire time!). 

This highly engaging field trip helped provide students with ample background knowledge before they started their Leather Back Sea Turtle Project Based Learning (PBL) and Design Thinking unit in which students worked in groups of three to explore the driving question “How can we, as citizens of the environment, design a way to protect the leatherback sea turtle?”

In order to best answer that question, students had to do research with books, articles, and videos where students learned how to take notes and highlight important information in a variety of expository texts.   For each stage of the life cycle, second graders worked together to identify specific threats that are currently dangerous for leatherback sea turtles:

Egg Stage: Extreme heat

Egg Stage: Egg poachers

Hatchling Stage: Predators

Juvenile Stage: Fishing nets

Coastal Feeding Stage: Plastic bags/trash in the ocean

Breeding/Migrating Stage: Oil spills

Nesting Stage: Habitat destruction

After identifying the threats, students began working with Mrs. Reed in the MakerSpace to begin the Design Thinking process.  The first step is to build empathy – which second grade teacher Ms. Greenstadt said came very quickly to her students.

“Seeing a lot of pictures and videos of leatherback sea turtles helped the students build empathy quickly, and they loved the idea of having the power to make a positive change in the world,” said Ms. Greenstadt.  “They realized that anyone could come up with a great idea that might help the turtles – even a second grader!”

Building on their empathy and knowledge of leatherbacks, students came up with solutions against specific threats facing the turtles, and were able to use materials like straws, cardboard, plastic, and paper to create a rapid prototype of their solution.

An early idea from a group included having a “hot sauce firing machine” to fire hot sauce into eyes of poachers.  Students rationalized that the hot sauce wouldn’t harm the poachers in a serious way, but it would be enough to prevent them from getting the eggs.

 

Another group designed a protective bubble for sea turtles to travel in that would protect them from getting caught in nets.  After receiving helpful feedback from the classmates, they changed their prototype from a plastic bubble to a comfortable towel raft, noting that the sea turtles may not like being in a bubble for very long.  The raft also included rubber spikes on the sides to further protect the turtles, but also not harming any other species in the process.  All students went on to design a 3-D sketch-up simulation to virtually test their prototypes. 

Students recently shared their PowerPoint and podcast presentations documenting all of the details of their projects with parents and visitors.  Below are a few examples of the tremendous work done by our second graders who are leading the way in global citizenship and innovation at BCS!