Today, the 1st graders started their day setting up their digital work portfolios on Book Creator. At the end of each semester, the students will use their portfolios to guide a student-led conference discussing their triumphs and goals.

We then had a read-aloud of the book Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane. It tells the story of a woman that tried (and failed a lot) to improve upon the Wright Brothers' airplane design by shifting the goal of flight to "practicality" and biomimicing the wings of birds. Students then learned how to fold a basic paper airplane and tested their flight abilities for distance. Then they set a goal and altered the design of the original airplane and tested them then tweaked them, then tested them then tweaked them, then tested them again just like Lilian Todd!

The day ended with Free Choice, a time where students can pursue a passion or positively engage with peers. Some students continued work on their airplanes, some worked in their maker boxes, and some played a board game.

I'll have information available concerning conference options after meeting with the GATE Facilitator team on next Monday afternoon. Thanks for your patience!