Today the 3rd graders were introduced to this year's theme: Transformation. We started the day by practicing each others' names, and Finley was the first student in the class to be able to list everyone's name, which is impressive because she is a new student this year!

We then moved onto a creative brainstorming activity. Each table of students had a random material in the center of their table. Students took turns picking up a material and using the sentence stem, "This is a [spoon], but it could transform into a [drumstick.] filling in the blanks and acting out a real or imaginative transformation for the item. No ideas were bad ideas, and serious or silly answers were fine. Eventually, more items were added and the items could be combined. ie. "This is a binder clip, pipe cleaner, and a balloon, but they can transform into a hot air balloon." This helped us realize that our imaginations can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Next we practiced making transformation chains. Each team got a sticky note with the word "seed" on it. The goal was to build as long of a chain of sticky notes as possible by adding notes that tell what that item can transform into. Example: Seed->sprout->pumpkin plant->pumpkin->jack o'lantern->compost->garden soil. The students were encouraged to think of as small and incremental changes as possible. Our takeaway was that small, subtle changes can lead to huge transformations.

Our final transformation activity of the day was theatrical. The teams were given the following scenario: You are walking along and suddenly find yourself trapped in a giant pit. All you are armed with is your imagination and the items in your backpack (the same items from the morning's brainstorm challenge.) Create and perform a 1-2 minute skit showing how you get out of the pit. Students prepared their skits for 15 minutes and then performed for their classmates. The performances were SO creative and hilarious. This will set us up to talk about The Learning Pit and growth mindset next week when the students are given a origami challenge, transforming a flat piece of paper into something new.