4th Grade
Welcome to the 4th Grade Innovation Lab Journal
We'll use our 4th grade journal to share about each month's lessons and learning activities with the Innovation Lab Program. Teachers and Parents can follow along with the learning and find lesson resources that can be printed or shared and used to connect the learning to the home or in the classroom.
4th Grade Lessons April 2023
Annual Innovation Showcase 2023
Students at Innovation Lab schools in CUSD were invited to after school events showcasing some of the most engaging learning happening in the program this year. This event showcased a variety of STEAM activities and encouraged children and families to explore, create, and innovate together.
One of the most popular stations at the event was the Dash programming station. Participants had the opportunity to program the Dash robot to move and meet challenge criteria. Exploring the basics of coding and robotics, this station encouraged visitors to think critically and problem-solve.
Another popular station was the Bee-Bots programming station. Children used coding skills to program a Bee-Bot robot to navigate a maze using sequencing and problem-solving.For those interested in video game design, the Minecraft programming station allowed children to use coding skills to quickly build houses in a Minecraft world. Children and families also experimented with different coding blocks and learned how to create using Python code.
At the Scratch programming station, children could learn the basics of coding through interactive games and animations. Scratch cards at each station allowed visitors to create their own stories, games, and animations. This activity taught children the importance of creativity and logical thinking. For those interested in building, the Lego Buildtionary station challenged children to build various structures using Lego bricks. This activity encouraged children to think creatively and experiment with different building techniques.
Finally, the Soundtrap DJ booth allowed children to explore music production by creating their own tracks using digital tools. Innovative DJs could experiment with different beats, loops, and sound effects to create their own unique compositions. Parents took over this station at both events to show off and explore their creativity!
Innovation Showcase Night was an amazing event that offered a fun and engaging way for our school communities to learn about the program, our integrated learning and the profile of a graduate competencies. With a variety of activities ranging from coding and robotics to music production and building, there was something for everyone.
Students enjoyed collaborating in the Soundtrap DJ Booth.
4th Grade Lessons March 2023
In the month of March, the fourth-grade students in the Innovation Lab embarked on an extraordinary coding adventure, expanding their programming horizons from block-based programming to Python. Building upon their previous experiences with block-based programming in Minecraft, they deepened their understanding by using Python to create houses in the virtual world.
To lay the foundation for their coding exploration, the students dived into Minecraft's annual Hour of Code lessons, which provided an introduction to block-based programming within the Minecraft environment. They engaged in interactive activities, solving puzzles and challenges while learning coding concepts and developing their computational thinking skills.
Building upon their block-based programming knowledge, the fourth graders took a significant step forward by transitioning to Python coding in Minecraft. Python, a versatile and powerful programming language, opened up new possibilities for creative expression and problem-solving within the virtual realm. With Python as their tool, the students embarked on the task of constructing houses in Minecraft, using their coding skills to bring their architectural visions to life. They leveraged Python syntax and concepts to program Minecraft blocks and create structures such as walls, roofs, windows, and doors. By writing lines of Python code, they added personalized touches and unique features to their virtual houses, showcasing their creativity
4th Grade Lessons February 2023
In the Innovation Lab, our fourth-grade students embarked on an exciting coding adventure in February, immersing themselves in the world of Scratch programming. With a focus on developing their computational thinking and problem-solving skills, the students delved into creating their own two-player maze games. Through Scratch's intuitive interface and visual programming blocks, students developed a solid foundation in coding concepts while igniting their creativity. Fourth graders took on the challenge of designing their own two-player maze games. With a focus on collaboration and creativity, they worked in pairs to plan, develop, and refine their games. They carefully crafted intricate mazes filled with challenges, obstacles, and rewards, creating an immersive and exciting gaming experience for their peers.
During the process, the students applied their computational thinking skills to design game mechanics, program character movements, and incorporate interactive elements. Through trial and error, they developed problem-solving strategies, iterated on their designs, and fine-tuned their games to perfection. The culmination of their hard work came with a sharing session, where the fourth graders played each other's maze games. This experience fostered a sense of pride in their creations and encouraged them to appreciate and celebrate their classmates' achievements. As they explored and navigated the diverse maze games, the students further developed their critical thinking skills by analyzing game mechanics, offering feedback, and appreciating the creativity displayed by their peers.
February was an exciting month in the Innovation Lab, where our fourth-grade students unleashed their creativity and problem-solving skills through creating two-player maze games in Scratch. The journey of designing and programming these games not only allowed them to explore coding concepts but also fostered collaboration, critical thinking, and a sense of achievement. Next month, we'll take what we have learned in scartch's block based programming IDE and apply it to block based and hand coded pythton code in Minecraft
4th Grade Lessons January 2023
This fourth grader observes a photograph they took to get inspiration for a poster design.
4th Graders had the opportunity to design posters for the Arbor Day Poster Contest. The theme this year is "Trees Plant a Cooler Future".
Mrs. Delaye had students think of the many ways trees are cool and how trees help keep us cool. Students discussed this multiple meaning word, went outside to observe trees, looked at pictures of trees, and even practiced drawing trees. Students agreed trees are homes to animals, trees give us food to eat, trees are beautiful to look at, and trees give us shade on a hot day.
Students also learned about respiration, which contributes to trees cooling the Earth. This cooling factor helps students understand the importance of planting trees and protecting trees.
Students sketched out a design for their poster in their Innovation Journals. They included some of their favorite reasons trees are cool in their designs. Students were encouraged to add branches and realistic details to their drawings.
In a second session students took their designs a step further to create posters for the California Releaf 2023 Arbor Day Poster Contest. Students had the choice to work with colored pencils or cut paper designs.
This project gave students an opportunity to choose an artistic medium that they had interest in. It helped them understand how they can help their community by spreading an awareness of how valuable tree are to their communities.
Here a student creates a cut paper poster to display the beauty trees provide for our communities.
4th Grade Lessons December 2022
This week 4th graders at both schools completed digital citizenship lessons. The school sites will be applying to receive digital citizenship certification through Common Sense Education.
The lessons come from Common Sense Education curriculum. This lesson focused on being a super digital citizen (SDC). Students learned the character traits of a super digital citizen and learned to recognized the activities of cyberbullying. Through reviewing scenarios, they identified ways to be an upstander when they encounter cyberbullying. They created their own comic strips to show their understanding of the topic and displayed how to be empathetic of another person being bullied online. Students posted their comic strips on Seesaw to share them with the community.
< Note from Mrs. Delaye - Because we learn, create and participate on digital platforms, I see and strong need for students to be super digital citizens. This lesson was an engaging way for students to think of themselves as heroes as they become upstanders in the digital world.
Lesson Resources:
4th Grade Lessons November
4th graders created the first draft of their project plans.
4th graders have begun work on their independent projects for the student design challenge Arcade project. Each student drafted their plan, captured it on SeeSaw, and created their classroom Scratch account.
4th graders created their first independent project plan drafts this month. They will continue to work on these projects in Scratch though the end of the calendar year. With the approval of funding for the student design challenge in hand, students are now working to create content that will populate the various arcade machines and video players. Students chose to work together in groups or independently.
However students choose to work, the engagement is very high. Classroom management is a great indicator of content engagement, and classes have been operating smoothly and very independently for most students. The high engagement provides an increase in focus and grit that will motivate and propel students through complicated CS tasks that must be practiced over and again to master.
< Note from Mr. Pittman - Students working on CS tasks on software platforms like Scratch or Minecraft EDU's Python interface have been benefitted by alos spending time on hardware programming tasks with Mrs. Delaye who's focus for 5th graders has been around independant project choice in early robotics.
Lesson Resources:
Fourth graders at Blackford developed and pitched their Student Design Challenge ideas at Pitchfest 2022.
All three innovation teachers lead Student design challenge projects with students from Rosemary and Blackford. 4th graders worked with Mr. Pittman to engage in several design thinking cycles that included creating prototypes and surveys to collect data about the projects design and the school community's needs and interests.
4th graders measured and modeled their classroom to share their ideas and design process with the Wonder Wednesday broadcast audience throughout the district.
< Note from Mr. Pittman - I am excited to lead this project as a collaboration among Blackford, Rosemary, Campbell care and the Innovation program. Computer science can be an incredibly powerful skill to develop, but it can also have a steep learning curve for younger students. By increasing and diversifying our offerings for computer science learning as well as making engagement more fun, we can develop and practice and grow our skills.
I've also joined students in creating an independant project myself so that I can model and demonstrate the process of idea greneration and my creative process as well as computer science content.
4th graders developed a pitch to create "arcade" machines that can become home to student animation, comic and video game projects. After investigating the communities ideas and needs, students developed this concepts a a way to maximize fun and engaging especially in the learning environment for computer science. Blackford's 4th grade team presented the "pitch" during Pitchpalooza on November 9th, and were awarded six thousand dollars to create their project and accompanying afterschool and lunchtime computer science clubs.
All tudents will be working in scratch through the end of the year to develop the first drafts of their independant projects to be incuded in the arcade space. As we develop skills in scratch's block-based coding, we will begin to introduce Python in order to give students practice and skill in using actual code. CUSD has added Minecraft EDU liscenses to student accounts this year. This means that students can work both at school at at home on this free software to develop alternate block-based and Python programming. To check out this very different version of minecraft and play free at home, click here to learn more and download minecraft EDU.
Lesson Resources:
4th Grade Lessons October 2022
During these 4th grade bi-weekly lessons in Innovation Lab, students learned about the CUSD Student Design Challenge, practiced coding, and continued in their investigation into forces and motion (supporting with this month's Twig Science lessons).
The student design challenge is an opportunity for teams of students and teachers to work together to create solutions for their school community. Teams are encouraged to use the design thinking cycle to uncover and respond to needs in their school community.
Each of the innovation lab teachers, along with teachers all over the district, are working to build teams of students and staff to respond to the design challenge. Among our projects are ideas to help create more positive social community, an arcade for computer science learning and student counsel leadership activities.
In our coding practice this week we connected our learning to using math and multiplication to create coding loops or more efficient shortcuts in our code.
4th Graders gained some practice and experience using multiples of ten by programming movement of "sprites" in Scratch.
Next Lesson, we will continue to build on our CS practice while collaborating as engineers with Minecraft...
< Note from Mr. Pittman - Students and staff from all CUSD schools will be applying or "pitching" their school community improvement projects at Pitchfest November 9th. I am hoping to work with teams at Rosemary and Blackford schools to pitch creating spaces for CS learning in the innovation labs.
4th graders are using iPads to photograph "Wow work" that they are proud of. They then record a few words about how their work, growth and progress.
This month innovation teachers also meet with students in small groups in their classrooms to help each student create their digital portfolios.
Mrs. Delaye and Mr. Pittman met with students in small groups and helped each student log into Seesaw and create the first post in their personal journals.
Student’s posts included images, voice recording, video, text, and other digital graphics and highlights. Students and classroom teachers identified work that students felt represents “Wow Work” or writing, art, or video that is an artifact of challenging learning activities that resulted in growth.
Our goal is to support classrooms in developing the habit of collecting WOW work and work that demonstrated progress in digital student journals, and to use those journals in reflecting on learning as well as planning future growth.
< Note from Mr. Pittman - Students at every grade level created their first post, so it was remarkable for the innovation team to observe and facilitate the spectrum of elementary performance expectations across each grade especially in language arts and math. It is a unique tool to leverage as a “specialist” teacher in any role that works with all elementary grades throughout weekly rotations.
Lesson Resources:
Download and view/ print animate a character Scratch sprite practice Activity cards
Download and view/ print animate a name Scratch sprite practice Activity cards
SeeSaw's Youtube video to help student select "Wow work"
Download and view/ print our Digital portfolio introductory slides
4th Grade Lessons September 2022
"The Square" potential energy device
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Extension challenges are to create a three-wheeled vehicle, sometimes with additional materials like carboard tubes, CD-roms, foam circles, sticky foam, knitting needles, and adding in string to replace the tape. Punch holes in the cardboard or corrugated plastic sheets with a golf tee to "sew" parts together with string.
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In general, during build time, my focus is on encouraging students to work together and share ideas by working in sub-group teams of two to quickly build and try things out. My challenge then is, "As soon as your team finds something that works or is interesting, show it to the team and share how it was built." I carry a camera connected to the classroom screen or projector to take pictures of student work and share student examples with the class on the fly-to help spread ideas among teams and keep the collaborating moving and productive.
4th graders engaged in three independent centers this week as part of their experience in Innovation Lab. Students had just about 8 minutes with the warm-up "Build-tionary" (a repeat favorite from last week), and about 15-20 minutes each at two new centers. Our investigation this week focuses on forces and motion, as well as continuing our practice in rapid prototyping.
"Build-tionary" is a spin-off of Pictionary, and our last post (scroll down to the entry below) you can find a description of the activity as well as a set of build-tionary cards that you can print and play with at home or in the classroom.
The first of the new centers this week was a challenge to build a car with wheels that roll. Also using unique up-cycled building materials from RAFT, this independant center for student teams is based on this RAFT kit and lesson.
The learning targets here are to help students have a memorable experience creating a working wheel and axle, a friction-free linkage (a free rolling axle), and a friction-fit linkage (A tight fit between the axle and the wheel using only friction.) These few basic concepts will be useful in future lessons when building robots or machines and attaching our lab's up-cycled materials which keep creative problem solving at the forefront of the activities.
Working together, students can build a car in any way they choose, with the criteria that the wheels must roll. Students usually tape a small length of paper straw to a strip of corrugated plastic, and slide the skewer through the straw. Using the golf tee to make a hole in a half-cork, the skewer then friction-fits in the cork and can become a working wheel-and-axle.
4th graders also helped kinder and 1st grade students during their lab time. 4th graders led small groups and reinforced understanding of the life needs of a plant.
Another new independant center introduced this week was exploring forces and motion by building potential energy or stored energy devices
The students used popsicle sticks to create a few designs by "weaving" the sticks together. Once the step-by-step patterns are followed, the assembly of sticks is bursting with potential energy and gives a satisfying pop or explosion of sticks when dropped on the desk. Then students use the same concepts to design their own catapult, and I added rubber bands, plastic spoons, and large bottle caps into their building bins. I have a few pages of step-by-step designs that I offer students if they need help getting a 1st draft catapult design off the ground. (I have attached pdfs of the instructions for building the potential energy shapes.)
And we always try to end every lesson with reflection on three questions:
"What is something that was productive, went well or feels satisfying overall from the learning activity?"
"What is something that was challenging or difficult, but led to something productive today?"
"Who would you like to thank or share gratitude with?" (Think of a teammate to thank for great collaboration or sharing an idea or materials...)
< Note from Mr. Pittman - Among their table toolkits, students have a safe cardboard knife, scissors, and a golf tee (to punch holes), and a half sheet of mailing labels to use sparingly as tape. At this point in the year, I allow supervised use of the cardboard safety knife only, and I keep it with me throughout the lesson. As we learn and grow together I hope to train all students to use this tools safely and independently to build more sophisticated prototypes.
< Also, most of the kit items can be found around the house, and part of the reason we use these "up-cycled" materials is to build habits around responsible use of resources, so I'm only including the link here to illustrate what the "cars" might look like, and share some of the learning targets.
< Note from Mr. Pittman - For this challenge, I offered corrugated plastic strips, which are similar to corrugated cardboard, but plastic. If you're following along at home, cutting strips of cardboard will work perfectly. I also provide wooden skewers, paper straws, and corks that have been cut in half to use as wheels.
For the stored energy devices, I offer students start with coffee stir sized sticks to practice the "weaving" patterns before attempting to build with shorter popsicle sticks. We also try building on the carpet to use the sponginess to make it easier to lift stubborn sticks.
A "Build-tionary" plant
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These "up-cycled" materials are low cost and present welcome learning challenges in building that we can use to give students practice with several valuable skills. These materials are great in practicing creative problem solving, visual communications, abstract expression, and in engineering linkages that meet certain functions. Many Campbell teachers have the RAFT Makerspace-in-a-box in their classroom or schools, but there are many similar objects that can be collected around the classroom or at home and used in the same way. Clean natural materials like wood, cork, cardboard, boxes, plastic bottles, sand and fabric scraps are great items to save and use in art and engineering practice.
Our first week of learning in the new innovation lab, was as exciting for the innovation teacher team as it was for students. We feel the positive energy every day on campus, and it felt like a positive and productive start. We began with lab safety, exploring the new lab spaces and the new resources, internet and online tool safety, team work and collaboration, and began to explore modeling and prototyping with our unique up-cycled building materials.
During the lessons this week, students opened with a quick greeting and getting-to-know-your-team activity. Then students were invited to explore the classroom and pick out elements of the classroom that they would like to explore. Students chose an interesting tool, display or resource in the room to explore and ultimately demonstrate to the class how to use properly and safely.
Next we moved on to an activity that called "Build-tionary." An obvious riff on Pictionary, students begin to learn the rapid prototyping process by drawing a card that has printed a word, always a common noun, and a simple line art image that illustrates the word. Student teams then try to "build" the word/ image on the card with their team. Students use increasingly challenging "building materials" such as corks, wooden blocks, small colorful wooden shapes, math manipulative blocks, CD-roms, plastic spoons, cardboard tubes, a sheet of labels, rubber bands, brads and anything I can find that will stack, fold, fit or otherwise link together in interesting ways.
After a few minutes, students compare and try to guess each other's words based on the model they have created. Then shuffle the cards and repeat. The objective is to help students become familiar with and build habits that work well in using the unique materials in the lab. As well we want students to practice working together in small groups to share and test ideas quickly.
At the end of every lesson I ask students to reflect on three questions:
"What is something that was productive, went well or feels satisfying overall from the learning activity?"
"What is something that was challenging or difficult, but led to something productive today?"
"Who would you like to thank or share gratitude with?" (Think of a teammate to thank for great collaboration or sharing an idea or materials...)
< Note from Mr. Pittman - This "Student Guided Tour" of the lab helps students to spend a few minutes with some of the very interesting, but perhaps overly distracting robots, tools, materials terrariums and other exciting things in the lab. We take a few minutes to talk about using each resource safely and effectively before we start using the lab.
