Blog
Fun At Home Science Experiments
Engaging in fun and easy science activities at home can offer incredible benefits for learners of all ages. Students can develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world, enhance their problem-solving skills, and cultivate a lifelong passion for scientific exploration. Here are just some advantages of incorporating science fun into your home:
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Your student will develop critical thinking skills,generate hypotheses, test their ideas while fostering a strong foundation in problem-solving.
Curiosity and Exploration: Science activities encourage curiosity sparking an interest in exploration and discovery.
Family Engagement: Engaging in science experiments at home can promote family involvement and create opportunities for collaborative learning experiences strengthening family bonds.
Real-World Relevance: Many activities help learners understand how science impacts their daily lives.
Creativity and Innovation: Basic experiments foster creativity and innovation leading to exploration of new ideas and thinking outside of the box.
Interest in STEM Fields: Any exposure to science at home can cultivate an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields potentially inspiring future career paths.
Simple at home science experiments encourage curiosity, creativity and a love for learning making science more engaging and meaningful for students of all ages. The following experiments are an easy and captivating way to be sure to spark your scholar's interest in science. Try them out and watch their faces light up with excitement as they discover the wonders of the natural world!
1. Rainbow in a Jar
Materials:
Honey
Light corn syrup
Dish soap
Olive oil
Rubbing alcohol
Water
Food coloring (red, blue, green, yellow)
Clear glass jar
Procedure:
Pour the honey into the jar until it fills about 1/4 of the jar.
Carefully pour the corn syrup over the honey, followed by the dish soap, olive oil, and rubbing alcohol (in that order).
Mix the water with a few drops of each color of food coloring in separate containers.
Slowly pour each colored water into the jar.
2. Dancing Raisins
Materials:
Clear carbonated soda
Raisins
Procedure:
Fill a clear glass with carbonated soda.
Drop a few raisins into the glass and observe their movement.
3. Balloon Rocket
Materials:
String
Balloon
Plastic straw
Tape
Procedure:
Tie a piece of string between two points in the room.
Thread the string through the straw.
Blow up the balloon and tape it to the straw.
Let go of the balloon and observe the rocket movement along the string.
4. Homemade Lava Lamp
Materials:
Clear plastic bottle
Vegetable oil
Water
Food coloring
Alka-Seltzer tablets
Procedure:
Fill the bottle 3/4 full with vegetable oil and the rest with water.
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Drop pieces of an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the bottle and watch the concoction bubble and fizz.
5. Egg in a Bottle
Materials: * adult supervision required
Hard-boiled egg
Glass bottle with a small opening
Matches
Lighter
Procedure:
Peel the hard-boiled egg.
Light a match and drop it into the bottle.
Quickly place the egg on the mouth of the bottle.
Crew
I joined the Detroit Prep community at the beginning of this school year and it has been nothing short of amazing. The feeling of being a part of something so special such as the DP Crew is awesome. I teach first grade and we value our crew a great deal. Our students love celebrating and lifting one another up whenever we can. Every morning in the Pond Crew we begin our day with Morning Crew. That is a time where we greet one another, make announcements, and discuss our plans for the day. We also end our day with the Closing Crew where we share our appreciation for one another from various encounters that have happened throughout the day. The students love working with one another and being a part of the Pond Crew.
One of our latest Learning Targets in Morning Crew was being able to understand that everyone has feelings, and wanting to get along with people who are similar to and different from one another. We have a greeting, initiative, a share, morning message and debrief all centered around our Learning target. This gives our students a chance to greet one another in song, dance, and or a simple smile and a hello. During Morning and Closing Crew we get to experience a togetherness that we all look forward to every day!
Nurturing Social Skills
Welcome to my blog post on nurturing social skills for elementary students. I will be sharing important information on social emotional learning and some social skill games designed for our younger students here at Detroit Prep. These games are not only fun and engaging but also promote effective communication and cooperation among young leaders.
Understanding Social Skills
Social skills play an important role in the overall development of our students during their early years. Students are still learning how to interact with others, express their emotions, and navigate social situations. By developing social skills at this stage, we can set a strong foundation for their future success in relationships, academics, and life in general.
Incorporating Social Emotional Learning In the Learning Environment
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational approach that focuses on developing social and emotional skills in students. SEL helps students better comprehend their emotions, to feel those emotions, and demonstrate empathy for others. These behaviors are used to help students make positive, responsible decisions; create frameworks to achieve their goals, and build positive relationships with others.
Social Skill Games!
Here at Detroit Prep we focus on ways to help students succeed in the academic environment. Below are two incredible social skill games that help with our student development mainly used in social work small groups.
Game 1: “Feelings Charades”
Objective: Help students recognize and express different emotions.
How to play:
Write down various emotions on small pieces of paper and place them in a bowl.
Have one student pick a piece of paper from the bowl without showing it to others.
The students will act out the emotion without speaking, while other students guess the emotion.
Once the emotion is guessed correctly, encourage the class to discuss situations that might cause that emotion and how they can respond empathetically.
Game 2: “Conversation Starters”
Objective: To help students initiate and maintain conversations.
How to play:
Prepare a set of conversation starter cards with open-ended questions or prompts.
Have students sit in pairs or groups.
Each student takes turns drawing a card and asking the question or sharing their thoughts on the prompt.
Encourage active listening, turn taking and follow-up questions to keep the conversation flowing.
Nurturing social skills is essential for our students' overall development and future success. By incorporating social skill games educators provide students with valuable opportunities to practice and apply their skills in a fun and engaging way. The games listed above are used at Detroit prep in both the classroom and social work small groups here at Detroit Prep.
We’re Going on a Shape Hunt …
Field studies are a highlight of the school year, no doubt! This school year Kindergarten student’s at Detroit Prep used curiosity and creativity to explore the Detroit Institute of Arts looking specifically for the shapes they learned about in their previous math unit.
Shout out to the DIA for offering free field studies to students and also providing transportation!
Throughout the month of December, Kindergarten learned all about 2D shapes (3D shapes… coming soon!). They have learned how to identify shapes by counting and labeling the amount of the sides and corners each one has. They took that understanding of shapes to the DIA to see how artists also use shapes to create unique and beautiful art.
A shape hunt wouldn’t be complete without a field study guide. Students and chaperones were assigned multiple tasks and only 1 hour to complete it with their group. Students and families were asked to locate a specific piece of art or a specific room in the museum. Then they were asked a series of questions about the art. For example, students played a game of I Spy looking closely at the painting Sorting Out Andy by Hernan Bas. They solved riddles to find the specific shape (or shapes) within the painting.
Here is the game if you are planning your own trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts! How many will you be able to find?!
I spy 3 red circles stacked on top of each other.
I spy a medium green rectangle inside of a gray square.
I spy a rectangle with a face that’s next to a vase.
I spy a rectangle with the number 83.
I spy a red triangle below a white triangle.
Field studies are so important to us! It was a magical opportunity for students and families to take their learning to the next level by exploring math concepts in the world around them!
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
10 Ways to Use Math Outside of the Classroom
We are ALL mathematicians! Our students are problem solvers in and out of the classroom. Looking for ways to practice math at home without a worksheet or a computer program? We’ve got you covered! There is nothing as fun as using math to help us in the real world.
TIME: Ask your student to estimate how long an activity will take. Will it take 1 hour, 1 minute, 1 second? Then time your student getting something done! “It took you 17 minutes to clean your room, your estimation was close!” For older students, focus on elapsed time, you started cleaning your room at 1:23pm. You finished at 1:40pm. How long did it take you to finish?
MONEY: Got change in your pocket? Let your student count it up for you! Ask them to sort the coins and use their skip counting skills to help! For an extra challenge, have them write down how much you have each day and add it up for decimal practice!
ARRAYS: My favorite way to practice multiplication is with Cheerios! “Show me 3x5 with an array? How many rows? How many columns? What’s the product?” Even more fun, if you eat the math supplies at the end!
SKIP COUNTING: 2, 4, 6, 8 who do we appreciate? OUR FAMILIES! Skip counting is such an important foundational skill for all learners! The best part is- you can practice anywhere! My favorite way is to go back and forth. Let your child say a number and then you go next!
FRACTIONS: Cooking dinner? Ask your student to focus on fractions during this time! “I have a ¼ cup of flour, I need ¾ cups of flour for this recipe. How many times should I fill it up?” Let them do the measuring for some hands on fun!
PERCENTAGES: Out shopping? Ask your student to calculate the final price of the item on sale.For example, if a shirt costs $50 and it is on sale for 25% off, have your student tell you how much the shirt will cost after discount?
LINEAR EQUATIONS/BUDGETING: Opening a savings account? Have you students calculate how long it will take them to save a desired amount of money, if they save a certain amount for a period of time. For example, if Monica wants to save $275 and she starts with $25 and saves $10 per month, how many months will it take her to save $275.
UNIT RATE: Grocery Shopping? Have your students figure out what the better buy is. For example, compare the cost of two different sizes of cereal, $4.00 for a 14 oz box versus $5.00 for a 26 oz box, figure out which one has a smaller unit rate and saves you money!
SCALE: Redesigning a Room? Have your student create a scaled down version of the room on graph paper and work on designing the room in a miniature version to scale. This will work with students on how to scale down (shrink) real world items to create a model of the original. It will also work with students on multiplication of fractions or dividing by a fraction.
AREA/PERIMETER: Measuring a Room? Students can practice calculating the perimeter of a room by measuring the outside edge of the room. Students can calculate the area of the room by measuring the length and width of a room. Or you can assign them a specific area in the room that you may want to place a rug on and have them calculate the area of the space.
Top 5 Moments of the Expeditionary Learning National Conference 2023
This November, I was lucky enough to be accepted as a presenter at the EL Education National Conference in Denver, Colorado! Amazing educators – including teachers, school and district administrators, instructional leaders, school board members, and curriculum specialists – came together to learn from one another about best practices to prepare students to contribute to a better world and achieve more than they thought possible.
Here are my Top 5 Moments of this transformational experience:
#5
Elena Aguilar’s keynote address. It was so inspiring to hear from educator Elena Aguilar on cultivating resilience to build equitable schools!
#4
Student ambassadors and presenters. Conference emcees were all students from EL Education schools – what an experience to hear from these youth leaders in their own voices.
#3
Hands-on tools to implement right away! From ideas for Expeditions and authentic final products, to ways to use AI in the classroom, to collaborative problem solving and consultancy, I walked away with tangible tools to implement immediately.
#2
Learning from experts in the field – like our very own Ms. Fiske and Ms. Abbey! EL Education and Detroit Prep share the belief that teachers and school team members are the experts on how to build equitable, excellent schools. I am in awe of the experiences and ideas shared.
#1
Connecting and collaborating with brilliant and passionate educator friends from around the world! Connecting and reconnecting with the EL Education community and network year after year brings me so much joy, resilience, learning, sense of belonging, and sense of possibility knowing that we are in this work together. Having the mental and emotional space to learn together is a true gift and privilege – I’m so grateful for this opportunity.
Celebrating Neurodiversity Awareness Month
“With awareness, education, and reflection – we will have growth. If we all take one step, with remembrance that none of our footprints will be alike, we will see not only our mindsets healing but the world around us too.”
April is Neurodiversity Awareness Month, a space supporting and sharing the importance of our differences – specifically the differences in brain function and the honest truth that there is no singular way to describe how a brain “should” work.
If you are unfamiliar with neurodiversity, it is defined as “the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population.”
Normal.
Ugh, that word.
I have serious beef, or shall I say grievance, with that word.
Seriously, what is normal except what society has framed it as?
That is a rhetorical question.
Aren’t we all different in some way? Maybe we all conform to what society has told us are “normal” behaviors – how we process emotional and social interactions, a traumatic event, or even the basics of learning something new. The reality is that none of us process the same. Our general input and output of information may appear the same but our lives impact the way we process every little thing. All in all, changing our brain function.
Neurodiversity awareness celebrates and embraces all people. It challenges the misunderstood, miseducation and usual stereotypes labeled across neurological differences. A neurodiverse individual did not have life events or cultures that shaped their brain function but instead began this way. One individual may live with a cognitive condition that impairs them from asking for resources or is unaware of the considerations they might need without being taught how to self-advocate – whereas another individual may be high functioning with exceptionally refined skills that are overlooked due to their inability to understand social cues or feel safe in a highly stimulating environment. The range of differences cannot be defined or put in a box.
With that, how can we cultivate a culture of celebrating a neurodiverse world? How can we work together to advocate and empower the differences around us and between us?
Educating one another and celebrating our differences creates a culture of equity and inclusivity. Assumption is our worst enemy. We must ask questions, we must take the time to understand our neurodiverse friends, family, students, and colleagues. Our response must be advocacy, to support their voices and the necessary resources that will empower them to succeed. The more educated we become, the more opportunity we have to create a truly safe space for all.
So as April comes to a close, in honor & celebration of Neurodiversity Awareness Month, I urge
you to take a time of reflection and ask yourself these questions:
- What preconceptions do I have regarding neurodiversity?
- How can I continue to educate myself?
- What societal “norms” have I placed on myself and those around me?
- What first step can I take in creating a culture of inclusivity right now?
With awareness, education, and reflection – we will have growth. If we all take one step, with remembrance that none of our footprints will be alike, we will see not only our mindsets healing but the world around us too.
Here are a few good reads & resources to get you started –
● The Whole Brain Child, By Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. & Tina Payne Bryson Ph.D
● Raising A Sensory Smart Child, By Lindsey Biel M.A., OTR/L & Nancy Peske
● The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain, By Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D
● Moving Forward, By Jacki Edry
● The Kissing of Kissing, Poems by Hannah Emerson – identifying as a non speaking autistic poet, she invites you inside her mind encouraging you “to bring your beautiful nothing” into the light.
Friendship Boundaries
As our children grow, so do their friendships. Over time, it’s normal for friends to experience conflicts - everybody does! In middle school particularly, many students begin to branch out and explore different interests, often resulting in new friendships. Students may experience a wide range of emotions as they begin to see their friendships shift - from excited to sad to hurt or nervous. As adults, we can talk to our children about these changes and provide support to them by listening, nonjudgmentally, to our children and reminding them that this is a normal, human experience.
Friendships are relationships that should make a person feel safe and respected, and oftentimes when students come to me about conflicts with their friends, we start by discussing what a boundary is. Boundaries are lines you shouldn’t cross. Sometimes in friendships, people make mistakes and they cross the line with a behavior that makes others feel disrespected. These are “friendship boundaries.” Friendship boundaries divide disrespectful or annoying behavior from respectful and fun behavior.
Below are a few friendship boundaries that can often be crossed:
Touch Boundary: Playful vs. Hurtful (playful touching like hair braiding with consent vs. pulling someone’s arm to drag them somewhere)
Joking Boundary: Funny vs. Mean (often times an attempt to be funny could ultimately lead to calling others names, or making mean statements to get a reaction from a friend)
Pride Boundary: Sharing being Proud vs. Bragging (when you’re proud of yourself, it’s normal that you want to tell your friends about it, but bragging makes others feel sad!)
Exclusion Boundary: BFFs vs. “No One Else” (a boundary is crossed when people get left out or tell others who they can or can’t hang out with)
Silly Boundary: Having Fun vs. Being Annoying (It’s fun to laugh with friends! Sometimes our friends get annoyed with us though, because we’ve either gone too far or it’s not the right time or place to be silly)
It’s important to recognize these boundaries so that when they are crossed, we can appropriately help our children try to resolve the conflict. Ask your child about their friendships as a way to make sure they are staying safe and respected!
TWR & Math
For your average 5th grade math student, there might not be a more dreaded three words than “explain your reasoning.” These instructions are often met with confusion, frustration, and expressions of “I know it, but I can’t explain it!” While the intention - push students to articulate their conceptual understanding of math content - is a worthy one, students are often left feeling stuck, unsure of how to articulate that understanding.
Last spring, I had the opportunity to participate in a professional development course led by The Writing Revolution (TWR). Since last year, our ELA teachers have implemented TWR curriculum as part of writing instruction to provide students with structured and scaffolded materials to support their sentence- and paragraph-level writing. This professional development focused on the use of TWR strategies as part of STEM instruction. Certain principles from literacy instruction were applicable to math instruction as well. For example:
Pulling sentence fragments (incomplete sentences) from content can serve as checks-f0r-understanding and help draw students’ attention to what’s missing
Sentence frames with conjunctions can lead students to determine cause and effect (“because”), discern a change of direction (“but”), and draw conclusions (“so”)
Sequence words (“first,” “then,” “last”) help students organize their thinking when describing a multi-step process
The TWR course helped me generate ideas for how to adapt our 5th grade math curriculum in a way that would better structure students to articulate their conceptual reasoning and construct new knowledge about new mathematical topics.
So, what does this look like in practice? Here is an example from our first unit of 5th grade math, in which we explored volumes of rectangular prisms and composite figures. During the lesson, students used sequence transition words to describe the process for finding the volume of a figure composed of 2 prisms:
Providing a structured, scaffolded space for students to describe the process during the lesson set students up to articulate their new knowledge on a more independent task. “Explain or show your reasoning” was no longer a vague directive; students had a familiar structure to fall back on to explain their reasoning!
Here is another example from students’ work on adding fractions with unlike denominators. Students were provided with the sentence starters “I agree with…because” and “I agree…but” to critique others’ mathematical reasoning:
An especially rewarding part of this process has been seeing students take greater initiative in incorporating more organizational strategies and justifying their solutions without prompting. Here is a recent piece of student work from our division unit!
In this example, the student is able to successfully carry out a clearly labeled series of steps for both multiplication and division, and justify their answer by explaining the connection between the two operations.
By integrating more structured writing into math class with the use of TWR strategies, our students are making new connections, strengthening their ability to think critically and sequentially, and taking new levels of ownership over their mathematical learning. We’re excited to see how these strategies guide our students towards becoming even better outside-the-box thinkers and complex problem solvers.
Farms & Gardens
In Second Grade, students explore an Expedition all about Farms and Gardens. This year, students kicked off their learning with a visit from Urban Farmer Willie to learn about the work that he cultivates at his Urban Farm. Students had the opportunity to engage in Farmer Willie’s presentation and ask questions afterwards. Some questions students asked were:
How long have you had your own farm or garden?
What is your favorite fruit and vegetable?
What types of fruits and vegetables do you grow in your garden?
How can I become an urban farmer?
After learning about Farmer Willie’s Urban garden, students then had the opportunity to transition to our cafeteria for some planting of their own. With the help of our wonderful caregiver, parent, and community members, students in second grade were able to plant and take ownership over the growth of their garden.
Kindergarten Student Led Conferences
What is a student led conference? A student-led conference (or an SLC) is a planned meeting where students present their data and growth with artifacts that support them. It is truly incredible what Detroit Prep students are able to articulate about their academic and character growth and their reflections on the process.
In Kindergarten, students as young as 5 will present and share their learning three times throughout the school year. This type of presentation takes practice and a deep understanding of what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown. Teachers work closely alongside students to help them prepare and practice with their peers. Teacher intentionally plan for this practice and rounds of feedback, so all students feel ready to share.
In the Fall, students will share their data and artifacts for letter & sound recognition, numbers and counting to 20, final products for Expedition 1. In the Winter, students will share new data points and artifacts that build onto what was shared in the Fall. By June, students are already a SLC pro and will use an agenda to move through each data point and artifact to share reading levels, addition and subtraction skills, and a brand new final product from their final expedition. Students are eager and excited to pull each piece out to share and then ask families “do you have any questions?”.
When students understand the criteria for success, have time to practice and receive feedback, they’re able to share a deep understanding of what they’ve accomplished and what they still need to work on. The final part of an SLC gives space for students to share what they are excited to learn next, an area they want to continue to grow in, and something they feel proud of. It’s important to be able to pause and take the time to truly look back and reflect on how you’ve grown and how you would still like to grow -- What an incredible skill to learn at the age of 5!
High School Transition: Practicing Timed Tests
While we visited prospective high schools throughout the spring, we also talked honestly with our students & families about other requirements for high school admission. For many of the schools that our students and families are interested in, an exam may be required for admission. However, many of our assessments at Detroit Prep are untimed; as a result, many of our students do not have experience with timed tests.
To address this, we partnered with our sister school, Detroit Achievement Academy, to simulate the exam experience that students might have. Students showed up to DAA (a school that many of them had not been to before) on a Saturday morning, were greeted by DAA staff leaders (who many of them had not met before), and took a timed, standardized test (which none of them had done before). This experience helped students reflect on what it felt like to be faced with so many unknowns and gave them an opportunity to practice testing at a more urgent pace. We are excited for our students to put this experience to the test when they take their exams in the fall!
5 Things to Do at Home on a Snow Day
Snow days are a highlight of my childhood. It is important that we make them fun and engaging for our children. Right away you picture being able to go outside and sled, make snow angels, build a snowman, and throw snowballs. Unfortunately this isn’t the case today! Most parents have to work and playing outside could be dangerous due to poor weather conditions. Here is a list of 5 screen free indoor activities that you can do when it isn’t possible to go outside.
Make it stand out
#1 Marshmallow Tower
This activity is fun for kids of all ages. It also heats up sibling rivalry. All you need is a bag of marshmallows and spaghetti noodles or toothpicks. They will have to get creative and figure out ways to stick the spaghetti into marshmallows to create a stable tower. Add an interesting twist and set a timer to see who can build the tallest tower within a set time limit.
#2 Make your Own Photo Booth
Time to strike a pose! Take some adorable photos in a home created booth! What a great way to take some silly pictures from the snow day to help remember the fun. Setting up is easy. All you need is your camera (iphones and ipads work great). You can build a tripod with home materials such as books/blocks to prop it up. Use dress up clothes, old Halloween costumes, silly sunglasses, boas, hats, fairy wings, silly headbands, etc. Costume jewelry can be the final touch to make it extra fancy.
#3 Snow Day Playdough
Playdough is our favorite center in the Lake Crew! White playdough is fun to make at home! The ingredients you need are 1 and ¼ cup of unscented white hand lotion or conditioner and 2 cups of corn starch. Mix them up together and voila you have snow play dough!!!! Have your kids make winter figures like snowmen. Find supplies around the house like glitter, sequins, ribbon, buttons, pipe cleaners, pom poms, etc.
#4 Make Your Own Puppet Show
Puppet shows are an all time favorite of mine. You can create your own puppets with materials from home like recyclables, socks, stuffed animals, popsicle sticks, and dolls. Have your kids think about a story to tell. This is an opportunity to add in story elements as well. A large cardboard box could be cut and used to create a theater. What a great way to let your kiddos creativity explode.
#5 Dance Party
Turn up the music and dance! If you are stuck inside on a snow day, have a dance party. It is a great way to burn off energy, have fun, and move to the groove. Have your kids pick their favorite music or create a playlist of their top songs. Make it extra fun by wearing costumes or creating instruments. Fake ones like an air guitar work as well!
Make it extra fun by adding in the freeze component. Have a sibling pause the music and everyone will need to FREEZE. When the music starts, time to dance again!
Partners in Literacy
At Detroit Prep, we have an incredible team of interventionists who support every learner in and outside of the classroom to meet their reading and math growth goals! Ms. Kira, Ms. Gloria, Ms. Lindsay, Ms. Johari, and Ms. Alissa work urgently and tirelessly to ensure that every student is growing every day through small group and one on one instruction.
This year, you may have also seen a few new faces working with our students on everything from letters and sounds to phonemic awareness – the fabulous Ms. Valorie and Ms. Helena!
Ms. Valorie and Ms. Helena are partners from Michigan Education Corps who worked with students in first through third grade to supplement and accelerate classroom learning and intervention. We are so lucky and thankful to partner with the Michigan Education Corps (MEC) through a generous grant from the Skillman Foundation to have one on one reading supports for students within the school day. Ms. Valorie and Ms. Helena also go above and beyond, working with students during their lunch breaks, and staying late on Fridays to join Community Crew!
Here are some of our students’ favorite activities to work on with Ms. Valorie and Ms. Helena in their sessions, that you can try at home with your learners!
Phonemic Awareness: Knowing that oral language is made of individual sounds and parts of words.
Blending - Say a word out loud and use chips, cubes, or pieces of paper as a visual model for each sound. Then, ask your child to blend the sounds orally to make the word!
Segmenting - Say a word out loud and ask your child to break it down into its syllables.
Phonics: Knowing letters and sounds, and being able to use these to decode words.
Letter/Sound Games - Say a sound, and have your child point to it and name the letter. Then try the reverse - point to a letter, and have your child say the sound it makes!
Word Blending - Write a list of simple words, or lay out some flash cards of simple words. Touch under each letter and ask your child to make the sound of that letter, then drag your finger under the letters and have your child read the word.
Fluency: Accurate, smooth, well-paced, and expressive reading of a text.
Duet Reading - Have your child read a simple, decodable passage (like these!), then take turns reading every other word together, and finally have your child read the passage again independently.
Newscaster - Practice reading with expression by asking your child to read a simple passage more than once, first to decode, and then with expression like a newscaster!
Student Reflection at Detroit Prep
If you are a student at Detroit Prep, you probably know how to write a Habit of Character reflection with your eyes closed. If you are a staff member at Detroit Prep, you gleefully pull a hand heart to your chest during Appreciations and sing your shine tune (whatever that might be). But, at Detroit Prep, reflection is much more than the weekly three sentences or daily compassion given to a friend playing at recess. Reflection is a process of accountability within our Crew for both adults and students. Our Habits of Character (HOCs); Compassion, Cooperation, Integrity, Responsibility, Perseverance, and Curiosity & Creativity; are values we as a Crew of both adults and students live within each day. The process of reflection on those HOCs may involve more tangible products, such as our weekly HOC reflection. However, the reflection piece can be as fleeting as a quick thumb-o-meter before moving to the next chapter in learning. Detroit Prep values both students and staff’s assessment of their learning and their behavior to create progress and mastery. It is something that is hidden but constant within our community of learners (and we consider both students and staff among those learners!).
In Kindergarten, students learn two different debrief protocols to reflect on their learning: Turn & Talk and Four Corners. During a Four Corners debrief, students think deeply about the criteria for success within their learning target. The criteria for success has been unpacked throughout the lesson, so students know exactly what they need to be able to say and do in order to master the target. During the protocol, Crew leaders will label each corner of the room with a number (1, 2, 3, 4). Each number represents how much of the criteria they’ve met: 1 (none or a small amount) to 4 (mastered the criteria and can show additional understanding). In April, this protocol was used with a small group of 11 kindergarteners in a reading group. Their learning target was, “I can accurately read and answer questions about a level F text (Fountas & Pinell).” After 10 minutes of reading, they closed their books and thought about what they just read. Then, they completed a Turn & Talk to share: Who was the character in your story, and what problem did they face? After the Turn & Talk, students were asked to reflect on how well they were able to decode words accurately and comprehend what they read using a 1 (I struggled to read the words and couldn’t remember what I read), 2 (I was able to read most of the words accurately but didn’t remember what I read), 3 (I read most of the words accurately and could answer both comprehension questions), or 4 (I read all of the words correctly, answered the comprehension questions, and could provide more details from the story). After students chose their corner, they shared why they chose that corner and what their next step was to move from a 2 to a 3 or 3 to a 4. Crew leaders will use this data to determine next instructional steps for students. In this case, the reflections from students would determine who is ready to be assessed at the next reading level.
In fifth grade, we’ve been known to cluster students into inner and outer circle groups of 8 for culminating Fishbowl discussions. In the inner circle, or fishbowl, students begin the discussion. students in the outer circle listen to the perspectives and evidence of their classmates. Then, from the outside, they can tap in, replace, and build onto the time-stamped discussions. At the end of our WWII: Internment Camps module, students used this protocol to answer one of our open-ended guiding questions: How can we learn from history to apply the lessons of Japanese internment to our own community and lives? Evidence was used to back up opinions and inner circle members summarized and built off the group’s talking points. I took notice when I heard, “If Michigan Roundtable was around when the Japanese Americans were interned because of their race, then they would have worked to stop this injustice. After internment, no one wanted to hire Japanese Americans. They faced discrimination in their communities and workplace. No organization stood up for them, not even our own government.” Another built on, “ I think we need to overcome discrimination and racism. Honor our ancestors, celebrate diversity of race, religion, and cultures.” After building background knowledge, listening to an expert, reading novels, researching, and producing high quality final products; students were prepared to have this kind of open ended discussion. It solidified their learning and the debrief which followed came to highlight strengths of the discussion and segwayed into making suggestions on ways to engage each other more meaningfully leading up to our Celebration of Learning presentation on the same topic.
By seventh grade, students are regularly asked to reflect on their learning progress. After summative assessments, they are given a chance to receive teacher feedback and to self-identify specific questions that align to learning targets that they have mastered or that they need to continue working on. As students become more skilled in this area, they are also able to set specific learning goals for themselves and reflect on what support they might need to reach those next goals. For example, in a recent Mid Unit Assessment Reflection, a seventh grade student was able to name a learning target he is still struggling with in Expedition (I can analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of characters and narrators in a literary text). students then give and receive feedback on their reflection. For this student, a peer helped him identify the question that best showed how he struggled with this specific target (“... Question 1 where I was confused and I couldn’t convey the contrast between the characters”). Then, at his Student Led Conference that same month, he was able to ask his teachers and family for support in this area by making a connection to a goal he had for skills (determining the meaning of words and phrases in a text). This arc of reflection has helped our oldest students internalize their progress so that they can set goals that are individualized, ambitious and feasible.
Reflection is a priority here at Detroit Prep. However, we see that it makes a huge difference within the behavioral and academic progress of our students. After reviewing our data, we see a direct correlation between the commitment students have for their reflections and their self awareness. Further, our Crew leaders see improvements within their own instructional practices by using reflection practices. By quickly monitoring for progress, and trusting the integrity of those students’ reflections, Crew leaders can easily adjust lessons to the needs of their Crews. The constant reflection on daily and weekly data within our instructional teams also holds us accountable for the learning of our students. Although reflection protocols take time to create, we believe the forced practice eventually morphs into a natural reflex for our Crew, and it is certainly a key ingredient to our entire Crew’s success.
Women’s History Month Read Alouds
Are you looking for great books that feature female characters to read with your class or child in celebration of Women’s History Month? Look no further! Here is a list of a few books to jumpstart your reading. Each book recommendation is accompanied with a link or two to help guide and deepen your reading!
Picture Books with GIRLS in a Leading Role
Grace For President || Grade realizes that all of the presidents have been men and begins to question the status quo. Read this book and find out if Grace becomes President! Try this link to read and listen to the story online with Ms. Yumi!
Rose Revere, Engineer ||
Amazing Grace || Are you thinking about becoming an engineer? Before reading try watching this video about engineers. Try this link to read and listen to this fun story about Rosie online. If you like this story try Ada Twist, Scientist next!
4. Flossie & the Fox || Can Flossie outwit a fox?!? Try listening to this story. What do you predict? WIll Flossie be able to outwit a fox? Download this free worksheet on Teachers Pay Teachers.
5. Nasreen’s Secret School || Preview this book with google books and read the book here! If you enjoy reading this book you may also be interested in Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan.
6. Hope’s Gift || This historical fiction book takes place during the Civil War. Watch this trailer, or preview this book using google books to see if this is a good pick for you!
Picture Books Featuring Historical Women
My Name is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth || Read about the true story of Sojourner Truth. Watch this video after reading! After reading and watching, try to make your own cartoon about Sojourner Truth. Preview this book with Common Sense Media, a great resource for parents to preview books before reading, or try purchasing this book on Amazon.
Sonia Sotomayor || Check out this book about Sonia Sotomayor, a girl from the Bronx who becomes a Supreme Court Justice. Listen to the book here and read more about Sonia Sotomayor at the PBS Newshour! Or check out this video of Sonia Sotomayor on Sesame Street!
Brave Girl || Read to find out if you are brave like Clara Lemlich! Watch this trailer to see if this is a good book for you. Enjoy reading this book, based on a true story about Clara Lemlich, or try reading with this audiobook!
4. When Marian Sang || Marian Anderson was one of the most celebrated singers of her time. After you read about this amazing woman, listen to her sing or try one of these activities!
5. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World || Read about 13 different women who persisted to make a difference in the world! This book was written by Hillary Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton. Read more about the book in the New York Times!
**This blog post is created for parents and teachers to use with their student(s) and is not intended for widespread dispersion.
All pictures were obtained through Amazon.com and credit for all suggestion links should be given to the original source.
Nurturing Young Minds: The Resilience Boost of Skills-Based Art Education in Childhood
In the tapestry of childhood development, the role of skills-based art education emerges as a powerful catalyst for fostering resilience. Beyond the strokes of a brush or the molding of clay, the acquisition of specific artistic skills becomes a transformative journey that instills perseverance, adaptability, and a sense of accomplishment. Today, we will explore the symbiotic relationship between skills-based art education and childhood resilience, unraveling the threads that weave together creativity and emotional strength. As we say at DP “Our work is excellent” and a skills based art curriculum is an important piece of that.
Building a Foundation for Perseverance: Engaging in skills-based art education requires dedication and practice. As children learn to master specific artistic techniques, they inherently develop a foundation for perseverance. Overcoming challenges in the creative process fosters a mindset that embraces persistence and resilience in the face of difficulties.
Navigating Challenges in the Creative Process: The creative journey is not always smooth, and skills-based art education acknowledges and embraces this reality. Children learn to navigate challenges such as mastering new techniques, handling different materials, and overcoming creative blocks. These experiences become valuable life lessons, teaching them to approach challenges with creativity and resilience.
Cultivating Adaptability and Flexibility: The diverse nature of skills-based art education encourages adaptability. Whether working with various artistic mediums, experimenting with styles, or facing unexpected outcomes, children develop a flexibility that extends beyond the art room. This adaptability becomes a key component of resilience, preparing them to embrace change and navigate the uncertainties of life.
Sense of Accomplishment and Self-Esteem: Mastering specific artistic skills results in a tangible sense of accomplishment. As children create art with intention and skill, they experience a boost in self-esteem. This positive reinforcement contributes to a resilient mindset, empowering them to face challenges with confidence and a belief in their capabilities.
Expression Beyond Words: Skills-based art education provides children with a unique form of expression that goes beyond verbal communication. When faced with complex emotions or challenges, the ability to express themselves artistically becomes a powerful tool. This non-verbal expression enhances emotional resilience, allowing them to navigate and process their feelings effectively.
Collaboration and Social Resilience: Many skills-based art education programs involve collaborative projects. Working with peers to create art fosters social resilience by teaching children to communicate, compromise, and contribute to a shared goal. These collaborative experiences build strong social bonds and enhance their ability to navigate interpersonal challenges.
Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation: Engaging in skills-based art education encourages mindfulness—a state of being fully present in the creative process. This mindfulness not only enhances the quality of artistic expression but also promotes emotional regulation. Children learn to manage stress, anxiety, and frustration through the meditative experience of creating art.
Preparation for Lifelong Challenges: The resilience cultivated through skills-based art education is an invaluable asset for facing the challenges of adolescence and adulthood. Whether in academics, relationships, or personal pursuits, children equipped with a resilient mindset developed through art education are better prepared to tackle life's complexities.
In conclusion, skills-based art education emerges not only as a platform for creative expression but as a nurturing ground for childhood resilience. As children master specific artistic skills, they embark on a journey that cultivates perseverance, adaptability, and a strong sense of self. In the ever-changing landscape of life, the fusion of skills-based art education and childhood resilience creates a resilient foundation upon which young minds can confidently paint the canvas of their future.
High School Transition: Visits to Prospective Schools
Our oldest students are only a few months away from the full high school admission process! As part of our preparation and support for students and families, our High School Transition Coordinator (Ms. Johari) surveyed parents & guardians at the beginning of the year to gauge which schools our families were most interested in for their student’s choice of high school. Based on this data, we arranged a number of visits to some of these prospective schools! In the Spring, our students were able to visit University Prep: Science & Math, Detroit School of the Arts, and University Prep: Art & Design.
To prepare for our visits, students first generated information they wanted to know about the schools, then created questions that would help them gain knowledge in these areas. On our visits, we were often able to experience small group tours and sample 9th grade lessons, as well as Q&A time with student ambassadors and teachers. As a result of these visits, many of our students were able to narrow down their preferred schools and their personalized goals for high school.
4th Grade Passage Presentations
At Detroit Prep, Passage Presentations are a rite of passage for students to share their reflections on personal growth, character development, academic progress, and quality work on their path to become leaders and world-changers. These benchmark presentations occur at the end of important transition years (4th and 7th grade), giving students a chance to celebrate progress and set goals along the three dimensions of student achievement. Passages communicate the unique story of each student’s journey, told in their own voice, exemplified by meaningful evidence to evaluate their readiness for their next chapter.
Preparation
Throughout the entire school year, students engage in reflections on their work and assessments in core content areas. Closer to the end of the school year, students begin typing their reflections, preparing their Portfolios and practicing for their Passage Presentations. Below are sample questions parents, caregivers, and community members were urged to ask students while preparing for their Passage Presentation.
What Habit of Character do you think you show the most often? How do you know?
What Habit of Character is the most challenging for you? Why? How do you know?
Which of your Final Products have you been the most proud of this year (or any year)? Why? How did feedback help you revise your work to make you proud of this product?
Which Expedition Topics have been especially interesting to you the last few years? What makes you say that?
What are your goals for the future? How did you choose those goals? What support do you think you’ll need to reach those goals?
Presentations
During their Passage Presentations, students introduce themselves, present their reflections of 4 Artifacts, how they’ve grown and shown our Habits of Character throughout their time at Detroit Prep. Presentations take 10-15 minutes, with time for questions at the end. Students also explain why they believe they will be ready for Upper School at Detroit Prep (5th-8th Grade) and what Habit’s of Character they will need to show the most to be successful in Upper School.
Allies for Radical Collaboration
At Detroit Prep, our mission is to provide a world-class, equitable education that will give a diverse group of students a foundation of academic excellence and character development. Our crew commits to making this vision a reality on a daily basis, and it’s something that requires constant learning and reflection on our practice!
Last winter, I was fortunate to participate in Allies for Radical Collaboration - a fellowship program developed with Black Male Educators Alliance and Henry Ford Learning Institute for white-identifying Detroit educators who lead, love, and nurture Detroit students from diverse backgrounds. I was humbled to have the ongoing opportunity to develop and implement culturally responsive practices in our learning community within the fellowship, beyond the work we already do in our school community through our Equity Groups.
Through this six month cohort experience, I continued to explore how my personal identity impacts my interactions with students, our school team, and our broader community. We engaged in asset-based community field experiences, such as immersive learning within other schools across Detroit, conversations and panels with community partners, and building a network of allies and critical friends that will support each other and push each other’s thinking to uncover my own gaps and blind spots.
We also learned culturally responsive, community-building strategies to try in our schools with a focus on nurturing strong relationships between students and staff, staff and families, and our neighborhoods! Some of the most fun and engaging elements were a set of “cup games” that build connection and a sense of teamwork.
I’m grateful and excited to continue my own self-work and part two of the cohort experience this summer and fall so that I can contribute in our crew toward a restorative culture based in hope, healing, joy, and equitable learning environments.