Fall in the Nest

It so great to be in the Nest this time of year. It feels like a true incubator of ideas. What are we up to you wonder? Well… here are just a few examples of the many wonderful projects being worked on in the Nest right now—some scientific minds are learning about plasma and how caffeine impacts our bodies; others are curiously investigating life in Ancient Egypt and how George Washington became our first president; across the room Nesters are grappling with modern day conundrums like the island of trash growing in the Pacific, and hunting regulations in Massachusetts. That is just a little glimpse into the variety of interests and ideas that the Nesters are passionate about. Soon many of them will begin putting form to their research and developing models, slide shows, surveys and games that share this knowledge with the larger school community.  For some, the maker aspect of the project is their favorite part, while others enjoy the pure research. One of the highlights for me is always when the Nesters begin sharing their knowledge with the larger group. It is remarkable, both with the depth of understanding they are able to demonstrate, as well as the enthusiasm the all bring to each other’s work. I am always reminded how luck I am to spend my days with such terrific kids!

Congratulations!

This time of year is always so bittersweet. Saying goodbye to another group of sixth graders who have blossomed here at HES is so hard to do. This group will hold a special place in my heart, they have proven to be a particularly creative, spunky group of Nesters who support one another and consistently demonstrate a love of learning. As I told them this past week, they will come upon hard times with school, friends, life in general but I am so confident that they each have the fortitude to persist and go on to do amazing things. I can't wait to see what they do next!

                                     

Open House Success

Last week we had a wonderful Open House! Families, teachers and friends all came to help celebrate the hard work happening in the Nest. It was smiles all around!

Field Trip

Wow what a great time we had this week going to the UMass Fine Arts Center! Thanks to a Hatfield Cultural Council grant we had the opportunity to see a performance of Air Play. http://www.airplayshow.com/about/ The program combined elements of theater, physics, art, music and circus. We were all in awe!

Beautiful Monsters

It has been awhile since I updated you on all the amazing work the Nesters have been doing! We have projects exploring a wide array of topics from the depths of the seas, to life in the middle ages, to how people perceive color. And comic books are being made along side of slide shows, sculptures and petitions. The Nesters continue to demonstrate that they are scientists, historians, artists and activists. Along with these wonderful projects we have been challenging each other with debates, puzzles, and engineering endeavors.

 We have also been working together to problem solve issues facing the world today, create beautiful monsters, and learn origami.

On Our Way!

We are off and running here in the Nest. A group of sixth graders is busy planning to open a bakery. They have been developing business plans, researching supply and space costs, designing a menu and working on advertisements. Meanwhile across the room we have a duo comparing the profitability and popularity of Nike and Reebok.  In fifth grade, one student is learning about origami and preparing to teach us all how to make a paper crane. While another investigates the complex world of Egyptian mythology. These a just a few examples of the creative work being done in the Nest. The kids are so excited and enthusiastic to learn and share. My head sometime spins with all the great ideas and conversations going on here in the Nest.

A Decade of Project Based Learning!

Welcome to the 10th year of Falcon's Nest! We are so fortunate that Hatfield Public Schools has been supporting gifted and talented programming for a decade! The Nesters' work will continue to exemplify the best of what project based learning can be! Please check in during the months to come to hear about the wonderful academic and artistic projects the students are exploring in the Nest.

And keep and eye out for the Quest Enrichment Hour! This is a pilot program designed to provide more enrichment opportunities to all of our students. Ms. Shapiro and I are teaming up to bring fun critical and creative thinking activities to all of our 4th, 5th and 6th graders.

 Here's to a great school year!