2012

As 2011 comes to a close, I'm once again thinking about how fortunate I am to be working with the Nesters.  I learn new things every day.  Students share science experiments, art projects, history reports and so much more and I get to discover right along with them! Some of the Nesters are getting close to finishing their first projects, while others may be working on one project all year long. One of my goals is for Nesters to be able to self assess their work and determine for themselves what they need to research and share in order to complete a project.  This concept can be tricky for many Nesters.  These kids are great at assessing what a teacher wants and giving back the correct information, but having to figure out what questions to ask for themselves can be tricky.  Our conversations often go like this...
Nester: "What should I do next?"
Me: "Hmmm, what do you think?"
Nester: "What do you want me to do next?"
Me: "Well, what kind of information do you still need?"
Nester:  "I need to find out..."
This kind of conversation can sometimes go back and forth for a while but inevitably the Nester will come up with a great idea and next step. It is so much fun to watch.
Thank you for allowing me to investigate, discover, create and toil with your kids.   I look forward to the new adventures with the Nesters in 2012! Happy Holidays!

Lunch Club

Falcon's Nest Lunch Club is a great time for any student in grades 3-6 to come to the FN room and work on a project.  It is always a nice mix of kids who come and share ideas and interests. Each week a few new students try out Lunch Club and often become regulars. Sometimes Falcon's Nest students come to Lunch Club to work on their projects or to start another project. It seems that some Nesters are just not satisfied with only one project at a time! Every Friday we have game day during Lunch Club.  Kids can choose to play one of a variety of board games (Blockus, Jenga, Chess, Battleship, etc.)  Friday is a very popular day!  So if you know a student who is curious about Falcon's Nest, or who has an idea for a project that they are eager to work on, send them to Lunch Club!

Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers

Yesterday, I showed the Nesters some videos made by PBS NOVA called "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers".  These 6-7 minute videos are geared towards kids and highlight individuals who work in the science or engineering fields.  One of the great thing about these videos is that they show how a passionate interest, often found early in life, can lead to a satisfying career.  They also feature people who have multiple interests such as an architectural engineer who also rock climbs, or a rapping botanist.  The kids really enjoyed seeing these videos which make science and engineering look fun and cool. Check out the PBS website if you want to watch them at home.
Here is a short clip from one of the videos.

Projects

      

Here are just some of the exciting things kids are studying in Falcon's Nest:

Chemistry

Owls

Electricity
Greek Gods
Pointillism
Comics
Renewable energy sources...

As always, we have a very interesting group of kids with lots to share.  I'll keep you updated.

We are off to a great start! I am so excited about working with your kids and helping them discover new passions and interests.  The Nesters are full of great ideas for individual projects and they should be narrowing in on a topic to study.  The kids will be working on both individual projects and group activities during Falcon's Nest.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or information that may help me have more insight into what makes your child tick!

We're Back!

The 2011-2012 Falcon's Nest is about to begin at last! I hope the start of the school year has been good to you and your family. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of the enthusiastic Nesters later this week. We will begin the year going over the Falcon's Nest program guidelines. We will talk about why a student is selected for FN and what is expected of a Nester. Soon our sessions will be filled with researching, making and presenting work that reflects the passions of each Nester. So much fun and hard work to come! I will keep you posted.

The Worst Part

Today I say goodbye to the sixth grade Nesters. This group has been terrific. They are a diverse group of kids. Each possessing skills and talents unique to them. We have engineers, artists, scientists, dancers, scholars and athletes among us. They have all contributed their unique world view to make the time in FN so interesting. This final day they requested we spend sometime debating philosophical questions. These Nesters are curious and thoughtful. I know they will go on to make our world a better place. I was recently at a graduation at which Alan Alda was the commencement speaker. One of the many inspiration things he said was that it is not enough to just have a dream, you need to work at making your dream come true. These sixth graders have big dreams and they have the ability and drive to make them come true. I can't wait to see what they do!

I will see the rest of the Nesters next year. I hope to find them relaxed, refreshed and ready for a challenge. Have a great summer!