Making Our Mark with Collaboration

The next step in The Dot project was focusing on the qualities of a collaborator. We organized all of the qualities and ideas that students had about being a collaborator and four themes emerged. Those themes were: Listen, Compromise, Work Together and Everyone is Included. Students were placed into small groups of two or three students. Their first step as a group was to come up with ideas and norms for their group based on the four themes of qualities of a collaborator. Students came up with great ideas including going around in a circle so everyone had a chance to share their ideas, making sure that at least one idea from each team member was included in the design and making each person in the group responsible for each of the materials being used in the project.

After students agreed on their group norms they designed the first iteration of their art bots. Students sketched out the initial plan for their robots making sure that they listened to their teammates, compromised and that everyone was able to share in the planning of their first prototype of the art bot.

The best part of this portion of the project was observing students reference their group norms and ideas as they collaborated with their classmates to plan for their project. Students were invested in the group norms for collaboration that they created and put them into practice as they began their project. I am excited to see how the rest of the project progresses.

Next step: Testing their designs!

Dot Day: Reflections and Connections

The first step in the Dot Day Project was reading the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds. Before I started reading the book I asked students to think about the beginning, middle and end of the story and what they noticed about Vashti, the main character, from the beginning of the story and the end of the story. If you have not read the story Go Read it! It’s a great book! Also here is a link to the summary and reviews on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/825377.The_Dot if you want to learn a bit more about the book.

The next step was for students to reflect on how Vashti changed in the books from the beginning to the end. I asked the students to think of the words from the book that described our character at the beginning. Words that came up included “can’t”, “won’t”, and “scared.” Then I asked for words that described Vashti at the end. Those words included “trying” “experimenting” “encouraging others” and “can do it.” We posted all these words on our reflection board.

The next step was to talk about the idea of how we can make our mark. We talked about the ways that Vashti made her mark on paper with art. Students talked about how she made big dots, small dots, tried all different colors and designs and she even made a dot without making a dot. Then we talked about how we make our marks on other people’s hearts with the way that we treat them. Students focused on ways that they make their mark on their classmates. Some of the ideas included “helping others” “sharing skills” “treating people the way we would like to be treated” and “sharing with each and listening to each other.” All of these ideas and thoughts were added to our board.

The final step before our project was to talk about “How do we work together as collaborators to make our mark?” I asked students to close their eyes and think of a time either at school, home or play where they worked with someone else. Students talked about building legos at home with a sibling, playing on their Saturday soccer team and working in math pairs. I asked what was the most important thing to make sure everyone collaborated and worked together? Their ideas included “listening to each other,” “sharing responsibility for materials,” “everyone has a part,” and “compromising.” All of these ideas were added to our board.

These collaboration qualities are going to be the norms for each group as they work together to build their art robots starting next week. My goal is to have an adult with each group of three students to listen, observe, document and remind students of our collaboration norms as they work through the robot building project and the art creation.

Next step: Art Bot building!

Deeper Connections with Dot Day

International Dot Day is one of my favorite days to celebrate with my students each year. Based on the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds, the story is a wonderful celebration of learning a new skill, never giving up, believing in yourself and passing that belief onto others. The story is a wonderful one to share with students to start the year as an inspiration to students to embrace challenges and see failure as opportunity. I have tried many activities over the last few years including creating dot inspired work, students sharing a new skill they want to learn and talking about making your mark on your community in a positive way. This year I am trying my biggest Dot Day inspired project so far with my first grade students over several weeks. Following the Buck Institute of Education’s (bie.org) project based learning plan I have created a project that incorporates the first grade curriculum of school and community, collaboration, and maker design and creation.

International Dot Day &

Big Question

How do we work together as collaborators to make our mark?

Overview and layout of project:

In celebration of International Dot Day students will read the story The Dot by Peter Reynolds. They will discuss and reflect on the themes of the story including the ideas of working, trying, and not giving up when learning something new, what it means to make your mark with art, and what it means to make your mark in your classroom community and school community.

Students will brainstorm in small groups and with the class to create a list of qualities that help someone be a good collaborator, team member or classmate. Each class will create a list of the qualities they think are most important for people to work together.

Students will next put the qualities of a good collaborator to the test. Working in small groups students will be given the materials to create an Art Robot. As a group they will need to decide how they want to build their bot, the art materials and colors and how they want the art to be created. Each group will set the norms of the group based on the brainstorming ideas about qualities of a collaborator and use those norms as they create their art and make their mark both on paper and in their groups.

Making sample Art Bot for 1st grade project for #DotDay students are going to have fun making their mark! #makered pic.twitter.com/zn4DjBeuX7

— MaryCatherineColeman (@MaryCatherineC1) September 7, 2016 

Students will use the materials and create their bots. They will test and rework if needed and then create their final art project. Students will use the iPads to record their Art Robot creating their art work. They will also create a small recording reflecting on what qualities of a collaborator their group focused on and how that helped their group work together to complete their project.

The art work, Art Bots, qualities of collaborators, and QR codes with their video recordings will be on display in the library hallway. Also possibility of sharing their work at an MX or another community share opportunity.

The qualities of collaboration that the classes learned will become the norms for the rest of the school year as the students engage in collaborative work, classroom work or community programs.

Estimated time:

4-5 weeks starting week of Sept. 12

ILIS Library and ILIS Lab time

Content Goals:

• Deeper understanding of the meaning of a story (beginning, middle and end, theme of the book, characters, problem and solution)
• Summarizing and retelling a story
• Apply meaning from a story to their own lives
• Expressing their understanding in different formats (whole class discussion, small group work, creation with art, and video recording)
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Ownership of the norms of collaborative work for the whole school year
• Design process: ideate, test, rework, test and final product
• Connection to the classroom work of what it means to be a member of a classroom community and larger school community
• Creativity- working to create a new piece of artwork and designing and building the Art-Bot
• Understanding the nature of technological design
• Creation- producing documentation using device

Assessment:

1. Observing students in both the whole class setting as they brainstorm the ideas from the book and the norms of collaboration
2. Observing students in their small group work to assess their understanding of the ideas of collaboration and their implementation of those norms
3. Listening for student recollection of elements of the story and their understanding of the connection between the book and the project they are working on
4. Observation of video recording documentation and evaluation of student understanding/connection based on documentation

Resources:

• The Dot by Peter Reynolds
• Materials needed for the Art Bots: http://researchparent.com/homemade-wigglebot
• Large paper for brainstorming sessions for norms
• Group papers to document norms each group is working on
• iPads for video recording of projects and final reflections

Reflection:

Student: a final student reflection on the project either a small selection of students to share what they liked and didn’t like about the project and what they most got out of the project or a larger class discussion about the project

Teacher: a final reflection from all teachers involved on the positives and negatives of the project, what the benefits were for the students, and any suggestions or ideas for reworking the project for next year.

I will be updating the blog with the project as the students and I try this new celebration of Dot Day! Be sure to check back and see how first grade makes their mark this year!