1st Grade Idea Lab Update

 In Idea Lab, we’ve been focusing on how we think and how we talk to ourselves as learners. Social-emotional learning is a big part of what we do—especially for gifted students who sometimes struggle with perfectionism or fear of failure. We’ve discussed taking risks, reframing negative thoughts, and using positive self-talk through the ABRA strategy from Jim Kwik:  Acknowledge the thought, Breathe, Release, and Align with something positive.

We’ve also been strengthening our brains through hands-on thinking games—no screens needed!

Visual-Spatial Thinking

These activities help students visualize, reason, and problem-solve:

Tangrams – arranging geometric pieces to form specific designs.

Blokus – placing tiles strategically to fit shapes while blocking others.

Kanoodle – fitting 2D and 3D puzzle pieces together in hundreds of possible combinations.

Secret Code Messages – taking turns encoding and decoding messages using symbols

Q-bitz – recreating visual patterns with cubes to test memory and perception.
Puzzles – a mix of logic and visual challenges that stretch our thinking.

Katamino– a hands-on puzzle game where players fit geometric pieces together to fill a space, building spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.

Convergent Thinking
These thinking activities focus on logic, reasoning, and finding one best solution:

Rush Hour – sliding cars in the right sequence to free the red car.

SET– finding groups of cards that all share (or all have different) attributes.

Mastermind – cracking a hidden color code using clues.

Color Sudoku – using logic to arrange pieces by color and position.

Shape Sudoku – using logic to arrange pieces by shape and position.

Qwirkle – matching colors and shapes to build patterns.

We recently welcomed some new members to the Idea Lab! 

We’re learning that a strong mind grows through creative challenges and kind self-talk. 

Idea Lab students are really getting great at both! 

Keep up the excellent work!

3rd Grade Idea Lab Update: Unearthed

 

Our third graders have been hard at work on this year’s First LEGO League Explore Unearthed! Over the past several weeks, students have completed Sessions 1 through 8, exploring the life, tools, and discoveries of an archaeologist. Students also learned about and researched other jobs that work alongside archaeologists: anthropologists, geologists, site managers, lab technicians, conservators, and curators.  

Each session brought new adventures and hands-on learning opportunities: 
 Archaeology Adventure – discovering what archaeologists do and why their work matters.

Relic Rescue – exploring how artifacts help tell stories from history.   Site Surveyors – planning and mapping excavation sites with care and precision.

 Dirt Detectives – learning how to carefully uncover clues hidden underground.

 Excellent Excavators – designing tools to make excavation efficient and safe.

 Signal Seekers – exploring how communication and technology support fieldwork.

 History Helpers – reflecting on how preserving history helps future generations learn.

Now, our teams are ready for the next big step! Each group has selected a real-world problem connected to archaeology that they want to explore more deeply. They will:

Research to understand their problem

Build a team model that shows their innovative solution

Design a tri-fold display to share their process and discoveries

Work together to write and present their team presentation

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We can’t wait to see the creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills our Idea Lab students bring to their final projects!  Stay tuned! You will be invited to see and hear the students' presentations!