https://www.theholler.org/122443-2/ Just in case you haven’t seen this.

Hey, KVEC Social Studies – check out our first mini-cast for our Holler!

https://youtu.be/gOESeRAFTm8

I feel that there is a good marriage between the QFT and the Guiding Questions from High-Impact Instruction training.

Check out some pictures of ACT classrooms in the media tab!

After reading the articles, I have to admit that I have feelings of excitement and anxiousness. I agree that inquiry is the best method for learners to make meaning of the world around them and to internalize that information to later use again. Reflecting back on my elementary and middle school science science experiences, sadly, it was mostly…Read More

After reading the articles, I have to admit that I have feelings of excitement and anxiousness. I agree that inquiry is the best method for learners to make meaning of the world around them and to internalize that information to later use again. Reflecting back on my elementary and middle school science science experiences, sadly, it was mostly…Read More

The videos and articles reinforced my thoughts of inquiry as the process we go through to make meaning of the phenomena we encounter in the world around us. Learning is so much more meaningful as we engage ourselves by asking questions, investigating solutions, creating new knowledge as we gather information, discussing our discoveries and…Read More

Post-Reading — Through the videos and the articles I felt that my basic understanding of inquiry which is to ask questions and discover answers started to be transformed and developed. I really enjoyed the lines of inquiry in the second video. The lines of inquiry were teacher created to keep students focused on discovering answers that pertained…Read More

My pre-reading perspective of inquiry is that it is a necessary part of education and a natural part of students. People are naturally inclined to ask questions and are have the desire to learn more and to solve problems. Students are even more inclined as their brains are still developing and their minds are being continuously molded on a daily…Read More

I’ve enjoyed reading everyones’ responses to the articles and videos. I felt the same constraints by feeling the need to teach science by using the scientific method and following a rigid step-by-step process. By using our NGSS standards along with the inquiry method, I can really find out my students understandings and misconceptions. Inquiry…Read More

Inquiry is the process of learning about the world around us. Because of our curiosity we begin to question to try and make sense of what we observe by using our senses. Then, we try and gather information about our questions by field observations, researching what others have discovered, and trying to do our own tests to make meaning of what we…Read More

I used a photograph as my QFocus to introduce a unit on World War I, which can be found at the following link: http://web.viu.ca/davies/h482.wwi/photo.WWI.Br.machinegunners.1916.jpg

6th grade Science Q Ficus

6th grade Social Studies Q Focus

Qfocus Design sheet

Hey everyone! My name is Ashley Shults, and I’m the Regional Community Manager in KY for GoNoodle. GoNoodle is a FREE website with short (2-5 minutes) movement videos and games designed to be done at students’ desks. It’s an awesome resource to help get your kids up and moving and help them focus. Plus, the website tracks your usage, so you could…Read More

ICYMI: Co-creator of QFT, Dan Rothstein, visited with Pike County educators and students in Spring 2016 and here is a video all about it.

Asking the Right Questions in Next Generation Classrooms

I got a big test coming up.

Three questions for June 24th-25th Meeting (Tried to focus on causal mechanisms from observations made on first field investigation:
1) What is the speed of the water at various points along the stream?
2) Is there a difference in the energy of the water between different locations?
3) What is the relationship between the speed of the water and…Read More

Hazard High School Scholastic Spaces Classroom Redesign Entrepreneurial Project!!

I’m really pleased with some of the investigations students have designed. Our QFT focused on different rock formations of the Red River Gorge. I put 4 pictures on the screen of different phenomenon which form the main attractions of the area; sandstone cliffs, cliffs with voids (rock climbers seem to love these) rock shelters and arches. The…Read More

After completing the investigations nearly 2 weeks ago the results were better than I thought. I was expecting students to struggle creating their own plan since they have NEVER been asked to think deeply much less conduct their own investigation. These students haven’t even really ever completed cookbook lab experiences.

As I said I was…Read More

I took a cook book heart rate lab and turned into a more student centered activity. The activity took more days to do the activity but the students were much more involved with the learning. I have attached a copy of the old lab and the revised version as well. Students will make presentations regarding their findings in class on Monday.

I uncovered the practice of inquiry based learning during graduate research for how effectively STEM learning improved student performance on standardized assessments. What I discovered was a strange idea that many students learn more when they don’t hate the process of learning. That said, inquiry based learning is not all fun. As one of the…Read More

After reading the articles and viewing the videos, write a brief essay explaining how what you read and viewed challenged, reinforced, or changed the way you thought about inquiry in general or inquiry as related to the science standards. Use specific examples from the materials.

“Through the process of inquiry, individuals construct much of t…Read More

In my opinion, inquiry is a form of learning that relies on the natural human characteristic of questioning. It is something that we as human beings, especially children, do naturally. Inquiry based learning allows students to take advantage of this natural process and use it to their advantage in the classroom. With inquiry, there is really no…Read More

Here are my thoughts on inquiry after completing the assignments.

We live in the information age, where at the swipe of your finger information is readily available. Since we live in a technological world with loads of information, the use of strategies which promote inquiry is neccessary for the success of students in the 21st century. The…Read More

Write a brief essay describing your ideas about what inquiry is and how it fits into your teaching of science. What do you believe are the benefits and challenges of inquiry teaching and learning? How does inquiry fit in the NGSS?

Prior to reading the articles, I backed up to some of the NGSS Science Standard trainings that I have attended over…Read More

Write a brief essay describing your ideas about what inquiry is and how it fits into your teaching of science. What do you believe are the benefits and challenges of inquiry teaching and learning? How does inquiry fit in the NGSS?

Prior to reading the articles, I backed up to some of the NGSS Science Standard trainings that I have attended over…Read More

Kim, follow this link to the materials:
http://nextgenscience.weebly.com/elf-materials.html

The nature of humans is that of an inquisitive being. I tell my students that one of the best scientist is a 5 year old child because they are always asking questions to understand their world and do not let the fear of failure create a barrier to their learning. My approach to the world was as a natural scientist before I became a teacher, so the…Read More

Where are the articles and videos?

This article will inspire…I promise.
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/clever-diy-ways-to-decorate-your-classroom#.bjpPQjLrw’ title=’36 Clever DIY Ways To Decorate Your Classroom’ image=’https://s3-ak.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr03/2013/9/16/15/original-10965-1379360437-33.jpg’]The classroom of your dreams is easy to achieve…Read More

Elementary Classroom Hacks (Big ideas at Little Cost)
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.edutopia.org/blog/elementary-classroom-hacks-big-ideas-little-cost-samantha-mcburney’ title=’Elementary Classroom Hacks: Big Ideas at Little Cost | Edutopia’…Read More

Great resources for innovative learning spaces
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.bobpearlman.org/Learning21/new%20learning%20environments.htm’ title=’New Learning Environments for 21st Century Learners’ image=’http://../Images/collage_learn_env_800.jpg’]New Learning Environments for 21st Century Learners[/bpfb_link]

Wow Worthy Learning Space Design
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-wow-worthy-learning-spaces-todd-finley

Twitter Chat tonight! 8:00 pm
Follow
#ALLlearningspaces

This website is awesome for all teachers!
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.teacherspayteachers.com’ title=’TeachersPayTeachers.com – An Open Marketplace for Original Lesson Plans and Other Teaching Resources’ image=”]TeachersPayTeachers.com — 1,700,000+ free and priced teaching resources created by teachers for instant download including lesson plans,…Read More

A couple of innovative ways to set up a school library…:)
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Here are links to MANY videos about redesigning the library media center. We do have two schools redesigning their libraries as Design Challenges for the Appalachian Leadership Lab…we will post updates as that work continues.
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-festival-reimagining-library-design’ title=’Five-Minute Film Festival:…Read More

Edutopia article with links to other resources for classroom redesign
[bpfb_link url=’http://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-tips-and-tricks-redesign-your-classroom’ title=’8 Tips and Tricks to Redesign Your Classroom | Edutopia’…Read More

I have been doing a “Flipped Homework” where I play all of the songs I use in my K classroom, show the week’s book, etc. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW9vLqCXWKI
Still not too sure how to entirely gage the effectiveness BUT last week I checked back over the weekly letter subtest scores. One of the kids in my class who doesn’t have…Read More

Yes! http://www.epals.com is a great way for students from all areas of the world, to connect with each other! Check it out! You can join projects, share projects, set up email accounts for your students so they can send/receive emails from other students! It’s a great way for students to explore culture, language, and interesting facts about each other!

In my opinion, I believe that teaching kindergarten is 80% management, 20% instruction! If you do not have good management in a kindergarten classroom, you will not be teaching and students will not be learning. You must have procedures for everything…lining up, where to put finished work, how to sit and listen to a story, how to transition from…Read More

Great Ideas!

Thought I would share this in here. Here are some tips for a cheap, but effective, dry erase board. Most of you probably already know you can by a 4′ x 8′ sheet of “shower board” at your local hardware store. But after a while the markers won’t erase and usually after a few months your board is almost ruined. Next time you buy a piece, try…Read More

Welcome to the Innovative Learning Spaces Holler! This space is for sharing inspiration, ideas, and pics of Innovative Learning Spaces….hope you will share. One of the folks we follow is Erin Klein…check her out at http://www.kleinspiration.com/p/meet-erin-klein.html.

Elise Legaspie shares her 3rd grade classroom in a video on Classroom Cribs.com…it is fun to look the transformation of the classrooms featured here.
[bpfb_link url=’http://classroomcribs.com/30-days-of-design-elise-legaspie-3rd-grade-teacher/’ title=’30 Days of Design: Elise Legaspie, 3rd Grade Teacher’…Read More

Ricky Thacker, Appalachian Leadership Lab Design Fellow, shares pictures of his redesigned Betsy Layne High School math learning space…The space is amazing and the engaged kids in the pictures shows it is truly a LEARNING space. Thank you for sharing,…Read More