Kiker's Strength-Based Learning Cohort

Families: This is an IN CLASS assignment. Feel free to explore at home, however! Below are some kid sites about money, the economy, saving, and spending. Click around and make some new discoveries while playing some neat games! When you have learned something you want to share, come back to the blog and comment. Can't wait to hear what you learn! http://www.themint.org/ http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/ http://www.richkidsmartkid.com/ http://www.usmint.gov/kids/

Hooray! The first two days have been busy, exhausting, fun, and full of new learning! It has been wonderful welcoming new faces and welcoming back familiar ones. We are making new friends every day, and adjusting to all the new routines and activities. Yesterday we did an activity that involved teambuilding while exploring and testing out physics. Our mission was to create the tallest tower using toothpicks and marshmallows. To begin, we tested  We learned that triangular formations are stronger than square. We related that to how we have seen buildings built, bridges, and even the MoPac connector on/off ramps being built! Before we started, we talked about how to use positive statements to encourage each other and work together towards a common goal. And then we got to work! We discovered round toothpicks are better than flat due to being thicker/heavier, and that because the marshmallows would lose their size due to the heat in the room, the a...

Geared for Boys Lists for Grade Levels More Ideas Notable Honors We want them to READ, READ, READ this summer! These lists have fabulous ideas!!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all of our fabulous moms! Three cheers (really--three cheers!) for you! We SO appreciate all that you do...enjoy a day that celebrates YOU! "Awesome Cheer" from 2nd Grade "Cheese Cheer" from 3rd Grade "Disco Cheer" from 4th Grade xo, SBLC students and teachers

We set our butterflies free today! As our Butterfly Life Cycle Unit came to a close, we were sad to see our new friends flutter away but know they are enjoying their newfound freedom. Weeks ago, they arrived to 23 ecstatic second graders as teeny, tiny, newborn caterpillars. They ate and ate and ended up looking like this after about one week: And then they created a chrysalis, went through some amazing changes in metamorphosis, and became beautiful, Painted Lady Butterflies. Here is our farewell: We learned quite a bit and had a blast doing it. Bon Voyage, Butterflies!

Our third graders participated in the Kiker Annual Third Grade Vocabulary Parade today. We were so impressed with the creativity and effort our kiddos demonstrated with their costumes.  Well done, third graders! Check out the footage below... And a few pics...  Technological, Declaration, Superstition, Paladin Character(s), Nautical, Flamboyant Graph, Catastrophe, Metronome, Inuit Competitor, Detergent, Athletic Mythology, Despicable(s) Handsome, Tomb, Flash Athlete Have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocius weekend! Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Forrest, and Ms. Athlete Reiman :)

Check out some pictures from Second Grade's adventure Austin Nature & Science Center. We got to observe some special arthropods, play a classification game, and even explore the area to collect our own insects (later to be set free, of course). Arriving at the Center...what a cute group! A Madagascar Hissing Cockroach that we saw and TOUCHED! The crayfish is another type of arthropod, which means "jointed legs". Centipedes are a poisonous type of arthropod.   Identifying...   ... and classifying insects. Ready to catch some of our own on land... ...and in the water! Some fun at Zilker Park!