Virtual Reality Field Trip!

Yesterday, we went on a field trip across America! 

April Fools! 

We used Virtual Reality, and it was so much fun! Mrs. Minicozzi brought a wagon full of virtual reality viewers and an ipad full of places to go!

After we went over the rules, we paired up, shared the goggles, and Mrs. Yollis began the Tour of American Landmarks!

Photo by Mrs. Minicozzi 

Goggles on! Let's start the field trip! 

Tourists had to stay in their seats during every stop. 

After a view, the goggles were handed to a partner. Students then wrote down or drew pictures of what they saw.

When the tour return home, students selected one American landmark to research on Britannica. After gathering three new facts, a blog post was written. Photos came from Google Earth or Mrs. Yollis. 

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Please click on the student blogs below to learn about one of the virtual destinations. The student bloggers would love a comment!

Ana Prewit :: Visit the Statue of Liberty!

Finley Paws :: Visit the Grand Canyon

Unicorn Ham :: Visit the Gateway Arch 

Jodie Bloom :: Visit the Statue of Liberty 

Robotic Waffle :: Visit the Grand Canyon

Ruby Mathis :: Visit Liberty Island 

Veronica Pink :: Visit the Liberty Bell 

Sarah Gold :: Visit the Statue of Liberty

Aliyah Sage :: Visit Mount Rushmore

Livy :: Visit the Liberty Bell 


Milos the Pirate :: Visit Mt. Rushmore


Steven Carver and Bert :: Let's Visit the Golden Gate Bridge


Titanium Pizza :: I Spy Lady Liberty 


Page Pancake :: Let's Visit the Golden Gate Bridge


Sheila Turner :: Let's Visit Lady Liberty

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Where would you go using virtual reality? Why?

Have you ever used virtual reality? Tell us about it!

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FlipGrid Idioms!

Recently, Mrs. Minicozzi, @CoffeeNancy,
lead a district in-service about FlipGrid.
I flipped for it immediately!

Here is our FlipGrid about Idioms.
The idioms are certainly going to
warm your heart! This is a collaborative
FlipGrid. Mrs. Fischer's class from Georgia
contributed to this. We invite you, please share
an idiom with us!

Teachers, you are invited to have your students leave
us aFlipGrid Idiom! (Moderation is turned on.)

What is your favorite part about FlipGrid?

Try to use an idiom in your comment.

What are some ideas you have for a new topic?

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We Failed, But Grew Some Dendrites

We love the challenge of a Google BreakOut EDU. The object of a BreakOut EDU  is to solve several puzzles while working together with other members of your team. Each puzzle unlocks one of the locks on the box. You have 45 minutes to do it, and we were allowed ONE hint per team. If you unlock all the locks within 45 minutes, you win! 

Last October, we were successful when we did the TEAMWORK BreakOut with Mrs. Garcia.  There are many games to choose from. 

This BreakOut EDU was a Valentine themed BreakOut, so Carol the red bear came out to watch the progress. Carol LOVES to watch students working together to solve problems!

Mrs. Minicozzi was there with her enthusiasm and positive attitude! She brought the district's BreakOut EDU box and all the puzzles. 

Mrs. Minicozzi started the clock and the teams got started! Some of the puzzles involved finding hidden digits that unlocked a lock. 

Other puzzles required graphing and then using the data to come up with a 3-digit number that would unlock a lock. Concepts like even and odd and place value positions were important.  

One puzzle required a lot of addition and then some attention to little details. Everything is important when you're trying to solve the puzzles! 

One particularly difficult puzzle involved a black light and some clue cards. Students had to think...what do all these clues have in common?  

Students worked together on the puzzles. Sometimes, it was frustrating. 

Some puzzles were solved and a few locks were opened. 

Unfortunately, after 45 minutes, we were not successful.

Our failure gave us an opportunity to reflect about the game. What worked? What didn't work? How did each person handle frustration? Although we would always prefer to win, it is through failure that we grow and learn. As you learn your brain grows new dendrites! 

Here are some question to think about as you reflect: 

1. As you look back at the BreakOut EDU experience, what did you learn about yourself? 

2. What would you do differently next time? 

3. What did you miss that surprised you? 

4. Without giving away any answers, what tips would you offer a class attempting to solve a BreakOut EDU?

5. How did you keep yourself going when it got difficult? 

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