First, the kids are voracious readers! The program is committed to having each child go home with one book that she or he has read. To that end, we bought well over 100 books before the camp began. But the kids have gobbled those up and we've order two more shipments of books over the weeks. How wonderful! (Of course, that means our budget is greater than we had expected -- but it's worth it! If you'd like to help out, there's a "Donate Now" link above!) From Dr. Seuss to Walter Dean Myers, these kids are inhaling books with rich language and rich messages. I'm so proud of them -- and of the fabulous teachers who are helping them improve their reading skills.
The younger elementary kids (1st-3rd) continue with their problem-solving. (See our recent post "Is a Party a Problem?") The second and third graders met together this week -- and the second graders had difficult news for the third graders -- their menu had too many calories! (They wanted fried chicken, pizza and wings -- and cupcakes and strawberry shortcake and peach cobbler -- and, of course, crawfish!) So the two groups are working together to plan a menu and activities that keeps the net calories gained from the event down to 100. Isn't that amazing? When you were in second grade, could you have understood the phrase "net calories below 100"?
The older elementary kids (4th - middle school) are developing their own problem statements in response to the fabulous literature they are reading. Two groups are reading The One and Only Ivan. One is working on animal cruelty, the other is looking at what art is -- and learning about Jackson Pollock. Do you think that Pollack's work (which many of these kids feel they could recreate easily) is art?
The oldest kids are working on their own life plans -- if they want to be a lawyer or a mechanic; a teacher or a doctor -- how do they get there?
And the rising 5th graders, who are reading Number the Stars, are developing a report on bullying. They have done extensive research and are thinking of ways to respond to bullying situations. Who would have guessed that reading a book about the Holocaust would lead to problem-solving about bullying? Perhaps the brave work of the Danish people, who systematically smuggled all the Danish Jews to Sweden -- beyond Nazi reach -- inspired them. The beauty of the problem-based learning approach is that the kids are encouraged to take the project in a direction that is meaningful to them -- so they made the connection between Nazis and bullies and are thoughtfully committed to changing their own worlds!
More updates as the program goes into its last week after the Independence Day holiday.
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