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Naomi Stein

Design Lab Update

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In PreK, we designed an umbrella for Itsy, our spider friend. He was SO sick of getting wet every time it rains! We picked the materials we thought would work best. We had the choice of using plastic, tin foil, felt, or paper. Once we finished our umbrellas, we tested them to see if they could stand up to the rain. We also learned that if a prototype doesn’t work the first time, we can always build it again to make it better. Like Eli said, “It’s okay if it doesn’t work.”

Similarly to PreK, kindergarteners also designed an umbrella to keep Itsy dry. A few kindergarteners took a different approach and made our spider friend his own shelter! We learned that the plastic works best to protect Itsy from the rain.

First graders also worked together to come up with a way to keep Itsy dry. Working collaboratively helps us get lots of ideas from each other. We can accomplish so much more together! It can be so exciting when you come up with a solution as a team. “I think ours is going to work great, Moshe!” said Eliya.

Second graders are working on coming up with a solution to the design challenge, “How might we prevent habitat destruction and water scarcity in the Chihuahuan Desert so that we can protect animals?” Children in the second grade class love to build off of each other’s ideas.

In third grade, students learned about the 6 simple machines and how they help us do work. Students built structures that include at least two simple machines. Many children noticed that, interestingly, all of the structures incorporated an inclined plane.

Fourth and fifth graders began designing a Thanksgiving table made only out of 8 sheets of newspaper, an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of cardboard, and masking tape. Of course, our tables need to be able to hold a LOT of food, so we will be testing our tables’ strength by putting books on top. We can’t wait to see how much our tables can hold!

For an up-to-date explanation of what each grade is up to, come into the Design Lab and see our Bulletin Blog Board!

Human Hanukkiyah and Dreidls

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menorah

As a way of combining Hanukkah fun and the social curriculum, the 4th graders were asked to sculpt themselves into a human Hanukkiyah (the special 9 branched menorah used for Hanukkah)and then, in two groups, into dreidls (spinning tops used to play a Hanukkah game).  However, the challenge was to do this without any verbal or written language.  They needed to work cooperatively without talking and only using hand signals.  When they first sculpted themselves into the Hanukkiyah, one student was the definite leader who used his vision to make it work.  While it was accomplished within the time limit, the other students did not feel that they truly contributed in ways that worked for them.  When they were broken up into two groups to make the dreidl, each group took the time to work more cooperatively, and there was not the same sense of one person taking the authority upon him or herself. At the same time, it was a ‘messier’ process that required more time.

Besides being a fun activity, the students were able to learn a number of different skills and lessons:  efficiency vs. inclusivity of ideas, communicating ideas through non-verbal means, and different ways of working in a group.  Below are the pictures of them being a Hanukkiyah and the two dreidls.image

 

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Head of School Interviewed on WCAP Radio

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Adam Tilove

Adam TiloveOur Head of School, Adam Tilove, was interviewed on the L’Chaim radio show on WCAP 980, the ‘Voice of the Merrimack Valley’ in Worcester, Massachusetts. He explained the thinking behind our “Too Jewish” campaign, as well as the reasons for our eye-catching public billboard on I-95N. The ensuing conversation with the host enabled Adam to share the JCDSRI vision, our partnership with the Islamic School of RI, our STEAM partnership with Brown and RISD, our progressive curriculum, and our pluralistic community. In addition, Adam was able to engage listeners in the process of challenging their assumptions about Jewish day school in particular and Judaism in general.

You can listen to the whole show online (ad-free!). At the beginning of the broadcast, the host shares background information about the campaign and billboard; Adam joins him at about 8:45.

Acorn Obsession

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imageThis fall, oak trees produced a bumper crop of acorns. So, the Kindergarten class went on an acorn hunt. Along the way, the children looked, played and discovered. They filled bags with acorn discoveries. Each time a child found an interesting acorn he or she came running over to exclaim, “look at this one!” in delight. The children also wondered, “Why are the acorns dropping?” and “Why are acorns under trees that are not oak trees?”

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After our class collected acorns, we shelled and ground the nuts. Then we leached out the tannins. Our class dried the flour and baked acorn muffins. The resulting dark brown muffins were a tasty nutty-crunchy snack. Squirrels and blue jays eat acorns. Some acorns grow into mighty trees. Who knew our class could do so much with acorns? In the process, we were reminded that the simplest things may provide us with the greatest pleasures and treasures.

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Mini Maker Faire

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The Mini Maker Faire at BarnesIMG_5991 and Noble this past weekend was a success! Students in grades K-5 all had their hands on Einstein’s Wave Machine in some way. In addition to this time machine, we showcased the fourth and fifth graders’ shoe prototypes. People who stopped by our table were fascinated by what JCDSRI is up to in the design lab. 

In order to make the time machine, we started by studying Einstein’s theory of time travel. Einstein thought time was an illusion, and that it depends on the speed you are traveling through space: “Einstein’s theory of special relativity says that time slows down or speeds up depending on how fast you move relative to something else. Approaching the speed of light, a person inside a spaceship would age much slower than his twin at home.” (Howell, 2013)

Children in grades K-5 partook in the effort to make a time machine. “Well, actually… no one has ever traveled faster than the speed of light!” multiple students pointed out. Instead, we used the design process to answer the question: How might we build a time machine that connects our knowledge of the design process with Einstein’s theory of time travel?

Students built a prototype that was exactly ¼ of the actual size of the wave machine. Prototyping is an imperative (and our favorite) phase of the design process. Next, students transferred everything from the prototype to the large cardboard, measured, cut, and painted. Then, we added 3D features, a pendulum, and lights. This project was also eco-friendly, in that we used solar power for the lights along with battery power and circuitry. This allowed students to connect science concepts, theoretical reasoning, circuitry, mathematics, art, and design concepts while solving the design challenge.

Congratulations to JCDSRI for being the only elementary school invited to the Mini Maker Faire of 2015! Be on the lookout for the time machine in the future, because Mr. Tilove has a master plan.

 

Billboard Inspires Questions, Conversation

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As a part of our new campaign, a bright pink billboard on I-95N is getting drivers’ attention. “Too Jewish? Challenge Your Assumptions,” it reads, along with a website, toojewish.info. The campaign, which grew out of a comment we often hear from parents who have not considered sending their kids to our school, asks people to rethink their attitudes about Judaism in general and Jewish day school in particular.

East Side Monthly magazine interviewed Head of School Adam Tilove and ran an article entitled, “What Does it Mean to Be ‘Too Jewish’?”

Mr. Tilove was also interviewed by ABC6 News about the intentions behind the billboard and the community reaction to it.

The Jewish Voice featured us on their front page at the beginning of November.

To capitalize on the high interest in the billboard and continue the conversation, the school is hosting a Community Conversation on November 19th at the Brown RISD Hillel at 7:00pm.