Summer SAVY, Session 3 Day 5, “Space and Story: Structure of the Universe” (5th-6th)
We started our day by sharing science fiction stories that students wrote yesterday: they sat in a circle and read aloud, blending the mastery of the written word with performance. After the literary reading, students completed a gallery walk through the stories laid out on the tables, and each student left feedback on a sticky note for every story. Following the readings and the feedback, students were tasked with weaving their stories into the Space Concept Maps, which they have completed brilliantly, making connections between art, the written word, and scientific concepts.
After ORA students worked on the literary analysis of “The Moon”, which is a poem by R.S. Stevenson. They discussed the author’s use of figurative language, point of view, theme of the poem, and the connection made between the clock and the moon. After lunch, we completed watching an excerpt from the documentary about Stephen Hawking’s work and immediately transferred the new knowledge to Concept Maps. Students were given an hour to complete the maps using the notes they took during the viewing and were encouraged to finalize them as a combination of a work of art, a concept notebook, a story map, and a way to generate questions and make connections for future research and discovery. I have full faith that you are going to be properly impressed by the map your child is bringing home tonight. Once the maps were done, students completed a gallery walk, leaving notes with feedback for every map. Our classroom was filled with meaningful conversations as students traced each other’s thought connections and stopped to converse and pose questions. It was obvious that they enjoyed viewing their own and their classmates’ accomplishments. It took five full days of learning to bring these maps to life, and they are a wonder to behold!
We wrapped up our fabulous course with an academic circle, where students gave thoughtful feedback on the content and structure of the class. They also shared insightful questions to guide future research and learning. Each student left with a personal goal and a spark of inspiration to carry forward. It was a joyful week filled with fun, curiosity, and academic growth. There was a little mischief, a lot of learning, and wonderful moments of collaboration and shared discovery. Thank you for choosing Space and Story. It’s been an incredible journey!
