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Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 4, Witty Word Play (1st-2nd)
Jun. 12, 2025—On day four, students started the day by reviewing the generalizations about systems, including analyzing the elements, boundaries, inputs, outputs, and interactions, and they developed generalization statements. We reviewed systems through the application of the water cycle. They did a great job identifying the components of the water cycle as a working system. Yesterday,...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 4, Intro to Chemical Engineering: Engineering With Play Dough (1st-2nd)
Jun. 12, 2025—It was a messy and terrific Thursday in Play-Doh Engineering! This morning, we examined the properties of high-quality and low-quality play-dough. Through several tests, we determined that high-quality play-dough is smooth, flexible, and soft. We also determined that high-quality play-dough should be able to take and maintain the shape of spaghetti and meatballs, as...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic (Richards, Sect. 2) (5th-6th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Dear SAVY Wizarding Families, Today was a spectacularly scientific day in our Hogwarts-inspired classroom as we explored some explosive (and educational!) experiments during Bubbling Brews Class and soared into the physics of flight with a hands-on Golden Snitch Catapult Challenge! In Bubbling Brews, students became chemists as they learned how acids and bases react to form gases...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic (Owens, Sect. 1) (5th-6th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Today in Harry Potter: The Science Behind the Magic, students began the day in Potions class, where we explored how many everyday substances can seem magical. We talked about how things like caffeine (for energy), Tylenol (for pain relief), and even compounds that create colorful flames can feel like potions in the Muggle world. Then we shifted into chemistry,...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Molecular Genetics (5th-6th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Today we were busy. We started with a four corners getting-to-know-you activity and a review of the previous days. Then we began our study of evolution with a discussion of Charles Darwin and his journey on the H.M.S. Beagle. One of their stops was the island of Mauritius, where Dodos were endemic. They learned that...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Ancient Legacy: Exploring the Impact and Influence of the Roman Empire (5th-6th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Happy Wednesday! Today was “Gladiator” day in Ancient Legacy! We started with a “myth-busting” activity to discern fact from fiction with regard to the ancient gladiators. From there, we learned about the most famous gladiators and, of course, the Colosseum in which the gladiators performed! Students created their own trading cards to learn about the...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Math & Music (3rd-4th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Good afternoon, SAVY Parents, Can you believe it’s already Wednesday? This week is flying by—just like the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun! We kicked off the day with a lively review game called Musical Fraction War, which helped reinforce fraction notation and equivalence in a fun and interactive way. Our main focus today was...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Cryptology (3rd-4th)
Jun. 11, 2025—Happy Hump Day, Parents! Our little cryptologists made it over the “hump” today and finished strong! I’m excited to add so many new codes to our toolkit. Gifted learners are often challenged by working in partnerships or teams. Our group is doing an excellent job of capitalizing on one another’s strengths to find the clues...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Crime Lab Chemistry (3rd-4th)
Jun. 11, 2025—With tensions rising and theories evolving, our young detectives launched into Day 3 of the investigation, ready to test their hypotheses and chase down the remaining loose ends. The forensic results and interrogation notes from Day 2 set the stage for critical breakthroughs, but today’s challenge focused on putting all the pieces together. The...
Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Witty Word Play (1st-2nd)
Jun. 11, 2025—On day two of Witty Word Play, students reviewed generalizations about systems, including analyzing the elements, boundaries, inputs, outputs, and interactions. Students continued exploring what language is and how it is used. They learned how ancient Chinese writing began. In this system of writing, thousands of complex signs are used instead of letters. One fact...