Coffeechug here, reporting live from the nerd cave.
Here is the next installment in the Lego Imagination Challenge for the month of November.
This topic took the most votes by a one! So I will use the theme in second place next.
Here is the challenge for November
Monochromatic color scheme. Pick a color Any color that you want. And use ONLY that color. Build anything. Your creativity is the only limit imposed upon you(and the fact that you can use only one color!) So, build a structure, a sculpture, functional, non-functional, anything at all, but you can only use one color! Email photos to aarmau@gmail.com We had a great result last month. The goal is to increase the number of creations. Spread the word and make it happen! Good luck and may the blocks be with you.
I have been documenting our quail every single day. I need to get everything up and running so people can see. That is my goal this weekend is to get all photos and videos up and running.
Yesterday(Halloween) marked the two week survival mark for our quail. Mr. Collett brought 4 quail over to my house last Friday to help my one quail learn to work with others. They have worked well together.
The quail have doubled in size and are learning to fly. Their wings are getting stronger. Therefore, I had to move to a bigger container as you will see in the video.
Yesterday I tested out a new app where I can record timelapse. So I recorded a day of the quail.
The video below is a montage of every picture taken from 6:30 in the morning until 4 pm. I set my iPhone up to take a picture every 15 seconds. You will see how active they are and how they work like a little family.
I hope you enjoy and I will be sharing much more soon.
Don't forget to check out our wiki project page dealing with Bald Eagles and birds native to your areas. Please consider joining the classes already signed up. We are currently working to change the team topics to meet the needs of all schools so don't hesitate and sign up today!
Last Friday we finally had class with our 5th grade ELP students. They were so excited about the quail. We talked about what had developed since we had class the week before and where things were going. We viewed the video about the hatching of the quail and we then began to brainstorm the variables between our three incubators and what could have caused different amount of birds to hatch. It was great to back with the kids and actually talking about the quail with them.
As of Monday morning, the quail all seem to be doing good. We have had some scary situations in keeping the quail alive, but I believe we have worked through them all.
On my end the quail food has not arrived like it was supposed to. So, I have gone a different route with seeds, tomato, and most recently dog food. I hope the food arrives today so I can get the little guy on a good feeding system.
Speaking with Mr. Collett over the weekend it sounds like he had a scare. Mr. Collett had to devise a new brooder container after the first metal brooder the quail kept getting wet from the water dish. At this stage in development the quail cannot get wet as they are not able to regulate their body temperatures.
Mr. Collett had to use the dome incubator and dry towels to keep them warm much like what they do at hospitals and by staying up late into the night and helping them feed with an eye dropper they are still alive
My son has devised a little house for the quail at my house and a little trough. The house will have to be removed soon as the quail continues to move faster and learning how to jump which leads to flying.
I am working out a new camera system for the live feed. It is providing a much better picture, but I am having issues with it staying on. I hope to have this figured out soon.
This week we will try to figure out a way to get all the quail together and the best plan for getting them back to school for students to see in person.
Our next step - building a flight pen. Students will be taking part in building a flight pen for our quail to survive in throughout the winter. If you have any great ideas please send them our way.
The next entry in the LEGO Halloween Challenge. This comes from another student of mine, Sophie. She is in 4th grade and is 9 years old She has titled this PUMPKIN! And I love it! Very clever way to creating a pumpkin. I love the abstract feel that this creates. About two weeks left to get your submissions entered to the challenge. Great job everyone! This picture reminds me that my family needs to go get pumpkins!
Just wanted to send this out real quick. Here is an update to our quail egg project. We are attempting to raise quail in class. This first round is teacher lead as we explore building a habitat for them. The spring project will be to put students 100% completely in charge.
The eggs are to hatch a week from today! I will be setting up a live camera feed to stream online for those interested in having their classrooms checking in to see this process. More info coming later once I figure out how to do it all!
Current Slideshow of all photos so far
10.10.12 Here is the latest picture of our quail eggs in development. This is Day 16. It is hard to tell in the pictures, but it is so cool seeing the outlines of feathers!!!!!
I had to tilt them on their side to show some light through as most of the egg shows just black as the quail is getting bigger and bigger.
10.6.12 - Aiden and I came into the school on Saturday to rotate the eggs. Here is what the egg development looks like at Day 12
10.4.12 - Today was the first day the 5th grade ELP students were able to see the quail eggs. They are learning along the way before we unleash them to raise quail completely on their own come Spring. This is the egg development on Day 9
Today we setup an incubator in my office at school. As we(teachers) experiment a bit with the quail before allowing the students to be in full control we have placed quail eggs in three incubators in three locations to see what will produce the best results.
It won't be long until we add some eggs and get a camera ready to go.
Here is the next entry for the Halloween Challenge! I am so excited to have so many entries coming in.
Justin is one of my 5th grade students and like my previous students is also awesome. He shared a few pictures so we could be sure to see everything.
This is another great creation! Great work Justin.
Remember there is still plenty of time to submit your work! This open to everyone and anyone who wants to build. Check the tab at the top of the blog to learn more!
Here is the next creation submitted to me by another awesome student. Stephanie like a few others is 9 years old and used what parts she had to make a zombie.
Well done Stephanie and your work will be shared and voted on soon!
Check the tab at the top of blog to find out more information if interested.
Before school starts my middle school offers a one week crash course for the soon to be 6th graders. This class allows them to get comfortable with the building, lockers, classes, etc. before 1000+ kids come rushing the halls in about a week.
In my small group I give one student each day a pack of Lego pieces to take home. Their job is to create something cool. My only rule is that they have to use all the pieces. I don't care how they use the pieces as that is the only rule.
These kids are still embarrassed to stand out so working with them to challenge themselves and use their brains. They will continue to get better and I plan on doing this during the school year with any student that is interested.
Here is Lego Design #1: Eye Slide
Idea #2 coming soon. This is a great two minute idea for students to share their work to start class. I look forward to watching the models change and improve. As always, being a teacher I would love to have you share more great ideas that I can use with my students. I hope you enjoy this new project of mine.
![PICTURES 007[2]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8455/8050873725_f97af3e90a_m.jpg)
