The Art of Buying Low and Selling High

by Mark Edwards
6th grade Strategy Games

This year I wanted to find a great game to introduce the auction/bidding mechanism.  Stefan Dorra's game, For Sale(1997), does just that without adding any complexity or other mechanisms.  The game  consists of sixty cards and some money tokens. 
 

(Image Credit: Justin Case, user Gambiteer on BGG)

The goal is to purchase houses as cheaply as possible at auction and then in the second phase of the game, sell those houses for as much as possible.   

A deck of cards, numbered 1-30, represents houses that range in value from the meager cardboard box(Card #1) all the way up to an out-of-this-world starbase((Card #30).  In a 4-player game four houses are revealed from a shuffled deck.  Then the players place bids for the right to claim the highest valued home.  A player who chooses to pass on bidding gets to take the lowest valued house and must pay half of his bid to the bank.  The sole remaining high bidder gets the highest valued house and must pay the entire bid amount to the bank.  After all the houses are purchased in this manner, gameplay moves to the second phase.

Property and Prosperity

Houses the players have purchased now serve as their hand of cards in the second phase.  A deck of cards that represents buyers is shuffled, and in a 4-player game, four buyer cards are revealed.  Each buyer card has the dollar amount the buyer is willing to pay for a house.  The players each choose a house from their hand and simultaneously reveal it.  The player who reveals the highest house receives the buyer's card with the highest dollar amount.  After all the houses are sold in this manner, the players total up all of their home sales and the highest earner wins! 

Students were thrilled to see a home they purchased for $1000 sell for $15000!

Piñata making begins!

                           Sixth graders create a piñata using traditional paper maché methods.

by Sra. Harrison
TK-6 Spanish

TK Learns About Basketball

by David Taylor

TK-6 P.E.

This week I decided to teach the TK class how to dribble and shoot. But before I did, I thought it would be good to ask some of them how to play. Here is what I got:

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRt_mLXgaxQ

Then, I asked, "How do you know that you've won a basketball game?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir-hrQLPUOs

There you have it. 

Raleigh Campus Tech News

by Tomeka Hartsfield
Technology/Media

There are so many fun and exciting things happening with technology on the Raleigh campus.  First, I would like to announce our newest 6th grade elective “Intro to Computer Science Fundamentals”.  This has been a well received  elective and enrollment was incredible.  The students learn various computer science concepts while using problem solving and critical thinking skills. The students are enjoying learning  to code in fun and engaging ways……AND they create their own game!  Here is an example of a student created game:

https://studio.code.org/c/260618590

The 6th grade Multimedia class received brand new cameras this year so we started the year with photography.  The students went on a camera scavenger hunt around the school to capture beautiful pictures while applying their photography rules learned in class.  Also, we have been creating biblical podcasts and  book trailers.  The 6th Multimedia class will be creating a video from their 6th grade retreat.  I love when our students can apply their skills for practical uses.






The 5th graders have been getting comfortable taking their computers home.  I love seeing all of the fun and cool computer sleeve decorations.  The 5th graders have been reviewing their word processing and presentation skills. Finally this quarter, they will be learning email etiquette and the importance of etiquette with online communication.  This is one lesson we repeat every year!

The 4th graders have been learning how to use their MacBooks.  They have learned the hardware and software of the MacBooks.  Specifically with software,  they are learning how to use Talon with assignments and calendar.  Finally this quarter, they have been learning word processing and actually using it to type stories and other documents. 


Finally, 3rd grade has been busy learning how to type properly.  They have been learning the placement of all of the keys in relation to the home row keys all while sitting up straight, feet flat on the floor, elbows to the side, and eyes on the screen….Yikes!   They are doing a great job and I am very proud of them for not complaining and grumbling but staying diligent and doing their best.  By the end of this quarter they will be typing with their keyboards covered:-/

by Susan Walker

TK-3 Library

Kindergarten Library 2016

"Teddy Bear Day!"

3rd Grade Girls Book Club 2016

"Our Clementine Hats!"

A 'Bot in Our TK-K Classrooms!

Robots are being used to teach coding and other critical skills in all grades. We are using them this year in our younger grades (Transitional Kindergarten through 1st grade).

I purchased a BeeBot for our MakerCart. My goal was to teach one technology lesson each quarter this year, using the BlueBot and other tools.

I asked our teachers if I could come to their class for a 15-minute lesson in September. I brought my BeeBot and the grid where I placed 4 shapes in 4 colors on the grid. Now I was ready for my first class!

I explained that BeeBot would only where we told him to go. Gathering the children around, I asked the children to code the BeeBot by pressing the directional keys on top of the BeeBot.

Although we didn't have time for everyone to have a turn, they were engaged and loved having BeeBot come to visit their class.

                                    Recuerden traer las cajas el miércoles, 16 de noviembre.