LAUNCHing into Learning

Have you ever watched a rocket launch?  It really is one of the coolest, most awe-inspiring events I've witnessed. The whole idea of streaking off into space and experiencing the universe in such a unique way boggles the mind.  But catapulting into the cosmos isn't the only exciting kind of launching happening these days.
I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of third graders as they engaged in the LAUNCH process this year.  As you might guess this has nothing to do with space travel in our elementary school! Rather, it is a framework they followed in design thinking that allowed them to use their choice, voice, curiosity, and creativity to learn and develop skills that ultimately led them to share with an authentic audience.

Reaching out to an authentic audience adds so much more meaning to the learning process because there is a purpose behind the project.

 I love teaching through project-based learning (PBL) and had a great experience in using the framework during enrichment last summer with students this age, so I was really grateful when third grade teachers Ms. Hayes and Mrs. Cole shared their classes with me during the spring semester.  These teachers also worked with groups on PBL dealing with other topics, but for this article, I'm sharing specifically from the experience of the students in my group as they are the reason for this blog and the contributors for this post!

Meet the Fluffy Slimers: Scott S. , Phoebe Z. , Lily H., and Myleah G .

Meet the Slippery Slimers: Josh H., Dominik V., Kyle J., and Morgan S.

The group of students I worked with shared the interest of learning about blogging.  So our project/product was creating a blog post.  But where to begin? That's where the LAUNCH cycle comes into play.  It's an acronym created by educators John Spencer and A.J. Juliani from their book LAUNCH: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student help guide students as they delve into design thinking. 

L- Look, Listen, and Learn

A- Ask Tons of Questions

U- Understand the Problem or Process

N- Navigate Ideas

C- Create a Prototype

H- Highlight and Fix

LAUNCH your project!

Through their research, the third graders discovered there is much to be learned before becoming a blogger. I mean, it was a big deal just coming to a decision of what to blog about!  As they engaged in the steps of the LAUNCH cycle, new skills were learned and new concepts were explored.  

"I liked having a choice about what project to do because you got to pick what you want to do instead of what everyone else is doing. I learned that when you research on the internet, you need to have three sources that say the same thing so you know what you read is true." -Madysen E.

These creative souls came to a unanimous decision to conduct slime experiments as their topic because that was one thing they all agreed was "awesome". When thinking about who could benefit from their experiments, I offered to let them lead science centers in my pre-k class.  We learn about liquids and solids in preschool, but what if the bloggers got to introduce them to a substance that doesn't fit the rule of normal solids or normal liquids?  They decided that would be a fun win-win experience for a blog topic!

"My favorite part was working with the kids." -Lily H.
"I liked doing the research and then having fun with what we learned." - Phoebe Z.

"Playing with the kids with the slime was really fun." -Scott S.
(I can't help but grin every time I see the above picture!  This has to be one of the best expressions of enjoying a learning experience and teaching someone something new that I've ever seen!)

 Both groups executed their experiments with the skill of  'slime experts' and enjoyed different aspects of leading the science demonstration. They had to exercise their organizational skills in finding the ingredients, their math skills in measuring, their reading skills in following the recipe, and their communication skills in explaining their experiments. They learned about chemical reactions and the how and why of what makes these fluids unique. PBL is a great way to integrate all of the concepts and skills we want our students to understand and show mastery in as they perform.

The third graders learned that creativity is a key in engaging your audience.  The Fluffy Slimers'  idea to hook their audience's attention was coloring it a pastel pink and giving each one a plastic Easter egg to keep their slime inside so they could take it home. That idea was a big hit! The Slippery Slimers went above and beyond just conducting an experiment when they found out the preschoolers were learning about farms.They decided to connect their demonstration to what would be relevant to their audience by hiding little plastic farm animals inside the slime as they passed it out so the students had to find and name the animals. So clever!

Another takeaway the LAUNCH groups mentioned was that it takes a lot of time to research and choose what will make the best experience for the audience.  They were impressed with how curious the preschoolers were to try out the slime and how many questions they asked about the process. It's a good thing they did their research so they could answer those questions!  

Each time I lead a group in PBL, I end up learning just as much as the students.  I love the quote Spencer and Juliani write in their LAUNCH book about the role of the teacher in this process.  They call it being "the guide on the side".  It's so true!  As I work alongside the students and allow them to make decisions, I become better equipped to act as a guide in the next design thinking project.  During this particular project, I learned that establishing a fully functioning student-created website blog takes more time than I allotted.  So we had to go with plan B and use my blog platform with the third grade students as contributors instead of the primary authors.  The next time I undertake a project like this, I will know to budget more time for brainstorming and developing the presentation. I also found out that designing a blog in a school setting has to be done differently than a blog I design myself in order to manage it within the technical parameters of the school district. It ended up being a good example of persevering through difficulties to get to the end product (even if it looks different than you planned) without giving up!

Finally, our LAUNCH project was the perfect way for us to practice the seven habits and the skills we learn from The Leader in Me. There were many opportunities for the third graders to begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, and find their voice. Even the preschoolers noticed how well the students worked together showing habit #6 during their presentations. I was happy to hear one prekinder say, "Look Mrs. E!  They're synergizing, aren't they!?"  It was genuine confidence-building and leadership practice at its best. 

I still think it is great to watch a rocket launch into space, but my favorite kind of LAUNCH is watching kids blast off into an authentic learning experience that allows them to use their creativity and benefits others in the process!

*If you want to learn more about the LAUNCH cycle, please visit this website <<LAUNCH>> for more information on design thinking.  You'll be glad you did!