From flying drones, award-winning robots and archeology to clay pottery and hand-made musical instruments, the District’s three Blended Learning Showcase events were a feast for students, parents and teachers alike.
The evenings truly showcased the amazing creativity, ingenuity and passion that students at Comal ISD exhibit every day in the classroom.
Student projects lined hallways and spilled into cafeterias while student artwork was displayed in gymnasiums of Smithson Valley High, Canyon High and Canyon Lake High, April 24, May 1, and May 8.
Here are just a few examples of the incredible projects showcased.
Texas Road Trip – Rahe Bulverde Elementary
Fourth-grade students at Rahe Bulverde Elementary created a Texas Road Trip based on different sights (landmarks, rivers, beaches and tourist attractions), which they found interesting across the state. They then created an interactive tour in Google Tour Builder providing information on each stop.
Cardboard Challenge – Johnson Ranch Elementary
Students were given a “Cardboard Challenge” to create an arcade game using cardboard and recycled materials. The challenge helped them use their innate creative abilities while further developing their problem solving skills.
Milk Mustache for Fuel Up to Play 60 - Rebecca Creek Elementary
A team of students helped promote their campus’ Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign with the assistance of School Nurse Cheryl Sczech, R.N., and Physical Education Teacher Tracie Hammond. They created a large display which featured the necessary food groups from farm to table and offered milk samples too.
Ozobots - Garden Ridge Elementary
An Ozobot is a tiny robot, which can be coded using markers. Ozobots follow marker lines and paths created by students, along with color-coded commands. For example, a color code of blue, black, blue, will command the Ozobot to go fast. These tiny robots are a great way to engage students in coding. They have been used at all grade levels at Garden Ridge Elementary since the complexity of the tasks can be easily differentiated to accommodate multiple skill sets. In fact, once students learn the basics of how an Ozobot works, their knowledge is applied reading in the library. For example, second-grade students use Ozobots to retell the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff; third-grade students share facts about Betty Skelton using Ozobots after reading her biography; and first-grade students use codes to connect rhyming words from Pig the Pug by Aaron Blabey.
“The possibilities with Ozobots are endless,” says GRES Librarian Rachel Whitely.
This year's Blended Learning Showcases truly highlighted this sentiment when it comes to Comal ISD students - the possibilities are endless.
Photos from top.
-Pictured are fourth-grade students from Rahe Bulverde Elementary who presented their Texas Road Trip project during the Blended Learning Showcase at Smithson Valley High School. From left to right in the front row is Hudson Beach and Westley Grove; middle row, Brandon Mendoza-Flores, Mae Roznovksy, Haley Doucet and Khloe Torres; back row, Teacher Rebekah Sechrist and Aaron Moreland.
-Johnson Ranch Elementary students pictured from left to right included front row, Rocco Rodriguez; middle row, Ashley Dudzikowski, Jessica Bone, GT Facilitator Patti Cowsert, Ellie DeBoy and Khloe Rule and back row, Mary Grace McCash.
-Pictured from left are Gabriella Fory, Katelyn Lowth, Superintendent Andrew Kim, Isabella Fory, Olivia Fory, Kailey Russell, Kendall Ramey, Abigail Lowth and Radleigh Bippert.
-Pictured from left to right are Liam Buoniconti, fourth grader; Kalyn Fischer, third-grader; Rachel Whitely, Garden Ridge Elementary librarian; Julianna Gonzalez, fourth grader; and Marielle Gonzalez, second grader.