833 Young Scholars

Fall is in the air, and Young Scholars is back in the classroom. Students have been busy practicing their thinking skills and building on their learning from last year. This month's focus is divergent and convergent thinking. Throughout the year, we will be working to grow and develop an even better understanding of how each thinking skill can be used in the classroom and beyond. Take a look below to learn more about convergent thinking and give your own brain a chance to try it!

Convergent thinking is one of the most common ways we use our brain. Think of the last time you needed many different pieces of information to make a decision. You have just remembered using convergent thinking!

Deciding the best route to take during rush hour or searching out sale items at the grocery store are every day adult examples of convergent thinking. Kids need convergent thinking all the time at school when they solve a math problem or choose a just-right book from the library.

In Young Scholars' lessons, students use analogies to help them practice convergent thinking skills. Analogies are all about relationships and comparing what is known with what is not. When solving analogies, students compare what they know using clues from part of the analogy to solve for what's missing.

For example, clues for the analogy examples below can be found in the first two shapes. Once we know how the shapes are the same and how they are different, we can use those clues to solve for the rest of the analogy.

The beginning example below is already complete and shows first a triangle and then a triangle with a vertical line cutting the shape in half. The second part of the analogy shows a square and then a square with a vertical line also cutting the shape in half.

The pattern for this analogy then is the first two figures are the same size and shape but the second in the set is divided in half.

Now that we have found the pattern, we can think through which shape will complete the next part of the analogy using the same pattern. This is why the square divided in half is the best answer for this analogy.

Logic and picture puzzles, like analogies, are great skill building exercises to challenge your Young Scholars' brain!

Try out some more of the Young Scholars' analogies below!

(I've included answers at the end of the newsletter.)

Good Luck!

In anticipation of those chilly, blustery (and shorter) fall days ahead, this month's resources are meant to hopefully help fill some of that extra inside-the-house-time and stretch your Young Scholars' brains at the same time!

• MetaForms is a game that uses simple visual clues to show where to place nine geometric shapes into a grid and find the unique solution to each puzzle.
• You can also find a similar game to MetaForms on-line at the puzzle site GridWorks.
• In Rush Hour, players follow clues to figure out how to move their car and help escape gridlock!
• Chocolate Fix is described as "a sweet logic game of deductive reasoning"! Players use clues to fill in their tray with all nine chocolate pieces in their correct positions.
• Both Rush Hour and Chocolate Fix, along with other logic games from ThinkFun, are also available on-line!
• Blokus is a fun family strategy game that challenges spatial thinking. Blokus has received a Mensa award for promoting healthy brain activity and is also available as a Smartphone app.
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

Hi All!

My name is Colleen Redmond, and I am thrilled to work as the 833 Young Scholars advocate and lead teacher.

I'm a mom of two teenagers, a wife, small business owner, avid biker (the pedal kind), book enthusiast, and beekeeper. Plus, on top of all of that, I have the happy job of implementing and growing the Young Scholars program here in 833!

I've been lucky enough to teach in South Washington County Schools for the past twenty-five years and have had the incredible opportunity to be a part of the lives of students and families in my classroom.

Now, as we launch Young Scholars, my path in education is taking on a whole new and wonderful life. I am so very excited to work with and support you and your Young Scholar. I can't wait to see where the journey takes us!

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, thoughts, or needs!

Colleen Redmond

651-425-6212

credmond@sowashco.org