The Countdown is On! 5Sigma Launch: The Power of Student Agency (featuring keynote speaker @gcouros)

We are in full-on countdown mode for our yearly education conference, 5Sigma. It’s hard to believe that it is just 10 days away! This year our theme is Launch: The Power of Student Agency.

I could not be more excited for our fifth annual conference! Each year we work to include educators who have inspired our work. This year is no exception. We have a pretty incredible lineup! Including George Couros (Author of Innovator’s Mindset) as our Keynote! I’m so thankful for the way that each of the people you see below have shaped me, and inspired me. I know they will do the same for you!

Some things that you can look forward to at the 5Sigma Edu Conference:

  1. We will spoil you (because you do hard work every day, and deserve a weekend of being spoiled).
  2. You will leave inspired, changed, and with practical ways to “launch” (did you see the lineup below? I mean….)
  3. Two incredible food trucks including the famous Mac ‘N Cheese truck!!
  4. Happy hour meet up (because we are convinced that the Happy Hour is Education’s Magic Bullet).
  5. You will see what happens when students are empowered (we can’t wait for you to meet the students of Anastasis, they are seriously the COOLEST! *slight bias*)
  6. The opportunity to talk shop: have you ever dreamed of starting a school? Re-imagining assessment? Throwing away the one-size-fits-all curriculum? Ditching homework? Ditching the test?  Team Anastasis will share how we’ve done it, what we’ve learned along the way, share our insight into what not to do, and be transparent.

We’re excited to meet you! If you haven’t already registered, it isn’t too late! Learn more and register at http://5sigmaeducon.com  If you need help requesting the professional development dollars to attend, we are happy to help out, customize our template letter.

Friday Breakout Sessions
  • Don’t Get Ready; Get Started! with Noah Geisel
  • Strategic PD Planning with Design Thinking
    with Alex Inman
  • Students as Curators: Moving From Student to Learner with Nancy White
  • Tomorrow Was Yesterday with Kyle Erlenbeck
  • Maker Centered Learning with Colin Reynolds
  • Ingredients of Modern Instructional Design
    with Bob Dillon & Kristina Ishmael
Saturday Breakout Sessions1
  • Finding Motivation with Kristina Ishmael & Zac Chase
  • A Computer Science State of Mind 
    with Jeremy Macdonald
  • Honoring Student Agency Through Assessment Practices with Kelly Tenkely
  • Maker Centered Learning with Colin Reynolds
  • Cultivating Creative Thinking – It’s Not Just
    for Art Class!
    with Michelle Baldwin
  • A Computer Science State of Mind with
    Jeremy Macdonald

Money Island: a financial literacy virtual world

What it is: Money Island is a neat site I found today while searching for some fun tie ins for our economic inquiry block at Anastasis.  This enchanting virtual world teaches students about money and how the economy works while they go on quests to destinations like the Eiffel Tower and Atlantis.  Students learn and practice the real-life principles of financial responsibility.  Students build knowledge and skills in three major areas including: saving and spending, earning and investing, and using credit wisely.  In addition to these major areas, students learn how to spend, grow and give money; the difference between wants, needs and taxes; different types of income; gain an understanding of interest; how to use credit wisely; and how to build wealth.
The site includes detailed lesson plans and activity suggestions for the classroom, as well as a specialized area within money island where teachers and parents can see what students are learning and track progress.
Money Island was created in partnership with the Young Americans Bank.  This bank was designed specifically for children under the age of 21!  Our students will be taking a field trip to the Young Americans Bank in Denver to continue their learning during this block.  If you are in the Denver area, it is a great field trip!
How to integrate Money Island into the classroom: Kids are not exposed to enough opportunities to learn and practice financial literacy.  Case in point: the national debt crisis, housing loan disaster, and credit card stats. It baffles me that we don’t spend more time in the classroom helping kids learn about money and finances!  Every teacher should take this on in some capacity, we can’t assume that someone else will teach it.  Kids need to learn about how the economy works prior to being neck deep in financial decisions on a daily basis.  Money Island is a fun introduction to all of this!
Students begin their journey in Money Island with a mission to help character Stone Broke.  Students choose a virtual side-kick who will guide them through Money Island and help them make important decisions.  Students are directed through a series of quests to help Stone Broke while learning about money and how to make sound financial decisions.
Money Island is a virtual world so it takes a bit of time to get all the way through it.  When students login, they are given a special key so they can pick up right where they left off in the game.  This is a great site for a one to one classroom environment or computer lab setting where each student has their own computer.  The site could also be used as a center activity on classroom computers with students rotating through the center throughout the week.  Because students can save their progress, they can play from both school and from home.
Money Island makes a fantastic tie-in to a money or economics unit for kids.
***Hint: Click “Join” to join.  For some reason the “Play” button is a little bit temperamental.  It worked for me the first time I played with it but not the second…not sure what that is all about!
Tips:   There is a new game featured on Money Island…Episode 2 helps students learn how to “win” at the credit game.  There are also fun mini games and comics on the site for kids to interact with and explore!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Money Island in  your classroom!