Last year, I was fortunate enough to write a successful grant proposal for a research project that included the acquisition of a laptop and an iPad mini, and this year, I bought one more small tablet on sale early in the school year, so that the number of student devices is now 4. But a 4:25 ratio is not really enough for many pursuits to be undertaken with any efficacy, even when supplemented by the 3 or 4 additional students who have devices they bring from home.
Said boxes arrived today.
"School supplies?!" was an early obvious guess, though many students suspected something more exciting was afoot.
After making an initial prediction, selected groups of students were invited up to more closely examine the shipping labels and weights of the boxes. They took this information back to their seats and shared with students nearby, who then modified their original predictions, based on this new information.
"Thelma's sister!!!" came an excited shriek, as I began unpacking the smaller of the two boxes, and pulled out a pink Otterbox case. I then pulled some bubble wrap from the box, confirming the suspicions of those who had predicted something fragile.
Students then wrote in their notebooks about how and why their original predictions about the contents of the boxes evolved with each additional observable clue. They will have to wait until tomorrow, when we finish unpacking and I share with them a little information about our generous donor, before they see with their own eyes what is inside the mystery box!