Connetquot Central School District

The first C-Quest meeting of the school year brought Idle Hour Elementary’s fourth and fifth grade students together for a series of fun, inquiry-based learning challenges.

C-Quest is an elementary enrichment program that encourages critical thinking, creativity and teamwork through engaging problem-solving activities. To start the year, students focused on building strong communication and collaboration skills.

In one activity called “1-100”, students worked in small groups to find and circle numbers in order on a shuffled grid. Taking turns, each student could circle only one number at a time, using a pencil and aiming to reach 100 within a three-minute time limit. After the first round, they paused to reflect, came up with new strategies and tried again. This time, they used different colored markers to better visualize patterns and improve their group’s speed.

In another challenge, “The String Lifter,” students were tasked with lifting and moving objects using strings connected to a shared metal ring. Their success depended on clear communication, coordination and teamwork. These opening activities set the stage for a great year filled with curiosity, creativity and group collaboration.