Week 38 May 28-31 Flipping the Switch
We had a great time this week getting ready for our Flip the Switch party and the students really seemed to enjoy having the electricity off for a while. We made lots of signs, practiced our tours over and over again and got everything ready for the big moment when we went to solar power. Friday afternoon came, Ada did a great job flipping the switch, and we were all really excited that all the hard work of the last few months has paid off. Even with our classroom revolving around the sun and all things solar we were accomplishing other big things as well.
We had our last book club of the year and I think everyone was sad to say goodbye to the stories we've shared and all the ideas we've heard from others in discussion. This year we read 12 books in book clubs and 4 class books so there are at least 16 books we all shared in.
In writing students were taking different steps in the writing process for their composition about their bird. Some students have already moved on to writing a quiz while others are editing and revising.
For our last project of the year each student has been making a life size model of the bird they've been studying. This week there were a lot of sticky hands in paper mache and scraps of cardboard from students problem solving ways to make legs, beaks, crests, and all kinds of other bird parts.
We've really enjoyed watching the streaming nest cams from the Cornell Ornithology Lab during lunch. We've see Red Tail Hawks, Great Blue Herons, and Ospreys hatch and some are getting ready to fledge.
We had our last book club of the year and I think everyone was sad to say goodbye to the stories we've shared and all the ideas we've heard from others in discussion. This year we read 12 books in book clubs and 4 class books so there are at least 16 books we all shared in.
In writing students were taking different steps in the writing process for their composition about their bird. Some students have already moved on to writing a quiz while others are editing and revising.
For our last project of the year each student has been making a life size model of the bird they've been studying. This week there were a lot of sticky hands in paper mache and scraps of cardboard from students problem solving ways to make legs, beaks, crests, and all kinds of other bird parts.
We've really enjoyed watching the streaming nest cams from the Cornell Ornithology Lab during lunch. We've see Red Tail Hawks, Great Blue Herons, and Ospreys hatch and some are getting ready to fledge.
Week 36 May 13-17 Birds From Scratch
This week was spent reliving all the moments from our Pea Island trip and getting started with new projects. Students composed a personal narrative about climbing the lighthouse, walking on the boardwalk in the starlight, rolling down the giant sand dunes, and many other adventures we had.
In math we did a little more work with fractions before talking about order of operations and using line plots to show data.
For the past three weeks we've been spending 10 minutes every morning practicing our bird ID skills in our neighborhood. The students have gotten really good at identifying species by their wing shape color, and even flight pattern. We use the data that we collect to construct bar graphs for each of the species on each of the days. We've seen tons of starlings and chimney swifts and probably ten other kinds of birds. We're excited to go to Falls Lake this week and work with a birding expert.
We also completed the planning stage of making our birds. Students had to make decisions about poses, designs and how to make all the parts out of different materials. It will be fun watching them grow over the next couple of weeks.
In math we did a little more work with fractions before talking about order of operations and using line plots to show data.
For the past three weeks we've been spending 10 minutes every morning practicing our bird ID skills in our neighborhood. The students have gotten really good at identifying species by their wing shape color, and even flight pattern. We use the data that we collect to construct bar graphs for each of the species on each of the days. We've seen tons of starlings and chimney swifts and probably ten other kinds of birds. We're excited to go to Falls Lake this week and work with a birding expert.
We also completed the planning stage of making our birds. Students had to make decisions about poses, designs and how to make all the parts out of different materials. It will be fun watching them grow over the next couple of weeks.
Week 35 May 6-10 wings, Sand, and towers of Light
We had a short week in the classroom but as evidenced by the sand still trickling out of my ears it wasn't a short week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we kept working on our bird compositions and adding mixed numbers.
We also did a lot of work to prepare for the trip to Pea Island. We looked at a bird list for the Outer Banks to see which of the 400 species that come through Pea Island would be there when we went. We read about the ecosystem of Pocosin Lakes NWR and did math to see how many miles we'd be travelling across the state.
Then Thursday morning came, the early alarm went off, we gathered and headed off toward the coast. We stopped at Pocosin Lakes to stretch our legs and take a walk on top of the swamp waving to the turtles and feeling all the bald cypress. Next stop was the new NWR Visitor's Center in Manteo where we did a couple scavenger hunts to explore all the National Wildlife Refuges in North Carolina and the local habitat. We were lucky to spot a couple pink ladyslippers that had just popped up.
The next stop was a highly anticipated visit to the newly renovated Bodie Island Lighthouse with brand new paint and a First Order Fresnel Lens looking out over the marshes of Oregon Inlet. We ate lunch in the shadow of the old lifesaver before heading across the big bridge to Pea Island. After running around the open beach to get out a little energy we learned about how different birds are adapted and created our own birds from different parts of birds.
Then we headed back in time a little to explore the world of the United States Lifesaving Service at Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station. We explored the cookhouse, and two different stations with Lyle guns, faking boxes, and the surfboat that performed the most famous rescue in US history. Finally we hit our furthest point south on highway 12 and settled into camp at Frisco. We had a great time exploring the beach singing songs and going on a night walk to watch the light of Hatteras living up to its seven and a half second rotation. After songs, smores, and stories we hit the hay to get ready for all the action on Friday.
The kids woke up early to go back out to the beach and we did breakfast and packed up and headed to Hatteras to climb the tallest lighthouse in the country. We had a great time counting the steps and seeing where the lighthouse used to be and looking out to Diamond Shoals. After several Junior Rangers getting sworn in we headed back to Pea Island and learned about all the sea turtles.
Our two last stops before heading back to the Piedmont were the immense sandscape of Jockey's Ridge and the Wright Brothers Memorial. I think we all have some free souvenirs from Jockey's Ridge we're still cleaning out of our hair and it was awesome to see where the first powered flight took place and trace the steps of history. We were all exhausted but the trip went great and we have lots to talk about and write about when we get back to school. Thanks to all the chaperones who made the trip possible!
We also did a lot of work to prepare for the trip to Pea Island. We looked at a bird list for the Outer Banks to see which of the 400 species that come through Pea Island would be there when we went. We read about the ecosystem of Pocosin Lakes NWR and did math to see how many miles we'd be travelling across the state.
Then Thursday morning came, the early alarm went off, we gathered and headed off toward the coast. We stopped at Pocosin Lakes to stretch our legs and take a walk on top of the swamp waving to the turtles and feeling all the bald cypress. Next stop was the new NWR Visitor's Center in Manteo where we did a couple scavenger hunts to explore all the National Wildlife Refuges in North Carolina and the local habitat. We were lucky to spot a couple pink ladyslippers that had just popped up.
The next stop was a highly anticipated visit to the newly renovated Bodie Island Lighthouse with brand new paint and a First Order Fresnel Lens looking out over the marshes of Oregon Inlet. We ate lunch in the shadow of the old lifesaver before heading across the big bridge to Pea Island. After running around the open beach to get out a little energy we learned about how different birds are adapted and created our own birds from different parts of birds.
Then we headed back in time a little to explore the world of the United States Lifesaving Service at Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station. We explored the cookhouse, and two different stations with Lyle guns, faking boxes, and the surfboat that performed the most famous rescue in US history. Finally we hit our furthest point south on highway 12 and settled into camp at Frisco. We had a great time exploring the beach singing songs and going on a night walk to watch the light of Hatteras living up to its seven and a half second rotation. After songs, smores, and stories we hit the hay to get ready for all the action on Friday.
The kids woke up early to go back out to the beach and we did breakfast and packed up and headed to Hatteras to climb the tallest lighthouse in the country. We had a great time counting the steps and seeing where the lighthouse used to be and looking out to Diamond Shoals. After several Junior Rangers getting sworn in we headed back to Pea Island and learned about all the sea turtles.
Our two last stops before heading back to the Piedmont were the immense sandscape of Jockey's Ridge and the Wright Brothers Memorial. I think we all have some free souvenirs from Jockey's Ridge we're still cleaning out of our hair and it was awesome to see where the first powered flight took place and trace the steps of history. We were all exhausted but the trip went great and we have lots to talk about and write about when we get back to school. Thanks to all the chaperones who made the trip possible!
Week 33 April 29-May 2 Birds Taking Flight
After making blades that caught and used the wind last week we changed our focused to those amazing animals that use their wings as blades to stay high in the air. We've been talking about our upcoming bird study throughout our electricity adventures and the students were excited that it was finally here.
For the rest of the quarter each student will be studying one species of bird in-depth, focusing on how these creatures are specially adapted for their life. The students decided on their birds and began gathering information and sorting it into main ideas they want to write about. Next week we'll finish researching, planning, and begin the writing phase before we head out to see all the birds at Pea Island.
In math our focus on fractions moved to mixed numbers and improper fractions and how to find the value of each. We had a great time making graphs to show how many birds we saw during our bird ID time each morning. We all got better at identifying the birds based on their marking, flight patterns and size and were amazed at how many birds you can see when you set aside 10 minutes every day. Next week we'll continue and move on from a simple bar graph.
We began lit circles for the quarter this week and the students were all excited to dive into their new books. This quarter we'll be reading The Trumpet of the Swan, I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, and The View From Saturday. This quarter each group will be focusing on wondering questions and inferences from what they read.
For the rest of the quarter each student will be studying one species of bird in-depth, focusing on how these creatures are specially adapted for their life. The students decided on their birds and began gathering information and sorting it into main ideas they want to write about. Next week we'll finish researching, planning, and begin the writing phase before we head out to see all the birds at Pea Island.
In math our focus on fractions moved to mixed numbers and improper fractions and how to find the value of each. We had a great time making graphs to show how many birds we saw during our bird ID time each morning. We all got better at identifying the birds based on their marking, flight patterns and size and were amazed at how many birds you can see when you set aside 10 minutes every day. Next week we'll continue and move on from a simple bar graph.
We began lit circles for the quarter this week and the students were all excited to dive into their new books. This quarter we'll be reading The Trumpet of the Swan, I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, and The View From Saturday. This quarter each group will be focusing on wondering questions and inferences from what they read.
week 32 April 22-26 Blades a plenty
This week there were a lot of things spinning in 208.
We learned that our 130w solar panels each have 36 solar cells and the students did the math to figure out that each solar cell makes 3.6 watts of electricity or 780 total watts in our six panels. In math we also worked on changing fractions to decimals as well as rounding and ordering decimals. This came in handy on Friday when we had our Wind Turbine Challenge.
Starting on Monday we learned the different parts of electricity generating turbines and what parts of the state and country would be good spots for wind farms. Next we looked in nature for things that interact with the wind like leaves, feathers, maple seeds, and even whale fins. Before the students designed the blades they wanted for our turbine we tackled about what variables would make difference in how it turned and focused on material, shape, and pitch angle. Then the students went to work choosing their material and planning their design.
After a couple days of shaping and testing we set up for the competition on Friday where students would test how much voltage their blades would produce in front of a fan. There were 25 entries and everyone cheered to see the multimeter climb higher and higher. The top producers all had different materials and blade numbers and gave us a lot to think about as to why they were the most effective.
In writing we did more writing about our solar project, focusing on letter writing to the mayor, governor, and president as well as an article for the Raleigh News and Observer. We're interested to see if we hear anything back from our letters.
We learned that our 130w solar panels each have 36 solar cells and the students did the math to figure out that each solar cell makes 3.6 watts of electricity or 780 total watts in our six panels. In math we also worked on changing fractions to decimals as well as rounding and ordering decimals. This came in handy on Friday when we had our Wind Turbine Challenge.
Starting on Monday we learned the different parts of electricity generating turbines and what parts of the state and country would be good spots for wind farms. Next we looked in nature for things that interact with the wind like leaves, feathers, maple seeds, and even whale fins. Before the students designed the blades they wanted for our turbine we tackled about what variables would make difference in how it turned and focused on material, shape, and pitch angle. Then the students went to work choosing their material and planning their design.
After a couple days of shaping and testing we set up for the competition on Friday where students would test how much voltage their blades would produce in front of a fan. There were 25 entries and everyone cheered to see the multimeter climb higher and higher. The top producers all had different materials and blade numbers and gave us a lot to think about as to why they were the most effective.
In writing we did more writing about our solar project, focusing on letter writing to the mayor, governor, and president as well as an article for the Raleigh News and Observer. We're interested to see if we hear anything back from our letters.
Week 31 April 15-19th Spinning Magnets to Make Electrons Move
This week we got to relive our great trip to Shackleford Banks and took another step in our journey to generate our own electricity.
On Friday we hauled up one of our solar panels and the kids ahd a great time measuring and investigating every inch. They were really surprised at how small and heavy our batteries were and that they were only 6 volts.
In writing we constructed personal narratives based on one small part of our trip. The strong language and description the students used in their stories will keep those memories vivid for years to come. The proofreading and editing process is becoming much more natural for students as well.
In math we worked to establish a connection between the value of fractions and of decimals. We used base ten and money pieces to strengthen the place value connection of numbers and represent fractions of a whole.
In science we followed in the steps of Faraday and set out to make our own electricity with two simple ingredients: magnets and copper wire. The students wound copper wire 2-300 times around a plastic housing that had magnets that could spin on a shaft. After lots of focus on the wires and getting rid of the insulator coating the students we're able to produce 2.2 volts and make two LED lights come on!
We also started our new class book this week, Gentle's Holler by Kerry Madden. It's about a family of 11 in the mountains of North Carolina trying to make do with not much money and a lot of music. We really like the depth of the characters so far!
On Friday we hauled up one of our solar panels and the kids ahd a great time measuring and investigating every inch. They were really surprised at how small and heavy our batteries were and that they were only 6 volts.
In writing we constructed personal narratives based on one small part of our trip. The strong language and description the students used in their stories will keep those memories vivid for years to come. The proofreading and editing process is becoming much more natural for students as well.
In math we worked to establish a connection between the value of fractions and of decimals. We used base ten and money pieces to strengthen the place value connection of numbers and represent fractions of a whole.
In science we followed in the steps of Faraday and set out to make our own electricity with two simple ingredients: magnets and copper wire. The students wound copper wire 2-300 times around a plastic housing that had magnets that could spin on a shaft. After lots of focus on the wires and getting rid of the insulator coating the students we're able to produce 2.2 volts and make two LED lights come on!
We also started our new class book this week, Gentle's Holler by Kerry Madden. It's about a family of 11 in the mountains of North Carolina trying to make do with not much money and a lot of music. We really like the depth of the characters so far!
Week 30 april 10-12 On a boat to old Diamond city
Even with half a week we were busy in 208. On Wednesday we came back together as a community and heard about what everyone had been up to for the last few weeks. Most of the day was spent getting ready for our big trip to Shackleford Banks on Thursday. We did a lot of math problems about our trip their learned about the history of the island and nearby Ft Macon and talked about group and individual expectations.
On Thursday we got to school bright and early and headed on the Biobus down to the coast. We stopped at Ft Macon to see in person what we had learned about. We were all surprised at how well hidden it was, how big the cannons were, and how many bricks there were. After lunch we headed to the marina where we boarded the Continental Shelf to head out to the barrier islands. On the way across the sounds we saw schools of dolphins playing and eating and looked back at the fort we had just visited. As we approached the island we saw something or rather some things that were unusual. As we pulled closer we saw that it was four wild horses roaming the shore. Once we got onto the island our guides taught us about crabs, the horses and several different kinds of shells. We headed off on a short hike to try and find more horses and came to a swale where they spend a lot of time and then went to their watering hole called Mullet Pond. We didn't find any more horses but saw many beautiful parts of the island and got our shoes filled with sand. Back on the beach we all got nets and scraped through the shallow water to find lots of goodies like hermit crabs, auger snails, and sea urchins.
We washed our feet, got back on the boat, and headed back across Bogue Sound. When we were close to Morehead City we pulled out the fishing rods, dropped lines, and tried tempting some fish to pay us a visit. Several kids were successful in snagging an unsuspecting fish and you could hear shouts of "I got one" echoing around the boat.
We got off the boat, hit up a park for play and pizza and after recording our day in our sketch books headed back to Durham sun soaked and tired.
On Friday we processed our great trip, worked with EK's class on their Kickstarter project, and finished our class book of Storm Warriors.
On Thursday we got to school bright and early and headed on the Biobus down to the coast. We stopped at Ft Macon to see in person what we had learned about. We were all surprised at how well hidden it was, how big the cannons were, and how many bricks there were. After lunch we headed to the marina where we boarded the Continental Shelf to head out to the barrier islands. On the way across the sounds we saw schools of dolphins playing and eating and looked back at the fort we had just visited. As we approached the island we saw something or rather some things that were unusual. As we pulled closer we saw that it was four wild horses roaming the shore. Once we got onto the island our guides taught us about crabs, the horses and several different kinds of shells. We headed off on a short hike to try and find more horses and came to a swale where they spend a lot of time and then went to their watering hole called Mullet Pond. We didn't find any more horses but saw many beautiful parts of the island and got our shoes filled with sand. Back on the beach we all got nets and scraped through the shallow water to find lots of goodies like hermit crabs, auger snails, and sea urchins.
We washed our feet, got back on the boat, and headed back across Bogue Sound. When we were close to Morehead City we pulled out the fishing rods, dropped lines, and tried tempting some fish to pay us a visit. Several kids were successful in snagging an unsuspecting fish and you could hear shouts of "I got one" echoing around the boat.
We got off the boat, hit up a park for play and pizza and after recording our day in our sketch books headed back to Durham sun soaked and tired.
On Friday we processed our great trip, worked with EK's class on their Kickstarter project, and finished our class book of Storm Warriors.
Week 28 Mar 4-8 Starting it with a Kick
Of course the big news this week was the success of our Kickstarter on Tuesday. We set a goal of $800 so that we could have a small solar array but due to the generosity and excitement of many people we surpassed that in a day! We are so excited that this dream project is now a reality. Thank you all so much for your support and getting the word out. We'll get our supplies over intersession and then put everything together when we get back.
We were lucky on Tuesday to have 35 college students from Japan come spend the afternoon with the 4th grade. We were able to show them our project work, learn how to write our names in Japanese calligraphy, and play a giant tournament of rock, paper, scissors.
This week in writing the students finished the final drafts of their lighthouse compositions. The students the added artwork which will augment their display in our Lighthouse Gallery this week.
In math we worked with dividing larger groups of numbers into groups. We started with partial quotients and moved to working with the standard algorithm for longer division and the mnemonic "Dead Mice Stink."
We were lucky on Tuesday to have 35 college students from Japan come spend the afternoon with the 4th grade. We were able to show them our project work, learn how to write our names in Japanese calligraphy, and play a giant tournament of rock, paper, scissors.
This week in writing the students finished the final drafts of their lighthouse compositions. The students the added artwork which will augment their display in our Lighthouse Gallery this week.
In math we worked with dividing larger groups of numbers into groups. We started with partial quotients and moved to working with the standard algorithm for longer division and the mnemonic "Dead Mice Stink."
Week 27 Feb 25-March 1 What the sun Can do
From our lighthouse designs and tubes we progressed to painting, building lantern rooms, and putting circuitry into our lighthouses. We found out tape can be used for many things. The students learned firsthand the usefulness of masking tape for painting, electrical tape for holding wires together, and duct tape for making batteries stay put. This week we'll work on landscapes and keeper's houses to go with the lighthouse.
In writing students finished composing their essay about their lighthouse and spent the week editing, revising, and sharpening their writing. We're going to share our writing with some college students visiting from Japan and are curious to see how much they'll understand.
In science we dissected a solar powered yard light and found a solar cell, wires, a battery, and a small charge controller. We thought it was really cool that the light turns on when it senses there is no light. We're hoping to do more work with solar in the future.
In math we spent a lot of time working with different ways of multiplying and practiced multiplying big numbers (quadrillions) with the standard algorithm. Next week we'll take what we learned
In writing students finished composing their essay about their lighthouse and spent the week editing, revising, and sharpening their writing. We're going to share our writing with some college students visiting from Japan and are curious to see how much they'll understand.
In science we dissected a solar powered yard light and found a solar cell, wires, a battery, and a small charge controller. We thought it was really cool that the light turns on when it senses there is no light. We're hoping to do more work with solar in the future.
In math we spent a lot of time working with different ways of multiplying and practiced multiplying big numbers (quadrillions) with the standard algorithm. Next week we'll take what we learned
Week 26 Feb 18-22 Up and ARound
After planning the scale and design of their lighthouses the students began to build. Starting with just a piece of posterboard the students twisted it to get the right diameter at the top and bottom. Then they cut them to the right height and trimmed the top and bottom flush so they can stand unassisted. We put a layer of paper mache on the dinished tubes so we would have a better painting surface. Some of the lighthouses were very easy to paint while others took a lot of planning and taping.
In writing students worked on the body paragraphs of their lighthouse compositions working to make sure each paragraph has a strong topic sentence and details that use strong description.
We were all sad to have book clubs come to an end for the quarter but were happy to see all the stories wrap up with Mr. Popper getting to join Admiral Drake on a trip to the North Pole, Ziggy and the guys solving their mystery, and everyone finding a math in Witch of Blackbird Pond.
In electricity this week we measured how much electricity different appliances use in the classroom. We discovered that the projector uses more electricity when the power is off than a light does turned on!
We wrote verses for our own song about lighthouses and can't wait to put it together this week.
In writing students worked on the body paragraphs of their lighthouse compositions working to make sure each paragraph has a strong topic sentence and details that use strong description.
We were all sad to have book clubs come to an end for the quarter but were happy to see all the stories wrap up with Mr. Popper getting to join Admiral Drake on a trip to the North Pole, Ziggy and the guys solving their mystery, and everyone finding a math in Witch of Blackbird Pond.
In electricity this week we measured how much electricity different appliances use in the classroom. We discovered that the projector uses more electricity when the power is off than a light does turned on!
We wrote verses for our own song about lighthouses and can't wait to put it together this week.
Week 25 Feb 11-15 Spinning in Color
This week in writing we finished are planning by getting research about the structure, history, and location of our lighthouses. Then we put our facts into our graphic organizer which we call the Expository Pillar. We read and graded some examples of introduction paragraphs and each student wrote an introduction paragraph about their lighthouse.
In math we finished up our study of 3 dimensional geometry by finding out how to make 3D nets or cut outs of shapes. We found out that cones are hard and hemispheres are even harder!
The students were excited to add motors to their circuits and even more excited when we did electronic art. Once the students had a solid circuit they were able to control they put a piece of poster board on the end of the motor, touched it with the tip of a marker and voila, spin art!
Before we actually make our lighthouses we had to do the scale math to make sure ours would be exactly 100:1 scale size. After the students figured out the dimensions of their scale lighthouse they created a scale drawing. On Friday we just started to make the tubes for our lighthouses. This entailed drawing circles with compasses that were the same diameter of our scale drawing at the top and bottom of the tube.
In math we finished up our study of 3 dimensional geometry by finding out how to make 3D nets or cut outs of shapes. We found out that cones are hard and hemispheres are even harder!
The students were excited to add motors to their circuits and even more excited when we did electronic art. Once the students had a solid circuit they were able to control they put a piece of poster board on the end of the motor, touched it with the tip of a marker and voila, spin art!
Before we actually make our lighthouses we had to do the scale math to make sure ours would be exactly 100:1 scale size. After the students figured out the dimensions of their scale lighthouse they created a scale drawing. On Friday we just started to make the tubes for our lighthouses. This entailed drawing circles with compasses that were the same diameter of our scale drawing at the top and bottom of the tube.
Week 23-24 Lighting Up with Ideas
We are off and running with project work this quarter. We kind of have two focuses that will intersect in one final product. For the first month of the quarter we've been studying magnets and how they make electricity. These past couple of weeks we've explored simple circuits, found ways to light bulbs, and make our own switches. This week we explored our school to see how circuits worked all around us and then went out into our community to see how electricity gets to our school.
The social studies component of our project work this quarter is a study of the coastal region of our state and the seven lighthouses that still stand guard today. This week the students chose one lighthouse and for the next four weeks will be researching, writing about, drawing scale sketches, and making a scale model complete with working light. The students are very excited about lighthouses and what they do and on Friday we started our research by analyzing boating maps of the coastal region and getting familiar with where they sit along the coast.
In math we created our own rulers which the students will use for lighthouse design and construction and started talking about the properties and are of 3D shapes.
In writing we studied 9 different ways of making electricity and the students each composed a paragraph about one type that they were interested in.
The social studies component of our project work this quarter is a study of the coastal region of our state and the seven lighthouses that still stand guard today. This week the students chose one lighthouse and for the next four weeks will be researching, writing about, drawing scale sketches, and making a scale model complete with working light. The students are very excited about lighthouses and what they do and on Friday we started our research by analyzing boating maps of the coastal region and getting familiar with where they sit along the coast.
In math we created our own rulers which the students will use for lighthouse design and construction and started talking about the properties and are of 3D shapes.
In writing we studied 9 different ways of making electricity and the students each composed a paragraph about one type that they were interested in.
Week 22 Jan 22-25 Ice and Electricity
We came back on Tuesday geared up for productivity. In math we covered the ways congruent geometric shapes can move by translating, reflecting, or rotating. We used geoboards to prove our arguments and practiced the math terms in class discussions.
In writing we read "This Is Just To Say" by William Carlos Williams and composed our class response to his poem. Inspired by his poem about plums and the book This Is Just To Say which has fictional fourth graders writing apology and response poems we wrote our own apology and response poems which are hanging in the "Hall of Apologies."
The entire class memorized the poem "Harriet Tubman" by Eloise Greenfield and we performed it several times a call and response poem. On top of that each of the students chose another Eloise Greenfield or Langston Hughes poem.
In science we changed gears from magnets to electricity and learned that electricity is the FLOW of electrons. We talked bout conductors and insulators and will begin to assemble circuits this week.
In writing we read "This Is Just To Say" by William Carlos Williams and composed our class response to his poem. Inspired by his poem about plums and the book This Is Just To Say which has fictional fourth graders writing apology and response poems we wrote our own apology and response poems which are hanging in the "Hall of Apologies."
The entire class memorized the poem "Harriet Tubman" by Eloise Greenfield and we performed it several times a call and response poem. On top of that each of the students chose another Eloise Greenfield or Langston Hughes poem.
In science we changed gears from magnets to electricity and learned that electricity is the FLOW of electrons. We talked bout conductors and insulators and will begin to assemble circuits this week.
Week 21 Jan 14-18
With the drizzling rain pouring down all week we covered a lot of ground in 208 this week. In math we began studying the relationships between 2D geometric shapes. We used coordinate grids and geoboards to construct polygons that we could discuss, reflect, and translate.
In reading we read more of Storm Warriors, but also started book clubs for the quarter. The groups will be reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Buried Bones Mystery, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. To celebrate the legacy of Dr. King we also read and discussed the context and meaning of his "I Have a Dream" speech.
This week we worked on two different types of poetry, acrostic poetry and concrete poetry. We wanted to commemorate the trees that will be taken down during the park renovation and after spending time with them the students composed acrostic poems based on words we brainstormed as a class. (Check them out on the Student Work page) We learned that concrete poems are poems that incorporate form and words together into the structure of the poem. The students were very creative in both the form and words they used and their poems show it.
On top of all our math and language work we had a busy week in science as well. After learning what magnets are and why they work last week we put our learning into practice by making our own compasses. The students used small bar magnets to arrange the electrons in a needle so that it would be attracted to the magnetic field of the earth. WE put the needles in a piece of foam and water and could find our way to the north or south pole anytime.
In reading we read more of Storm Warriors, but also started book clubs for the quarter. The groups will be reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Buried Bones Mystery, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. To celebrate the legacy of Dr. King we also read and discussed the context and meaning of his "I Have a Dream" speech.
This week we worked on two different types of poetry, acrostic poetry and concrete poetry. We wanted to commemorate the trees that will be taken down during the park renovation and after spending time with them the students composed acrostic poems based on words we brainstormed as a class. (Check them out on the Student Work page) We learned that concrete poems are poems that incorporate form and words together into the structure of the poem. The students were very creative in both the form and words they used and their poems show it.
On top of all our math and language work we had a busy week in science as well. After learning what magnets are and why they work last week we put our learning into practice by making our own compasses. The students used small bar magnets to arrange the electrons in a needle so that it would be attracted to the magnetic field of the earth. WE put the needles in a piece of foam and water and could find our way to the north or south pole anytime.
Week 20 Jan 9-11 A New Year
Our class came back together this week to start the second half of the year with positive energy and direction.
For the first few weeks of the quarter we'll be exploring different forms of poetry to practice descriptive language (and our memorization skills!) This week, inspired by the book Hailstones and Halibut Bones, the students composed color poems that explain their view of a color and how they see it in their life.
This quarter we'll be focusing on North Carolina studies on the Coastal region and our class book, Storm Warriors, will give us a lot of great information about what life was like on the Outer Banks in the late 19th century.
In science we're using a study of magnets as a starting point for studying electricity. This week we learned that magnets are made of mostly three elements (ask your child if they can remember them!) what a magnetic field looks like and how to test the strength of a magnetic field. This week we'll be making our own magnets and putting them to practical use.
For the first few weeks of the quarter we'll be exploring different forms of poetry to practice descriptive language (and our memorization skills!) This week, inspired by the book Hailstones and Halibut Bones, the students composed color poems that explain their view of a color and how they see it in their life.
This quarter we'll be focusing on North Carolina studies on the Coastal region and our class book, Storm Warriors, will give us a lot of great information about what life was like on the Outer Banks in the late 19th century.
In science we're using a study of magnets as a starting point for studying electricity. This week we learned that magnets are made of mostly three elements (ask your child if they can remember them!) what a magnetic field looks like and how to test the strength of a magnetic field. This week we'll be making our own magnets and putting them to practical use.
Week 19 Dec 10-14 Firing it up
This week in class all the kids were busy in many directions, finishing some things on their colonial projects and starting others.
In writing, after getting our final drafts edited and printed we added finishing touches like artwork and borders before laminating. The students are really starting to take pride in their finished products and you hear lots of compliments shared among these 4th grade writers about their work.
In math the students put into practice many of the skills and concepts we've learned and practiced this year by designing their own colonial town. They design their town with at least 12 tradespeople and plan the layout of the town based on the cost of the different trades and available space. The kids wanted to keep adding trades like chocolatiers and features like palisades and we tried to somewhat keep things historically accurate.
After visiting Old Salem and cooking on the hearth of the big fire the class had been itching to cook like the colonists cooked. We put together all our different kinds of bricks around a flu liner on Thursday and then on Friday gathered fuel to get the oven going. The kids snapped, broke, and sawed the wood to get it to fit in the oven and after firing it for about an hour we put our bread in. 45 minutes later we pulled it out and were able to enjoy our own bread fresh from a wood fired clay oven. I think we'll all look at the instant on feature of our modern ovens with new eyes.
In writing, after getting our final drafts edited and printed we added finishing touches like artwork and borders before laminating. The students are really starting to take pride in their finished products and you hear lots of compliments shared among these 4th grade writers about their work.
In math the students put into practice many of the skills and concepts we've learned and practiced this year by designing their own colonial town. They design their town with at least 12 tradespeople and plan the layout of the town based on the cost of the different trades and available space. The kids wanted to keep adding trades like chocolatiers and features like palisades and we tried to somewhat keep things historically accurate.
After visiting Old Salem and cooking on the hearth of the big fire the class had been itching to cook like the colonists cooked. We put together all our different kinds of bricks around a flu liner on Thursday and then on Friday gathered fuel to get the oven going. The kids snapped, broke, and sawed the wood to get it to fit in the oven and after firing it for about an hour we put our bread in. 45 minutes later we pulled it out and were able to enjoy our own bread fresh from a wood fired clay oven. I think we'll all look at the instant on feature of our modern ovens with new eyes.
Week 18 Dec 3-7 Crafting and Creating (And a special visitor)
This week in 208 there were butter churns being assembled, pillows being sewn, lots of wood cut and sanded and painting out the wazoo. That means we're smack dab in the thick of project work. It was great seeing the kids excited, frustrated, worn out, and proud of their work. The students were also able to see how important detailed and thought out plans are to meeting your goals.
In math we revisited the process of multiplication and combined our understanding of the area model with partial product where you break the factors up, multiply them, and add them back together. The structure really stuck for a lot of kids and by the end of the week there were many confident multiplication pros.
In writing students finished the rough draft of their composition about their trade and started to proofread and edit. We've spent a lot of time working on paragraph structure and are learning how to write strong and informative introduction and conclusion paragraphs.
Sadly we had our last book clubs that were focused on the Native American experience. The students found it fascinating that some of the stories overlapped and intertwined with each other and information we had already learned. Farewell Sign of the Beaver, Pocahantas and the Strangers, and Children of the Longhouse
In math we revisited the process of multiplication and combined our understanding of the area model with partial product where you break the factors up, multiply them, and add them back together. The structure really stuck for a lot of kids and by the end of the week there were many confident multiplication pros.
In writing students finished the rough draft of their composition about their trade and started to proofread and edit. We've spent a lot of time working on paragraph structure and are learning how to write strong and informative introduction and conclusion paragraphs.
Sadly we had our last book clubs that were focused on the Native American experience. The students found it fascinating that some of the stories overlapped and intertwined with each other and information we had already learned. Farewell Sign of the Beaver, Pocahantas and the Strangers, and Children of the Longhouse
Week 17 Nov 26-30 Learning a trade
This week we really jumped into our colonial trade project full force. The students chose their trades right after we got back from Old Salem and had some time to think about what they would like to present when we open our colonial town.
In writing the students spent the last couple of weeks doing research about their trades focusing on the tools and materials used, how they did their job, and why that trade was important in colonial times. It was a big change going from narrative writing to expository writing but all of the students were excited to find out more information about their trade and are doing a great job putting it into their own writing.
In math we finished our unit on fractions and division and will send the rest of the quarter enriching our multiplication skills by studying partial product and completing a colonial math project that practices area, perimeter, and multiplying larger numbers.
We are closing in on the end of book clubs for the quarter and we're getting to the point where it feels like something big is going to happen in all of the books. We'll have to wait and see how all of the problems are resolved.
In writing the students spent the last couple of weeks doing research about their trades focusing on the tools and materials used, how they did their job, and why that trade was important in colonial times. It was a big change going from narrative writing to expository writing but all of the students were excited to find out more information about their trade and are doing a great job putting it into their own writing.
In math we finished our unit on fractions and division and will send the rest of the quarter enriching our multiplication skills by studying partial product and completing a colonial math project that practices area, perimeter, and multiplying larger numbers.
We are closing in on the end of book clubs for the quarter and we're getting to the point where it feels like something big is going to happen in all of the books. We'll have to wait and see how all of the problems are resolved.
Week 16 - Back in Time
It's a rare opportunity to step into a different world. This week we got to do it twice. On Tuesday we went to Old Salem where we got to see, smell, and experience what life was like in the Moravian community in the 1700s.
We spent the morning exploring the town, seeing all the trade shops and visiting God's Acre, the cemetery where residents were buried for 200 years. We were able to see the different jobs that existed in the time period and see how society was structured.
In the afternoon we broke into smaller groups and got to get our hands dirty with what life was like. One group made pumpkin fritters and cooked them on the hearth while another made pots on a kick wheel. We also found out what school was like, carded and spun wool, talked to the tailor, and saw the baker in action. It was a great opportunity to learn by seeing and doing.
On Friday we headed to the Museum of History in Raleigh for the American Indian Heritage Celebration. It was a great way to tie up all the learning we've been doing about the Native Americans of our state. We got to see Lumbee and Waccama Siouan dancers, make sassafras tea bags, write and speak in Cherokee, make bead patterns, play Chunkey, and even more. We learned about the traditions of many different groups of people and how important it is to them to keep those traditions alive. It was a great week to learn in and out of the classroom and we're looking forward to using project work to go even deeper and share all we've learned.
We spent the morning exploring the town, seeing all the trade shops and visiting God's Acre, the cemetery where residents were buried for 200 years. We were able to see the different jobs that existed in the time period and see how society was structured.
In the afternoon we broke into smaller groups and got to get our hands dirty with what life was like. One group made pumpkin fritters and cooked them on the hearth while another made pots on a kick wheel. We also found out what school was like, carded and spun wool, talked to the tailor, and saw the baker in action. It was a great opportunity to learn by seeing and doing.
On Friday we headed to the Museum of History in Raleigh for the American Indian Heritage Celebration. It was a great way to tie up all the learning we've been doing about the Native Americans of our state. We got to see Lumbee and Waccama Siouan dancers, make sassafras tea bags, write and speak in Cherokee, make bead patterns, play Chunkey, and even more. We learned about the traditions of many different groups of people and how important it is to them to keep those traditions alive. It was a great week to learn in and out of the classroom and we're looking forward to using project work to go even deeper and share all we've learned.
week 15 - Extra! extra! read all about it!
After weeks of hard work creating, editing, and organizing we were all really excited to finally be able to hold a fresh printed copy of our Native American newspaper. The students are really proud of having their work published and if you don't get your hands on a paper copy check it out in the Student Work tab.
In writing we started to move from the structure of writing single paragraphs to the structure of writing a larger composition. Since we had been learning so much about the Lost Colony we used all the information we've learned to structure and compose a 5 paragraph essay. For the next several weeks the students will be writing their own multi-paragraph composition about the colonial trade they will be studying.
In math we started to learn about the process of division and what it can be used for. We took the terminology and knowledge from egg carton fractions and applied it to solving problem where you have a group of something you want to divide. We worked with story problems to see what circumstances require dividing things into groups.
We also got a little practice as bakers in advance of the Friendship Feast. We made 16 loaves of bread from scratch and each of the students got to take a loaf home. Not sure how many of them actually made it home though!
In writing we started to move from the structure of writing single paragraphs to the structure of writing a larger composition. Since we had been learning so much about the Lost Colony we used all the information we've learned to structure and compose a 5 paragraph essay. For the next several weeks the students will be writing their own multi-paragraph composition about the colonial trade they will be studying.
In math we started to learn about the process of division and what it can be used for. We took the terminology and knowledge from egg carton fractions and applied it to solving problem where you have a group of something you want to divide. We worked with story problems to see what circumstances require dividing things into groups.
We also got a little practice as bakers in advance of the Friendship Feast. We made 16 loaves of bread from scratch and each of the students got to take a loaf home. Not sure how many of them actually made it home though!
Week 14 - Headlines and Deadlines
This week the students worked hard to finish their newspaper writing. This included lots of editing, correcting, formatting and organizing to put the paper togetehr. Heather was a huge help with the logistics of how to organize all the information we had. Look for your copy to come home this week!
In math we've been working with an egg carton model for fractions. We use tiles to represent eggs and strings to divide the carton into different parts. This week we went beyond naming and making fractions to determining equivalent fractions and how to expand them. Next week we're going to move on to dividing numbers into groups with leftovers.
Our book club books this quarter are focused on the them of Native Americans and early colonists. We are reading Children of the Longhouse, Sign of the Beaver, and Pocahantas and the Strangers. We have been introduced to all of the characters and familiar with the setting and now we're trying to guess what the problems will be in the stories.
Besides writing for the newspaper we also learned how to write acrostic poems and wrote about what it feels like in the fall and Halloween season. We'll take this poetic form with us when we do our field work at Old Salem and the Native American Heritage Celebration.
In math we've been working with an egg carton model for fractions. We use tiles to represent eggs and strings to divide the carton into different parts. This week we went beyond naming and making fractions to determining equivalent fractions and how to expand them. Next week we're going to move on to dividing numbers into groups with leftovers.
Our book club books this quarter are focused on the them of Native Americans and early colonists. We are reading Children of the Longhouse, Sign of the Beaver, and Pocahantas and the Strangers. We have been introduced to all of the characters and familiar with the setting and now we're trying to guess what the problems will be in the stories.
Besides writing for the newspaper we also learned how to write acrostic poems and wrote about what it feels like in the fall and Halloween season. We'll take this poetic form with us when we do our field work at Old Salem and the Native American Heritage Celebration.
Week 13 - Nets and Anetsa
IT was great having the entire community back together this week and we embarked on several exciting new endeavors. We've been learning a lot about the NAtive Americans who lived and do live in North Carolina. To show our learning we're creating a newspaper with Heather. Students worked to complete both a writing contribution as well as an art/cultural piece. We hope to have the newspaper in circulation this week.To learn about the way the Coastal Algonquian lived 500 years ago we analyzed watercolors made by John White on his journeys to the coast in 1585-87. First the students just noted what they could see in the watercolors that told about daily life and then compared it to the Debry engravings that were circulated in England upon his return. It was interesting to note the differences between the engravings and the original watercolors and why those changes might have been made. You can see for yourself here: John White Watercolors
Everyone was interested to learn more about the daily life and fun part of living in this land before the Europeans we researched, wrote about and then made our own anetsa sticks. Here is how Cassie described it:
All of us know about soccer,football and lacrosse but you have never heard of a ball game like this. The Cherokees,and other tribes played a game called “Anetsa.” It meant “Little brother of war.” The equipment is simple:a stick, straw and the ball was made out of animal skin and stuffed with fur. Anetsa was a very violent game. Many people got broken arms, legs and in some situations died. The way you win the game is to catch the ball and run it to the end of the field 12 times. When a tribe won Anetsa they got rewarded with land and other valuable things. So if you have a strong heart and love playing lacrosse I would recommend trying Anetsa, but be careful!
Finally after learning how to fashion our own sticks out of saplings, mesh, and wire we got to play our own game and find out how tiring it can be.
Everyone was interested to learn more about the daily life and fun part of living in this land before the Europeans we researched, wrote about and then made our own anetsa sticks. Here is how Cassie described it:
All of us know about soccer,football and lacrosse but you have never heard of a ball game like this. The Cherokees,and other tribes played a game called “Anetsa.” It meant “Little brother of war.” The equipment is simple:a stick, straw and the ball was made out of animal skin and stuffed with fur. Anetsa was a very violent game. Many people got broken arms, legs and in some situations died. The way you win the game is to catch the ball and run it to the end of the field 12 times. When a tribe won Anetsa they got rewarded with land and other valuable things. So if you have a strong heart and love playing lacrosse I would recommend trying Anetsa, but be careful!
Finally after learning how to fashion our own sticks out of saplings, mesh, and wire we got to play our own game and find out how tiring it can be.
week 10 - Wrapping it up
We finished up a great quarter in great fashion this week. Everyone was busy finishing up record reviews, rock studies, writing, and pictures wanting to show off all they learned.
The students were so excited to invite everyone and show off all their work. Kids were smile as they were teaching their parents and other parents about how we learned multiplication, or listened to Great Depression music, or learned how to classify rocks. After getting to show off their work the students spent time evaluating their projects and quarter.
Ever since we started making cranes the students have been pushing the limits of the smallest crane and biggest crane possible and on Wednesday we all made giant cranes out of 36 in square paper.
To wrap up our study of rocks we learned about what geodes are and then went outside with our safety glasses and hammers and broke them open. Every time one was broken open it was a chorus of "Whoah!" Each geode had a surprise inside from crystals to streaks of color. and the kids rtaded around so they could get pieces of all kinds of rocks.
As it was a short week we didn't have a song of the week but instead did a musical review of all the songs we sang for the entire quarter. It was great going back in time and reliving all the things we'd done through song. Thanks for a great quarter and here's to three more!
The students were so excited to invite everyone and show off all their work. Kids were smile as they were teaching their parents and other parents about how we learned multiplication, or listened to Great Depression music, or learned how to classify rocks. After getting to show off their work the students spent time evaluating their projects and quarter.
Ever since we started making cranes the students have been pushing the limits of the smallest crane and biggest crane possible and on Wednesday we all made giant cranes out of 36 in square paper.
To wrap up our study of rocks we learned about what geodes are and then went outside with our safety glasses and hammers and broke them open. Every time one was broken open it was a chorus of "Whoah!" Each geode had a surprise inside from crystals to streaks of color. and the kids rtaded around so they could get pieces of all kinds of rocks.
As it was a short week we didn't have a song of the week but instead did a musical review of all the songs we sang for the entire quarter. It was great going back in time and reliving all the things we'd done through song. Thanks for a great quarter and here's to three more!
Week 9 - Songs from long ago
Hard to believe we're already wrapping up the first quarter. We've covered a lot of ground up and down rocks and mountains. This week we put more time into our study of array multiplication, switching from physical manipulatives to drawings of the problems we were working with.
In reading all three book clubs finished their books and reflected on the characters and stories they shared for the past five weeks. Next quarter we'll get new books but already familiar with the structure the students should be able to show their thinking even more.
Our last exploration of life during the Great Depression is learning about the music of that time. We spent a couple of days learning about blues and old time music and what are the characteristics for each. We tried to picture who it was that was writing and singing these songs and it helped that we did have some actual pictures of the people. Students then chose one song to become an expert in and for the rest of the week researched about the band and the song itself and then wrote a review and designed an album cover.
Our last activity with our rock samples was guessing which rock went with which description based on the characteristics we tested for and found. Come in this week to see descriptions the kids wrote and see if you can guess which rock it is.
In reading all three book clubs finished their books and reflected on the characters and stories they shared for the past five weeks. Next quarter we'll get new books but already familiar with the structure the students should be able to show their thinking even more.
Our last exploration of life during the Great Depression is learning about the music of that time. We spent a couple of days learning about blues and old time music and what are the characteristics for each. We tried to picture who it was that was writing and singing these songs and it helped that we did have some actual pictures of the people. Students then chose one song to become an expert in and for the rest of the week researched about the band and the song itself and then wrote a review and designed an album cover.
Our last activity with our rock samples was guessing which rock went with which description based on the characteristics we tested for and found. Come in this week to see descriptions the kids wrote and see if you can guess which rock it is.
Week 8 - Turning Rocks to Art
Even with a short week we got a lot done in 208. On Wednesday we worked to finish up our Micah Mullen paintings. Most students finished or are adding their last details. We then headed to Occoneechee Mountain in Hillsborough. We talked about all the people that have lived there throughout the years then hiked up towards the top where we had a view of Hillsborough, the Eno, and the old pyrophyllite quarry. We hiked down and around to the quarry where we got to see shades of purple, blue, and everything in between in the remnants of rocks. The students then investigated their materials and set to work building sculptures inspired by the art of Andy Goldsworthy. We left our art there to be enjoyed and eventually will be taken back by the rain and wind. You can check them out in the pictures tab.
We finished up the investigations or our rock samples by doing a hardness test and deciding whether they were igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. The students wrote descriptions of the rocks using all the information they collected.
In writing the students finished their Wild Thing stories by adding a main event and ending to their elaborative detail segments. Check out some of their work in the Student Work Tab.
The crops grew a little better in the Great Game this week but the cotton gin is still sitting wrapped up on the shelf. We were lucky to have seven sets of grandparents join us and give some advice about what to plant and how much change should be received.
Also on Friday we had an extremely informative visit from a geologist who spent many years using his knowledge of rocks to help the state build roads. Brad was great talking to the students and made almost everyone want to become a geologist. Thanks to Brad and Summit Engineering for the energy and information!
We finished up the investigations or our rock samples by doing a hardness test and deciding whether they were igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. The students wrote descriptions of the rocks using all the information they collected.
In writing the students finished their Wild Thing stories by adding a main event and ending to their elaborative detail segments. Check out some of their work in the Student Work Tab.
The crops grew a little better in the Great Game this week but the cotton gin is still sitting wrapped up on the shelf. We were lucky to have seven sets of grandparents join us and give some advice about what to plant and how much change should be received.
Also on Friday we had an extremely informative visit from a geologist who spent many years using his knowledge of rocks to help the state build roads. Brad was great talking to the students and made almost everyone want to become a geologist. Thanks to Brad and Summit Engineering for the energy and information!
Week 7 designs and description
This week we continued to work on many projects we started last week and got to the part where the ideas really bloom.
In art we continued our Hanging Rock landscapes that we started with Micah Mullen. After completing the first step of painting the different layers we practiced the details e wanted to add then applied them to the layers.
In math we continued working with number systems and multiplying larger numbers. We'll be using base ten linear pieces to make a "skeleton" and then square pieces to show the area . The visual way of doing multiplication takes a little time to set up but really gives the students a strong understanding of the concept.
In our Great Depression math simulation it was an up and down week. For the first time in history both corn and wheat got eaten by insects but wheat rebounded by having a double yield the next year. We also added another element where the students have to buy food for the year based on 1930s prices. This gave us a chance to work on multiplication and subtraction. There is a website in the links tab where students can practice more with making change.
In writing the students constructed their own "Wild Thing" character to practice writing elaborative detail about a character. We'll try to get some of them posted soon.
In art we continued our Hanging Rock landscapes that we started with Micah Mullen. After completing the first step of painting the different layers we practiced the details e wanted to add then applied them to the layers.
In math we continued working with number systems and multiplying larger numbers. We'll be using base ten linear pieces to make a "skeleton" and then square pieces to show the area . The visual way of doing multiplication takes a little time to set up but really gives the students a strong understanding of the concept.
In our Great Depression math simulation it was an up and down week. For the first time in history both corn and wheat got eaten by insects but wheat rebounded by having a double yield the next year. We also added another element where the students have to buy food for the year based on 1930s prices. This gave us a chance to work on multiplication and subtraction. There is a website in the links tab where students can practice more with making change.
In writing the students constructed their own "Wild Thing" character to practice writing elaborative detail about a character. We'll try to get some of them posted soon.
Week 6 Painting and farming
This week we were lucky to have Micah Mullen come back and work with us. We started by each choosing a landscape photograph from Hanging Rock and proceeded by following the steps he uses to make his paintings. First we sketched the layers of the landscape on paper and then canvas. Next we filled in those layers. This week we're going to add what Micah calls the fun stuff, or doodles, all the shapes that will give the images definition. (check out the pics tab for some in progress examples)
In writing we finished up our Hanging Rock stories and continued to practice writing elaborative detail, this time about a character. We'll continue detail practice for another week and then move onto the main event part of the story.
In math we read the book Spaghetti and Meatballs for All and figured out many different ways of breaking up groups to get specific perimeters and areas. We put the area practice to use in our Great Depression math simulation in which the students are farmers and each year they choose what crops to plant and how much to plant. We roll a dice to see how the weather is which determines the crop yield. We're all hoping there aren't many years with bug invasion or dust storms.
Over the next couple of weeks we're going to be studying the characteristics of a group of 12 rocks. We're going to be using all are senses (except taste) to learn what makes each rock unique and what makes groups of rocks similar. We had a fun time coming up with our own names for the rocks based on our first impressions.
In writing we finished up our Hanging Rock stories and continued to practice writing elaborative detail, this time about a character. We'll continue detail practice for another week and then move onto the main event part of the story.
In math we read the book Spaghetti and Meatballs for All and figured out many different ways of breaking up groups to get specific perimeters and areas. We put the area practice to use in our Great Depression math simulation in which the students are farmers and each year they choose what crops to plant and how much to plant. We roll a dice to see how the weather is which determines the crop yield. We're all hoping there aren't many years with bug invasion or dust storms.
Over the next couple of weeks we're going to be studying the characteristics of a group of 12 rocks. We're going to be using all are senses (except taste) to learn what makes each rock unique and what makes groups of rocks similar. We had a fun time coming up with our own names for the rocks based on our first impressions.
Week 5 Together Up the Mountain
We had a great week preparing for, going, and remembering our trip to Hanging Rock. It's great to have a common experience like that which we all shared: the challenges of hiking up the mountain, the joy of reaching the top and seeing the sprawling view, relief when we finally got to jump into the cool lake, and the tiredness that sunk into our bones from a full day of adventure (at least old bones)
Before we left we studied the park map and saw the features we'd be exploring and all the waterfalls and observation towers that would have to be saved for next time. We learned about the entirely different ecosystem that exists 75 miles from our doors and about the young men of the CCC who labored 75 years to build this park that so many people enjoy. Then we woke up early and got to experience all of these things.
As we climbed we saw a doe hiding in the rhodendron, a newt lost in the middle of the trail and then all of a sudden a giant rock precipice above our heads. We snuck around the back and came out on top where we could see to Winston, the Blue Ridge, and every tree in between. On top we drew the vista and wrote Hanging Rock haikus and then explored this geological wonder. After we made it down we saw a video about the history and features of the park and drew some natural artifacts we found on our hike. Finally we got to spend the afternoon in the cool stream fed lake. I think it was the first time any of us had been cold for weeks. We left happy, tired, and with lots of memories to bring back.
The rest of the week we took our experience and tried to record it through writing and artwork. We'll have those reflections of our trip up on the website this week.
On Friday we were lucky to have local artist Micah Mullen come by for a master class. He did a great job explaining how he creates art and even brought a painting of one of the waterfalls of Hanging Rock he made especially for us. We're really excited to create our own Mullen inspired landscapes of Hanging Rock this week in art when he comes back and works with us in Lucia's class.
Before we left we studied the park map and saw the features we'd be exploring and all the waterfalls and observation towers that would have to be saved for next time. We learned about the entirely different ecosystem that exists 75 miles from our doors and about the young men of the CCC who labored 75 years to build this park that so many people enjoy. Then we woke up early and got to experience all of these things.
As we climbed we saw a doe hiding in the rhodendron, a newt lost in the middle of the trail and then all of a sudden a giant rock precipice above our heads. We snuck around the back and came out on top where we could see to Winston, the Blue Ridge, and every tree in between. On top we drew the vista and wrote Hanging Rock haikus and then explored this geological wonder. After we made it down we saw a video about the history and features of the park and drew some natural artifacts we found on our hike. Finally we got to spend the afternoon in the cool stream fed lake. I think it was the first time any of us had been cold for weeks. We left happy, tired, and with lots of memories to bring back.
The rest of the week we took our experience and tried to record it through writing and artwork. We'll have those reflections of our trip up on the website this week.
On Friday we were lucky to have local artist Micah Mullen come by for a master class. He did a great job explaining how he creates art and even brought a painting of one of the waterfalls of Hanging Rock he made especially for us. We're really excited to create our own Mullen inspired landscapes of Hanging Rock this week in art when he comes back and works with us in Lucia's class.
Week 4 Back across the ocean
It was great to have everyone back together this week. The students all enjoyed pictures and stories I brought back from Japan and it was great for me to see what they'd been working on while I was gone.
Along with stories I brought back supplies and knowledge about several Japanese arts that we all tried, practiced and learned.
The students loved the hand eye coordination challenge of kendama and trying to catch the ball in the different cups (you can see a few examples in the photos page.)
In writing we learned the form for writing a haiku poem and how descriptive words can create powerful images even in 17 syllables. The students wrote poems about the fans they got, rocks from Uruguay, and many various other things. We'll use this writing form throughout the year to chronicle our adventures and everyday things. Check them out in the student work tab.
As a class we read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and learned a lot about the impact of the atom bomb on Hiroshima, daily life in Japan after WWII, and the courage of a young girl. We took it upon ourselves to help Sadako finish her task and after a lot of practice began producing paper cranes that we will send to her memorial in Japan. To honor the Hiroshima anniversary on August 6th and to promote peace for everyone we studied, traced, and then wrote the Japanese characters for peace. The students wrote wishes of peace that hopefully will be heard around the world.
Along with stories I brought back supplies and knowledge about several Japanese arts that we all tried, practiced and learned.
The students loved the hand eye coordination challenge of kendama and trying to catch the ball in the different cups (you can see a few examples in the photos page.)
In writing we learned the form for writing a haiku poem and how descriptive words can create powerful images even in 17 syllables. The students wrote poems about the fans they got, rocks from Uruguay, and many various other things. We'll use this writing form throughout the year to chronicle our adventures and everyday things. Check them out in the student work tab.
As a class we read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and learned a lot about the impact of the atom bomb on Hiroshima, daily life in Japan after WWII, and the courage of a young girl. We took it upon ourselves to help Sadako finish her task and after a lot of practice began producing paper cranes that we will send to her memorial in Japan. To honor the Hiroshima anniversary on August 6th and to promote peace for everyone we studied, traced, and then wrote the Japanese characters for peace. The students wrote wishes of peace that hopefully will be heard around the world.
Week 1 - Carving It out
We started back to school full of excitement, 16 people from different places coming together to make a caring and challenging learning community. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other, our classroom, and the routines of our year to come.
Everyone told stories of where they come from and we learned how to talk and listen to each other. Our year will be built around building each other up rather than tearing each other down and we learned how to do that with words and actions.
To kick off our literacy adventures we read The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. We talked about how your brain makes connections to information when you read like "I've slept on the floor" or "We take foods like that on road trips". Our song of the week, Grandma's Feather Bed, is actually a connection to that book. Check out the Song of the Week tab to see a video of John Denver performing with the Muppets.
To learn the project process we're going to use in class we started a small project on Japanese hankos. Hankos are name stamps used in Japan instead of signatures. Our project process consists of 5 stages: Introduction, Planning, Creating, Display, and Evaluating. We completed the first two stages and made alot of progress on carving the stamps. The students have learned how to read and write a new language and really enjoyed the tactile sensation of using the stamp gouges to carve the rubber. We'll be using the finished stamps throughout the year to mark artwork and other projects.
Our class book this quarter: Bud, not Buddy
Every quarter we will read a book together as a class and the students will read another book with their book club. This quarter we're reading Bud, not Buddy about a10 year old orphan boy during the Great Depression. It is a Newberry Award Winner and has lots of great information about Jazz , Michigan, and being on the road. Check it out atAmazon
Everyone told stories of where they come from and we learned how to talk and listen to each other. Our year will be built around building each other up rather than tearing each other down and we learned how to do that with words and actions.
To kick off our literacy adventures we read The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. We talked about how your brain makes connections to information when you read like "I've slept on the floor" or "We take foods like that on road trips". Our song of the week, Grandma's Feather Bed, is actually a connection to that book. Check out the Song of the Week tab to see a video of John Denver performing with the Muppets.
To learn the project process we're going to use in class we started a small project on Japanese hankos. Hankos are name stamps used in Japan instead of signatures. Our project process consists of 5 stages: Introduction, Planning, Creating, Display, and Evaluating. We completed the first two stages and made alot of progress on carving the stamps. The students have learned how to read and write a new language and really enjoyed the tactile sensation of using the stamp gouges to carve the rubber. We'll be using the finished stamps throughout the year to mark artwork and other projects.
Our class book this quarter: Bud, not Buddy
Every quarter we will read a book together as a class and the students will read another book with their book club. This quarter we're reading Bud, not Buddy about a10 year old orphan boy during the Great Depression. It is a Newberry Award Winner and has lots of great information about Jazz , Michigan, and being on the road. Check it out atAmazon