Monday -PE -Studyhall before school | Tuesday -Garden O&A -Studyhall before school | Wednesday -ART -Studyhall before school | Thursday -Debate with Sauvie Island Academy -Studyhall before school | Friday -ART -Studyhall before school |
3/10--Join us for our last debate--the 2nd Continental Congress--you can even be a neutralist and vote!
1:00 Central School on the 10th. Sauvie Island Academy 5th graders will also be listening in.
3/14--Final draft of Elder Story due
3/15--Volunteers needed for Fernhill Wetlands data collection
3/29--1:00 Presentation at Jennings McCall (Parents welcome to attend)
News of the Week
Literacy
- Writing homework this week: Work on elder story—use feedback given and make sure you have all components on the checklist.
Last week, writing was a combination of working on our elder stories and preparing speeches for our next debate in the 1st Continental Congress. Since the week wasn’t solely focused on writing our elder stories, it allowed Kerry and I to review the students’ drafts. Merlins will now have a week to get their story into the final draft form. They met with their elder buddies on Tuesday to read and get feedback on the first draft of their story. Reading was also a combination of free choice reading, celebrating reading with our elder and ELC buddies and reading information about the growing tensions between Patriots and the British Parliament.
Ask, what do you need to work on, to improve your elder story?
Listen to your child explain our last visit with the elders.
Extend the learning by reading or writing a small moment story as a family. Check out When I Was Your Age Volumes 1 &2 (not all stories were school appropriate.)
Project
Our debates have been filled with tension as students make their case about how to respond to the different acts of Parliament. John Schrag –former editor/publisher of the News-Times came to discuss how to make a persuasive speech. He had us look at different points you could make if you were going argue if the Beavers or Ducks were the better football team. Turns out this can be a pretty interesting debate when you look at different statistics. You're welcome to listen in our last debate, Thursday afternoon. The Sauvie Island Academy 5th graders will be coming to listen to our debate as well. I will send out more specific information on Wednesday, but you can plan for a 1:00 start time at Central School--where we do our All School Meetings.
Ask, how did Great Britain respond to colonists after the Boston Tea Party?
Listen to your child explain what points he/she plans to bring up during the debate.
Extend the learning by researching about the tensions between the 13 colonies and England.
6th Grade Math
Early last week we were able to “divide and conquer.” Kerry helped students with the Wonkyville project while I helped students fix misconceptions from the Block 2 Test. On Wednesday we started our next topic, fractions. As a staff we have been working with a mathematician to learn how mathematicians understand fractions (and other mathematical topics.) So, I am taking a different approach to teaching fractions with the hope that if students understand the mathematical reasoning behind fractions they’ll understand and retain the information better. If you are interested, Gowri (the woman who has been helping us) has videos posted at http://mathprecisely.com/math-topics/fractions/ and I would encourage you to watch them!
I will be sending Block 2 tests home for signatures this week. I apologize for not being able to get to this point last week. A lot of students weren’t able to meet the deadline of finishing the test, and it’s easier to wait and send all tests home for signatures at the same time. Please review the test with your child and decide what action you’ll take if your child isn’t proficient.
Ask, what does the numerator and denominator tell you in terms of a fraction on a number line? Use ¾ as an example.
Listen to your child explain FFEF, the Fundamental Fact about Equivalent Fractions.
Extend the learning by looking at how fractions are a part of our everyday life.
Last week, 5th grade mathematicians worked hard to understand the mathematical interpretation of the the word "of" in the the phrase, a/b of c/d. This reasoning supported the understanding of this algorithm- a/b x c/d = a x c / b x d. We also worked to strengthen conceptual understanding of this operation using number line pictures to represent what is happening when a fraction is multiplied by another fraction. We ended the week looking at multiplication of finite decimals.
At the beginning of the week, we will review concepts and skills around finite decimals in preparation for a unit test. Spend some time at home on Monday evening looking over the review packet with your 5th grader. Mathematicians will begin the test on Tuesday. Mid-week we'll return to fractions, specifically, multiplication and division.
I have not received test reflection and corrections from all students for the Fraction 2 test. Please check with you mathematician and make sure this gets back in to me.
ASK your mathematician to explain 2/3 of 1/5 on a number line.
LISTEN to your mathematician explain concepts on the decimal review packet.
EXTEND the learning by coming up with a story problem that would fit 2/7 of 5/6, and solve it together using the number line and a picture.