Monday -PE -Team Building | Tuesday -O&A to Hagg Lake | Wednesday -ART | Thursday -ELC No School Friday |
Fridays: 10/14 & 10/21 -- No School
10/18 --Profile Story Due , Mentor Text (an example profile story)
10/27 & 10/28 -- Goal Setting Conferences (Students and family sign up for a 30 minute conference)
Volunteer Needs
*Please contact me ASAP if you are able to help with any of these dates!*
10/11-- 10:00-2:15--Help us place leaf packs in Scoggins Creek to survey for macroinvertebrates
10/25-- time TBA-- Help small groups find success as we collect our Fernhill Monitoring Project data
I hope the Merlins started to see the connection between what we learned at Outdoor School and our exciting project work of the week. One field study was all about doing inquiry and how to ask scientific and researchable questions. Two other field studies were all about water quality and the connection between how the land is treated/used and the health of water.
This week we had Ely, of Clean Water Services, visit us so we could learn how our waste water is treated. Additionally we learned the things we can do to make sure our individual behaviors don't negatively affect our water. After that presentation, Erin led us through an interesting inquiry project where students had to rate the quality of different water samples. It opened up such an interesting discussion--especially how we each define clean eater. Be sure to check out the pictures for this! Then, on Thursday we toured the Joint Water Commission so we could see where our water comes from. We also did some prep work to get ready for our leaf pack experiment on our upcoming Out and About.
Ask where does our water come from and where does it go?
Listen to the importance of controlling variables like we experimented with as a class on Friday with balloons.
Extend the learning by visiting local wetlands and other creeks, rivers and lakes. (Fernhill, Jackson Bottom, Hagg Lake, Gales Creek Campground, etc.
We've enjoyed making connections with our water study and our read aloud book Flush. The book is very engaging with its suspense, mystery and fun writing style. This week we talked about the importance of asking questions while we read, even if we understand the story or text. Asking questions helps us focus, read deeper into text, think about might happen next and lets us know when we need to go back and re-read.
As writers we worked on our profile story this week. We talked with our partners we are interviewing to get more details and probe deeper into getting to know the individual. Students picked some focus areas which will become the main parts of their article. This week we'll review how to write a solid paragraph and a conclusion. The article is due next week Tuesday, the 18th!
Also, families should know that all students now have a Google account/email through the school. This allows students to use features like Google Docs and Google Classroom --where our writing assignments are posted.
Ask why should you ask questions when you read?
Listen to your student tell you about the progress on their profile story.
Extend the learning by writing profile articles for your family or finding articles to read from the newspaper.
Last week was busy as we wrapped up the steps for our first block test (Understanding Decimals) and started our second block (Multiplying & Dividing with Decimals.) I am always glad to help a kiddo who struggled on the test. I can provide extra help before school 8:00-8:35 or Thursdays after school. If you didn't review the test with your child, be sure to do so. Adults were to sign the test, indicating they'd reviewed the test with their student. Also, there is a 6th grade math webpage which provides some resources if your child is absent or struggles with a particular lesson. For content, last week we looked at the steps to multiplication of multi-digits and decimals as well as reviewed long division on Friday.
Ask, what is 3.15 x 1.7?
Listen to your child explain steps to division & how 561 divided by 7 is connected to 561 = ( 80 x 7) + 1
Extend the learning by looking at all the ways remainders can be denoted in long division.
5th Grade Math-
Last week we worked on reviewing 4th grade and extending for 5th grade understanding of division with remainder and the long division algorithm. This proved to be challenging for many mathematicians. I really want the 5th graders to be and feel fluent solving division. That said, we will spend more time this week focusing and note taking on the steps for division with remainder and the long division remainder algorithm. Our next unit is Fractions- a major part of 5th grade.
ASK How are the division with remainder strategy and the long division algorithm related?
LISTEN to your child explain how to solve a division problem with the division with remainder steps and how to with long division algorithm.
EXTEND THE LEARNING by discussing the ways division is used in real life.