Monday -PE | Tuesday -In & About: Fernhill Prep | Wednesday -ART | Thursday -ELC -No School Friday |
10/18 --Profile Story Due , Mentor Text (an example profile story)
10/21 -- No School
10/27 & 10/28 -- Goal Setting Conferences (Students and family sign up for a 30 minute conference)
Last Monday we had the special treat by having Michael Lee join us. He provided some consultation to our school in conflict-resolution in our early years. He now lives in Hawaii working for a company that helps others with team-building activities. He was gracious enough to include us in his itinerary during his latest visit back to Oregon. So, we spent the last hour of the day doing team-building challenges led by him. He was great facilitator and I enjoyed watching the Merlins take on his challenges. There are a few pictures posted from this experience. Be sure to ask your kiddo and how the experience relates to our functioning as a class family and team.
Project
Last week's project work was focused on our Leaf Pack experiment. And, what a beautiful day we had on Tuesday at Scoggins Creek. Thanks to our volunteers, I was able to create 3 rotations: leaf pack, riparian web ecology, and water quality with nature sculpture! In a few weeks we'll return to see what macroinvertebrates took advantage of our leaf packs. The critters we find will help us determine the water quality. Let's just hope with our stormy, wet weather, those packs will stay put.
Ask why did you keep packs consist with the same weight? Why did you put packs in riffles, runs and pools?
Listen to your child explain the background information to our Leaf Pack Study.
Extend the learning by exploring local wetlands and other creeks, rivers and lakes. (Fernhill, Jackson Bottom, Hagg Lake, Gales Creek Campground, etc.
Literacy
As writers we explored how to write a solid paragraph for our Profile Story.
Topic Sentence which can be a fact / opinion.
Several sentences of: Facts, Reasons, Examples, Details: FREDs
So What sentence--a way to wrap up the paragraph by answering "so what?" for the reader
And, we took time to explore new questions and avenues with our partners to write a detailed and interesting Profile Story. On Monday we'll learn how to write a strong conclusion. Then, Tuesday-Thursday we will look at specific ways to improve our profile stories by editing and adding sensory information so that we can better visualize the stories.
Also, we visited our ELC (preschool at Pacific University) buddies for the first time last Thursday! Oh, how I love watching our students mentor and teach younger kiddos. We talked about ways we can encourage love of reading with these little guys and gals and how to best interact with them. We thought of questions we could ask and find ways to get the kids think of letters, numbers and other things while reading any story!
Ask what will you need to do to finish your profile story by Tuesday? How do you want to improve your story?
Listen to your student explain the parts of a paragraph.
Extend the learning by writing profile articles for your family or finding articles to read from the newspaper.
6th Grade Math
Although it was a short week, we focused on division, in particular how to divide decimal numbers. Talk with your child about how you can determine which number is being divided in a story problem. We discussed thinking about which number was being split up. We only have one more lesson before we are finished with the block . Then, we'll take time to review, take notes and challenge ourselves with a multi-step math problem before we get to the test.
Ask, what is 4.76 divided by 15?
Listen to the steps of dividing decimal numbers.
Extend the learning by finding examples of dividing decimal numbers in our everyday life.
5th Grade Math-
Last week had just a handful of math days. Our focus was working a test review packet to make sure we are ready for the unit test this week on multiplication algorithm and long division. We'll start the week with time to go over problems that students choose to review. The plan is to spend Monday with review and have mathematicians test on Tuesday. However, if Monday shows students need more time to review, we'll test on Wednesday. 5th graders will reflect on how they did with the test, and this and the test will come home with the intention for you and your child to review. Students will always have the opportunity to retest if they do not demonstrate proficiency on the unit test. Please let me know if you have any questions.
ASK your mathematician to walk you through the steps to solve 2093 divided by 31 using DMSB.
LISTEN to your child describe how he or she is feeling about the content and the test.
EXTEND the learning by finding examples of division and multiplication in the real world.