Monday -ASM Fandom Day -PE | Tuesday -ART -Fernhill Wetlands 12-2 | Wednesday -ART |
10/27 & 10/28 -- Goal Setting Conferences (Students and family sign up for a 30 minute conference)
11/8 -- 9:00 to 1:30: We will be traveling to Portland for an Out and About presentation with Mercy Corps and water issues in the world.
Project
Our project work this week was focused on wetlands and preparing for our first research monitoring at Fernhill Wetlands. I demonstrated the importance of wetlands by using a sponge--it showed us that wetlands not only act as important filters but also help control water flow. There are many other values of a wetland, but these area important features! One afternoon was dedicated to looking over our research plans for Fernhill and making sure each team knew what was expected of them. And, one morning we enjoyed playing a game to see how all the water on the earth now is all the water we ever had and all we will ever have.
Ask about the game we played, "Incredible Journey" where your child's water journey took them!
Listen to your student's research plan for Fernhill Wetlands.
Extend the learning by doing thinking of water research projects to do as a family.
Literacy
We had our final editing lessons on our Profile Article. We looked at how to improve sentence structure by learning comma rules and how to deal with run-ons. Making sure our topic sentences matched our so-what sentences was another important skill. And, finally, we made sure to have a well fitting title and sensory information to make the reader feel a part of the writing. We'll celebrate our stories this week.
Ask what do you like best about your profile article?
Listen to your child read his/her profile story.
Extend the learning by writing profile articles on each other!
6th Grade Math
I'm impressed that the 6th graders really seem to have a handle on all the steps needed to multiply and divide decimals. And, I excited for them to show me their growth on this week's test. I may ask that students complete part of their test as homework--if so, please make sure they use ONLY paper and pencil to complete it. Students have to show their work, so calculators aren't that useful anyway!
Ask, what is 1.5 divided by 3.461?
Listen to what your child talk about the skills they find most challenging in this unit.
Extend the learning by finding examples of multiplying and dividing decimals in your everyday life.
5th Grade Math
This week the 5th graders wowed me with their perseverance, focus and stamina completing the first unit assessment on multiplication and division with whole numbers. With just a handful of 5th graders still needing time on their assessment, we'll use this week to work on challenge problems and get ready for goal setting conferences. I hope to have tests back to students by Monday. Mathematicians will reflect on the test and will share this and the test with you next week. Students that don't demonstrate proficiency will have the opportunity to retake after some additional review and practice.
ASK your mathematician to walk through the multiplication algorithm to solve 74 x 49.
LISTEN to your child talk about what he or she finds most challenging during this unit and what he or she feels successful with.
EXTEND the learning by finding examples of division and multiplication of whole numbers in everyday life.