Still snuggle-up, read-a-book, tea-drinking’ weather. See some great photos from last week and updates on publishing, gizmos, recess, the history of enslaved peoples, and Talent Friday.
Writer’s Workshop
Students are simultaneously practicing typing skills and publishing writing for the second Chanterelle. We will continue to use a rubric for the “6+1 Traits” of good writing, which looks like this.
Students print their rough drafts, teachers revise and edit with them, then it’s up to students to make the changes. The finished product in the Chanterelle is, therefore, the students’ work.
Science
The gizmo project gets underway this week as students develop concept maps and further flesh out their ideas. Their final project must demonstrate energy transfer, and they will use the Design Thinking protocol from Stanford’s Design School to move through the process. The student moved very quickly to a prototype of the gizmo she dreamt up. Students were, by and large, ready to start building on the first day we introduced the project. More time must be spent, however, collaborating with partners to create a shared point of view and ideating before running wild with models and prototypes. Students’ ambitious projects include drones, submarines, and helicopters, and though not impossible, they will likely face some disappointment as they revise their goals and create manageable projects.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness practice lives on in large and small groups each week. One activity last week had students passing a very full glass of water around a circle. They first completed the task with eyes open, then did it with eyes closed. Both passes were successful and forced them manage their bodies with great care. Future surgeons, I tell you, the whole lot of them! We also did an activity in which students walked around the rug willy nilly but minding each other’s personal space. Then, only one student was allowed to move at a time. As soon as another student started moving, the other had to stop. The game requires expansive awareness. It’s also a nice way for people to share something they have learned from a lesson while they move.
Jump Rope Mania
It’s only a matter of time before they start spinning two ropes…jump rope has caught on at recess each day, which I take some responsibility for. They were using these five meter ropes to learn about waves, and the idea was right there: perfect for jump rope! This old-fashioned game is classic for a reason. Students sing, rhyme, jump, and get their heart rates up in this non-competitive activity. It’s even fun in the rain.
Cultural Studies
Thomas Jefferson, who sent out the Lewis and Clark Expedition, gave us a starting point for looking at the history of slavery in our country. He was a slave owner himself, who compared the institution of slavery to holding a wolf by its ears. He felt that Americans could neither hold onto or let go of this practice that went all the way back to Jamestown. Students looked at images of slave ships and the triangular trade after sharing what they already knew, which was a lot. We will look at images from the Museum of the African Diaspora this week to prepare for our trip Thursday. The art will mostly be modern, so students will have to consider the ways in which contemporary artists capture the lineage of oppression and racism caused by slavery. We carry forth bravely.
Talent Friday is thriving!
Yes, that’s a Celtic harp, and she rips it up. We are pushing students to share whatever talent or interest they have to practice being in front of an audience, taking a chance in front of their peers, and helping us all connect more deeply. Rock on.
Homework this week
Math:
- 4th graders have a short packet due Wednesday
- 5th graders have a packet due Friday. Note that each night is labeled accordingly. If it says “class” on top, we are supposed to do it in class, not at home.
Wordly Wise: Lesson 3 this week. You can access your lesson on Google Classroom or in the workbook you have, if that’s what you prefer.
Writing: a page a night in your writer’s notebook this week!
Reading. You know it.
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