Today we talked about how to write high-quality conclusions for science experiments. I told the class, "When you are asked to write a conclusion, you will write several sentences." Here are the notes from today's lesson:

• The first sentence will go back to the hypothesis and tell if it was true or not. (The hypothesis was correct.)
• The second and third sentences reference the low and high data points. (The plants with three hours of light a day grew three inches. The plants with 12 hours of light a day grew nine inches.)
• The fourth sentence starts with the word "overall" and shows the relationship between the low and high data, preferably with a multiplier. (Overall, the plants with 12 hours of light a day grew three times taller than the plants with three hours of light.)
• The last sentence answers the question "why." (Obviously, plants need light to grow.)

We've hit the ground running this new year!

Everyone has their copy of The Secret Garden and the worksheet to go with it. We all agreed that reading a chapter a night would be a reasonable expectation. (That includes reading seven days a week--weekends too.)

Mrs. Jennings spent the first week introducing the Great Thinkers projects to ALL our fourth grade students. I spent the first week introducing the Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) in social studies to ALL our fifth grade students. The fourth graders have paperwork in their 3-ring binders. The fifth graders have paperwork and study aids in the student resources.

Here are the topics the children have chosen so far.

We spent a long time one morning filling in due dates for the trimester into the student planners in the students' 3-ring binders. Now you have due dates on the calendar and in the planner. 

​In the computer lab we've done two of the district-mandated SBA interim tests. Think of them as short versions of sections of the SBA, useful for practice.

Mrs. Jennings plan to start our Earth and Sun science unit any day now. It helps, of course, to have some sun!

The most fun part of the week, probably, was the work we did on the colonial simulation. We sailed to the New World. Every group has landed. We've played a round or two. Ask you child how their colonists have fared!

Any work that's left from the first trimester is homework. I'm not giving anymore class time to "finish your work" or "get your name off the board."

I graded the novel worksheets over the weekend and handed them back for corrections, which are due by Wednesday, Dec. 5.

This is the last week to get first trimester work to me so I can get it all graded. This weekend I will be working on report cards!

We finished our Mixtures and Solutions unit and all the physical science chapters in Science: A Closer Look.

This week we start work on our Colonies unit.
​
Meanwhile, we started our second trimester poetry readings, which we will get done in December. Plus everyone got their next choice novel and the worksheet to go with it. Ready, set, second trimester! 

Remember, we are going to the museum on Thursday. We will leave school at 9:30 in the morning and return at 3:45--just before it's time to catch the buses. 

Please send a sack lunch--in a bag we can throw away after lunch.

And remember we have to dress for the weather. We will be outside for 2-3 hours. 

Kids asked today if they could bring a camera or a phone to take pictures. I said that was ok with me. However, they need to be responsible for anything they bring. And they can't complain to me if their stuff gets lost or stolen or broken. They made the decision to bring it--it's at their own risk.

It was nice to see so many people at our Curriculum Night! And it was good to be able to answer questions.

At the same time, I know several people were not able to come. Here are the notes from the evening.

We did get asked about the money for the piggy banks. I sent a note about our piggy banks in an email the first week of school, but here is the letter from Kristy Dressler with more information.

also So far we've spent a lot of class time on pre-assessments and STAR testing. We've done some writing and an art project. The most exciting thing we've done so far, according to the students, is the beginning of our simulation for social studies.

Judge Dalton will be in our class today for Constitution Day to share about how the branches of government work together to solve problems.

If your child is one of those who comes home and doesn't talk about what's happening at school, use these posts as a way to ask questions and get a conversation started!

Here it is, the week after school is out, and I'm busy in B-9 finishing getting ready to move out to the portables. This fall you will be able to find me in the room Kristy Dressler had last year. 

Meanwhile, I've done some planning for next year. The Calendar for the year is on my Parent Resources page. So is the Supply List for my class.

​Here is an important note for my supply list--please do NOT buy a 3-ring binder for your child. I did that already!

In and around testing this spring, we have celebrated Poetry Month by doing poetry readings nearly every morning. Students are gaining confidence and speaking with more animation and use of natural gestures. In addition, we are reading a wide variety of poems together in class. I hope the students are sharing the poems with you at home. Look in the reading section of your child's 3-ring binder! Finally, this week we started writing some poetry inspired by images created by a local artist, Yoshiko Yamamoto.

​Our social studies unit on the colonial period continues with students using colonial manners and the simulation progressing with all four groups surviving so far. The students read the relevant chapters in the text and take OPEN-BOOK TESTS.

Meanwhile they are doing the Science a Closer Look OPEN-BOOK TESTS at home. To get them all done in a reasonable time--and before the SBA science test--I said they should have chapter one turned in last Friday (April 27),

• chapter 2 on May 4,
  
• chapter 3 on May 11,
  
• and chapter 4 on May 18.

(That's a literal checkpoint, by the way.)

I've read the body section, at least, of every CBA. I've written corrections, comments, and suggestions on every paper--sometimes on every line! Now they can use that input to improve their CBA before they they do their final presentation. Here's the stunning news--I haven't given any grades yet. The students will not get ANY grade until they complete their presentation. (Of course, I know what I've told them to do, and I expect them to fix their papers!)

Aside from the List of Works Consulted which we will correct in class, I won't be doing anymore fine-tooth-comb reading of the student work before they present their CBA.

At this point you might want to do a checkpoint of your own. Print a copy of the rubric and have your child predict with you what kinds of scores they think they will be earning.

I've given directions for how to prepare the presentations. Students may create either an exhibit or a website. If they choose to do a website they must use weebly. (It's a free web-building site. All National History Day sites are built on weebly.) I showed a Power Point in class of exemplary examples of NHD exhibits. On the right hand side of this page you will find exemplary examples of NHD websites. Just to inspire ideas. 

We have no more time in the lab at school. The rest of the project is HOMEWORK.

CBA = Classroom Based Assessment

We don't have a standardized SBA test for social studies (or music or art). In fifth grade we have a social studies CBA, an independent research project. 

Students chose a topic at the beginning of January, and they have been taking notes during their library time all month, starting with print sources before moving to any online sources. (I really appreciate how Mrs. Upton works with me on projects!)

They should be finishing up the hunt for notes by now.

Starting in February we will have an hour a day in the lab so children can organize and write several well-developed and well-organized paragraphs about what they learned:

• introduction
• before--the causes
• the conflict--who, what, when, and where
• after--the consequences, the effects
• conclusion

All the paragraphs for the body--there should be two to three typed pages--are due February 21.

The introduction and conclusion paragraphs are due February 28.

If you want lots more information about the CBA, how it is organized, and how it will be graded, please go to the social studies section of the Elementary Stuff page.

BTW, we had a class discussion once the Great Thinker presentations and the poetry readings were done about "How to Make Next Time Even Better." Check out our class notes here!​

Come January, students will present the projects they have been working on in the library for weeks now, all about Great Thinkers. You should ask your child about his or her Great Thinker, and you should ask them to do a practice presentation for you.

We signed up before vacation so everyone has a due date for their project presentation.

But wait, there's more! Also in January, we will do our first poetry readings. Students already signed up for the dates their poetry readings, too.

Here are the directions for the poetry readings:

Find and read a book of poetry at your reading level, one you haven’t read before. (If you’ve read Shel Silverstein before, you need to find a different book of poetry for this assignment!)
 
          Pick poems to read out loud, usually about three to five. 
​          ​          If you pick very short poems, you will need to read more.
​          ​          If you pick a very long poem, maybe one is enough.
          ​          (You should read for about five to seven minutes.)
 
Practice reading your poems fluently and with expression. 

Before you read your poems to us, tell us a little about them—tell why you picked those particular poems, tell what they mean, or explain what makes them good. You might point out lines you really like and why you like them. Prepare that part of your presentation ahead of time too.

You can see the evaluation forms for the poetry readings on the Elementary Stuff page.