Classroom Update: May 26, 2017

In reading and social studies this week, we have been studying the American Revolution. We have learned about the events leading up to the Revolutionary War, including the French & Indian War, the Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act.

In math, we began a unit on data collection and analysis. We have been working on categorizing information and describing data displays, including bar graphs and line plots.

In science, we planted lima bean seeds. We are waiting for them to sprout so that we can study their life cycle. 

In writing, we're polishing up our petition drafts in preparation for a final writers' celebration of the year--date to be determined soon!

Classroom Update: May 19, 2017

Today we finished up our MCAS testing for the year with the last session of the mathematics exam. Students should be proud of the hard work they put forth in the weeks leading up to the exam!

In reading, we wrapped up a unit on poetry. Last week, Mr. Dingman came to our classroom to deliver a lesson on William Carlos Williams and how poets gain inspiration for their work. As a culminating assignment for the unit, students wrote their own poems.

In science, we continue to study structures of life. Most recently, we have been studying plant life cycles.

We've begun a new integrated social studies and reading unit on the American Revolution. This week, we defined the term "colony" and learned about the wide influence of the British Empire.

In writing, we continue our persuasive essay unit with petitions. Students are working on persuasive techniques, such as crafting strong counterarguments. 

Classroom Update: April 28, 2017

This week was our student teacher Ms. Tolan's "takeover week." This means that she led all of the lessons for the week. We had so much fun participating in the engaging activities that she designed! Sadly, Ms. Tolan's time in our classroom will be coming to a close next week as she wraps up her semester. We feel grateful to have had such a talented student teacher in our class and are excited for the new opportunities ahead of her!

This week, students began a unit on geometry. Specifically, students studied properties of quadrilaterals and triangles. We are working on categorizing and classifying these shapes.

In reading, we have continued our unit on poetry. Students learned different poetic devices, including alliteration, rhythm, rhyme, and onomatopoeia.

In science, students have been studying seeds. We began the week with a lesson in which students examined and compared the seeds of different fruits. 

On Thursday, we visited the Jason Russell House, where students learned about the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Students toured a historic house, viewed artifacts, and practiced a colonial chore. This trip will serve as a preview for the content that we will study during our upcoming unit on colonial times.

Today, we were treated to a performance by students from our Japanese Sister City, Nagaokakyo. It was wonderful to watch the singing and dancing and view students' artwork inspired by the Japanese tradition.

Classroom Update: April 7, 2017

We had our first day of MCAS testing today. Students will finish the English Language Arts portion of the examination next Wednesday and Thursday.

We wrapped up our unit on fractions this week. We will continue reviewing fractions concepts during WIN time. Our next unit will be about geometry.

In writing, students took a break from our opinion unit to review narrative storytelling elements. In partners, students wrote fiction stories incorporating dialogue, details, and actions.

Classroom Update: 3/31/17

On Monday, we were treated to a presentation by the Museum of Science. An educator from the museum delivered a presentation on weather and climate to go along with our current science unit. Students were engaged in experiments involving wind, air pressure, and temperature. 

In math, we continued studying fractions. Students looked for patterns among equivalent fractions. For example, we observed that the numbers in the numerator and denominator are the same for all fractions equivalent to one (i.e. 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, etc.).

In reading, we began preparations for the MCAS examination, to be held next week. We are learning test taking strategies, such as the "process of elimination." 

We continued our unit on opinion writing. Students brainstormed ideas for new persuasive letters. We thought of problems around our school that need to be changed. We also brainstormed people around the school that should be appreciated more. 

Students participated in an engineering design challenge this week. They were tasked to design a waterwheel with the provided materials that could pull a load. Their solutions were impressive!

Classroom Update: March 17, 2017

In math, students worked on placing fractions on a number line. In doing so, we were able to identify fraction equivalencies.

In writing, students continued working on persuasive speeches. We are practicing reading our speeches aloud with expression.

In reading, we introduced a new unit on poetry. Students created festive limericks today in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

This week, students also worked on a project related to our social-emotional curriculum, Superflex. We have been reading about the "Unthinkables," a team of super-villains who make us behave in unexpected ways. Students reflected on areas of school behavior that they have the most difficulty with (staying focused, keeping organized, maintaining a positive attitude, remembering assignments, speaking up, etc.). Students designed their own "Unthinkables" related to these aspects of school behavior, and devised strategies to defeat them.

Classroom Update: March 10, 2017

We are wrapping up our integrated social studies and reading unit on the Pilgrims. Students learned about the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe. Students read biographies of Squanto, a Native American man who helped the Pilgrims in their early years of settlement. Later in the week, students wrote essays in which they compared life today to life in seventeenth century Massachusetts.

In math, we began a new unit on fractions. We have been working on partitioning shapes into equal parts. We have done this by folding and cutting paper. We have started to notice patterns in the ways that we can build fractional pieces. For example, we noticed that we can make fourths by dividing halves into two equal pieces. Similarly, we can make eighths by segmenting fourths in half. These patterns are helping us to begin to think about fraction equivalency.

In science, we conducted experiments related to the water cycle. We learned about the stages of precipitation, condensation, and evaporation. In addition, students learned about climate zones. We researched regions around the world and learned about their unique climates.

In writing, we began a unit on opinion writing. We began by brainstorming and outlining ideas for a topic. Students are now underway with drafting a persuasive speech using a five paragraph essay template.