Hi All,
Aside from a late start on Tuesday, we had a full week together here at school. 😃 We accomplished so much! We started this sunny Friday off by taking group pictures with our t-shirts on. These shirts were sponsored by the PTO. As you will soon see on your child's shirt it reads - Be The Nice Kid on the front and Kindness is a boomerang - it always comes back on the back of the shirt. We will be wearing these to all of our field trips and for special occasions here at school.
Next Friday, December 7, our team will be visiting with our senior friends at Bay Square, right here in town. We will leave school at 1:30 and we will return in time for the afternoon buses. If the weather allows us to walk there, we will let you know ahead of time so that you can send in appropriate footwear. We will also be leaving our building earlier. The bus will drive us back to school. This activity is a part of the Life Role Outcome Responsible and Involved Citizen. All of us will bring the residents a holiday card that we will design in language arts class. The students will have a few interview questions to ask their new friends. The questions include: Who was your hero? What words of advice do you have for me? and What was a favorite book of yours when you were my age? We will write up a reflection about our visit in language arts. This is a very special event and we plan to visit a few times this year. We will also be inviting our Senior Friends to visit us here at HMS.
Thank you for helping discuss how we might interact appropriately with our senior friends.
Our class read aloud The Liberation of Gabriel King, the main characters attended the bicentennial fireworks in Hallowell, Georgia. The chapter ends in a terrific cliff hanger...What does Mr. Evans whisper to Frita? I am so very pleased with the amount of reading at night that the students are accomplishing. I had a few who read over 100 pages this week! I ordered a few new titles over break and gave books talks about: Unschooled, Aru Sha and The End of Time, The Wondla trilogy, and Pay it Forward ( kid's version). All 3 copies of Unschooled are being 'gobbled up'.
In language arts we are working on our Figuratively Speaking posters. The students are coming up with some fabulous sentences describing the awesome photos that you sent in. We will be sharing these posters with the students on the 123 and ABC sub team next Friday morning. It's always fun to see the work of our other classmates.
In math this week we learned how to multiply using the traditional method. The first step in this is to compare how the partial products algorithm they have been using for years relates to the traditional method. So far, so good. One group has learned how to do a 2 digit by 2 digit problem and the other group will get to it on Monday. With this lesson kids quickly realize how important it is to know their facts.
In science this week we held a symposium to discuss the findings from our controlled experiments. Our student scientists designed an experiment to determine if a certain component of their electromagnet could be changed to make the magnet stronger. Students then conducted their experiments, graphed and analyzed their data, and finally presented their findings. After all of the results had been shared, students wrote how, given the new information they had, to make the strongest possible electromagnet. Science at its best!
One group was able to attempt to build a spinning coil motor today. It took a lot of perseverance, patience and a willingness to read and follow directions. Eight of our ten partnerships were able to get it going. When these motors work they are mesmerizing to watch.
We will be wrapping up our Magnets and Motors unit before the winter break. Environments are next!
Conversation starters:
- traditional method
- electro-magnet
- figuratively speaking
- be the nice kid
- purple folders
