Month: April 2019

Deluged with Data and… Deliciousness!

lrupp Birthday, How We Organize Ourselves, Math 0 Comment

Later this week, we will be diving into some data related to our country of focus, India. As we look at data, we will be considering how data is represented and STRUCTURED. We will be analyzing the effectiveness of various representations, interpreting the information, and

  • Pie Chart/ Circle Graphs

Alert: The following video is for 8th Grade thinkers, so be sure to use all your super scholar strategies to soak up information. 

Tomorrow, we will have the day off. Do take a minute to learn about International Workers’ Day by checking some facts on Kiddle and watching the following mini-video featuring a Google Doodle. (Cool Tools Museum Connection: How many and wht types of “cool tools” do you see in the video and doodle?)

In other parts of the world, May 1 is known and May Day, which has a very different purpose and is celebrated in a variety of ways around the world.

A more important occasion worth celebrating on our day off is… Seojin’s birthday! In advance of his special day, Seojin generously shared some delightfully delicious delicacies… double chocolate muffins. Mmmmm… Singing and snacking… what better way to head into a midweek break?! Smiles all around!

 

Homework for Apr. 29-May 3 (Week 32)

lrupp Classroom Community, Homework, Learner Profile, Literacy, Math, TASOK 0 Comment
  1. Read for at least 30 minutes each night. Complete the online reading log OR one on paper. (Copies are available in class).
  2. Explore some lessons on IXL.com and / or Khan Academy in the following areas:
    • Math
      • *Division (E.21 – E.26)
      • Data & Graphs (J.1 – J.12) **Multiple Source**
      • Multiplying Fractions (S.7 – S.14)
      • Word Problems (S. 15)
    • Language
      • Text Structure (T.1-T.5) *STRUCTURE*
      • Informational Texts (I.1 – I.3)
      • Idioms & Adages (Y.1 – Y.4)
      • Sentences, Fragments, & Run-ons (CC.1 – CC.10) *STRUCTURE*
    • **A Scholar has a goal: This week, we answered 3,927 questions and almost 26 hours on IXL. Wow!
    • Log on and “Launch” into some learning with Everyday Math. (Note: Log on information is in your planner.) **Alert: Any lessons in Unit 6 can be reviewed.**
  3. Reflect back on Week 31 and complete the “Reflection: Learning Habits” form.
  4. Note: Homework is due on Fridays.**Check back later in the week for additional homework related to in-class discussions and activities.

    Announcements

    1. We will not have Library at our regularly scheduled time this week due to MAP testing.
    2. P.E. is scheduled weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
      • Come dressed to exercise – sneakers, hat, sunscreen.
    3. We will be doing the MAP Language Test on Monday.
      • Get a good sleep.
      • Eat a healthy breakfast.
      • Relax!
    4. There will be NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, May 1, in recognition of International Labor Day.
    5. The Elementary Soccer Tournament is on Saturday, May 4.
      • Student Council will be having a bake sale.
      • You are invited to contribute baked goods (see below).

 

Coming Soon

  • April 29 – MAP Testing (Language)
  • May 1 – No School (International Labor Day)
  • May 3-5 – TASOK Musical: The Phantom Tollbooth
  • May 4 – Elementary Soccer Tournament (Student Council Bake Sale)
  • May 6 – MAP Testing (Reading)
  • May 13 – MAP Testing (Math)
  • May 17 – No School (Liberation Day)
  • May 27 – Student-Led Conferences
  • May 31 – ASAs End

 

Learner Profile Trait of the Month – REFLECTIVE

Learning ’bout Language… and Lovin’ It!!

lrupp Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Literacy 0 Comment

This morning, we took some time to review our MAP assessment results from the fall, set goals to work towards, and created an action plan to achieving our goals. Our first test will be language, which assess three areas:

  • understand, edit for grammar, usage
  • write, revise texts for purpose and audience
  • understand, edit for mechanics

As scholars, everyone was excited about the upcoming opportunities to apply our learning and strategies to this assessment. Several students shared about how they have been working hard at home, as well, taking the initiative to reinforce ideas learned in class and accessing multiple sources.

We took some time to look at the STRUCTURE of sentences… specifically compound sentences, which use coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS – for, and, nor, boy, or, yet, so). We examined mentor sentences crafted by the author of Homeless Bird, Gloria Whelan, then we worked together to write our original sentences.


The afternoon was spent practicing for tomorrow’s Celebration of the Arts. It it an event that shouldn’t be missed!

Not for Me, Please…

lrupp Buddies, Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Literacy, Science, Social Studies, TASOK 0 Comment

In an effort to extend our Earth Day explorations, we welcomed our Preschool 1 buddies to participate in the action. We began our time together with a read aloud of Not for Me Please, I Choose to Act Green by Maria Godsey. As we were reading, students were able to join in the repeated refrain, “Not for me, please!”

Due to some absences, we were doubled up  – each fourth grader working with two preschool buddies. The activity involved coloring a globe, tracing and cutting out hand prints, and reflecting on and recording real ways each person can “act green.”

Some suggestions included:

  • using reusable containers for snacks.
  • eating healthier snacks that don’t have packaging.
  • recycling or reusing paper.
  • shutting off water when brushing teeth.
  • composting leftover food.
  • using reusable straws.

Patient and proactive, we managed double duty with great dexterity. Our little buddies were delighted.

 

Multiple Source

To learn more about Luke (the main character of Not for Me, Please) and “acting green” check out the following website:

Luke’s Story

Cool Tool Museum

lrupp Buddies, Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, TASOK 0 Comment

Today, we had the opportunity to visit our buddies’ “Cool Tool Museum.” Mr. Matthew, our docent for the day, welcomed us warmly and provided a bit of background on the process of developing the display. Our buddies tinkered with tools, sorted sundry samples, planned on paper, created with clay, analyzed the “art” of an architect, meandered to the national museum in the making, and prepared for presentation. Our buddies gave us a grand tour and shared about their work. Afterwards, we sat down and shared some tool-related texts.

As we continue to explore our central idea of structure, we sought to make connections. We are grateful to our buddies for expanding our ideas of structure to include the structural design of the tools themselves and the structure of their display.

           

Multiple Sources for MAP

lrupp Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Literacy, Math, TASOK 0 Comment

The countdown is on… we are just one week away from the beginning of MAP.

MAP is an assessment designed to measure growth over time, so options for MAP-specific practice are limited.

This week, we will be doing some goal setting and will be formulating plans for showing growth in each subject.

  • Prepdog
    • This site has a set of MAP-like questions in each subject area, organized from basic to advanced.
  • Khan Academy
    • Khan Academy also has an option to enter previous MAP scores, and it will provide practice items.

The BEST way to prepare for the MAP test, though, is to remember to:

  • take your time.
  • read the questions carefully.
  • use the clues available.
  • apply scholarly skills and strategies learned throughout the year.
  • choose answers that you can justify with evidence from the questions or your work on paper.

Equally important:

  • relax.
  • embrace the MAP assessment as an opportunity to learn.
  • celebrate growth.
  • identify areas for continued growth.

Finally… don’t forget to:

  • celebrate struggle.
    • Remember… if the questions are getting more and more challenging… that’s a GOOD thing!

Grit, patience, and perseverance are keys to success.

 

Earth Day Extraordinaire!

lrupp Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies 0 Comment

Earth Day was extraordinary! This morning, students came to school ready to rally round the ideas of reducing, reusing, recycling. With only 15 minutes to prepare, everyone sprang into action to finalize the last-minute details.

 

At 8:20 a.m., after students from third and fifth grade settled into our space, our first group got our attention with a powerful and provocative Google Slides presentation.

Once they had everyone’s attention, the team introduced their “treasure” hunt. Equipped with two baskets, groups rummaged ’round the room for rubbish, which they were required to sort into trash or recyclables. Each items was assigned a certain number of points, which added a strategic element to the search.

After adding up their points, teams dispersed to explore other activities which included a variety of games, videos, an outdoor scavenger hunt, up-cycled creative constructions, and an examination of live lettuce. The variety of activities providing an opportunity for everyone to explore and learn.

 

This afternoon, we took time to tie our Earth Day endeavor to our central idea. Reflection, a critical part of the process, allowed us to consider the following key components – concepts, clarity, cohesiveness, and creativity. Tomorrow, we will revisit our work and reflect again through the lens of STRUCTURE.

 

 

 

 

Homework for Apr. 22-26 (Week 31)

lrupp Buddies, Classroom Community, Homework, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, TASOK 0 Comment
  1. Read for at least 30 minutes each night. Complete the online reading log OR one on paper. (Copies are available in class).
  2. Explore some lessons on IXL.com and / or Khan Academy in the following areas:
    • Math
      • *Division (E.11 – E.20)
      • Angles (Z.1 – Z.5) **Multiple Source**
      • Multiplying Fractions (S.1 – S.6)
      • Word Problems (Q. 11, R.7, 12, 15)
    • Language
      • Inference (G.1-G.2)
      • Prefixes and Suffixes (R.1 – R.12) *STRUCTURE*
      • Sentences, Fragments, & Run-ons (CC.1 – CC.10) *STRUCTURE*
    • **A Scholar has a goal: This week, we answered 2,600 questions and almost 27 hours on IXL. What a great start for our final quarter.
    • Log on and “Launch” into some learning with Everyday Math. (Note: Log on information is in your planner.) **Alert: Any lessons in Unit 5 can be reviewed.**
  3. Reflect back on Week 30 and complete the “Reflection: Learning Habits” form.
  4. Note: Homework is due on Fridays.**Check back later in the week for additional homework related to in-class discussions and activities.

    Announcements

    1. Library is scheduled weekly on Mondays from 9:30 – 10:10 a.m.
      • Be sure to bring your book bag!
    2. P.E. is scheduled weekly on Mondays and Fridays.
      • Come dressed to exercise – sneakers, hat, sunscreen.
    3. Our new administration team will be visiting this week. Be sure to greet them and welcome them warmly to TASOK.
    4. Earth Day is Monday, April 22. We will be celebrating with students in the third and fifth grades.
    5. We will be spending time with our buddies on Wednesday.
    6. The Celebration of the Arts rehearsal is on Thursday afternoon.
    7. The Celebration of the Arts is on Friday, April 26 at 8:15 a.m

Coming Soon

  • April 26 – Celebration of the Arts
  • April 29 – MAP Testing (Language)
  • May 6 – MAP Testing (Reading)
  • May 13 – MAP Testing (Math)

 

Learner Profile Trait of the Month – BALANCED

Energized about Earth Day

lrupp Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Science, TASOK 0 Comment

After reading and reflecting on another chapter of Homeless Bird and working with our thinking buddies on another angle endeavor, we were ready to finish out our “Friday” with reducing, reusing, and recycling in mind.

Earth Day is on Monday, April 22. Having agreed to participate in a collaborative learning experience with students in the third and fifth grades, the room was buzzing this afternoon as each group eagerly assembled its activity. There is a wide assortment of ideas to share with our peers, each needing to be STRUCTURED strategically in order to accommodate various sized groups, ages, and interests. It will interesting to see what other action comes from this initial inquiry.

         

 

 

Puzzling about Poetry, Paper Protractors, and Preserving the Planet

lrupp Classroom Community, How We Organize Ourselves, Learner Profile, Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, Visible Thinking 0 Comment

Today, we had a lot of questions about quatrains as we sought to compose a poem related to our text. The challenge involved identifying a topic, crafting phrases with a rhythm, and identifying the rhyme scheme. The sentiment and the STRUCTURE were important considerations. Topics included: the wedding, the market, school, writing, learning, embroidery / stitching, sadness, fruit, and more. Some students opted to write two separate poems, while others drafted one poem with two stanzas.

 

What is the rhyme scheme of this quatrain poem?

With each stitch worries fade,

While special memories are made.

Maa’s green sari and the tamarind tree,

Embroidered they will go with me.

 

During math time today, we continued our work with angles, but we definitely stepped it up a bit. Using a paper protractor, folded differently than yesterday, we worked with thinking buddies to identify ALL the mystery angles. If that was not challenge enough, we had to do it without the lights (an unexpected surprise) and with an audience of assistant teachers (not a surprise). In addition to wrestling with the mathematical concepts (shapes, angles, fractions, division), we had the opportunity to put the following math practices in place:

  • Overarching habits of mind of a productive math thinker
    • Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
      • a.k.a. Struggle!
  • Reasoning and Explaining
    • Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
      • a.k.a. Show evidence to justify thinking!

Everyone chose their thinking buddies wisely today and embraced the challenge together. It was exciting to see students use a wide variety of tools and strategies during this activity.

Being scholars, we were really able to highlight these two math practices in a powerful way.

We ended our day with the much-anticipated planning and preparation session for Earth Day. Students worked feverishly in groups this afternoon to prepare their activities for Monday’s event. A wide variety of ideas was explored.

What Earth Day issues affect India? How could I make a difference?

Earth Day – India

World Wildlife Foundation

Trees

Plastic

Skip to toolbar