Our morning began with Word Work Wednesday… on Thursday. It was wonderful to see how much agency students showed one words were captured in their journals. Immediately, students began consulting multiple sources and jotting down notes and noticings.
Movement was definitely a change agent today as scholar diligently worked to make progress on their projects. Each idea, selected to communicate learning in a powerful way, began to take shape in kamishibai theaters, folded fans, flip books, volcanoes, and tsunami simulations. We can’t wait to see how our movement museum will manifest and how deep and wide our learning will be evidenced.
This afternoon, we had a special guest join us for a recap of word work. Mrs. Kovacs introduced us to a new word study strategy – the Frayer Model. Having had a preview of the activity, it was exciting to see our English language learners step up as learning leaders during today’s activity. Students were first given a task card containing directions about roles and responsibilities. Once students had identified roles, they were challenged to collaborate on creating posters featuring some of this morning’s words. A definition, picture, sentence, and connection were the critical components for which each group was responsible. We noticed that in our short session, ALL AtL categories were covered. Students had to use their thinking, communication, research, social, and self-management skills to get the task done.
Today we had the privilege of traveling to the C2TV Sports station. Linked to multiple inquiries, in French and our homeroom, we went with scholarly curiosity and a willingness to learn.
Our goals in venturing beyond our walls included adding to our understanding of the following central ideas and lines of inquiry.
French
Central Idea: We all belong to the same community of learners.
Lines of Inquiry:
The people and members that compose our school community.
The roles and responsibilities of members of our school community.
Our school system helps us learn.
Homeroom
Central Idea: Unit 1: Individuals approach problems in order to reach solutions.
Lines of Inquiry:
Characteristics of problem solvers
Problem solving processes
Processes applied in various contexts
Central Idea: Unit 2: Movement is a change agent.
Lines of Inquiry:
Types of movement
Forces that cause movement
Changes resulting from movement
In addition to learning how problem solvers at the TV station produce a newscast, we sought to develop a variety of approaches to learning skills.
Self-management Skills
I take responsibility for my actions
Practice self control with words and actions
Communication Skills
I listen to directions and instructions and ask clarifying questions when necessary.
I listen to the information and the perspectives of others respectfully
Research Skills
I gather information from a variety of resources.
We are grateful to Madame Michele and Madame Eale for coordinating this trip and to Mr. Kibadhi, one of our very own dads, who was gracious enough to allow us this opportunity to explore his facility.
Having spent time yesterday conducting research, mostly online, we discussed the importance of print resources and strategies for reading and gathering information. To learn more about the value of print resources and expand our understanding of movement as a change agent, we began with a close look at the rock cycle. As we began our read aloud of a nonfiction text, we first looked at the table of contents and identified topics about which we would learn. Depending on what we wanted to know, we could have jumped directly to a section of the book that was most relevant to a specific topic.
Prior to reading our first section, we examined the pages and noted a number of important text and graphic features – titles, subtitles, insets, captions, diagrams, photos. Each element was specifically selected to draw our attention to important information.
We then began our investigation with a look at igneous rock. Using a main idea-detail web, we paused to process what we read and capture key ideas and details.
Below is a slightly different version of the same strategy.
Rock Cycle Resources
We spent much of the rest of the day researching. After recess, Ms. Paula came in to observe our inquiry skills. She had some important questions for us as we explored various resources and valuable feedback – both glows and grows – related to our approaches to learning (thinking, research, self-management, social, and communication skills). In the days ahead, we will make adjustments based on her noticings and our own reflections.
Number lines were also on our agenda for today. Exploring how number lines are related to fraction bars enables us to add another tool to our mathematical toolkit.
While some could easily have said Monday was miserable, in our class, we had a most marvelous day. Despite the rain, or perhaps because of the rain, we managed to conjure up all our creative juices and collaborate on a number of projects.
Of course, a significant amount of time was spent reading and reflecting on our novels with our reading groups. Several groups really dug in and discussed ideas deeply. Many connections were made to our shared text, The Big Wave, and even to our previous read aloud, Chu Ju’s House.
At recess, students continued to work together to build castles and domino trains. In addition to the calm and cooperation, the connections to movement were especially exciting.
During our math time today, we inquired into the identity property and how our understanding of that (connected to our learning about factors and multiples) can help us with equivalent fractions. Knowing how to represent a whole as 1/1, 2/2, 3/3. 20/20, 100/100… helps us understand how to find equivalent fractions using an abstract strategy.
This afternoon, we used our time to consult multiple sources and gather information about our research topics. Some resources were worth sharing and occasionally caused a crowd to gather. Conversations around the Chromebook can really push our thinking and cause new questions to be asked.
To finish off our week, we started with a Friday fishbowl activity to observe an effective and efficient reading group. Five scholarly risk takers were willing to be the “fish,” masterfully demonstrating how readers read, speak, think, and write when studying a novel together. Observers were able to notice areas where the group and group members glowed and were able to make suggestions for growth. Through the observation process, both the observers and the observed were able to reflect on their process and make adjustments.
As we have been gathering more and more exposure to and experience with movement as a change agent, we were anxious to continue our reading of The Big Wave. The first chapter introduced us to the main characters and a huge movement-related problem. The details provided by the author caused us, as readers, to QUESTION… an important (and scholarly) reading strategy. Our inquiring minds caused us to wonder about volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and more.
In an effort to satisfy our curiosity, we dug into our resources and worked to collect and cite information about our topics. As we read, we tried using Cornell Notes to save and organize our ideas. Since this was our first official attempt at Cornell Notes this year, we realized there is a lot of room to grow.
To learn about Cornell Notes as a note taking structure, listen to Mr. G explain. While it sounds like he is talking to an older audience, I think his visuals will be beneficial.
If you’d like to take your Cornell Notes to the next level by combining them with Sketchnotes, check out Doug Neill’s video. I think you’ll LOVE this as an option for learning.
In the personal example he shares, I was especially amazed at the neatness of his work and how purposeful and patient he was in putting together all 11 pages. I can infer that the book he read and the topic he was researching was important to him.
Another topic of today was representing fractions on a number line. Like fraction circles and fraction bars, a number line is a great tool for visually representing fractions… including those greater than one whole.
This evening, several scholars participated in the second annual Night Run hosted by TASOK’s cross-country and track teams. Runners embraced the challenge, ran with perseverance, and experienced the “exhilaration of victory” of a race well run. Two of our very own scholars, Celeste and Filip, placed, about which we are very proud! It was especially exciting to see and hear how runners celebrated one another. What encouragement!
In preparation for three-way conferences this Wednesday, our day began with another round of reflection and goal setting. Today, as scholars, we focused on specific academic disciplines and their descriptors. It was interesting to break down each subject, which is complex, and consider where we soar and strive.
We then moved into our regular time of reading. Our new novel, The Big Wave by Pearl Buck, has begun by introducing us to a number of characters and by setting the scene with several setting descriptions. As we read, we sought to find significance in each setting and considered how it might impact the characters and the plot. It as been interesting to make connections with our previous read aloud, Chu Ju’s House, particularly as we think about characters’ points of view as a result of their work and location. Students then had an opportunity to apply their reading and analysis skills in their reading groups. We also worked on talking back to the text, using our sticky note tracker to save our ideas.
We also continued our inquiry into fractions today, exploring equivalent representations for one whole 1/1. We also looked at the idea of unit fractions and the meaning of one part of one whole and how it can be represented abstractly. As we worked with our fraction circles, the idea of equivalent fractions was also shared as a big idea.
Check out these multiple sources to learn more!
Challenge: Food offers a great opportunity to play with fractions. What kinds of foods can you share equally at home this week? Be sure to pay attention to how you are partitioning.
After lunch, we headed to music. Ms. Hall had us working to clap and capture our compositions on Seesaw.
As we being our unit on fractions, I wonder how many connections we can make to music. In addition to clapping the beat, can we construct a fraction-filled equation to represent our composition mathematically?
Finally, our day ended in delight as we had the opportunity to celebrate… Zinnah! Her mom and dad arrived secret-agent style, ready at the door with a lit candle.
As is our custom, Zinnah chose two friends to help her distribute cupcakes. Of course, after waiting politely until everyone was served (always easier said than done), we all bit in to a burst of fabulous flavor. Thank you, Zinnah, for allowing us to celebrate YOU today!
As students headed out the door, “golden tickets” and permission slips were distributed.
On Wednesday, please come with your “golden ticket” to be exchanged for something special.
And, please return your field trip form BY MONDAY.
Believe it or not, our day was not done… After school, TASOK hosted Kinshasa Christian School for a superb game of soccer. Fair and fun play is always fabulous! Thank you to Coach Wilson, Coach Shannon, and Coach Eugene for helping us grow our skills, while encouraging teamwork and sportsmanship.
Thank you, too to the many parents who can to support us today. We are grateful for your advice, affirmation, and affection!!
While we didn’t have any tricks today, we certainly had plenty of treats.
W began our day with a time of reflection, in preparation for next week’s three-way conferences. Using a Seesaw sort, students read through a set of descriptors related to the approaches to learning and the learner profile. Each student was to identify things they were proud of so far in fourth grade, and things on which they still need to work. Students were extremely thoughtful, which will provide a very firm foundation on which to develop goals.
While some students were working on their Seesaw sort, others celebrated and showed evidence of learning on their math assessment. By exercising their brains, using multiple sources, and showing a great deal of perseverance, students were able to demonstrate understanding of a variety of important skills and concepts explored over the last few weeks. It was especially exciting to see the level of effort and engagement when presented with the final challenge question.
This afternoon, students spent some time with Ms. Kraft in the library “tuning in” to topics related to our current unit of inquiry. Using the list of ideas brainstormed during a previous session, students identified their top three topics of interest and provided persuasive evidence to substantiate their selection. Ms. Kraft was grateful for the amount of detail provided on the selection forms.
As a PYP librarian, Ms. Kraft plays a critical role in supporting student inquiry and facilitating research and ethical documentation. She is a valuable multiple source, particularly in the development of research skills, one of the five approaches to learning categories.
Ms. Kraft did a great job tuning in to students’ interests today.
At the end of our day, we finished off with a video about plate tectonics. Pausing frequently, we engaged in really powerful conversations related to our central idea: Movement is a change agent and our key concepts and lines of inquiry:
Form – Types of movement
Causation: Forces that cause movement
A new idea we learned today was about the role of heat as a force that causes movement.
Thanks to Luca, who demonstrated a scholarly curiosity, willingness to learn, and use of multiple sources, we were able to learn about the idea of convection (and… began to wonder about the con- part of the word found in many other words we know – convergence, continent, convert, convertible, conversation, consider, conveyor. Does con- have the same meaning in each of these words?)
ALERT: As you are listening, pay attention to words and phrases like:
scientists believe…
some people think…
geologists suspect…
one theory is…
many hypothesize…
These indicate that these are ideas that people have wondered about and researched, but do not necessarily have definitive proof.
Finally, today, we ended with an awesome example of student agency and action. Since it is Halloween, Alex and Khaleel wanted to do something special for their peers. With much planning and a great deal of time and effort, they hand made a set of foldable drawings… one for each student. At the end of the day, after taking the initiative to tidy off the table tops and keeping it top secret all day, the boys presented their project with an enthusiastic “Happy Halloween.” One of the first responses was… “This is so creative!”
Over the break, whether you were traveling or stuck close to home, you had an opportunity to be an eagle-eyed observer. As a scholarly sleuth, did you search for clues proving weathering, erosion, or deposition has taken place. If you suspected that wind, water, ice, or roots caused weathering, erosion, or deposition, did you get a picture of the evidence? If so, submit them with the hashtags:
#wandering&weathering
#erosioniseverywhere
#dropinondeposition
Additionally, were you on the lookout for landformsand bodies of water – mountains, hills, valleys, plateaus, cliffs, caves, sand dunes, bays, ponds, lakes, rivers,… and so many more. If you saw a landform or body of water, send in a picture with the hashtag:
#Look! A landform
What about other examples of movement?
#Movementisachangeagent
Or, geometry?
#GeeISeeGeometry
Secret agents, did you accept this challenge? The challenge continues this week…
Determining importance is a vital reading strategy for scholarly readers. Before reading today, we walked our way through the story mountain (plot diagram) Chu Ju has traveled so far, identifying key events in the text. As we reflected on each one, we considered how each event impacted Chu Ju. Some events were more significant than others in terms of affecting Chu Ju’s development as a person and problem solver.
As we read our self-selected texts or reflect on our own lives, it is valuable to think about how events touch or transform. Some events are just everyday happenings that don’t really impact or influence us or our characters, other events, though, can be both impactful and influential. Often, taking time to think about this can enable us to predict how we or characters we encounter might behave moving forward and inspire action.
Continuing our inquiry into multiplication, we looked at classifying numbers as either prime or composite. Using multiple sources in the room and our understanding of factors, we were able to create a comprehensive list of prime and composite numbers and justify our classifications with evidence.
Mid-morning, we paused our work with prime numbers to pose for pictures. Secret agents, in number order, filed quickly in front of the camera and sat with a smile. Those behind the lens were both polite and patient, making it easy for our guest photographer to capture each image. While we had an hour-long slot on the schedule, we set a goal of getting through everyone in 30 minutes, so we could get to recess on time. We managed to beat our goal with 10 minutes to spare. Being patient and principled allowed us to complete out pictures in record time! Impressive!
After art, we spent more time this afternoon tuning in to our topics. As was true with our inquiry into our text this morning, we examined (see) the images and determined importance, identifying details that caused us to think and wonder how they are connected to our central idea of movement as a change agent. Students had the choice to capture their thinking in a variety of visual ways, including an illustration or a web.
Important quote: “arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions performed by actors. The highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the audience.”
During today’s read aloud, scholars were challenged to think back on the characters met in Chu Ju’s House. After generating a long list, students employed another strategy scholarly readers use to understanding characters more deeply, particularly their motivation. Why someone does something reveals a lot about his or her character.
As we were reading, students were encouraged to ask: What do the characters’ actions reveal about who they are on the inside?
Identify character traits that describe each character.
Provide evidence from the text.
This process is very similar to what we have been doing with the main character, Chu Ju, and is a wonderful strategy students can use when reading independently.
Below is a picture of some text evidence we found to think more deeply bout Chu Ju and Quan.
As an extension or application of yesterday’s work with factor pairs, today we explored how factors, which can represent the dimensions of a quadrilateral, can be used not only to find the area, but also to find the perimeter. Working was various arrays (rectangles), we inquired into efficient ways to calculate the perimeter. As students calculated the perimeter of shapes, we came up with several formulas that could be used effectively and efficiently.
Challenge: How can knowing the attributes and formula for a rectangle help you figure out the formula for a triangle?
We also looked at the connection between factors and multiples, which are often confused. As we inquired, we realized a number is always a factor and a multiple of itself.
The follow is a video for teachers, but it might be helpful.
We continued tuning in to our new country of focus and central idea by examining the images we sorted yesterday a bit more closely using the Think. Puzzle. Explore. visible thinking routine.
THINK: What do you THINK you know about the the images?
PUZZLE: What questions or PUZZLES do you have?
EXPLORE: What do the images make you want to EXPLORE?
We then dove into some multiple sources to pique our curiosity. Using the text and graphic clues in the various nonfiction texts, we were able to pose purposeful and powerful questions about which to ponder. This process will help us focus our thinking as we prepare to inquire. Through the review of images and information text, students interests will be activated, so that they might then be intrinsically motivated to pursue information independently – agency.
