Budding Politicians

At snack today, without any prompting from adults, these kids set up a debate, picked parties and began to argue.  While their facts might need to be checked, their enthusiasm can't be rivaled!

Branches of Government Project Announced

On Wednesday of this week, the fifth grade teachers will be talking to students about our "Branches of Government Project."

Click here to access the google doc of this project.

Fifth graders will be partnered up with one or two other students for this collaborative, technology-based interdisciplinary project.

Earthquake!

Besides scaring the jeepers out of most of us, the earthquake centered in Maine that happened a couple of nights ago caused quite a stir in the school.  Mother nature may have been cooperating with us a little since fifth graders had JUST finished taking their Earth's Changing Surface Unit test.  Because they were experts, we sent four budding scientists to the first grades to share their knowledge.  Watch the highlights:

Roundup!

This week was busy with writing, reading and learning.  We started the week by learning about prime factor trees.  We then used these trees to help us solve number puzzles.  Students should be comfortable with the terms:  prime, composite, factor, commutative property, order of operations.  In science, we've begun to study Earth's Changing Surface, a unit that focuses on the rock cycle, layers of the earth and changes in Vermont's landscape through time.  Once again, we have a song to go with our learning:

Divergent, convergent or transform?

Cutting the Earth is serious business

Is this the elusive raw eggs?

Look at my egg!

Is this the raw one?

Pushing and squeezing to see the "plate" movements

More pushing and squeezing

More scientific slicing of the "Earth"

We explored the basics of plate movement using hard boiled eggs from my hens!  We carefully cracked the "crust" and experimented with how to make the shells simulate different plate movements.  Next week, we're going to learn more about Pangaea, plate tectonics, volcanoes, and earthquakes.  In the meantime, be sure to have some family fun making the volcano models.  Be as creative as you want!  We'll be sure to videotape the eruptions!

Why I Love Google Apps

We've just introduced Google Apps to the fifth graders this year, but I am reminded why I love it so much each and every time I check my email.  Google Apps for education connects students and teachers after the school bell has dismissed for the day, and it maintains that connection throughout the years.  Today when I checked my inbox, I was surprised with a shared document from a former student.  He shared some of his favorite quotes from a book that he is reading at HMMS, and what the quotes taught him.

I also received emails from students tonight asking questions about assignments and projects!  Using their email really empowers kids to communicate.

Oh, and I shouldn't forget that one student emailed me a presentation all about elephants.  He had done some research about them because Sunday is National Elephant Day!

Not Your Average Finger Trick

Check this out!  I really thought this was going to be your standard finger trick for multiplication... not so!  This trick will help you figure out 6x6 all the way to 10x10.  WOW!

Water Cycle Comics

Great job, Vielleux Crew kids!  Your water cycle comics look fantastic.  This was a performance assessment task to see how well the students learned the basics of the water cycle.  Here are some samples!

I love how this one shows the importance of the sun in the evaporation process.

Fantastic example!

And clearly, this student understands the process is ongoing!

Indirect Bullying

Water Cycle Rap

Can you learn the water cycle song?  Disregard the creator's poor spelling in places.  The content is great.

Yo! Yes?

Today we learned about two important writing traits:  Voice and conventions.  Following a VERY INTERACTIVE lesson, kids used their knowledge of voice and conventions to create their own "conversation" using a very limited list of words and punctuation.  Listen very closely to their intonation to see if they punctuated their conversation properly!

 Conversation script #1

Conversation #1



Conversation script #2

Conversation #2