VACATION

Ahhh... yes.  I made it.  What a week it's been.  We've wrapped up our latest book groups and are presenting book projects this week.  It's great to hear the kids' interpretations of events-- they all have such different perspectives on things.

During vacation, encourage your kids to do a little practice work to keep the skills from getting rusty.
Bonus bucks will be awarded to any students who bring these assignments back on Monday after vacation.


Click here for a math practice page

Kids, sign into your google accounts to access this book and comprehension worksheet.

You'll get more information about the battles of the American Revolution.  Have a great vacation, and read, read, read.

Colonial Kids

Thanks to Kate Townsend, DBS Art Teacher, the students turned their portraits into "Colonial Portraits." Can you tell who these kids are?




And whoops... two accidentally got left out of the book, so they get their own spot.

What a Strange Week It's Been!

Want to know the easiest way to get 17 fifth graders off task quickly?  Here it is:

And that was at 4:22!  Imagine it at noon!  Which is the best backdrop for a conversation about RESPECT.  As a staff we took a look at the Student Support Forms over the past month and the vast majority had something to do with disrespectful behavior.  So we asked ourselves, "What is respect?"  Break out groups of teachers in similar grade levels came up with brainstorms.

Here are the 4th and 5th grade teachers' ideas for what respect looks like, feels like and sounds like:

There's a lot of "grumbling" out loud going on in the fourth and fifth grades about activities kids don't want to do.  Plus, as teachers, we decided there was a list of NON-NEGOTIABLES for fourth and fifth graders: 

• eye rolling, stomping, pouting, groaning
• body away from the group
• calling out
• arguing and back-talk

The next day, with my fifth graders, I had a great conversation with them and shared the startling data about the amount of disrespectful behavior going on.  They brainstormed similarly, and here are some of their responses-- please excuse the spelling!

I have a pretty smart bunch of kids!

We also finished Tuck Everlasting-- which is the epitome of why a book should not be judged by its cover.  At the beginning of the book I asked the kids if they would want to live forever.  The overwhelming majority thought they would like to.  The age they would want to stay varied, but none of them wanted to be any older than 21.  Imagine thinking that 21 is old!  Anyways, later in the book, I asked them again, and many more students were questioning their original choice.  They were mesmerized by the adventure, thrilled by the mystery, and confused by the odd toad in the story.  I promised them we'd watch the video and compare the movie and the book.

Here's one student's doodle of the scene that takes place at the magic spring near the old ash tree:

Watch Liberty and Justice's Babies Hatch

We've been watching two bald eagles care for their baby and 2 eggs this morning.  Check out the site by clicking the photo below.

Link to other Upper Elementary Blogs

Ever wonder what is going on around the country in other classrooms?  Check out the link to the blogs below.

Parents! Vote to send John Herman to Space!

This morning on my way to working I was listening to the radio and learned of a competition to send someone to space in 2012.  John Herman, a NH teacher, is one of the finalists.  You can view his video here.  I think his message is a great one-- look at the amazement a baby has with the world he or she is learning about.  As teachers and parents we should instill in our kids a sense of wonder with things around them no matter how ordinary or extraordinary something is.  There's always something to wonder about.

Kindles for Math Practice

This morning the kids began REALLY using the kindles for other subjects than reading.  Here are two practicing math facts during morning work time.

Long Division Tutorial

Today we began to divide using the Long Division algorithm-- or what I fondly call the "Old School" method.  In case you forget, here is the video tutorial.

Reading Workshop

I am so proud of the class this week during reading workshop. They were able to do many things at once without becoming distracted or getting off-task.  Today I was even able to go around the room and photograph what was going on!

Here's a group reading "How to Survive Middle School" on the iPad.

A student reading on his Kindle (and the student told me his mom just loaded him back up with books so he should be
all set for a week or so).

Some independent reading from a book he couldn't wait to finish (apparently it was getting good).

A pair doing some word work from The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg.

A student finishing up The Winter Room. 

Independent Word Work (I think it was math, but hey, there are words...)

Another student finishing up The Winter Room.

A student using the comfy chair and a quiet spot to read.  He said to me, "It's a pretty good book when you concentrate on it."   

Another quiet spot!  If I sat like this for an extended period of time, I am not sure I would be able to walk later.

Be An Active Listener