March flew by! As always, it was wonderful to meet with everyone for parent/teacher conferences.
Please enjoy the new photos! Some of the highlights this month included:
Science: We devoted time to learning about the layers of the earth, the rock cycle and the formation and composition of different kinds of rocks, and have made significant headway on our Science Fair projects. Each student has a clear objective, hypothesis, and procedure planned out. We will begin conducting and analyzing experiments this week. Students enjoyed their overnight at the science museum, and participated in an animal footprint scavenger hunt upon their return. We took a skype field trip to the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space, Museum in NYC. We saw the NYC skyline from the deck of an aircraft carrier, toured spaceships, and watched experiments on the effects of zero gravity on the human body.
Math: Students have mastered the concept of equivalent fractions, both in shapes and number line form. This unit started out particularly challenging for them, but with the use of manipulatives, games, perseverance, and patience with themselves and one another, students are feeling confident in their knowledge and proud of their accomplishments. We've had some nice discussions as a group about how, as material increases in complexity, sometimes we need information presented in more than one way, at more than one time, in order to learn it deeply.
Social Studies: Students completed their individual biography books by delivering an oral presentation in the form of a Wax Museum. They chose a pose to represent one of their subject's major accomplishments. Magic descended upon the class, and each wax pose came to life! Using their extensive notes from each chapter, as well as from some supplementary material, students selected facts to present to the class and delivered it from the perspective of their character. Students were so funny 'touring' the exhibit, as they pretended to take selfies with each famous wax character, and asked each other thoughtful questions. I was very impressed with the enthusiasm each student showed, and how well they retained and organized what they had learned. They also showed great respect for each other, by listening to one another's presentations.
We have dug deep into the post revolutionary war era, examining the trials and successes of establishing a unified government under the constitution. We have been considering the ideals of our nation, as well as discussing what human rights means to us and to our country.
ELA: We finished up our unit on opinion writing. Students have been working all year to find the main idea and themes in various styles of text. Now, as we move into a narrative writing unit, they are working to include themes/morals in their writing. They have each written a few fables with various lessons, and are focusing on use of quotes in their writing. They continue to work on the writing process, and are more open to the revision process than they used to be. They enjoy being able to type up their finished pieces, and some students are excelling enough in typing that they are able to make revisions to their writing as they type. They had fun writing alliterative sentences, and analyzing the classic song 'The Marvelous Toy' for its grammatical structure. The last couple of spelling lists have focused primarily on academic vocabulary, and we have been examining prefixes and suffixes in class.
We continue to read From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The characters in the book sleep at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so students have had fun connecting that to their museum sleepover experience. As we analyze the plot, themes, and characters, students are learning about the time period of the book and relating their own lives to the similarly aged main characters. They are also 'touring' various exhibits in the book's museum and making connections to various eras and periods of art history. The book is a rich source of new vocabulary for the students as well.
Miscellaneous: Students were invited to K2's publishing party, and enjoyed hearing the final versions of stories they had been working on. Grades 3/4 integrated some Cosmic Yoga into our brain breaks during the especially stormy days when a lack of outdoor recess was making everyone antsy.
Drama: Students in Grades 3/4 have begun their next dramatic makeover of the room in Drama class. They are preparing to host a carnival in our classroom. The carnival will include some engineering projects, and math games, as well as artistic and dramatic performances.
We will continue to Spring Ahead!
Please enjoy the new photos! Some of the highlights this month included:
Science: We devoted time to learning about the layers of the earth, the rock cycle and the formation and composition of different kinds of rocks, and have made significant headway on our Science Fair projects. Each student has a clear objective, hypothesis, and procedure planned out. We will begin conducting and analyzing experiments this week. Students enjoyed their overnight at the science museum, and participated in an animal footprint scavenger hunt upon their return. We took a skype field trip to the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space, Museum in NYC. We saw the NYC skyline from the deck of an aircraft carrier, toured spaceships, and watched experiments on the effects of zero gravity on the human body.
Math: Students have mastered the concept of equivalent fractions, both in shapes and number line form. This unit started out particularly challenging for them, but with the use of manipulatives, games, perseverance, and patience with themselves and one another, students are feeling confident in their knowledge and proud of their accomplishments. We've had some nice discussions as a group about how, as material increases in complexity, sometimes we need information presented in more than one way, at more than one time, in order to learn it deeply.
Social Studies: Students completed their individual biography books by delivering an oral presentation in the form of a Wax Museum. They chose a pose to represent one of their subject's major accomplishments. Magic descended upon the class, and each wax pose came to life! Using their extensive notes from each chapter, as well as from some supplementary material, students selected facts to present to the class and delivered it from the perspective of their character. Students were so funny 'touring' the exhibit, as they pretended to take selfies with each famous wax character, and asked each other thoughtful questions. I was very impressed with the enthusiasm each student showed, and how well they retained and organized what they had learned. They also showed great respect for each other, by listening to one another's presentations.
We have dug deep into the post revolutionary war era, examining the trials and successes of establishing a unified government under the constitution. We have been considering the ideals of our nation, as well as discussing what human rights means to us and to our country.
ELA: We finished up our unit on opinion writing. Students have been working all year to find the main idea and themes in various styles of text. Now, as we move into a narrative writing unit, they are working to include themes/morals in their writing. They have each written a few fables with various lessons, and are focusing on use of quotes in their writing. They continue to work on the writing process, and are more open to the revision process than they used to be. They enjoy being able to type up their finished pieces, and some students are excelling enough in typing that they are able to make revisions to their writing as they type. They had fun writing alliterative sentences, and analyzing the classic song 'The Marvelous Toy' for its grammatical structure. The last couple of spelling lists have focused primarily on academic vocabulary, and we have been examining prefixes and suffixes in class.
We continue to read From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The characters in the book sleep at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so students have had fun connecting that to their museum sleepover experience. As we analyze the plot, themes, and characters, students are learning about the time period of the book and relating their own lives to the similarly aged main characters. They are also 'touring' various exhibits in the book's museum and making connections to various eras and periods of art history. The book is a rich source of new vocabulary for the students as well.
Miscellaneous: Students were invited to K2's publishing party, and enjoyed hearing the final versions of stories they had been working on. Grades 3/4 integrated some Cosmic Yoga into our brain breaks during the especially stormy days when a lack of outdoor recess was making everyone antsy.
Drama: Students in Grades 3/4 have begun their next dramatic makeover of the room in Drama class. They are preparing to host a carnival in our classroom. The carnival will include some engineering projects, and math games, as well as artistic and dramatic performances.
We will continue to Spring Ahead!