Friday, February 13, 2015

Quills, Campfire, Hot Chocolate, and Non-Fiction

I hope you're excited to see the gorgeous mirror that your child decorated today for the CCS Auction. Thank you Dean for offering up this awesome opportunity for the students. Thank you Shreya and all the drivers and material suppliers for your support as well!
Happy Valentine's Day! Have a fantastic break!

Making "papyrus" with the support of a 5th/6th grade expert in Ancient Egyptian writing

The students voted to have "Quill Day" in a class meeting. We wrote letters to Cooper.





Working in our wagon train groups to devise simple machines to safely lower our wagons down treacherous terrain




Success!



Kindergarten reading buddies- so sweet!


Sharing science learning with my Kindergarten science class
A very successful hot chocolate sale!

Learning some pioneer games during our prairie campfire

The food was historically accurate, but not a huge hit with the kiddos :)


Multiplication maze!

Investigating non-fiction text features in Reading Workshop
Building, naming, investigating, identifying FRACTIONS!

Singing our favorite pioneer songs on a hike to the water tower...
and writing poetry along the way

Friday, January 9, 2015

Pioneer Journals, Poetry, and Engineers

Welcome back! This week students began writing  historical fiction pioneer journals. To get the creative juices flowing, they worked in groups to write and perform skits about a family preparing to depart from Missouri and travel the Oregon Trail. They practiced created an engaging, imaginary story in which the setting and many details are based on real historical events and information. They also practiced making sure that they'd included all of the required content and vocabulary in their skits.





We went outside for Poetry Club and wrote poetry about going on a walk. The kids were really inspired and their writing turned out beautifully.




 Some examples:

I stand on a platform
I feel my feet touching the earth
And feel them pounding the ground
I see green mixing with blue
People taking walks just like me
I run down the hill
The air brushes my face
I walk into the shade
And I find myself
In a patch of trees

I see the dry creek
Waiting for some
Rushing
Water
I feel a little breeze
Bouncing off
My body
I smell bay leaves 
as I 
Walk through the trees
I walk to the dead tree
And sit down
In peace andquiet

I see a rope
waiting for someone to climb it
a bird is singing
I feel soft moss
and smell sweet bay leaves
as I run I feel the wind in my face
I climb the hill but gravity won't let me
When I look down I feel the urge to run
So I did
When I'm outside I feel free
because
I am

 Playing a math game called "Scratch it Out"

Students are searching for England, Switzerland, and Jamaica because they played games from each of those countries in P.E. earlier in the day!

 Friday afternoon engineering challenge: Students built Pom Pom Launchers, with the goal of launching a pom pom with force and accuracy.













Have a great weekend :)