Important Dates this Week:
Feb 24-26: Ms. Chris will be in San Fransisco for the National Association of Independent School Conference. Caley Peterson will the the sub for all 3 days. Please alert lsattend@oes.edu for schedule changes, as usual.
March 1: International Fair parent helpers meeting. 2-3pm
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your feedback on homework. The link is here to the googledoc which is updated every Monday with the homework for the week.
Reading:
Students will continue to read short news articles about water issues. While reading these articles we have discussed some nonfiction reading strategies. Last week, we discusses reading and asking yourself "What surprised me?" and "What does the author think I already know?" These two techniques get students thinking a bit deeper than just collecting facts but also putting some context to those facts and the article as a whole.
By the end of the week, students will choose one topic to continue to explore and focus on, however, last week and starting this week, students will be reading many different articles about many different water topics. We want students to really think about a variety of ways water affects our lives and get excited and invested in their topic.
Writing:
Students will be writing many notes, free writes, reflections, mind maps, and lists this week. Writing will be used as a brainstorming and data collecting tool and highlighted as such.
We will also be discussing the art of storytelling this week in art class and with Chaplain Jennie.
Math:
We have almost finished our math project with Mr. Arensberg. In the beginning of the week, we will share our math posters and get some feedback from our classmates. Mr. Arensberg has one lingering question we will continue to explore on our own. We will also do a blog reflection piece to capture some thinking about this project.
Mr. Arensbrg has a blog that I highly recommend. At this link, he writes some school math articles and references a couple math articles that I highly recommend. I am also reading What's Math Got To Do With It? by Jo Boaler.
And at think link, he has the whole school math problem. If you want some additional math problems where students can answer a whole school math problem and show their thinking, this is a great resource.
At the end of the week, Caley Peterson will start Unit 6 with the students. Unit 6 Parent letter will be in the student homework packet.
Inquiry:
Last week, we read many articles about a variety of water issues in the US and around the world. Students finished a water mind map and a free write over the weekend. These activities have helped build some awareness of possible topics for the International Fair, we hope to have discovered our big topic of interest by Tuesday and then work on creating thick guiding questions and begin researching into these topics through the end of the week.
Please refer to a previously posted blog for more information about the International Fair from the 4th grade team.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
International Fair Update
Fourth Grade International Fair - FAQs - Part 1
What is the International Fair?
The International Fair is a celebration of learning around these guiding questions:
- How do our shared resources connect us to the global community?
- In this interconnected world, how are people, communities and corporations using their power for good?
- How can we recognize and celebrate the collective power of people making a positive impact in our world?
- What does it mean to use my power for good?
Why do we have an International Fair for fourth grade?
The International Fair provides a platform for our students to become experts on topics of interest and to communicate their learning to an audience. In addition to the project share, students will do a short performance for the parents on April 14th, 9:00 a.m. in the gym.
When is the International Fair?
April 14th
Who will visit the fair?
Parents and friends
LS students and teachers
OES Community.
How do students choose topics?
Each student will choose a topic of interest to explore through the lens of water; the topic could be something we've been studying this year that the student wants to investigate further, or a topic that the student has been interested in for some time. Teachers will assist students in going beyond fact-finding by asking questions about their topics that encourage them to think creatively, find connections, and share/advocate/discover applications for the wider community.
When do students begin work on their projects? What will they do at home?
We have started brainstorming with the students this week (February 16-19) about possible topics. Next week, we will begin to finalize topics and explore questions and wonderings. Most of the work will be done at school.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Parent presentation on Water
Cameron's dad (Cameron is in Mrs. Sathyaraj's class) came in to school to tell all of the 4th graders about a couple of ways companies are working to help provide clean drinking water to people around the world.
One example was made by P&G. It was actually made by mistake when they were trying to make effective laundry soap in cold water. Small water purification packets can collect the dirt and particles in water and make them sink to the bottom of a 1 liter bucket in just 10 minutes.
The other example was a project his coworker started as a contest entry. She made a business plan connecting UV water filtration methods, with solar rechargeable batteries, to be connected with coca-cola's distribution so clean water became a wearable device.
One example was made by P&G. It was actually made by mistake when they were trying to make effective laundry soap in cold water. Small water purification packets can collect the dirt and particles in water and make them sink to the bottom of a 1 liter bucket in just 10 minutes.
The other example was a project his coworker started as a contest entry. She made a business plan connecting UV water filtration methods, with solar rechargeable batteries, to be connected with coca-cola's distribution so clean water became a wearable device.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Update Feb 15
Parents,
All students and parents were met over Thursday and Friday. Conferences are a great time to touch base and make sure we are all on the same page and working together. A couple new plans are in place and I am excited for the second half of the year.
I received a lot of valuable feedback about homework. You will notice tomorrow's homework sheet comes two sided. Therefore, you and your family can choose to do 40-60 minutes of homework each night or turn it all in on Monday. I will inform students of this change but remind them that this homework agreement needs to be between you and your child. This does mean that homework will be checked on Monday not everyday. I will give reminders to turn in homework but will not be calling out names until Monday.
We are getting ready for the International Fair (perhaps more accurately our "Water Fair") on April 14th. Please look to next week's update to have information from the whole 4th grade team, as well as, a planning sheet for the students.
Inquiry/ Water Project:
We have 2 presentations this week. One is from the US Winterim trip group going to Laos. Tom Handel stated his group plans to start with a brief introduction about the upcoming trip and the trip pursuits and goals. This will include looking at a map of Laos, where we are going, and a geographic look at the Mekong River. I will be steering the conversation from general topics on Laos (the people, the culture, the way of life) to the river issues in Laos that we have heard about, read about and will soon have an opportunity to see first hand.
Our second presentation is a parent presentation by Eric Gabrielson who will share his work with water issues with the students.
We hope to form some action around our concerns surrounding Nestle and their bottling plans in the gorge. We have discussed writing letters to Gov. Brown, collecting signatures, telling more people, posters, and doing some research on Nestle's company.
During all this, we are also starting to get into possible water issue topic brainstorming and questioning.
Reading:
It is time for us to start to really dive into nonfiction reading and research strategies. We will read a couple more short articles surrounding water issues but will also read an article on passion project s around the USA to make connections for our own work. Specifically this week, we are looking to highlight and analyze aspects of our reading that surprise us. How to highlight these areas, capture thoughts/quotes, and record them for future use.
Writing:
I will continue to work with small groups on topic sentences and strengthening our points of view with direct quotes and evidence from text. However, this will be our last week to finish our literary essay. We will do another essay before the end of the year, hopefully even two more!
Math:
We will continue our work with Mr. Arensberg. This project is over an hour of math exploration, problem solving and multiplication strategy each day, please see previous blog entry for more details.
I am pushing Khan Academy for homework and practice. This online resource is a smart program that can really target specific skills. I have started making recommendations based on their practice thus far and will continue to monitor and request skills that need additional review.
Passion Projects:
Passion projects are student centered learning time. Therefore, students will be meeting as a group to help draft a specific rubric that will detail project requirements. I will post this document on the blog by the end of the week. We will also have an additional passion project work time on Friday as is our schedule, during this time, I will check in with each individual and group project. We hope to have a individualistic and specific plan for parents to review and sign next week.
As always, I encourage you to always email with questions, feedback, etc.
All students and parents were met over Thursday and Friday. Conferences are a great time to touch base and make sure we are all on the same page and working together. A couple new plans are in place and I am excited for the second half of the year.
I received a lot of valuable feedback about homework. You will notice tomorrow's homework sheet comes two sided. Therefore, you and your family can choose to do 40-60 minutes of homework each night or turn it all in on Monday. I will inform students of this change but remind them that this homework agreement needs to be between you and your child. This does mean that homework will be checked on Monday not everyday. I will give reminders to turn in homework but will not be calling out names until Monday.
We are getting ready for the International Fair (perhaps more accurately our "Water Fair") on April 14th. Please look to next week's update to have information from the whole 4th grade team, as well as, a planning sheet for the students.
Inquiry/ Water Project:
We have 2 presentations this week. One is from the US Winterim trip group going to Laos. Tom Handel stated his group plans to start with a brief introduction about the upcoming trip and the trip pursuits and goals. This will include looking at a map of Laos, where we are going, and a geographic look at the Mekong River. I will be steering the conversation from general topics on Laos (the people, the culture, the way of life) to the river issues in Laos that we have heard about, read about and will soon have an opportunity to see first hand.
Our second presentation is a parent presentation by Eric Gabrielson who will share his work with water issues with the students.
We hope to form some action around our concerns surrounding Nestle and their bottling plans in the gorge. We have discussed writing letters to Gov. Brown, collecting signatures, telling more people, posters, and doing some research on Nestle's company.
During all this, we are also starting to get into possible water issue topic brainstorming and questioning.
Reading:
It is time for us to start to really dive into nonfiction reading and research strategies. We will read a couple more short articles surrounding water issues but will also read an article on passion project s around the USA to make connections for our own work. Specifically this week, we are looking to highlight and analyze aspects of our reading that surprise us. How to highlight these areas, capture thoughts/quotes, and record them for future use.
Writing:
I will continue to work with small groups on topic sentences and strengthening our points of view with direct quotes and evidence from text. However, this will be our last week to finish our literary essay. We will do another essay before the end of the year, hopefully even two more!
Math:
We will continue our work with Mr. Arensberg. This project is over an hour of math exploration, problem solving and multiplication strategy each day, please see previous blog entry for more details.
I am pushing Khan Academy for homework and practice. This online resource is a smart program that can really target specific skills. I have started making recommendations based on their practice thus far and will continue to monitor and request skills that need additional review.
Passion Projects:
Passion projects are student centered learning time. Therefore, students will be meeting as a group to help draft a specific rubric that will detail project requirements. I will post this document on the blog by the end of the week. We will also have an additional passion project work time on Friday as is our schedule, during this time, I will check in with each individual and group project. We hope to have a individualistic and specific plan for parents to review and sign next week.
As always, I encourage you to always email with questions, feedback, etc.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Math with Mr. Arnesberg
Hello Fourth Grade Families,
Your Fourth Graders are exploring solutions to a problem that is intended to deepen and extend their understanding of the properties of multiplication. The context for this investigation is a cardboard factory. When companies design a box that is needed to ship a product there are many factors to consider; What are the possible dimensions of the box? What dimensions use the least and most cardboard? Can we assign an actual cost to each box if we know the cost of producing one square unit of material? All these questions are explored as students use manipulatives to build various rectangular solids.
Greater efficiency in working with numbers emerge as students uncover new strategies. For example, students are often intrigued by the “double and halve” approach to multiplication. When confronted with multiplying mixed numbers such as 2 ½ x 24, students can double and halve the factors to get 5 x 12 and again to get 10 x 6 (a fact most 4th Graders know). Many are also surprised to learn that the dimensions of two very different boxes, such as a (3 x 6) x 2 and a (6 x 2) x 3, hold the same volume due to the associative property of multiplication.
Another mathematical goal is that students continue to learn to communicate and reason as they create posters that model their thinking and have opportunities to share their thinking in front of peers. As models are built, pictures are drawn and charts created to organize their thinking, students learn from each other’s discoveries and come to their own realizations. Ask your child how many ways there are to make a box that holds 24 cubic units or what kinds of boxes hold the most volume with the least surface area. These can be launchpads for great at-home investigations as well.
Take Care,
Tracy Arensberg
LS Math Specialist
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Valentine's Day Party
We had a busy valentine's day party was a fast, fun event. We started with crafty lanterns, then ice cream social and finished with a dance party! Many new dance moves were highlighted including dancing with chairs, the conga, and the worm!
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
OBOB day 1
Today we had our classroom OBOB challenge in the library with Mrs. H.
Our classroom OBOB winning teams were The Flaming Kitty Cats (Ari, Willa, and Alex) and The Pandacorns (Julian, Owen, Lahna, and Linnea).
They will compete against all 4th and 5th grade teams tomorrow at 9am.
Our classroom OBOB winning teams were The Flaming Kitty Cats (Ari, Willa, and Alex) and The Pandacorns (Julian, Owen, Lahna, and Linnea).
They will compete against all 4th and 5th grade teams tomorrow at 9am.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Update Feb 7
Our first full week of school in almost a month and the students were tired by Friday!
Next week is a short week due to Student Conferences. It has been a busy month and a half with report writing, admissions events, and multiple visitors both on weekends and during the week. The students and I are ready for our classroom to return to our normal schedule after conferences end. After I finish writing this, I will enjoy my first day off in a month! Yeah and the sun is shinning!
Reading:
We have our OBOB competitions this week. In class is Monday and the 4/5 competitions will be Tuesday. Overall, I am focusing on the benefits we have had in the classroom and less on winning the OES team seat. As a class, students has practiced reading and rereading books for better understanding. They have been attending to explicit information for the competition as well as theme and inferential information for classroom conversations. They are trying out new books and discovering new authors and series of books to enjoy. The class has in-depth conversations about books and character's motivations. It has been wonderful! Now, to encourage this behavior past the competition!
Writing:
We are trying to finish our literary essays and I think it will be a couple more weeks. The class is gaining understanding and independence when completing an essay format. We are now focusing attention on paragraph structure. We are building topic sentences and building powerful statements with direct evidence from their texts. As always, we continue to hammer home about CAPITALS and PERIODS!
Math:
We are starting a project with Mr. Arensberg where we will be using our multiplication skills to determine volume and surface area. This will be an in-depth project using manipulatives, team work and problem solving. Mr. Arensberg will share a more in-depth description shortly.
Coming Soon:
Information about the International Fair timeline and assignments.
Next week is a short week due to Student Conferences. It has been a busy month and a half with report writing, admissions events, and multiple visitors both on weekends and during the week. The students and I are ready for our classroom to return to our normal schedule after conferences end. After I finish writing this, I will enjoy my first day off in a month! Yeah and the sun is shinning!
Reading:
We have our OBOB competitions this week. In class is Monday and the 4/5 competitions will be Tuesday. Overall, I am focusing on the benefits we have had in the classroom and less on winning the OES team seat. As a class, students has practiced reading and rereading books for better understanding. They have been attending to explicit information for the competition as well as theme and inferential information for classroom conversations. They are trying out new books and discovering new authors and series of books to enjoy. The class has in-depth conversations about books and character's motivations. It has been wonderful! Now, to encourage this behavior past the competition!
Writing:
We are trying to finish our literary essays and I think it will be a couple more weeks. The class is gaining understanding and independence when completing an essay format. We are now focusing attention on paragraph structure. We are building topic sentences and building powerful statements with direct evidence from their texts. As always, we continue to hammer home about CAPITALS and PERIODS!
Math:
We are starting a project with Mr. Arensberg where we will be using our multiplication skills to determine volume and surface area. This will be an in-depth project using manipulatives, team work and problem solving. Mr. Arensberg will share a more in-depth description shortly.
Coming Soon:
Information about the International Fair timeline and assignments.
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