The Strawberry students were assigned their role-play characters for Fort Ross today, and should have it with them in their binders. Some profiles are brief, and others more extensive. The electronic version of the handout is here, which includes links to costume ideas and historical background information at the Fort Ross website. If your child misplaces his or her character profile, please check this link for the first name, and the profile can be looked up at the Fort Ross website usually under the child's role group title (however, some profiles are from other role groups).
Today was our second buddy day with Laurel Creek. We wrapped up our work on projects started last week and had time for hanging out and drawing, reading and flying paper airplanes with the buddies.
We enjoyed our first shared Friday snack of crackers, cheese, apples and honey from Mia's family. The kids loved it!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Math, Island of the Blue Dolphins & Seedlings
Reminders:
Fifth graders worked on early algebra skills in their warm-up activities today, solving simple equations with a known variable. They rotated through a variety of game stations based on factors, multiples, and basic multiplication facts.
Fourth graders also worked on pattern finding with a "function machine" in warm-up today, and continued their work on multiplication facts. One group learned their four's, using a technique called the Nine Lines that helps them form a visual image in their brains of the products of four. Others played dice games or worked on deductive thinking puzzles. If students wish, they are encouraged to keep working on their facts at Math Magician or by playing card or dice games at home.
Language Arts & Social Studies:
We have been reading Island of the Blue Dolphins as a read-aloud book in social studies, pausing frequently to define terms, make connections, and ask questions, developing skills good readers use and learning more about Native American life in California.
Science:
Students have been making observations and measuring their small seedlings, comparing those grown in the dark with those grown in the light. It's amazing to see how quickly they grow!
- Please return your child's permission slip and sign up to drive if you can.
- Reading logs (assigned Monday) are due tomorrow.
- Fourth grade mathematicians may work on the optional Problem of the Week, the Handshake Problem, if they wish, to discuss tomorrow (Friday).
- Fifth grade Problem of the week enthusiasts may choose to work on their solutions tonight, but there is no homework for Rosh Hashanah.
Fifth graders worked on early algebra skills in their warm-up activities today, solving simple equations with a known variable. They rotated through a variety of game stations based on factors, multiples, and basic multiplication facts.
Fourth graders also worked on pattern finding with a "function machine" in warm-up today, and continued their work on multiplication facts. One group learned their four's, using a technique called the Nine Lines that helps them form a visual image in their brains of the products of four. Others played dice games or worked on deductive thinking puzzles. If students wish, they are encouraged to keep working on their facts at Math Magician or by playing card or dice games at home.
Language Arts & Social Studies:
We have been reading Island of the Blue Dolphins as a read-aloud book in social studies, pausing frequently to define terms, make connections, and ask questions, developing skills good readers use and learning more about Native American life in California.
Science:
Students have been making observations and measuring their small seedlings, comparing those grown in the dark with those grown in the light. It's amazing to see how quickly they grow!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
No homework tonight
Homework:
No homework tonight except for reading logs.
Fourth grade math:
Students worked in small groups today strengthening their multiplication facts by playing dice games or making cards of facts they are working on with strategies to remember them. Other students worked on challenging Magic Squares, in which columns, rows, and diagonal numbers add up to the same sum.
Creative Writing: Today students tried a new creative writing exercise. Each student received a different story starter from a bag of prompts to begin writing, such as, "There was a knock at the door . . ." During the writing process the writers were challenged to incorporate new elements in the form of animals and types of transportation. For example, a student might receive a paper slip with "hamster" written on it, and then later, "bulldozer." The goal of this process is to build writing flexibility, and creative thinking on the go.
Reading Workshop: During the reading workshop today the students were asked to focus on information books from our class library. Along with reading during the workshop, students are writing about their selections. Today's goal was to write about their non-fiction selection and describe three elements that they learned about during their time with the book.
No homework tonight except for reading logs.
Fourth grade math:
Students worked in small groups today strengthening their multiplication facts by playing dice games or making cards of facts they are working on with strategies to remember them. Other students worked on challenging Magic Squares, in which columns, rows, and diagonal numbers add up to the same sum.
Creative Writing: Today students tried a new creative writing exercise. Each student received a different story starter from a bag of prompts to begin writing, such as, "There was a knock at the door . . ." During the writing process the writers were challenged to incorporate new elements in the form of animals and types of transportation. For example, a student might receive a paper slip with "hamster" written on it, and then later, "bulldozer." The goal of this process is to build writing flexibility, and creative thinking on the go.
Reading Workshop: During the reading workshop today the students were asked to focus on information books from our class library. Along with reading during the workshop, students are writing about their selections. Today's goal was to write about their non-fiction selection and describe three elements that they learned about during their time with the book.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Fort Ross Groups & Plants
Reminders:
Today fourth grade math students learned a new game, Good Times, that students could easily play at home with a deck of cards to practice math facts. Rules to the game can be downloaded here. We also explored a new web site, the Sieve of Eratosthenes, to explore patterns of multiples in a hundreds chart using different factors.
Fifth graders played two games today that focused on shoring up multiplication facts. The first, called Concentration, is a memory game in which students must uncover matching facts (the 9x7 square matches with the 63 square, for example). They also played a game called Multiplication Compare that reinforced the skill of multiplication with trailing zeroes.
Social Studies:
Science:
How do light and gravity affect germination (seed growth)?
- Picture Day is tomorrow! If your child is dressing up, please send in additional clothes and shoes for P.E. Be sure you have sent in your photo order form.
- Please return the permission slip and sign up to drive if you can.
- 4th grade math: Please spend 10 minutes working on multiplication facts at the Math Magician Multi Maths web site.
- Fifth grade math homework: This week's math packet
Today fourth grade math students learned a new game, Good Times, that students could easily play at home with a deck of cards to practice math facts. Rules to the game can be downloaded here. We also explored a new web site, the Sieve of Eratosthenes, to explore patterns of multiples in a hundreds chart using different factors.
Fifth graders played two games today that focused on shoring up multiplication facts. The first, called Concentration, is a memory game in which students must uncover matching facts (the 9x7 square matches with the 63 square, for example). They also played a game called Multiplication Compare that reinforced the skill of multiplication with trailing zeroes.
Social Studies:
 |
| Student Groups for our Fort Ross trip were announced today! |
Science:
How do light and gravity affect germination (seed growth)?
 | ||
| Students began two experiments with lima beans to test the effects of light and soil on germination. |
 |
| We will be making observations of our seedlings, turning the tiny plants upside down every 3 days. |
Monday, September 26, 2011
California History Focus
Reminders:
- Strawberry Picture Day is this Wednesday! Send in your photo orders please.
- Please send in your Scholastic book orders.
- Please return the permission slip below and sign up to drive if you can!
Homework & Handouts
- Fourth grade math homework: Word Problems option 1 or option 2, due tomorrow, 9/27; Optional Problem of the Week: Handshake Problem, due Friday, 9/30
- Fifth grade math homework: This week's math packet
- Language Arts homework: Reading log & creative writing.
- Field Trip permission slip: Tilden Botanic Garden, Thursday, October 6, 9:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
A little background about our current focus on California History:
Today the Strawberry students were introduced to Native American populations that made up California prior to European expansion (about 48 distinct groups). Last week we began our look at the first people in North America with an overview of current archaeological thinking about a migration occurring over 20,000 years ago across the Bering Land Bridge bringing people from the continent of Asia to North America. Today we read a genesis story from the Modoc people in Northern California. Along with explaining the formation of Mt. Shasta the story tells the ancestral beginnings of humans as a creation story. Juxtaposing these two very different ways of explaining the First People in California is an effort to help students understand the cultural significance of a group of people from past to present. Typically, the past three hundred years of expansion accounts for the context of the story of California, and it is my goal to help the students see a bigger picture as we discuss the dramatic changes that occurred over a relatively short period of time that shaped where we live today.
As the students continue their focus on Native American communities of the past, we will utilize modern technology to discover these same communities in the present by visiting tribal websites and links to current information.
Fourth Grade Math Question of the Day: What is the Commutative Property?
Fourth grade mathematicians are working on fluency with multiplication math facts. We learned about twin facts and how the Commutative Property helps reduce the number of facts to memorize. After figuring out which facts they did know, students used skip counting and array games to practice, or worked on finding patterns in the multiplication table (for example with the corners of squares made in the table).
Fifth Grade Math: 5th graders learned their first strategy for multiplying two-digit numbers. By splitting numbers into their extended form (59 becomes 50+9 and 41 becomes 40+1, so 59 x 41 becomes (50+9) x (40+1)), one can create a series of easier multiplication problems. They used an array model to make sure they had multiplied all the parts of these numbers, taking notes in their math notebooks and practicing independently.
This week's problem of the week (we'll work on it in class, but in case you are interested)
 |
| Jeff reads a creation story from California Native Americans. |
Friday, September 23, 2011
First Buddy Day
Reminders:
- Please send in your school photo order forms right away.
- Also send in your Scholastic Book orders by this Monday!
No Homework this weekend!
Our morning began with a cacophony of animal sounds during our Cerritoberry meeting in the Depot. With eyes closed the students tried to locate other students by imitating animal sounds. Cows found cows, ducks found ducks . . .
Today was our first day with our buddy class, Laurel Creek (K-1). The buddies worked on Venn diagrams about their interests to find out about each other, and what they may have in common. The buddy pairs also began the first stage of a shared water color project. Some Strawberry students had their hands full with their cute and energetic buddies.
Thanks to all of you who were able to attend Back to School Night. We enjoyed the opportunity to share about the classroom and curriculum. Next week we will be updating the blog with some of the written information handed out, and catch up with items we ran short of time to share. If you have questions that come up after reflecting on the packet or information you heard about, please be in touch.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Back to School Night Tonight!
Reminders:
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey if you have not yet done so.
Homework:
- No homework in 4th grade math
- 5th Math Packet (Wed. through Friday) on Monday's blog entry
- Reading Log & Assignment (due tomorrow Friday)
Today students designated the regions of California in color on their individual maps, using watercolor paints. In writing workshop, they started work on their "Writing Territories," which will be a source they can come back to for writing throughout the year.
We hope to see many parents this evening at Back to School Night at 6:00 p.m. in the Depot!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Crushing cans and Russian visitors
Reminders:
- Back to School night is tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 22, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There is no childcare, so please make arrangements ahead of time. Please let us know if you plan to attend or not.
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey if you have not yet done so.
Homework:
- Tonight 4th graders have a choice in homework. Option 2 is more challenging than option 1.
- 4thMath.9.21.Option 1 (due tomorrow)
- 4thMath.9.21.11.Option 2 (due tomorrow)
- 5th Math Packet (Wednesday-Friday)
- Reading Log & Assignment (due Friday): work on the writing assignment we discussed in class
- Homework: Word Study (due tomorrow)
4th graders learned a new game, called How Long? How Many? The object of the game was to construct arrays using Cuisinaire rods that would cover the greatest amount of space. Students also tackled some more array picture problems and completed an assessment.
5th graders considered what the factors of 12 tell us about the factors of 120, or the factors of 15 about 150. They worked more with prime factorization, and today's problems were writing-based. Their homework tonight is again based on factors and multiples.
Strawberry students watched in wonder as an aluminum can crushed in on itself when dunked in a bowl of water. They practiced their observation skills and recording skills, carefully noting the materials and procedures, asking questions, and making hypotheses. Students are currently thinking of experiments to test the prevailing idea, that sudden pressure from outside the can crushed it.
Candle lantern and cannon ball in hand, Ivan Kuskov, the first manager of Fort Ross (1812) paid a visit to the classroom today to inspect his new group of recruits, the Strawberry students. He outlined the role group jobs for the students to select from and highlighted some of the special tasks everyone does at Colony Ross, including the night watch. Kuskov plans to stop by at Back to School Night tomorrow evening as well and provide much of the same information for the adults. We are well on out way to establishing the Strawberry Creek version of the Russian American Company.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Pinwheel experiments
Reminders:
- Back to School night is next Thursday evening, Sept. 22, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There is no childcare, so please make arrangements ahead of time. Please let us know if you plan to attend or not.
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey if you have not yet done so.
Homework:
Please note that the Reading Log Assignment is due on Friday. The written portion of this assignment will be introduced and practiced tomorrow (Tuesday) in class.
Please note that the Reading Log Assignment is due on Friday. The written portion of this assignment will be introduced and practiced tomorrow (Tuesday) in class.
- 4th grade handout: Class Collections (due tomorrow)
- 5th Math Packet (Monday/Tuesday) (Wednesday-Friday)
- Reading Log & Assignment (due Friday): work on the writing assignment we discussed in class
Fourth graders played the Factor Pair game, the candy box game, or worked on finding a 2-digit number with most factors. Then we studied a yogurt case with missing yogurts, to figure out how many yogurts there were to begin with.
5th graders put more work into their problems of the week this morning, choosing a strategy and beginning work on the chart of which prime numbers can be expressed as the sum of two perfect square numbers. They took notes on prime factorization and will continue factors and multiples work this evening.
Student scientists created experiments to test different pinwheel designs, to learn more about how they work. We had lots of different ideas to test, and some interesting discoveries!
- Larger pinwheels do not spin as quickly as smaller ones.
- Ethan and Amelia found that circular and hexagonal pinwheels work better than square ones.
- Luka and Milo discovered that running forward with a pinwheel makes it spin in one direction, and running backward makes it spin in the opposite direction.
- Shunyata found that cutting holes in a pinwheel does not change how well it spins.
Classroom Microwave & Water heater
We recently updated our policy on student use of the classroom microwave and water heater. Students may now use the microwave to heat an item from their lunch as long as they show a teacher how the item is packaged before placing it in the microwave. We want to encourage responsible and limited use of the microwave.
The water heater will be available for use upon request. Teachers will supervise its usage.
Thank you.
The water heater will be available for use upon request. Teachers will supervise its usage.
Thank you.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Math, Word Study, California Maps, and Science!
Reminders:
- Back to School night is next Thursday evening, Sept. 22, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There is no childcare, so please make arrangements ahead of time.
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey if you have not yet done so.
Homework:
Please note that the Reading Log Assignment is due on Friday. The written portion of this assignment will be introduced and practiced tomorrow (Tuesday) in class.
Please note that the Reading Log Assignment is due on Friday. The written portion of this assignment will be introduced and practiced tomorrow (Tuesday) in class.
- 4th Math Target Number (due tomorrow)
- Optional 4th Grade Enrichment Problem of the Week (due Friday)
- 5th Math Packet (Monday/Tuesday) (Wednesday-Friday)
- Reading Log & Assignment (due Friday)
Fourth graders toured student-made posters of arrays in the classroom, to discover square, prime, and composite numbers. We also learned a new game, the Array Game, to help figure out which multiplication facts (combinations) students know or are still working on.
Fifth grade mathematicians received their first problem of the week this morning. They spent ten minutes with partners restating and rewriting what the problem was asking. We will continue to work on the problem, bit by bit, throughout the week, and by Friday they will have developed a strategy, organized their calculations, worked toward a solution, and written about this challenging problem. This is not homework, for the time being. They also continued their work with factors and multiples; prime factorization will be the focus of this week's mini-lessons.
California mapping: Today each student was given a large outline map of California on poster board. Together we drew the border lines and features to identify neighboring states, Mexico, the Colorado River, Lake Tahoe and the Salton Sea. Ask your Strawberry Student about the unbelievable story of the Salton Sea! The maps will be transformed in stages over the Fall to include aspects of our learning as we travel through the California time-line.
Science: Students brainstormed "what do scientists do?" to begin our study of science. We discussed the scientific method, and started our first experiment, making pinwheels. Students are thinking of questions they have about how pinwheels work.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Happy Friday!
Today we had our first assembly, singing the song "This Land is Your Land" by Woodie Guthrie, and our first art class with teacher Julianne Hughes.
No new homework today!
No new homework today!
Reminders:
- Fourth grade math: both sides, due Monday, Sept. 19.
- No fifth grade math homework this weekend.
- Back to School night is next Thursday evening, Sept. 22, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There is no childcare, so please make arrangements ahead of time.
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey.
- Ask your student if they have shared their Summer Artifact and make sure they bring it to school.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Update: Social Studies Homework
The students brought home a spiral notebook, reading material and a question sheet (below) about the reading. They began the work in class. Each student is asked to complete at least 4 more questions for homework tonight. Everyone had the sheets and notebook when they left today.
California’s Regions, pages 12-17
Please write FULL SENTNCE answers in your notebook.
1. What is the elevation of Mt. Whitney? (p. 12)
Example: The elevation of Mt. Whitney is ____________.
2. What is the name of the lowest point in North America, and what is its elevation? (p.12)
Example: The lowest point in North America is ___________________, which is __________ feet below sea level.
3. What does the word, Geography mean? (p.13)
4. What are the 4 major regions indicated on the map of California
on page 13?
5. What is the state fish? (p.14)
6. What two main areas do half of all Californians live? (p.14)
7. About how many different kinds of crops are produced in the Central Valley? (p.15)
8. What is the state animal? (p.16)
9. What does “Sierra Nevada” mean in Spanish? (p.16)
10. On page 17 the book says that in the heat of the summer in the desert you could do what?
11. Describe one of the adaptations a plant or animal has to survive in the desert region. (p.17)
Thursday Math Homework and Reminders
Reminders:
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey by tomorrow. Your child should have given you a paper copy if you prefer to write your answers.
- Ask your student if they have shared their Summer Artifact yet--if not, please make sure they bring it to school, and practice a talk (one minute or less).
- Remember to turn in the family Homework Strategy assignment!
- Back to School night is next Thursday evening, Sept. 22. There is no childcare, so please make arrangements ahead of time.
Homework:- Fourth grade math: both sides, due Monday, Sept. 19
- Fifth grade math: Wednesday-Friday packet, last part due tomorrow.
Fifth graders employed the Sieve of Eratosthenes to find all the prime (and composite) numbers up to 100. They wrote definitions in their math notebooks for prime and composite, played a related game called Factor Captor, and continued work on a series of number puzzles, in which four clues lead to a specific number. Download the later half of this week's math packet here.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Class Agreements
Reminders:
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey before Friday, Sept. 16. Your child should have given you a paper copy if you prefer to write your answers.
- Ask your student if they have shared their Summer Artifact yet--if not, please make sure they bring it to school, and practice a talk one minute or less.
- Remember to turn in the family Homework Strategy assignment!
Homework:
- Spelling homework, due tomorrow
- Fourth grade math: students complete a new Target Homework (100!), due tomorrow
- Fifth grade math: Wednesday-Friday packet, first part due tomorrow.
After discussing our hopes and dreams for the school year in class yesterday, each student proposed rules, or agreements, that would help us achieve these goals. Today in class we voted on the student-written rules by particular categories: how we treat each other, focusing and doing our best in school, and caring for our environment. These resulted in the our 2011-2012 Strawberry Creek Class agreements:
Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.
* Respect what people say.
Try to be positive.
* Try to pay attention.
Respect the classroom.
* Be aware of what you do.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Spanish, Music, Stephen!
Reminders:
- Please fill out the Online Parent Survey before Friday, Sept. 16. A paper copy is also coming home today.
- Ask your student if they have shared their Summer Artifact yet--if not, please make sure they bring it to school, and practice a talk one minute or less.
- Remember to turn in the family Homework Strategy assignment!
Homework:
- Spelling homework, due tomorrow
- Fourth grade math: students complete Target Number Homework, due tomorrow
- Fifth grade math: Monday-Tuesday math packet, second part due tomorrow
We had our first day of Spanish and Music classes today, in 4th and 5th grade small groups. Ask your child about Christopher Columbus.
Today in 4th grade math, students continued exploring pattern blocks, base ten blocks, connecting cubes, and color tile manipulatives to demonstrate their understanding of concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, symmetry, and combinations of patterns. To develop number sense, we discussed all we knew about a particular "target" number, using words, math sentences, and pictures. Students will continue this work at home tonight.
We celebrated Anne's birthday, with delicious green tea and vanilla, and chocolate and vanilla cake!
Today in 4th grade math, students continued exploring pattern blocks, base ten blocks, connecting cubes, and color tile manipulatives to demonstrate their understanding of concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, symmetry, and combinations of patterns. To develop number sense, we discussed all we knew about a particular "target" number, using words, math sentences, and pictures. Students will continue this work at home tonight.
And in very big news: our class was formally introduced to Stephen Cahill, who will be teaching in Strawberry Creek class part time, when Sima is not in the class, as well as during fourth grade math. Jeff will continue full time, and focus on reading, writing, spelling, and social (cultural) studies. Sima will be working part time, focussing on math and science, and present in the classroom at the beginning and end of each day.
Stephen has shared this introduction with us:
I have been working as a one-on-one inclusion facilitator with a student at TBS for the past two years. In that time I have been fortunate enough to form wonderful relationships with many of the current 4/5 students and I look forward to getting to know the rest in this new role. My goal is to work with both teachers and students to create the most fully inclusive learning and growing environment possible, academically as well as socially and emotionally.
Education: BA Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences: Arts, Media, and Culture, University of Washington, Tacoma; Masters of Special Education with specific training in Autism Education, San Francisco State University; training and experience in play, relationship, and behavior-based therapies.
We feel so fortunate to have Stephen as part of our community and team this year!
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or comments.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Happy Monday
From last week's study of world maps we are now honing in on California. Today was an overview of the geography of California, and how to interpret the elevation key of our large classroom map. The Central Valley played a key part of our conversation. This week is a great time to share with your child what you enjoy about the geography or resources of this state, and/or ask your child what they are learning, such as, "How do people use the Central Valley?"
In math, fourth graders participated in a math workshop with 4 different kinds of stations with manipulatives. In fifth grade math, students are working on finding factors. Check out the Cerrito Creek blog here.
Specialist classes begin this week. Today the class went to PE at the park.
Homework:
- Reading log: due each day, turned in Friday
- Fourth grade math: students give parents their letter, due tomorrow
- Fifth grade math: Monday-Tuesday math packet, first part due tomorrow
Friday, September 9, 2011
Cerritoberry & Lake Anza
Reminders:
Homework Strategy Survey due Monday
4th grade Math due Monday
Parent Survey due next Friday
Happy Weekend!
Lake Anza & Cerritoberry
This morning was our first “Cerritoberry” meeting (Cerrito and Strawberry Creek classes together). Mike Sinclaire led a song and several games. With 47 kids we had quite a large circle! We also had our first choice time back in the classroom with students working on their journals, playing games and getting to know the materials in the room before heading out to the bus for our ride to Tilden Park. While we waited for the lake to open we played a group game known as “Giants, Wizards and Elves” on the grassy field.
At the lake the sun was shining, and ducks were meandering. The children swam, played in the sand and talked with friends. It was a great way to wrap up the week.
Everyone who went in the water was asked to shower before getting dressed at the end of the day, however it is a good idea to have your child shower again at home today.
Lastly, thank you for sending your wonderful children to TBS. Strawberry Creek is a terrific class!
Have a pleasant weekend.
Jeff & Sima
At the lake the sun was shining, and ducks were meandering. The children swam, played in the sand and talked with friends. It was a great way to wrap up the week.
Everyone who went in the water was asked to shower before getting dressed at the end of the day, however it is a good idea to have your child shower again at home today.
Lastly, thank you for sending your wonderful children to TBS. Strawberry Creek is a terrific class!
Have a pleasant weekend.
Jeff & Sima
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Parent Survey
We would like to learn more about your students from you, who know them best. Please click the link below to fill out an online survey (or fill out the paper version in your child's backpack) by next Friday, September 16.
Homework Strategies Assignment
Today the Strawberry Creek students were assigned an activity to do at home that will involve an adult in the family to participate. The goal is to help reinforce or establish homework routines or strategies for the year. My experience in the past is that this assignment has been beneficial for a number of families in my classes, while for others homework routines are already well established. Regardless of where you fit in the spectrum, it does provide an opportunity for conversation about how it is going, and a window into what the kids in Strawberry Creek have said are their current routines and strategies. It is due on Monday.
The assignment was handed out today, and is linked here.
Take care,
Jeff & Sima
The assignment was handed out today, and is linked here.
Take care,
Jeff & Sima
Geoquizzes, Math arrays, Hopes & Dreams, Homework
In fourth grade math students started work with arrays, as our work this unit is focused on multiplication. Students will be going on array hunts at home as part of their homework.
Speaking of homework, Jeff led an interesting discussion with students about homework, where and when they do homework, and what their strategies are for avoiding distraction. This is the beginning of a process they will complete with you over the next couple days, and will result in parents and students in sharing hopes for homework and creating Homework Plans (see homework). These should be completed and signed by parents and students by Monday.
We continued work with maps and globes as students completed their geoquizzes and shared them with each other to find test their map-reading skills. In the afternoon, after silent reading, our new Spanish teacher Lupe came to meet the class and taught us a fun game in Spanish and some new Spanish words. Students then completed one hope they have for themselves and one for the class. These hopes will help ground our agreement-making process next week. The class already functioned well as a group in sharing their pictures to cover their writing journals, and in cleaning up the messy classroom in no time flat!
Reminders:
Our trip to Lake Anza is tomorrow! Please send your child with:
- hearty lunch and snack
- water bottle
- sun screen
- sturdy shoes for hiking
- swim clothes (including shirt)
- plastic bag for wet swim clothes
- change of clothes
We will be at the lake from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.--feel free to join us at the lake if you like for lunch!
Emergency Forms – If you have not done so already, the school needs your child’s emergency form right away, so that they can go on the field trip!
Homework:
- Yellow Family Homework Strategies Survey (due Monday)
- Fourth grade math (due Monday): Arrays All Around Us & Even More Arrays
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Math, Maps & Mind maps
Today was another day of firsts: first grade-level math class, first recess at Strawberry Creek Park, and first introduction this year to our Teaching Artist Julianne Hughes and the mind-mapping process.
In morning meeting, several students shared their summer artifacts. Then we transitioned to math class, with fifth graders in Cerrito Creek classroom with Mike Sinclaire and Hillary Bensky and fourth graders in Strawberry. Students got to know each other with the name game, played math games developing computational fluency, and got their first math homework, a survey about themselves as mathematicians and math learners.
Students spent time with their high-five partners examining world maps and finding locations using longitude and latitude coordinates in degrees, quite challenging for many. They also started creating their own geographic quizzes for classmates. Students seem to really relish silent reading after lunch, and we had our first read-aloud book, The Other Way to Listen. This prompted a discussion about paying attention and starting small, which tied in with our reflection about students' experiences last year in school and their hopes and dreams for themselves and the class. Such a practice of mindfulness also tied into work in Writers' workshop where students are thinking about themselves, their experiences, families, interests, etc. as a resource to develop for future writing.
Reminders:
Lake Anza, Friday, September 9 - If we did not receive a permission slip (mailed with the summer letter) for the Lake Anza trip for your child one was sent home with him or her today.
Emergency Forms – If you have not done so already, the school needs your child’s emergency form right away.
Summer Artifact (due tomorrow)
Journal Project (due tomorrow)
Homework, 9/7/11:
1. Fourth grade math: student survey (due tomorrow)
2. Fifth grade math (due tomorrow)
Write Mike a letter about you as a mathematician. What are your strengths and challenges? What is a story about one of your math experiences? It should be about 1 page in length, single-spaces, wide-ruled notebook paper.
3. Fourth/fifth grade reading survey (due tomorrow)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
First Day in Strawberry Creek
What a terrific first day. It was a pleasure to meet and get to know your children. In the morning the Strawberry Creek students went on a room hunt following clues to get to know the supply areas, materials, maps and each other. After the hunt they introduced their “high-five” partner (a random partnership made at line-up in the morning) to the class at morning meeting followed by a group tag game and tour of the campus to view the new construction.
Along with the first experience of having recess before eating lunch, the students were introduced to the class library and made their first reading selections, took part in a math visualization activity, and began a preliminary stage of a writing project that will develop over the next few days. Throughout the day we had wonderful conversations about books, student interests and how to be a successful and thoughtful Strawberry Creek community.
Reminders:
Lake Anza, Friday, September 9 - If we did not receive a permission slip (mailed with the summer letter) for the Lake Anza trip for your child one was sent home with him or her today.
Emergency Forms – If you have not done so already, the school needs your child’s emergency form right away.
Homework, 9/6/11:
1. Summer Artifact (due Wednesday)- Please find an artifact (item) at home that represents something you did over the summer. You will have an opportunity to share with the class about the item, so be sure to practice what you would like to say (less than a minute). The artifacts will stay on display in the classroom over the next two weeks as we take turns sharing.
Due: Tuesday, September 7.
2. Reading (every night)– Read for 30 minutes each night (you select the reading material). More information on how to track reading and related assignments will be sent out in the coming days.
3. Journal Project (due Thursday): Collect photos, pictures, poems, drawings . . . Use the white envelope provided to collect an assortment of images that you will bring to class to use to personalize your writer’s journal in class on Thursday. We have the journal, so all you need are the images. We will be cutting and pasting to make a collage type cover, so be sure you bring images you are okay about altering. What types of images will work? The goal is for you to personalize the journal, so try to find pictures, poems, words, symbols that you connect to in some way.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Back to School in Strawberry Creek
Dear Strawberry Creek Families,
We hope you are enjoying these last days of summer! It was great seeing many of you on Friday, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon. Since school does start tomorrow, we wanted to touch base with some specifics about the first day of school.
If you need before-school care for your child, it begins at 7:30 a.m. every day in the Depot, and you will need to sign in your child. Beginning at 8:15 a.m., students can come into the class or play on the yard. At 8:30 a.m., students will line up to come into the classroom and start the day. Your child needs to be at school by 8:25 a.m. every day, to participate in important (and fun!) community-building activities. Please make sure your child gets enough sleep, wakes up early enough to make a smooth transition out the door, and eats a healthy, hearty breakfast. In the 4th/5th grade, the school does not provide snacks, so please make sure that your child has packed a nutritious morning snack, and if he or she is not having lunch through our Eat Smart program, a lunch that does not need reheating (as we will not be using the microwave). Remember, we do not permit students to bring, or consume, beverages that are caffeinated or that have sugar/high-fructose corn syrup as a primary ingredient.
School will end at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, and students will be dismissed at 3:20 p.m. At that point, students who are leaving the campus will come out to the curb, where they'll be picked up. Please make sure you've returned a form to the office indicating how your student can leave campus -- we cannot allow students to leave in ways that families have not explicitly permitted, nor to be picked up by people not explicitly identified. Students who are staying after school will sign in to extended day, eat a snack (provided by the school), engage in activities, and remain until you pick them up.
Finally, please make sure that your student understands school policy around cell phones, iPods, hand-held video games, and any other electronic devices. When students walk onto campus, these devices must be shut down and stowed, out of sight, inside a backpack, bag, or locker -- NOT in a pocket or item of clothing that the student is wearing. These devices must stay in that off-the-body location for the entire school day. We appreciate your support in making sure your student is set up to meet these expectations.
As always, let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Here’s to a great school year!
Best wishes,
Jeff and Sima
510-665-8800 x120
We hope you are enjoying these last days of summer! It was great seeing many of you on Friday, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon. Since school does start tomorrow, we wanted to touch base with some specifics about the first day of school.
If you need before-school care for your child, it begins at 7:30 a.m. every day in the Depot, and you will need to sign in your child. Beginning at 8:15 a.m., students can come into the class or play on the yard. At 8:30 a.m., students will line up to come into the classroom and start the day. Your child needs to be at school by 8:25 a.m. every day, to participate in important (and fun!) community-building activities. Please make sure your child gets enough sleep, wakes up early enough to make a smooth transition out the door, and eats a healthy, hearty breakfast. In the 4th/5th grade, the school does not provide snacks, so please make sure that your child has packed a nutritious morning snack, and if he or she is not having lunch through our Eat Smart program, a lunch that does not need reheating (as we will not be using the microwave). Remember, we do not permit students to bring, or consume, beverages that are caffeinated or that have sugar/high-fructose corn syrup as a primary ingredient.
School will end at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, and students will be dismissed at 3:20 p.m. At that point, students who are leaving the campus will come out to the curb, where they'll be picked up. Please make sure you've returned a form to the office indicating how your student can leave campus -- we cannot allow students to leave in ways that families have not explicitly permitted, nor to be picked up by people not explicitly identified. Students who are staying after school will sign in to extended day, eat a snack (provided by the school), engage in activities, and remain until you pick them up.
Finally, please make sure that your student understands school policy around cell phones, iPods, hand-held video games, and any other electronic devices. When students walk onto campus, these devices must be shut down and stowed, out of sight, inside a backpack, bag, or locker -- NOT in a pocket or item of clothing that the student is wearing. These devices must stay in that off-the-body location for the entire school day. We appreciate your support in making sure your student is set up to meet these expectations.
As always, let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Here’s to a great school year!
Best wishes,
Jeff and Sima
510-665-8800 x120
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