Homework

4th Grade Math: Main group: Ordering Fractions   Group of 4:  Research division of fractions - be ready to share something with the group tomorrow.  You can try the Kahn Academy video: "www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQMU-lsMb3U"

5th Grade Math:  POW (due Friday)

Reading 20 minutes:  Historical Fiction book club books!  (don't forget to record your reading in the planner)  

Upcoming Events: 

Save the Date:  May 29, 6:00-8:30pm, Performance of Learning & 5th Grade Tribute in the classroom and Depot.

Field Trips

• Wednesday, May 7 (8:45-3:15)  Oakland Museum History Gallery
• Friday, May 23 (8:45-3:00)  Sailing on Bay and nautical skills workshop.
• Thursday, June 5 (7:45-4:30)  Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma CA
• New Field Trip:  On June 5 we are headed to Gold Country!  We have an early departure of 7:45am and a late return of 4:30pm (traffic depending).  We will need drivers.  It is a long drive, but a fun trip.  We will explore and tour the town, visit the museum and Sutter's MIll, followed by panning for gold in the South Fork of the American River.

Spring Sing Tonight & Flaming Science in class!

Homework

4th Grade Math:  No homework.

5th Grade Math:  POW (due Friday), Stock Market conversation


Reading 20 minutes:  Historical Fiction book club books!  (don't forget to record your reading in the planner)  

Upcoming Events: 

Save the Date:  May 29, 6:00-8:30pm, Performance of Learning & 5th Grade Tribute in the classroom and Depot.

Field Trips

• Wednesday, May 7 (8:45-3:15)  Oakland Museum History Gallery
• Friday, May 23 (8:45-3:00)  Sailing on Bay and nautical skills workshop.
• Thursday, June 5 (7:45-4:30)  Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma CA
• New Field Trip:  On June 5 we are headed to Gold Country!  We have an early departure of 7:45am and a late return of 4:30pm (traffic depending).  We will need drivers.  It is a long drive, but a fun trip.  We will explore and tour the town, visit the museum and Sutter's MIll, followed by panning for gold in the South Fork of the American River.

Today in Strawberry:  Flaming Science? Thanks to science guru Jeff Sandler in the middle school, we had an exciting set of demonstrations as a finale to our chemistry unit. The demonstrations included chemical and physical changes including the formation of precipitates, color change, disappearing foil, expanding soap, smoke, fizz and fire!  Along with the dramatic changes to observe, the students discussed what they thought was happening in each demonstration and are now writing a report demonstrating their understanding about one of the reactions from today.  We will reveal more of the chemistry behind the demonstrations after the students have a chance to finish writing about them.

Demonstration 1:  Two clear liquids combine to instantly form a yellow substance surrounded by oily-like liquid.

That's not orange juice!

Demonstration 2:  Copper chloride and aluminum foil.  

Taking the temperature of the copper chloride.  This was followed by a large piece of 

aluminum foil being stirred into the solution.  The foil fell apart and disappeared into 

the liquid which rapidly changed from blue to grey.  

The blue liquid transformed to become clear and foggy, with a large deposit of 

brownish red substance on the bottom.  We will reveal what happened after the students

have a chance to theorize and write about their observations.

 Demonstration 3:  Liquid Glycerin and Potassium Permanganate powder

First, the glycerin was added to the powder.  Nothing seemed to happen.

Then, fizzles and smoke . . . and then . . .

It burst into flame.  Whooee, now that's science!

And, boy did it stink.  We took an outside break after that.

Demonstration 4:  Ivory Soap and a microwave!

We placed a bar of Ivory soap on a dish and put it in the microwave for a minute.

We watched it rise and expand into a puffy glob. 

The glob of Ivory soap.

Hope to see you tonight at the sing!

West Branch Library & Historical Fiction Books

Homework

4th Grade Math:  No homework.

5th Grade Math:  POW (due Friday), Stock Market

Wordly Wise:  20 minutes

Reading 20 minutes:  Historical Fiction book club books!  (don't forget to record your reading in the planner)  

Upcoming Events: 

Spring Sing, 4/30:  Tomorrow night, 6:00-8:00.  

Save the Date:  May 29, 6:00-8:30pm, Performance of Learning & 5th Grade Tribute in the classroom and Depot.

Field Trips

• Wednesday, May 7 (8:45-3:15)  Oakland Museum History Gallery
• Friday, May 23 (8:45-3:00)  Sailing on Bay and nautical skills workshop.
• Thursday, June 5 (7:45-4:30)  Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma CA
• New Field Trip:  On June 5 we are headed to Gold Country!  We have an early departure of 7:45am and a late return of 4:30pm (traffic depending).  We will need drivers.  It is a long drive, but a fun trip.  We will explore and tour the town, visit the museum and Sutter's MIll, followed by panning for gold in the South Fork of the American River.

Today in Strawberry: After MAP testing and a rehearsal for the Spring Sing we headed down to the new West Branch Library on University Avenue.  We met with the Children's section librarian who led the students on an interactive exploration of the Berkeley Public Library website.  She showed links to informational data bases which we plan to make use of in our research in the future, and demonstrated how to use the online check out system to have books ordered and sent to the library of your choice.  We ended with a brief tour of the Children's section and the students had a few minutes to peruse the books.  We hope to have time to return soon.

 Historical Fiction Book Groups:  The students have been partnered with classmates to read a historical fiction novel, and meet and discuss it.  Our theme is "identity" and how identity impacts characters and situations.  The students are marking locations in the story where identity is an issue (personal or cultural), as well as when it is an advantage to the main characters or plot.  Along with reflecting the social justice topics we are learning about in class, the topic of identity is also part of our social conversation goals as a group.  As the students read their books, they will also be planning a "scrapbook" about a character in the book.  

MAP testing this week, starting tomorrow at 8:45.  Please arrive on time.

Homework

4th Grade Math:  No homework, MAP testing tomorrow.  Today in class we reviewed a variety of mathematical terms and methods from the year and learned about congruency.

5th Grade Math:  POW (due Friday), Stock Market

Handwriting or Typing Club:  15 minutes of handwriting practice in the book or typing practice at Typing Club (username is student name, password:  strawberry)

Reading 20 minutes  (don't forget to record your reading in the planner)  

Upcoming Events: 

Spring Sing, 4/30:  Wednesday night, 6:00-8:00.  

Save the Date:  May 29, 6:00-8:30pm, Performance of Learning & 5th Grade Tribute in the classroom and Depot.

Field Trips

• Wednesday, May 7 (8:45-3:15)  Oakland Museum History Gallery
• Friday, May 23 (8:45-3:00)  Sailing on Bay and nautical skills workshop.
• Thursday, June 5 (7:45-4:30)  Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma CA
• New Field Trip:  On June 5 we are headed to Gold Country!  We have an early departure of 7:45am and a late return of 4:30pm (traffic depending).  We will need drivers.  It is a long drive, but a fun trip.  We will explore and tour the town, visit the museum and Sutter's MIll, followed by panning for gold in the South Fork of the American River.

Today in Strawberry:  The students are close to finishing their short screen plays, and beginning to practice in preparation for filming.  We played rousing games of Words Their Way BINGO, and after a special music rehearsal, kicked off our focus on Energy during Science this afternoon.  Students learned about potential and kinetic energy.  With a partner they drew an example of a form of energy, and shared with the class.  Our science lab focused on radiant energy, harnessing the sun's rays with magnifiers.  

Partners represent a form of energy in writing and drawing.

Electrical energy!

Sharing about the different forms of energy.

Harnessing the rays of the sun.

Angling the lens to focus the sunlight into a point.

Burning the letter "A" into the redwood.  

Each student was given a letter as part of a phrase to burn into the wood.

Final BIG Field Trip Scheduled!

New Field Trip:  On Thursday, June 5 we are headed to Gold Country!  We have an early departure of 7:45am and a late return of 4:30pm (traffic depending).  
We will need drivers.  Please look to the wiki which will be updated soon to sign up to drive.  It is a long drive, but a fun trip.  We will explore and tour the town, visit the museum and Sutter's MIll, followed by panning for gold in the South Fork of the American River.

Upcoming Events: 

Save the Date:  May 29, 6:00-8:30pm, Performance of Learning & 5th Grade Tribute in the classroom and Depot.

Field Trips

• Wednesday, May 7 (8:45-3:15)  Oakland Museum History Gallery
• Friday, May 23 (8:45-3:00)  Sailing on Bay and nautical skills workshop.
• Thursday, June 5 (7:45-4:30)  Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, Coloma CA