Factory Project

Fifth graders were introduced to their "Industrial Revolution Culminating Endeavor" today, in which they will create plans for a factory produced product in groups.  This is an integrated project, which will draw on skills and content knowledge from most subject areas (Science, Social Studies, Writing, Computers, and Judaic Studies).  Please ask your child about it!  They will work on this project during the month of May.  Their plans will be pitched in early June.

Swimming in a Sea of Poetry

We began our poetry unit today.  "Poetry is emotion" is one of our main big ideas for this unit.  We began by brainstorming poetic words and phrases.  Slowly, slowly the words came at first, then they flew from mouths onto two large pieces of chart paper, falling fast from lips until the paper had been taken over with their poetic words.  We talked about words that evoke feelings and imagery.  Each student chose several words to display artfully, and then added string to the top, to be hung from the ceiling.  As they worked, I read poetry.  We intend to transform our classroom into a sea of poetry, so that we feel as if we're swimming in poetry.  It is my hope that our young poets will sleep, eat, and breathe poetry in the coming weeks!  Every night each fifth grader will bring home a different book of poetry, to spend five minutes reading independently and five minutes aloud.  The more poetry we read and hear, the better poets we will become.  Fifth graders will begin writing original poetry next week.  At 6PM on June 13th the class will recite their poems at Blue State Coffee on Thayer Street.  Mark your calendars!

Next Math Test

There will be a math test on ratios, probability, and percents on Wednesday, May 4th.  Students should use the chapter review in their text books to study.

Current Events

Starting this week until the end of the year, every Friday each fifth grader will bring in a news article, a short summary, and personal thoughts about it.  Parents may wish to monitor from which news sources students are reading.  Articles can be read online.  We talked about students doing no more than one "fluff" article, like the royal wedding!

Modern Child Slavery

In Social Studies today students read excerpts from real-life stories of children, in India and Thailand, sold into labor to pay off their parents' debts.  Students defined captive, ransom, advocate, and redemption.  We talked about the poverty that would cause parents to fall into such a horrible trap.  We acknowledged how deeply sad it is when children are forced to work, and in such terrible conditions.
On Friday we will examine a Jewish text about freeing captives.

Math Quiz

Students completed a math quiz on finding percents today.  The quizzes will be returned tomorrow.

Creative Stories

Writers are busy editing and revising their stories.  It's impressive to see them peer edit productively!  Students will hand these in next Friday.

In the garden

We tilled several beds this week, using the compost that we made this year, sowed sugar snap peas in two beds, started watering, and of course, said a Shehechiyanu!

Wind Energy

Paul Rich, from project Deepwater Wind, came to speak to the class about wind energy.  He gave a very engaging slide-show presentation, as well as fielded dozens of fabulous questions from fifth graders.  This project is cutting edge and hopefully the future of energy in RI, New England, and the world.  It looks like RI might be the first state in this country to have an off-shore wind farm.  Take a look: http://dwwind.com/

Among the great questions asked by the class: How green are the materials used to make the wind turbines?  Where do the materials come from?  What is the cost of making one turbine?  Why is it so much? 

Paul's response to my thank you for coming email was:
"My pleasure!  What a great group of engaged students. I found them to be inspiring!"

Percent in Math

Fifth graders did very well on a math quiz this week.  Our current unit is on ratios and percent.  There will be another math quiz next Monday.

Literature Circles by Micah

In Bunnicula our group used literature circles. Literature circles is a way to think about a book by questions, connections, inferences, art, parts of chapters you like, and new words. In our group the students controlled the literature circles. Each person in our group got to state their thoughts about the chapter and they presented to their literature circle. Also our group made a rubric to see how well we did. Overall this experience of literature circles was fun, and I think our group learned a lot.