Back To School Night Summary:
It was great to host parents and students Wednesday Night. The Parent Input Forms and Phone Conversations have helped us all to Get Started Right!
I spoke of the importance of bookmarking my Blog to benefit from the following:
- I have scanned all Graded Work in PDF Form using the App Genius Scan for both Math and Science in case you are stuck at home the night before the assignment is due. Extra copies are always available on my classroom shelf.
- My After School Extra Help Schedule is updated through the end of October. Students have already taken advantage already.
- Daily Homework is posted along with Long Term Assignments. Each day's math lesson video will accompany the assignment.
- I have also uploaded 3-minute Lessons through Chapter 2. I spoke about how parents can watch the video with their children and pause it to stop and think. This will help Reach All Learners. It is quite evident that this generation is being taught very differently in the area of mathematics. These videos will help with my instruction as well as help out at home.
Finally, I appreciate all the positive feedback regarding my Blog and children's adjustment to Grade 5. It is my hope that these attributes will set us all up for a successful school year.
Here is the 2-minute video made by the students for parents to view at Back To School Night. http://youtu.be/svgwAvPIYQE
Here is the document shared with Parents. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ETuWYBwX6mG-zfWAMqQ8OdWOOUwoI4Ps5W-P2LyXEPI/edit?usp=sharing
Here is the Parent Conference Signup. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rItaiT24qY3nQwA59tOgJTL-ZrGbOohnBmEO_mGonqg/edit?usp=sharing
Picture Day is this upcoming Friday 9/25.
This week in Math students learned about Place Value up to the decillions place. They created a Learning Poster based on the population of another country representing in standard form, expanded form, and word form. Students applied their knowledge of exponents and multiplication to break down large numbers in standard form. Many various activities included the use of place value dice and place value sliders to express the correct values. I also read book entitled Sir Cumference: All The King's Tens.
This week in Science students learned how to make a hypothesis and how to draw conclusions from lab activities involving controls and variables. Gummy Bears were placed in cups of water for a few hours with measurements taken before and after to observe results. Both Yellow and Blue Colored Dyes were placed in cups of both hot and cold water to determine the difference. Students had to respond to critical thinking questions to help uncover the reasoning behind each occurrence and if the results matched up with student predictions. Here, the 'why' follows the 'how'.
This week for Responsive Classroom students had to write one thing that is true for all people, 1 thing that is true for about half of the people, and 1 thing that is unique to you and only you. The following day the entire class stood up and I read each card. Students had to sit down once the characteristic no longer applied to them. We usually were left with 1 person standing: the original writer. In some cases, we had more than 1 student left standing. Here students were able to learn about each other's interests and even connect on some common interests.
Here are my 3 facts: I live outside of Boston. I love the Bruins. I am a TV Star. I figured it was about time I informed my students that I am in fact a television star. Check out the fan in the second row from the 2012 Thanksgiving Showdown.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrIRsWVpD28
Chris
