Math, Social Studies and Number Corner 1/13/13

    This week in math we have been working again with egg carton fractions.  After a few days of studying and realizing that you cannot split an egg, we finally got to make posters about equivalent egg carton fractions.  Everybody made a unique poster.  On Friday we got to share our posters with our classmates and all were creative and great!  They were presented in the kiva.
    In social studies we have been working on Vermont geography by reading texts.  We got to get on laptops and go to www.grolier.com and read even more about Vermont history.  We took notes in our science notebooks.  One interesting part was about the French and Indian War, which the English were also involved in.
    In number corner this week we continue to turn over calendar squares and record all kinds of things about time (see earlier posts).  Some patterns are emerging.  We uncovered that every five days the time between the day and the day before adds ten minutes.  We thought that was cool.

Reading and Writing

    In reading this week we have been doing silent reading. We have also been going to the computer lab to work on this program called kid blog. We will be doing responses to prompts and we will also post school related things. Every week the whole class will write a response about the book we are reading at the moment. The response will go with a prompt Mrs.Crowther will post on her blog (on kid blog) and also on our goal sheets. We are also reading non fiction text while we are working on “reading with a question in mind” and identifying important information.

In writing this week every Tuesday and Thursday for at least all of January we will be going to the computer lab to do type to learn. We also wrote to a prompt from a test. The prompt was a letter to convince your school librarian to buy your favorite book, again, for the school library since it is missing. Those who want to are still doing the young writers project.   

Other Important News and Events

- No school Monday Jan. 21 because it’s Martin Luther King Jr. day
- The PTO international  potluck dinner had a great turnout! Thanks to all participants!

By Nigel Wormser and Heidi Berger

Math,social studies and number corner 1/6/13

    This week in math we have started a new unit about fractions. We have learned about adding fractions and we have made a list of equal fractions.  We learned about the numerator and denominator, and how the division symbol is related to the division line found in a fraction . On Wednesday we learned about egg-carton fractions--  an egg carton represents a whole (the number one), and the compartments represent the fraction of the whole.  Next week we are going to make posters about equal egg carton fractions.
    In social studies this week we have been studying the geography of the United States by playing trivia games and taking quizzes.  We even took an International New England Test.  Unfortunately no student moved up a level, so we’d better start studying!   Later in the week, students started reading about Vermont transportation including steamships, railroads, paths, roads, automobiles, and communication (telephones and postal service).  
    In number corner we have kept on turning over the calendar squares.  This month’s calendar squares are about time.  Every  morning we record the time, the date, whether it’s a.m. or p.m., the time elapsed since the day before, and the time elapsed since the first.
    Stay tuned for next week’s news!

 Reading and Writing
    This week in reading we are reading articles about early transportation in Vermont. The titles of the two articles that we read was Historic Roots and Steam Travel on Lake Champlain The articles tell us how the transportation in Vermont changed and how that changed the settlement in Vermont. After we finish the article-and throughout it- we have been taking notes. We take notes about the important parts of it or if we have a question to answer we take notes to answer that. We have also been doing silent reading.
    This week in writing we have started going to the computer lab to do type to learn. We will be going to the computer lab to do type to learn every Tuesday and Thursday at writing. We will be doing this for at least all of January. We have also written reflections to Mrs.Crowther about how we think we have grown as a learner since August. We also made goals/hopes and dreams (in the reflection) for the rest of the school year. They didn’t necessarily have to go with school. We have also started the young writers project (YWP) again. Kelly Marcus is, once again helping us write and submit writing pieces for possible publishment. Not all students are doing it, but some are, so ask your child if they are doing it to find out more about it. You can also go to the young writers project website at www.youngwritersproject.org.

 Other Important News and Events

- Red barn fundraiser is currently going on
- The PTO international potluck dinner is on Friday Jan. 18th
- No school Monday Jan. 21 because it’s Martin Luther King Jr. day
-Student exchange! Our good friend Ian has gone to panama for the rest of the year but in his place comes James,the new student!

     By Nigel Wormser and Heidi Berger

Math,science, and number corner                                                                   

In math this week we have been mostly working on multiplying  money. We have learned that it is harder than it looks because it has certain rules. Mrs.Crowther taught us a few different ways to do it. Many people have come up and shared the way that they are most comfortable with. We also found out what other people like to do at home when we made a list of different ways to solve multiplication problems .Even Mrs.Crowther did not know some of them!

In science this week we have worked on the study of Vermont. With our road maps we have done a little outlining/labeling. We have started a test on a laptop that makes us have to do a lot of research on specific websites. A “build a map project” has come home. Each student has ten days to finish it.  You can  build with all sorts of things like wood,paper mache,clay,and much more! They have a checklist to follow in order to get good grades but if they finish and they want more they can add things that are not on the list!

In number corner we did not do much, but we made a few observations  and predictions about the calendar. Some of  the observations were... “I observe that it goes 1 white then 2 Yellow then 1 blue and then it starts over again.” And some predictions were...“I predict that the 15th will be yellow.” Mrs.Crowther was very proud of our thoughts!

Reading and Writing       

    This week in writing we are working on our informational (or non-fiction.) pamphlets. The pamphlets are about the human body. Everyone has chosen a system in the human body to focus their pamphlets on. We have also picked a major organ or a part in the body to explain something about that part of the body.We are in partnerships of our choice to work and help each other. Partners must be writing about the same system. We are hoping to finish our pamphlets before winter break.

In music we have been writing to music. We have been writing whatever comes to mind while listening to the music. It could be a poem, a story, or any kind of writing.

    This week in reading we are still reading a book with our partner. We have been leaving tracks of our thinking throughout the book.  None of us have finished, but some are close! We have also been making a word wall. When we are reading our books we find words we can’t pronounce or don’t know the meaning of  and write it down on our own word walls. You can also put words you like on your word wall. At the end of reading, everyday Mrs.Crowther calls on a few people to share a word on their word wall to put on our class word wall. We are also working on “Someone, Wanted, But, So”. We each have a sheet which we kind of answer “Someone, Wanted, But, So” by writing the main characters name, what they wanted, what was in their way and we are still waiting to find out what happens in the end of the book which is the answer to “So”.We are also doing our usual reading.

Other important news and events
    -Chorus concert 12/13/12
    -Big Vt project came home! Due 12/17/12
    -Reduced weekly homework to make time for the VT map.

    By Nigel Wormser and Heidi Berger

 

Math, Science/Social Studies and Number Corner

In math this week we built “skeletons” to frame double-digit multiplication problems. Inside the “skeleton” frame we put base ten pieces. That helped us see the answer and it helped us understand the equations better. We also made “dinosaurs”. The “dinosaurs” are the area models when the “skeleton” and the base ten pieces are put together to finish the area model. We learned how to build, draw and finally we learned how to sketch the area models. We will also be playing quite a few games to help us multiply larger numbers.

In science and social studies we finished up our study of the human body by having an assessment before break. We are now studying Vermont!!! We started the study with reading some VT related read-alouds. We also learned some special things about VT. For example, we learned what the breed of our state horse was and which presidents lived here. We have all gotten a Vermont Attractions Map and we are starting to find places in VT. We are also finding the boundaries of VT and which states or countries border us. We will learn more about VT’s geography as the week goes on.

In number corner this week we will learn the new activities our number corner keepers will be keeping up to date. The new activities will start on Monday and we will observe the new calendar squares. We recently played a game called Buzz. To play Buzz you go around and count by ones. When you get to a multiple of the number that you decided on (we did four) the person whose turn it is says “buzz”. In the November calendar the squares showed a triangle. The calendar  squares were divided into four squares. The squares are called quadrants. The triangle move position everyday. The triangle either slid or it turned or it flipped. During number corner we learned the fancy words for slide, turn and flip.

                   

Reading and Writing

    This week in writing we have been working on our personal narratives...well, some of us. Others have been working on either Young Writers Project (YWP) or pamphlets. YWP is when some people go out in the kiva with Kelly (A faithful volunteer) and look at what the writing prompt is that week. It is always a fun thing! Then they write about the topic.Then they can post it on the web or, if they're lucky, in the news!

    Pamphlets are what some writers put information in. This time we are making our own! We are doing it about the human body.You get to pick a system and make a pamphlet about that system! It is really fun because you get to cut and paste on things.

    In reading we are doing partner reading for character and plot. We have paired up based on level and ability with reading.The first thing we did was to interview our partners about their reading. Then we got to pick our books based on our JR level! Readers have to figure out how many pages that they have to read a day.
    
 Other Important News and Events

    - Chorus Concert 12/13/12
    - We will have a VT map project coming home. Students will have 10 days to finish and will receive lot’s of sources to use as references.
   

Math, Science and Number Corner

    In math this week we did story problems and building arrays! We did some story problems about a girl named Maggie on a farm and we built arrays with base ten pieces to figure them out. Also at the end of the week we did a page in our student workbook independently where we had an array to build and find out the product for it.

    In science this week we read different problems and we tried to figure out systems are working in them. For example, “A teammate kicks the ball to you during a soccer game and you kick it across the field and make a goal.” In this problem a lot of systems work together. Also we wrote questions down about the human body on a piece of paper and then we gave them to Kristy and she chose some to ask the class. We did this because we are finishing our human body unit and on Friday we did a test.

    In number corner this week we talked about our calendar which has 4 quadrants on it and a triangle that is moving around those 4 quadrants.  We talked about the vocabulary we can use to describe the triangle’s different movement each day. For example, rotate and slide. Also, we talked about how each day of the month we have been adding 6 inches to a meter. To keep track of this, our number corner keepers have filing in a chart.

 Reading and Writing

    In reading this week we have been finishing up our summary of the blood cells article. We are basically taking the main idea and the 3 supporting details from the planning sheet and making them into a summary. We have also been reading in our just right books and still continuing with our book talks as usual.

    In writing this week we have been working on our narratives. A lot of us are almost done and all that needs to happen is Mrs. Crowther edit it, but some of us are taking our time and succeeding as well. We also did a lesson on dialogue. We learned about quotation marks and that you need to put a comma before you put a quotation mark. That when you're writing and you want someone to talk in your writing, you need to use quotation marks.

 Other Important News and Events

    -Thanksgiving Break!!!
    -It’s too late to hand in forms, but the pie sale at the Holiday Craft Fair is December 1st.
    - On Friday November 30th at 6:30pm Jenny Land is having a launch party for her new novel The Spare Room at the Flying Pig.
    - And just to tell you this is our (Maddy Krupp and Greta Powers) last blog. We had  fun writing it and now new kids are going to write it. I hope you enjoyed it!

 PTO Notes & News for November 2012

We've sold 28 LOCAL COUPON BOOKS. They are still available (c:
sweeneyrs@gmail.com) and they'll be for sale at the Holiday Fair.

HANNAFORD HELPS SCHOOLS program continues through 12/1. Please remember
to bring in your "Hannaford Helps Schools" receipts to the office or put in the kiosk
at Hannaford.

We made over $700 on business listings for the SCHOOL DIRECTORY. Please solicit
these businesses listed in the back of the directory that have supported our school!

There will be a table collecting donations for the Shelburne Food Shelf at the
HOLIDAY FAIR. Please consider bringing something to donate.

The FALL GRANT COMMITTEE will meet on Thursday, 11/15 to decide on PTO
grant recipients.

The COAT DRIVE is still on. You can drop off gently used winter gear in the box in
front of the office.

Congratulations to DELANEY BRUNVAND for her published piece in the Young
Writers Project anthology.

Librarian KARI AHEARN was quoted in the e-zine, Amplify regarding the success of
e-reading at our school.

Joplin James has again brought the IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND to our school.
Thanks to the Green Mountain Children's Museum for their donation of this!

RED RIBBON WEEK, the week of 10/29 was a week to "stand proud and loud
against drugs and bullying". The week included presentations by middle school
students from Project LEAD, a middle school assembly and a faculty flash mob!
Check out the video on the SCS library page (https://sites.google.com/a/cssu.org/
scslibrary/)

Thank you to David Southworth for organizing a schoolwide MOCK ELECTION.
Students were given the opportunity to experience registering to vote and
completing a sample ballot. Interestingly, the mock election results mirrored the
actual election results.

UA CURRICULUM NIGHT was very well attended - over 150 families!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS has included harassment policies
training, common core development specifically for math and language arts, and
Functional Behavior Assessment training.

PTO sponsored speaker MARILYN NEAGLEY gave a wonderful talk last night
about Mindfulness and how it's being used in classrooms (here at SCS!) and
at home. If you weren't able to attend you can check out her website (http://
www.talkaboutwellness.org/) for more information on this very interesting subject.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
• Holiday Fair - Saturday, 12/1, 9:30a - 1:30p

HELP WANTED:
• Math Counts Coordinator (contact Allan Miller )
• SKAT Class leaders - Needed for cooking class, science class and UN
Delegation class (contact Sue Schaefer - sschaefer@cssu.org)

THANK YOUS:
• Dawn Fragola for coordinating the most lucrative Newberry Bake Sale ever!
• Everyone who helped at the Newberry Cup or donated baked goods.
• Everyone who helped distribute Genevieve gift wrap..
• Mark Fragola for printing up our colorful Holiday Fair.

By Maddy Krupp and Greta Powers

Math, Science, and Number Corner
   
    In Math this week we have  been working with the base ten system. We have been working with units, strips, mats, strip mats, and mat mats. We also built “THE GREAT WALL OF BASE TEN!!!” Which has a unit, strip, mat, strip-mat (10 mats put together) and a mat-mat (10 stip-mats put together. That is why we call it,“THE GREAT WALL OF BASE TEN!!!” We also did a pre- assessment to unit 2.

    In Science this week we did a lot of learning! In the beginning of the week we were trying to figure out what systems work together. We figured out a lot of them work together! Also, we watched a video the nervous system and we did an activity on the computer as a class on the overhead.
   
In Number Corner this week we have been looking at the calendar to see so far what the pattern is. We estimated and and even when over some things in class to maybe help us make more predictions, observations, and noticings. 


Reading and Writing

    In reading this week we have been putting the last touches on our Non-Fiction posters and we also read an article called, “What Do Blood Cells Do?” After we read this we filled out a sheet with boxes that were titled the Main Idea and 3 supporting details. Basically we were practicing doing a summary.

    In writing this week we have been continuing our Narratives and we should have them done by next week! We also did a lesson about paragraphs. We learned what a paragraph is and when you start a new one in a piece of writing. After we talked about this as a group we went back into our Narratives and checked if we had places where there should be a new paragraph. We also went back to make sure there was punctuation, spelling was correct, and capitalization at beginning of words.

 
 Other Important News and Events

    -Pie forms due Wednesday 11/14/12
    -Conferences 11/12/12
    -Report cards 11/9/12

-I also just wanted to give a heads up that  the 19-23 is  No School.

By Maddy Krupp and Greta Powers

Reading and Writing

    In Reading this week  we started a new project. We started making posters that explain different features of Non-Fiction. We need to say where you can find it, what it is and how it helps you. For example: the index, glossary and captions. Also, we need to get 2 examples from either a Non-Fiction book,  a magazine or newspaper. Another new thing that happened this week is the Fluency Center. The Fluency Center is where kids work and track their fluency in reading. Finally, we have been practicing reading Non-Fiction articles and after we read it we write a summary about it. To write the summary we have to pick what facts we thought were most important and at the end of the week we were comparing and contrasting ourselves with the main character in the just right book we are reading.

    In Writing this week we have been writing more and more of our Personal Narrative. We have been having content conferences with Mrs. Crowther, writing our 2nd draft on lined paper, having peer conferences, and a lot of other things in the writing process.

Math, Science, Number Corner

    In Math this week we have been learning about the system Base 4. We have been relating it to Base 10. We have been making observations and comparing what is different about each system. Mr. Madden (the math teacher) has been coming into the class this week to be our math teacher. He has been explaining what system is more efficient to use and what one isn’t more efficient to use. We have also been building models with the Base 4 pieces and trying to build the minimal collection.

    In Science this week we have been watching videos and taking notes about the skeletal system. We learned how our bones work and the 5 functions they have. We learned why an owls head can almost turn all the way around and why we can’t do that. We also looked through national geographic magazines and learned some more information on the skeletal system.


    In Number Corner this week we have been wrapping our observations for the October calendar (since we are going into a new month!!!!!) and just noticing things about our new November calendar.
 
 Other Important News and Events

    11/9 - Unicef money is due, report cards come home.
    11/12 - Conferences will be held, no school
    11/19-11/23 - No school (Thanksgiving break)
    12/1 - Holiday fair, Endeavor is doing a pie sale!!!!!!!!!!!!

Written by: Maddy Krupp and Greta Powers