6th Grade: Upcoming Assessment on "Earth's Changing Face"

We are learning about how the earth is always moving and changing. Why is it important? It is important because it connects to many different ideas in science. Water moves and changes, animals go through life stages and changes... Our test and what we are learning about focuses on how the earth is moving and changing to create different types of rocks and landforms. Eventually, we will be learning about volcanoes and reporting on ones we find especially interesting.

Here is a short video and song that uses many concepts about the earth, and the rock cycle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53lMd

Wisconsin Dells

 

4th Grade Recently Accomplished

A letter from the ISS...

Deep Space Models

Here are some good examples of deep space models/ posters.

8th Grade - How was the Solar System formed?

The deep space presentations turned out really well, and the models look fantastic. I hope to get some pictures of them up here soon!

We are moving back to our own solar system to learn about how it was formed. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37Ju5DEbkR4

We will be watching the listed video in parts, in class. It is about 44 minutes in length.

8th Grade: Deep Space Continues

We're now working on a model of deep space using everyday objects to represent features of deep space such as: nebulae, stars, exoplanets, galaxies. Materials should be brought to class on Monday, October 21st.

I just saw this article on how little we know about deep space:

http://front.kinja.com/graphics-shows-the-insignificant-scope-of-our-planetary-1447426028

5th Grade: Interrupted Journey_Lesson 6

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/animals-pets-kids/reptiles-kids/turtle-loggerhead-kids/

A sea turtle eating seaweed. 

In this lesson we are exploring cause and effect. What effects do you see when you forget to bring an umbrella on a rainy day? Your clothes get wet, your hair gets wet, you may get into a bad mood. Those are all effects of not remembering your umbrella. 

In this lesson we will read about how a young boy saves sea turtles. What are the effects of his actions?

4th Grade: A Typical Day on the ISS

We're learning about our solar system and space, in general.We are practicing our new vocabulary related to space, and we'll be starting a letter. In our letter we'll pretend to be an astronaut on the International Space Station, writing a letter home to our family about our typical day.

Karen Nyberg, an astronaut currently in space is on Facebook and Twitter. Here are more than 30 photographs she has taken of Earth and of the ISS. She has a 3 1/2 year-old-son and husband (who is also an astronaut) who appreciate her photos, and they are eagerly waiting for her return. She will return to Earth on November 11, 2013.

http://m.space.com/21731-space-photos-astronaut-karen-nyberg-images.html

Here's one video you can watch about a typical day in space:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLl2pJSqvww

Keep looking for others - there are many!

Here's a picture of the ISS (International Space Station):

6th Grade: Argumentative Letters to Our Governor

The 6th graders are just finishing up writing letters to the governor presenting reasons for creating more hydroelectric dams in Wisconsin, or fewer dams. In the letters, I am looking for good organized paragraphs that explain their reasons. I hope that they can finish up their letters this week!

Here's an example of one student who finished already:

Dear Mr. Walker:

I am a sixth grader at Greenfield School located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I am learning about hydroelectric power in my school.

I strongly suggest we should build more dams, because it does not make air pollution and pollution makes ugly, dark skies. The coal mines could run out of coal to make electricity. 

I think we should build more dams because it is the cheapest type of energy. A lot of people can afford this type of electricity. It is not only cheap for people, it is also cheap to build them.

Mr. Walker, you should make more dams for a lot of reasons, you should really consider it. I hope you understand that not all people can afford the coal electricity, and hydroelectric power is cleaner too. I hope you decide to build more hydroelectric dams.

Sincerely,
Anonymous

Here's a picture of a hydroelectric dam:

8th Grade: Deep Space

We are now venturing into deep space, the area of space beyond our solar system. In addition to a test on the little book the students have read, the students will be creating models of deep space that they will present to the class. Maybe someone can use cotton balls to represent nebulae? Maybe someone else can use pipe cleaners to represent galaxies?

Here's a good documentary on what scientists are discovering in deep space:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8wbgh8oYno

It's about an hour so make sure you have the time!

All Kids ~ Class Dojo Info

Class Dojo is now up and running for all the students I see in class. If you need help with accessing Class Dojo at home, please let me know, and I will re-set your password. I will be giving parents their code and information at Parent-Teacher conferences.

For students setting up their avatar: www.classdojo.com/student

5th Grade: Double Dutch in Journeys

The 5th graders just started reading a non-fiction story in their Journeys book about a double dutch team from New York. In order to build up more knowledge about what double dutch jumping is, we watched a short video about it.

Here is that video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a3jbQ5Edvo

Here's one we haven't watched!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRdwTxMeTL8

Sequence of Events
We are working on the skill of sequence of events in a story. This skill can be a little tricky because some stories are not told in sequential order. For example, in "Double Dutch", the story begins by telling us that the Snazzy Steppers have won many championships, and then the author tells us how they worked hard to get to where they got.