Sprout House Observations, and GIANT Idaho Map, Calligraphy with raspberry ink we made

The kids really like used the quill with the ink we made. I have had to buy some real ink to use. A few students have brought in quills from other birds to try. 

 The kids have kept track in a chart of watering and sprouting. Results have been different for the seeds. They have done sketches and tomorrow will be able to take home their plants. We have also been feeding two Venus Fly Traps. I had to go and get a second one because of all the flies they were bringing in! We have had good talks about adaptation and writing facts. Learning to explain information takes a lot of practice. The Sprout Houses were the material for their first narrative and expository writing. We are using a story in the text book as the model. Lots of thinking about what to include. They know what a criteria list is now.                                      Each day some have been able to measure the height of their sprout in mm/cm, do a sketch, and write statements that describe change.         It was really interesting to have them do this first experiment because many changed the amount of water they were giving to the sprout. The little house has a funnel and I gave them a teaspoon and measuring cup. When a few kids had sprouted seeds, kids began to over water. They realized this when we started writing 'claims and evidence statements'.

Comfortable in her tank of coconut husks watching the class.

  It took more than a half hour of directions, and team instructions, but at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, the kids interacted with National Geographic's Giant Idaho Map.

 http://nationalgeographic.org/education/giant-traveling-maps/

First 5 minutes to wonder and wander.

The comments the kids made after we debriefed were very insightful as they explained that the size of the map allowed them to understand the distances better.

https://idahogeographicalliance.wordpress.com/

Karen Humes and Patrick Olsen, University of Idaho colleagues, wrote the grant that made it possible for this huge map to travel our state.

They loved walking on the Bitterroot Mountains that are the eastern border for the state.

Socks only on the 16' x 20' map. It weights 25 pounds

Besides the Team Bingo Scavanager Map Search, the kids put some information down that they will look into.

Yellow Group

Red Group

Blue Group

Green Group

The questions on the board were for the TBaA for each group. It is important in cooperative learning to make sure that the kids reflect on the learning. It provides review and reinforcement.

As I observe and listen to each group making sure that everyone is heard and how to take turns, I am reminded that the art of listening gives us so much knowledge. For this group of very friendly 4th graders, they are  finding out that that the information or observations of another classmates will aid their own learning.  

Together for 8 days and establishing our routines, protocols, jobs, and 'how' we work in academics

This is our Reading Log. Three are to be completed per quarter. There are 15 spots to record the title of the book, the author, and the pages read. A parent signs off to verify that your child read for a sustained 40 minutes. This is part of homework every night-7 days a week. This is the best way to improve concentration. Making a habit to read each day builds stamina and focus and it keeps the student engaged in the book because the interact with it each day. The motto of 4th grade is to "work thoroughly, thoughtfully, and carefully each day". Reading is a huge part thathelps grow the skills required for learning. We share our stories and analyze what is happening. Whether your child reads The Wimpy Kid or the Narmia Series, comic books, or the newspaper, on a Kindle or in bed with a flashlight-- encourage them! Plus mode reading yourself. Let them see you reading a good book. 

  We are off to a good start. The class is learning the Morning Meeting format. Below is the activity from a Morning Meeting.  The 25 minutes at the beginning of the day is how we set the tone, pay attention to our goal for the week and share a moment before we get to math. The kids have been learning a lot about the right times to socialize and the right times to work.
Getting the Planners signed was the first goal and they are sharing our day---from the TBaA ( Think Back and About).

The kids learned 1 Potato, 2 Potato. It's one of the ways to choose up sides for a game. It was used in the Greeting for the Morning Meeting.

This Clarissssa, my 12 year old Ball Python and class pet. She has been checking the kids out and we passed around her last shed. I have been answering questions about how I take care of her.