Week 3

And we're off in using our Singapore Math textbooks and workbooks. Could it be that I heard a group of children express excitement about beginning math? And did I hear them express their enjoyment of the new format? Yes, indeed. Both groups began investigating decimals, practicing multiplication and division as well as learning about tenths.

Red Fox Clanners have devoted significant time to preparing for their Goal Setting Conferences coming up on Monday. Students continued to impress me with their ability to reflect and subsequently set goals for themselves in each discipline and the social learning/learning behaviors realms. They will continue to practice reflecting on and openly discussing their learning throughout the year.

In Language Arts land this week students wrote letters to our friend who moved to France, as well as looking at subjects and objects in sentences, to/too/two and your/you're. We continued to practice quotation marks and capitalizing proper nouns.

Just like last week, we ventured down to Darrow School and glazed the bowls we made last Wednesday. Pictures of the week will be up soon!

Week 2

Our kites took to the skies once again, this time with more attention on the tow point along the bridle. From their observations, students recorded what worked, what didn't work, and what needed to be changed in their Flight Logs. An additional cross spar was added to each kite, resulting in more air time. Also crafted this week were quick kite haikus.

Students began surveying the geography, climate and history of Ancient China and responded to questions while reading The Story of the World and Exploring our World. We recorded what we knew and what we want to learn about China, as well as listened to sections of the book If I were a Kid in Ancient China.

Red Fox Clanners finished up math assessments and are ready to review multiplication, division and fractions before delving into the Singapore Math curriculum.

Students completed a more difficult version of the Helium Stick challenge this week as well as beginning to learn the process of reaching consensus. Red Fox Clanners from last year recalled the various forms of decision-making and how certain situations call for the various methods. We went through the first 5 steps of the consensus process, which are as follows:

1. Presentation of proposal (Friday's proposal was to continue Work Block during the 30 minutes leading up to Big Circle).

2. The asking of clarifying questions

3. Discussion of proposal

4. Finger poll (to see how close consensus is and note those who have concerns so they may speak)

5. Further discussion, questioning and compromise

We ended at step 5 without consensus and will continue on to steps 6 through 9 next week on a different proposal. Students will begin to take on the roles of facilitator, list keeper and time keeper as their comfort level with the process grows.

First Week of School

Hello all returning and new Red Fox Clan parents!

I hope this update finds you all well and ready for more great learning this year. We have already touched upon many facets of air, our overall theme of the year, in many ways. Children have built and studied kites and today attempted our first flights. Some kites got into the air, and for all it's back to learning more about aerodynamics and adjusting their tow points.

We have taken on a number of challenges, including the Lava challenge (this is the first group I have witnessed succeeding in this challenge), the Blindfolded Caterpillar, and this morning the Helium Stick. We have toned with a drone, experiencing the effects of sound vibrations moving through air and into our ears. We have also begun paying attention to our breath, noticing how deep it is when we come to school and what it feels like after we sing. The more we breathe well, the more life and spirit we have found thus far!

Another practice we began this week was independent reading. For each independent reading session, students are expected to record the page numbers read, their thoughts on sticky notes, a question or 2, and then the answers to their questions in their reading log. The number of thoughts and questions assigned is dependent on the length of the reading session. We have also begun studying conventions through the means of Daily Oral Language. Students correctly write sentences full of errors into a notebook and then share their ideas.

As kites have their roots in Asia through various legends, we will soon begin an investigation of Ancient China. Our social studies curriculum can best be characterized as the history of flight. We will learn about many different regions of the world following the evolution of humankind's quest to fly.

Please check out this week's pictures by following the picasaweb link on the right side of this blog page.