Mid February Report

Thanks to the snow for taking a break. Here's what we've been up to...

Students underwent almost 2 weeks of a trigger project. Each student chose a behavior or feeling to interrupt (going out on the fire escape and singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was among the most entertaining) and then applied Nonviolent Communication principles in their Trigger notebook. Students made observations about the inner and outer conditions, wrote down feelings present, looked into what needs might not be being met and finally thought of possible actions they could take or request of others. Students will reflect on this first project and will begin another in March.

In our Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci studies, students have practiced a form of outlining while reading 3 short chapters. While reading each paragraph, students wrote the main topic in the margin. The children then went back and reread the chapter, this time highlighting, in a pithy and succinct manner, the details that support/represent the main topic. Finally, students then wrote outlines in their Flight Logs. This will prepare them for a research project when we return from break.

This past week we turned our attention to drafting 5 paragraph essays in response to The Phantom Tollbooth and Wood Song. After utilizing a graphic organizer to develop a position and three supporting reasons, students determined the order in which to present their ideas so as to make the most persuasive case. After idea development and organization, Red Fox Clanners drafted their essays and moved on to self editing conventions and revising for sentence fluency and word choice. Students also peer edited and revised the same traits. Children either wrote or typed their final drafts before vacation began. Imbedded throughout the process were lessons on introductions (including their position, supporting reasons, and various strategies to hook the reader), the body, conclusions, sentence fluency and word choice.

The past 2 Fridays we have spent our math time in mixed age groups with a focus on problem solving. Students received a problem solving framework which takes them through a detailed process of gathering information from the word problem, organizing it, picking a strategy to solve the problem, recording their thinking, and then extending their thinking. Word problems are a major component of the Singapore math program, thus these collaborative sessions will serve the students well in becoming stronger problem solvers.