Monthly Archives: October 2017

Pickled Tomatoes . Garden . Interland . Water . Code

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This week we harvested squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes from the garden. We pickled the tomatoes so we can have a little taste of summer later in the season.
We pulled bindweed and thistle from the garden and looked into the soil conditions that help those plants thrive. After collecting soil samples, we will send them off to MSU for a soil test to see if our predictions about the soil are true. From there we will look into amendments to improve the health of the soil.
We continued our work with the Little Prince, focusing on some of the philosophical aspects of the story, including what was real and how we can find reality in fictional events.
The class also spent time in Interland, Google’s Digital Citizenship program. The focus this week was on sharing. We talked about digital footprints and the importance of being mindful of what we shared online. The students then played a game where they had to determine what kind of information they would share with whom.
Continuing our work with water, we met Catie Wytychak, Water Quality Specialist, from Washtenaw County to conduct some water tests at County Farm Creek, right across the street from SK.
In math, in addition to our Singapore work, the students began a coding course through www.code.org.

Compost . The Adventure Park

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This week, we spent time studying compost, how it’s made and how it benefits the soil and the environment. The students looked at articles and an animation and drafted responses to questions, focusing on complete sentences and domain-specific vocabulary.

 In preparation for the presentation, some students spent time raking and shredding leaves (part of the “browns” necessary for a healthy compost pile) and adding them to the bin. Others worked on sharing what they knew in the form of a presentation while others made comics. The last group worked on a list of things that can and can’t be composted which will hang in the atrium to help guide students dispose of their compostable materials in the right spot.
We also ventured to the Adventure Park in West Bloomfield. This was both a team-building exercise and a way for us to develop a connection with nature and trees, which will be a part of our ongoing studies for the year.

Lake Erie . Crafting Excellence . Compost

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This week the class traveled to the Lake Erie Metropark Marina to study Lake Erie, the body of water that the Huron River empties into. When we think about the health of our water it’s important to think about the bodies of water and communities both up river and down river from us.

The boat took us out on Lake Erie where students measured the surface temperature and carbon dioxide levels of the water with an eye towards what these can tell us about the health of the lake. They also explored the bottom of the lake with an underwater camera. Plankton was also a focus as it makes up an essential aspect of the ecosystem.
Using maps and other navigational charts the students explored the way the captain navigates the waters and the importance of rainfall in the Great Lakes Basin and the environmental impact that too little can have on the ecosystem.
We also began to think about how to build excellence and the role of critique and review in that process. We reviewed what excellence meant to us and then watched a video as a first-grade child drafted and revised a drawing of a butterfly. The kids noted the incremental improvements, the ways and kinds of feedback given, and what would take each draft closer to excellence.
The student ended up making six drafts of the piece and the difference between the first and last was astonishing. When discussing why the teacher didn’t just accept the second draft, given that improvements were made, students in our class had thoughtful responses. A few offered the idea that to accept the second draft as the final would be like “giving up” on the student and not helping them achieve their full potential.
Finally, a huge thank you to Mark (Max’s dad) for helping us repair the lid for the compost bin.  We are looking forward to composting our food scraps and helping build soil.

Argo Cascades . The Water Cycle . Great Lakes . Pascal’s Triangle

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We began the week on the Huron River, specifically the Argo Cascades. The class, along with extra chaperones (Thanks, Dan and Jenna!) rented tubes and enjoyed a gorgeous day in the sun. For many, it was their first experience there and most left adamant about bringing their families back. In the coming weeks, we will be looking into the history of the cascades and how economic and environmental concerns inform land use decisions. The trip was a joyous one as well and was designed with the hope of building positive connections between the students and the river. This will make our work with the river more meaningful beyond an abstract appreciation.

In connection with this work and in preparation for our trip to Lake Erie next week, the students looked at some of the issues affecting the Great Lakes. One is invasive species and the other is land use, specifically, development that fails to account for the ecosystem services provided by wetlands.
We also created water recycling systems to study the water cycle. After filling cups of water, the students placed these in sealed plastic bags and taped these to the windows. We’ve been observing and making notes of the condensation and precipitation.
In math, we continued our work in Singapore with some students working on the long division algorithm and others making the transition from using repeated addition to the multiplication algorithm. We also focused on math as a pattern finding activity, focusing on Pascal’s Triangle. The students, individually or in groups, observed patterns and made predictions.

Identity . Water . The Little Prince . Mathematical Reasoning

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This week we worked on writing prompts as a way to connect with aspects of our identity and what matters to us. They included creating a list of rules for being us at this age, describing moments when we were happiest and imagining our lives as a video game and ascribing points to the things that bring us joy, whether that was based on experiences or overcoming obstacles. We will channel these into our work on our 6 Word Memoirs.

In Science, we began our exploration of water by examining our ideas about the distribution of water on Earth. The students estimated the percentage of water found in the following:
  1. Oceans
  2. Ice Caps and Glaciers
  3. Groundwater
  4. Rivers, Lakes and Streams
  5. The Atmosphere
They then worked in groups to represent their mental models visually by taking a cup of water and distributing amongst cups representing the categories above. After doing so, the students also distinguished between water we can drink and water we can’t.
When Michelle and I revealed the actual distribution cries of shock and disbelief rang out especially when seeing how little of the Earth’s water was drinkable. This helped illustrate how precious of a resource our drinking water is and the importance of protecting it.
We continued reading The Little Prince focusing on the different reading roles that the students will be taking on as they read. These include the following:
  • Reporter – Summarizing
  • Profiler – Character Analysis
  • Curator – Finding Interesting or Confusing Words or Phrases
  • Detective – Asking Questions and Making Connections
This work will help them continue to develop their skills as readers. We will also be collaborating with Imogen on our work with The Little Prince with more details to follow.
In math, we continued our Singapore work as well as multiplication facts. Fact automaticity is practiced by learning to recognize patterns and ways to use facts they know to figure out ones they don’t. We also practice in groups naming facts, trying to get as many in a row as possible. The students always get a chance to practice being successful with the ones they miss. We also discussed the Commutative Property as it relates to multiplication and how it reduces the number of facts they have to practice.
The students also took on a series of folding challenges with origami paper. They were asked to create squares and triangles of various sizes (fractions of a whole) as well as different orientations. The two triangles folded couldn’t be congruent. The other important piece was that students had to convince each other that they had actually satisfied the challenge. For example, when asked to make a square 1/4 the size of the original, the students had to describe what made it a square and what made it 1/4 the size of the original. This allowed them to practice making arguments using mathematical reasoning.