October Fun In and Out of the Classroom

The fourth, fifth and sixth grades are invited to attend TCS's "Halloween Fun Night and the Haunted Hallway" 

Date:  October 28
Time:  6:30-8:00
Details:  $10 entry fee; wear costumes (choice) for a costume contest (many categories)

Fifth graders gather around the Bashaw maple tree to experience first hand the reading selection "Why Leaves Change Color?" After making some observations and having some fun, students returned to the classroom to read and then summarize an article about the changing color of leaves. The class wrote a 6 sentence summary. This exercise was the first of several lessons on summarizing nonfiction and fiction reading.

Fifth grade mathematicians consider a variety of methods for writing equations using the distributive property. The focus is not on the answer but the method!

When the sun came out last Thursday, so did grades 3,4,5 for lunch. All enjoyed picnicking and conversation on the patio and the lawn.

Continue to try to match a name with a face?

Teamwork at TCS and Beyond

After writing and then typing thematic statements from A Long Walk to Water, fifth graders exchange writing and proofread with a partner's discerning eye.

During Tuesday morning's Intermediate Meeting on 10/11, Isabel Clements, daugther of Liz Lightfoot and a participant in Teachers Across America, spent time with us describing her experience teaching fourth grade in east New Orleans. She shared that many of her students are still living with the effects of Hurricane Katrina with their families having to evacuate their homes and loosing many of their personal belongings. These children have lost part of their own histories.  

Because her students are not offered art or even recess as part of their school schedule, Isabel wants to start an after school art program. Due to lack of funding, Isabel called on our help to provide art supplies that were no longer being used. Fourth and fifth graders immediately seize the opportunity, filling four boxes within three days for Isabel to take back to New Orleans this past Sunday. Imagine the smiling faces when the children open these brimming boxes. Hopefully, we will get to see the benefit of our efforts when Isabel sends photos. This collection of  art supplies will continue as an Intermediate service initiative.

Friday morning fifth graders met their cherished kinder buddies for a hike down the Blue Trail. There was an autumn chill in the air as we entered the woods. We were drawn to observe some of the wonders of nature in the woods that are part of our campus.

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On Friday, October 12, fifth graders reenacted Nya's daily walk with water. Nya is a main character from A Long Walk With Water.  With gallon jugs filled with water and some balanced on heads, students trekked for 45 minutes on the Blue Trail and beyond. This walk required the students to focus on the sights, sounds, feelings and challenges experienced while walking. The goal being to step into Nya's place and sense what she may have when walking eight hours a day for water- dirty water. When returning to the classroom, time was spent jotting down reflections and sharing them in class. Luckily, we wore shoes and did not have deal with pulling thorns from our feet!

Team time each Friday is spent on activities that reinforce such team-building skills as self-control, collaboration and problem-solving. Eventually, we will head out to the ropes course once we feel we can embrace this challenge. This Friday, the Intermediate team was divided into three groups with each group having to carry a teammate from one line to another without any part of their teammate touching the ground!! Think about doing this without collapsing into laughter! All teams showed true grit as they pushed themselves to limit to cross the finish line!                              , r

TEAMWORK IN THE JUNGLE

Our week came to a close with the Intermediate team gathering to watch a 60 minute clip on "Gorilla Doctors," showing that the teamwork of a group of dedicated veterinarians has resulted in saving an endangered species of gorillas from poachers, loss of habitat and disease. "When the first Gorilla Doctor began helping mountain gorillas, the species was almost extinct. Today, they're the only population of great apes that's growing." There are only about 950 mountain gorillas left on earth. The numbers continue to increase during to this amazing group of doctors

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/60-minutes-gorilla-doctors-lara-logan/

Fifth Grade Faces and Outdoor Places

Can you match a name with a face?

In Art class fifth graders drew self-portraits as an exercise in getting to know one another as a community. When the finished portraits were displayed, fifth grade were joined by their reading buddies for a "Gallery Walk" where all grades 1-8 were up for viewing. I will be sharing portraits in my next few blogs.

 

Into the Woods: The Intermediate Team Spends the Day at Bushy Hill

Our first outdoor ed trip of the year was to Bushy Hill Nature Center where counselors taught us some basic wilderness survival skills that are the underpinnings of our Outdoor Education Program. Students learned how to build a debris hut suitable for survival in colder climates; to start a fire using a bowdrill and cedar tinder;  to identify edible plants such as cat tails considered "the restaurant of the forest," and the Eastern hemlock for its needles rich in Vitamin C; and finally, to weave cordage that is strong enough to be used for a fishing line! 

Today, as part of our debrief, the Intermediate Team created a Bushy Hill Grafitti Wall where they drew visual memories/souvenirs and used words to express what they had learned from their experience. Step into the woods with us through these photos.