In a true learning/teaching team, the students play a big role in moving the learning journey forward, and that's certainly the case in my class.
My highly creative team of 44 math/science students are always problem solving about what to create next, and this is an important consideration as I look at the month ahead. I also have the responsibility to meet the standards and personalize the program so that every child makes progress.
I find that I have to keep revisiting the focus areas so that we don't veer off the path too far and meet the objectives set. As I mention often and will continue to do so, teaching the curriculum for a first year is a busy endeavor, one that takes this kind of repetition and attention.
The focus areas continue to be those listed below:
1. Creativity and Creation: The STEAM center will continue to evolve. I wish I could snap my fingers and a miniature IDEO would appear, but that's not the case so this is going to be a work-in-progress as we arrange materials in just right ways and containers to support the young innovators.
2. Math Program: We're moving through the standards with depth using a blended model including paper/pencil, tech, problem solving, math talk, videos, small group, independent work and more. The program includes lots of rich model making and real world connections. We'll complete our algebraic thinking first unit this week, and move to place value next week. Step-by-step we'll meet the goals.
3. Science: The life science unit continues. The landscape models are complete, and many are on display in the school. We visited our "wilderness" area for the first time, and reviewed the unit vocabulary. Now we'll dig into each life science standard concept with a blended approach including focused attention on the concept, skill, and knowledge using video, word/image notes, and vocabulary. Then we'll apply that learning to an outdoor activity in our nature plot. This week we'll focus on the attributes of living things and variance.
4. Social Competency: Our Learning to Learn studies are the base of our social competency work. I'm finding that these lessons are easily embedded into math and science lessons as we "learn to learn" and collaborate with one another.
5. Read Aloud: The students really enjoy books, and the read aloud is bringing the class together. Right now we're reading Wonder which is a great fifth grade book. During read aloud we focus on story elements as well as multiple connections to social competency, real life, and curriculum content.
6. STEAM Stars: We're still digging into the story of George Washington Carver's life. There's so much to know about Carver. Plus we're using this study to learn how multiple resources and "brain frames" can shed important light on an individual's life in rich and deep ways. So far, students have watched a video, listened to multiple stories, and reflected on his life in writing. I want to share some poetry about Carver and complete a final discussion and written analysis of the study before we move on to the study of many naturalists.
7. Buddies: The Friday afternoon buddy time is serving to establish strong kindergarten-fifth grade relationships. The 5th graders look forward to this learning/teaching time this week--a time that is both educational and heart-warming.
In addition to this rich classroom program, students are also engaged in terrific English language arts reading, vocabulary, and writing activities, art class, music class, instrumental or music workshop, physical education, tech class, and library each week.
The potent pieces of a fine education are there, and now it's my job as an educator to weave the work together so that every child learns with confidence, engagement, and success. Onward.
