Starting this week, on Mondays and Tuesdays, Project class transforms into Spanish class! Our class is privileged to have Karen Aenlle, mom to an Aveson Kindergartener, as a Spanish instructor twice a week for Spanish language lessons. Talk to your student to find out what they are learning.
This week we will start developing "Personalized Learning Plans" with each student. In Project class the PLP will focus on student self-efficacy, including time management, work and study skills, and behavior self-management. These areas are very important in helping students develop the self-motivation and self-monitoring that are critical in a project-based learning environment. I will help students identify areas of strength and weakness, and then help them develop two goals to be meet by the student-led conferences and Celebration of Learning.
We are continuing to work on our Explorer Projects in class this week. Our goal is to have projects completed by Monday, 10/5/07. Ask them to tell you about the explorer their project is based on, and what they have completed so far... click on this link to review the checklist they are using in class ... EXPLORER PROJECT CHECKLIST
About Me
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Explorer Project - working with a partner
This week students in project class are starting a research based project on different individual explorers. Students are working as partners, focusing on the motivations, results and accomplishments of a variety of explorers from Europe, Asia and Africa. You can find the requirements and options for this project by clicking on this link ... EXPLORER PROJECT
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
This week in projects ...
This week we'll continue to learn the parts of a plant, planting seeds, and the factors affecting plant growth.
We are continuing to learn about Native American culture, the differences between Native American peoples and the ways Native Americans used and adapted to their environment.
Soon we'll start to look at the global explorations of the past centuries, and how it changed the lives of people in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Driving questions start with...
What would drive someone to explore the world?
What kind of personal characteristics are common to explorers?
How do different technologies make exploration possible?
What are the effects of exploration? on the people of the societies doing the exploration? and on the people of the "discovered" lands?
Standards addressed over the next few weeks:
Science:
5.2 Students understand that plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of materials.
4.2 Students know that all organisms need energy and matter to live and grow
3.3.a. Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
History:
5.1 Students describe the major pre-Columbian settlements, including the cliff dwellers and pueblo people of the desert Southwest, the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the nomadic nations of the Great Plains, and the woodland peoples east of the Mississippi River.
3.2 Students describe the American Indian nations in their local region long ago and in the recent past.
5.2 Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.
5.3 Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers.
3.3 Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land.
We are continuing to learn about Native American culture, the differences between Native American peoples and the ways Native Americans used and adapted to their environment.
Soon we'll start to look at the global explorations of the past centuries, and how it changed the lives of people in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Driving questions start with...
What would drive someone to explore the world?
What kind of personal characteristics are common to explorers?
How do different technologies make exploration possible?
What are the effects of exploration? on the people of the societies doing the exploration? and on the people of the "discovered" lands?
Standards addressed over the next few weeks:
Science:
5.2 Students understand that plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of materials.
4.2 Students know that all organisms need energy and matter to live and grow
3.3.a. Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
History:
5.1 Students describe the major pre-Columbian settlements, including the cliff dwellers and pueblo people of the desert Southwest, the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the nomadic nations of the Great Plains, and the woodland peoples east of the Mississippi River.
3.2 Students describe the American Indian nations in their local region long ago and in the recent past.
5.2 Students trace the routes of early explorers and describe the early explorations of the Americas.
5.3 Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new settlers.
3.3 Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Dissecting Plants and Sketching Trees
"You mean this plant is a vegetable?... I didn't know spinach looked like a plant!"
This week students in Project class started looking at the wide variety of plants and how they're used in our culture. Students dissected and studied the roots, stems and leaves of common vegetables in their most natural states - soil and rocks included.
Ongoing "Driving Questions" for our study of plants ...
Other questions answered by students these last two weeks...
How are the roots important to the plant's system?
Students dissecting plants, then worked in teams to research and prepare a visual presentation of their findings. Teams presented their findings to an audience of the other students.
What does the ideal school library look like?
Students visited Aveson's library with the idea of determining what the ideal library should look like. Students worked independently or in pairs to brainstorm lists of ideas focusing on what types of resources would be necessary, including which resources are already available and how to obtain those which are not. Next day students formed small design teams to make blueprints of the ideal library. The members of the design teams learned how to compromise, negotiate and cooperate in order to develop one design plan. Design teams then presented their plans to, and fielded questions from other students. Students voted on the best plan and presentation and we now have three final plans - one for each clan. We still need to have the design teams present to the appropriate action team to make parts of these designs reality.
What are the differences between Native American peoples?
Students researched differences in the ways Native Americans related to varying environments and resources. Students used informational text, internet and folktales to develop an understanding - some students are preforming skits to demonstrate their learning. This week we will have a hands on study of artifacts from California's Native American Chumash culture.
How do you sketch a tree accurately?
A nice way to end the week. On Friday students spent time outside making sketches of the different trees at Aveson. This week we will use these sketches to complete more artistic representations using colored pencil on a dark background.
This week students in Project class started looking at the wide variety of plants and how they're used in our culture. Students dissected and studied the roots, stems and leaves of common vegetables in their most natural states - soil and rocks included.
Ongoing "Driving Questions" for our study of plants ...
- What are the parts of the plant?
- How do these parts work together?
Other questions answered by students these last two weeks...
How are the roots important to the plant's system?
Students dissecting plants, then worked in teams to research and prepare a visual presentation of their findings. Teams presented their findings to an audience of the other students.
Students visited Aveson's library with the idea of determining what the ideal library should look like. Students worked independently or in pairs to brainstorm lists of ideas focusing on what types of resources would be necessary, including which resources are already available and how to obtain those which are not. Next day students formed small design teams to make blueprints of the ideal library. The members of the design teams learned how to compromise, negotiate and cooperate in order to develop one design plan. Design teams then presented their plans to, and fielded questions from other students. Students voted on the best plan and presentation and we now have three final plans - one for each clan. We still need to have the design teams present to the appropriate action team to make parts of these designs reality.
What are the differences between Native American peoples?
Students researched differences in the ways Native Americans related to varying environments and resources. Students used informational text, internet and folktales to develop an understanding - some students are preforming skits to demonstrate their learning. This week we will have a hands on study of artifacts from California's Native American Chumash culture.
How do you sketch a tree accurately?
A nice way to end the week. On Friday students spent time outside making sketches of the different trees at Aveson. This week we will use these sketches to complete more artistic representations using colored pencil on a dark background.
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