Sailing Through Space

Students in Mrs. Jones’ science classes have been learning about SPACE.  Everything from the planets in our solar system and dwarf planets to comets and the Kuiper Belt, these students sure did become experts. The essential question that was posed to the students is:

What are the physical attributes of planets and comets?

Each student chose a planet to research.  At the beginning of the unit, students had a scavenger hunt around the classroom to learn facts about space.  They had fun moving from one area to another as they recorded their facts.  

Scavenger Hunt of facts about space.

Students used laptops to conduct their research.  They were given a packet to complete that included each planet in our solar system.  Then, they focused on their chosen planet and filled in as much information that they could find.

Research on planets.

There were two projects that the students made at the end of their research.  One project was to create a presentation for their classmates. They had a choice of many projects: creating a brochure, poster board, write a poem, play or short story, make a model, conduct an interview or be a newscaster, create a wanted poster, write a song, or create a digital presentation.  With so many project options, students were sure to find one that allows them to utilize their strengths and creativity. This activity builds public speaking skills and allows for the entire class to learn a bit about all of the planets.

Project presentation

Some students presented their project to our School Committee and several parents.

Another project that the students created was to report on an assigned object in space and make a video using the apps “Green Screen” by Do Ink and iMovie. Check out the movies below:

Mrs. Deeley’s Homeroom Video

 

Mrs. Jones’ Homeroom Video

 

Ms. Brown’s Homeroom Video

 

TenMarks Math Program

Our Math Curriculum Specialist, Mary Pelrine, has been teaching our students and staff how to use the math program, TenMarks.  

“[TenMarks] partners with schools and districts to drive an integrated model of powerful [math] curriculum and instruction, supported by technology and 1:1 personalization. [They] accomplish this with a content-driven technology strategy, focusing on 3 core areas.”

Click here for more information about TenMarks.

Mrs. Pelrine begins each lesson with a brief description of the TenMarks program and how to access it on our iPads.  Students are given a username and password and learn how to access their assignment.  There are several features that enhance the program where students have space to show their work, get hints and/or watch a video if they don’t understand the type or problem, or just need review.

Students then got busy working on their math.  Their excitement grew with each problem and when they finished, they received their score.  Students are asked to go back and make corrections on the problems that they missed.  They gladly reviewed these problems to get a better score.

Students working on TenMarks

Persuasive Writing in 3rd Grade

Students in Mrs. Goldstein’s class were challenged with a (fictitious) situation to stimulate a conversation, and writing piece, to voice their opinion.  “Which Specialist class should NOT be cut from the curriculum?”  Boy, did these children have the answers!  We all have opinions, but usually they don’t have any real research or evidence behind them.  But not in Mrs. Goldstein’s class.  They worked hard on their research to find factual information to back up their opinion.

A lot of preparation went in to this writing process.  The teacher used several mentor texts to teach the writing traits – voice, focus, organization, writing with details, idioms, and conjunctions.

Students decided on the Specialist that they were going to “save” and formed groups for each one.  They brainstormed together to create a persuasive chart.

Persuasive Charts for each Specialist: Library, Art, Music, Gym, and Computers.

Research began to find factual details for their opinion.  Mrs. Goldstein and Miss Fawson found some great websites that included facts that would support keeping our Specialists in the curriculum.  Students investigated the websites and found great facts to support their opinion.

Students gathered three facts off of the websites to support their opinion. The teachers also had hard copies of each website just in case students wanted to use them. 

They recorded their work on a graphic organizer and then wrote a letter to the principal to support their Specialist.

 I used the app “Green Screen” by Do Ink to create a video for the traits of writing –  Factual Information, Explicit Topic Sentence, and Voice.  Check out the video below.

Check out our Twitter tweet for “Voice”.  We were re-tweeted by Green Screen by Do Ink for using their app.  We were also chosen as a ‘favorite’ for a couple of people. 

  

Massachusetts and Common Core Standards for ELA

W.3.1. Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.  Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

W.3.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.3.8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Animal Adaptations

Essential Question:  How do physical and behavioral traits help animals survive?

The students in Mrs. Kennedy's 2nd grade class had a blast with their animal adaptations unit! The students loved being able to look at pictures, watch videos, and learn facts about real animals that they are interested in. They integrated technology into this lesson to make the lessons come to life.

Using the website, "National Geographic for Kids," students found information on their chosen animal.  Click below to access the website.

To make accessing the website easier, students learned how to scan a QR Code that links to the website.  Students uses the app, "QRafter" to scan the QR Codes.  To practice scanning the codes, we used an activity created by "QR Queens" on Teachers Pay Teachers.  Each QR Code linked to a video or song about the adaptations that penguins have.  

Click here for the activity.  

Penguin Fun with QR Codes

Students used their iPad to scan the QR Code for their animal research.  This code connected to the “National Geographic for Kids” website.  

Research for this Animal Adaptations project was done on the iPad. Students found their animal and used a brainstorming sheet to record information for the following – Description, Habitat, Diet, and Adaptations.     

Recorded information

Digital Learning Day, March 13, 2015

Our project was recorded with the program "Digital Learning Day" on March 13.  Here is a tweet that we posted on Twitter to announce our project.

Massachusetts Standards for Science

 2.6. Adaptations of Living Things:  Give examples of how inherited characteristics may change over time as adaptations to changes in the environment that enable organisms to survive, e.g., shape of beak or feet, placement of eyes on head, length of neck, shape of teeth, color.

Using Edmodo's Snapshot to practice Common Core Math

Essential Question:  How can I use technology as a tool to show what I've learned?

The students in 6^th grade math had a chance to practice some Common Core Math questions using the “Snapshot” feature in Edmodo.  Snapshot allows teachers to quickly create quizzes aligned to Common Core Standards and gauge where students are.

In these lessons, students worked on the standards for "Expressions and Equations".  The teacher made the Snapshot on her Edmodo account and assigned it to her students.  

To introduce the assignment, the teacher projected the questions on her board.  The students answered the questions, showing their work, on white boards. Then, students took turns in front of the class to share their answers and explain their mathematical reasoning.  

Students can access the Snapshot from their teacher on their Edmodo account.  They can work on the questions any time they are on the computer.  Once they finish, their teacher will receive their score and be able to assist them with the content that they need help with.

To learn more about Snapshot from Edmodo, click on the picture below:

Massachusetts and Common Core Standards for Math

6.EE.A.1Write and evaluate numerical expressions involving whole-number exponents.

6.EE.A.2.1 Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.  Write expressions that record operations with numbers and with letters standing for numbers. For example, express the calculation “Subtract y from 5” as 5 – y.

6.EE.A.3  Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions.

Using Skype to collect data

How do the students in Mrs. Fuller's and Mrs. Ridley's 1st Grade Class make data collection fun?  

They go outside of their classroom to gather information from their friends in another town.

Using Skype in the classroom, students had a chance to answer the Essential Question:

How can information be gathered, recorded, and organized?

Mrs. Fuller's and Mrs. Ridley's 1st graders have been learning how to collect data.  They have learned how to use tally marks to record date and it data into a graph.  Today, they had a chance to gather data from another 1st grade class in the Tri-Town to help make a deeper connection.

Thanks to Mrs. Dunn, Ms. Reid, and Mrs. Klipfel for Skyping with us today. Our students really enjoyed our session, and even saw some of their friends who are on their sports teams.

For both classes, each student had a chance to ask the other class some general questions that related to what they are learning in their classes.  

We watched the other class stand up to show us their answers for our questions.  We got to count the students and tally how many stood up.

Then, students from each class asked the other class questions to do some data collection.  The questions were: “Which winter activity do they like best: skating, sledding, skiing, or building a snowman?”  The other question was, “Which do you like the best: wearing gloves on your hands, mittens, or nothing at all?”  They tallied the data on a collection sheet, then used this data to create a graph.

Winter Activities

What we like to wear

Massachusetts and Common Core Standards for Math

1.MD.C.4. Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.

Thank you to Paula Klipfel for helping me to learn Skype and collaborating with me for my first Skype in the Classroom lesson.

Technology at home

I'd like to welcome all newcomers to my blog.  I am the Digital Learning Specialist for the Middleton School District and have had an amazing time working with our students, staff, and parents.  Check out the "Digital Projects" page on this blog to see what the projects that our kids have been working on.  In the "Student Resources" page you'll find some great websites for students to use to enhance their academics at school.

Please let us know what online program, website, or app your family uses to enhance academics?  Just double click on the wall to type your answer.

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