We have an immediate need for safety patrol volunteers (students and parents, temporary and permanent). While the 5th graders are enjoying their Islandwood experience (2nd week of school), it would be fabulous if we could step up to ensure the safety on the crosswalks before and after school.
See this link to sign up for the schedule. Please sign up as soon as possible and fill out the application later. Mr. Bailey will work to train volunteers before the trip to Islandwood. If you have any question, please contact Mr. Bailey (
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I hope the summer is going well for everyone! I am certainly enjoying my free time, but somehow keep myself very busy.
I finally updated my website with photos and videos from the end of the year. Field Day and World Peace Game are documented in the Photo Gallery now! I will leave the Photo Gallery up on my website until the beginning of the year and then I will create a link. This way, the students can access anytime they want. It was an unforgettable year and I know I will go back to remind myself of all the great times! Remember, keep your students reading and practicing math skills. ST math is a great source for Common Core math content. Feel free to push your student to complete Thanks again for an incredible year! It was brought to my attention that parents are curious about the World Peace Game. I apologize for not getting you this information sooner! Last summer I went to a conference to learn more about the game and was hoping to get instructions and a game board. Unfortunately, the game can not be packed in a box with instructions! When I returned from the conference I began planning. There are many aspects of the game that it took me a long time to wrap my head around how it would work. I may have procrastinated a bit but I finally came through with some plans and we began playing this week! The WPG is a hands-on political simulation that gives students experience in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and positive decision making. The goal of the game is to work through difficulties, conflict, and occasional sabotage to achieve world peace. The WPG intentionally immerses students in chaos, contradiction, and complexity. The game encourages students to slow down to problem-solve, and to think deeply to discover unexpected strategies and solutions. Be prepared for your child to be frustrated. It is an important part of the game! Students will be practicing their SEL skills as they play the WPG. To achieve world peace, each student will need to push him/herself to use empathy, self-awareness, other-awareness, relationship skills, and pro-social decision making. They will also need to be persistent and think flexibly, as well as be “comfortable with being uncomfortable”. The game is challenging, but the kids will rise to the occasion, and will achieve amazing, complex solutions. You can find more information about WPG on their website, worldpeacegame.org. You can also watch a TED talk by WPG’s creator, John Hunter. Here is a link: www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game . Also, check out the photo gallery on my blog for short video clips and photos of the class in action! Costumes - While most costume pieces have been provided for students, there are a few items that students have been asked to bring. For example, the DMV workers are wearing white shirts and black pants because a vest is provided.
We have discussed this in class quite a bit and students should be responsible for their items. Students were given a costume list last week so check backpacks for it if they do not know. Please send costume items in a bag to be stored for the next few days. Performances - The performance is this Thursday at 2:45pm and 7:00pm. You are welcome to come to both performances. It is extremely important that all students attend the performance as we do not have any understudies. Also, please drop off your student at 6:15, 45 minutes prior to the show. Students will meet in the library. Backdrop - If you are available to hang the backdrop on Tues. or Wed. this week after school, I would greatly appreciate it. It should take 30 minutes or so. It will require you to climb on a ladder and stick tape to the back of large paper pieces. Please let me know if you can help! Slumber party details
The students have worked very hard to collaborate on the slumber party details. They have planned the entire evening, down to the whole class activities, game center and movie. They have even agreed to a quiet time and bed time. My husband, Mark, will be joining me and I am excited to have the help. He is great with kids and thrilled to put faces to all the stories. He certainly has as much energy as the kids so I am counting on him to meet the kids on their level and let me kick back! Here is the schedule (roughly): Friday - Regular school day (PJ's are optional) 3:35 - 4:30 - Whole class learns and plays Hoi ball (a 5th grade game) 4:30 - 5:30 - Games (center style where kids rotate) 5:30 - 6:30 - Whole class challenge (Islandwood style challenge posed by Ms. Hunter) 6:30 - 7:00 - Dinner (Pack own dinner - surprisingly this option was selected over ordering pizza) 7:00 - 8:00 - Choice time -(Video games, scary stories, jokes, riddles, etc.) 8:00 - 9:30 - Movie (Honey I Shrunk the Kids) and snack (popcorn with bacon salt provided by Ms. Hunter) 9:30 - 10:00 - Prep for bed (brush teeth and set up bedding - they voted to have separate sides of the room for boys and girls) 10:00 pm- Quiet alone time (books,music, stuffies, etc.) and sleep Sat. - 8:00am- 10:00 - Breakfast will be put out and students can help themselves when they wake up. The class agreed that it is quiet time until 8:00am. The rest of the morning will be cleaning up and an activity outside (recess style). Please be on time to pick up your student as I have an charity event to go to in the afternoon. If you need to make special arrangements for pick up or drop off, please let me know. The classroom phone number is (206) 252-5207 or email. I will be sending an email later in the week with my cell phone. The doors will be locked and security will know that we are staying the night in the school. It's true, the auditions for the musical "Social Skills" are complete and the casting is set. The kids are very excited about their roles and now its time to practice. Beaven Walters, the director, will be coming to class a couple times a week to help students practice lines, provide singing instruction and block the scenes. Please help your student memorize lines and songs (chorus for all songs and one song for their characters scene).
You will be receiving an email with songs attached. Beaven experienced tech. troubles and this was the only way we could send them to you. Sorry if it is a hassle. There are two versions of each song (one with vocals and the other instrumental). Students should practice with the vocals and then switch to instrumental when comfortable. Dates to note: May 14 - 7:00pm - Parent talk (details below) Come join CharacterWorks teacher and certified parenting coach Beaven Walters for a facilitated discussion on the topic of Social Skills and Today's Kids. This talk will allow you to connect with your fellow parents while discussing the topic of parenting children in an increasingly complex social landscape that is today's world. Additionally, you will be filled in on the CharacterWorks play and how you might be able to help out as we prepare for our two performances on Thursday, June 5th. * If you are willing to host the event, we would greatly appreciate it! Please contact Jana if you can provide a space. June 5th - QAE Cafeteria - Two performance times (2:45 and the night performance at 7:00) I have been terrible at blogging lately and I apologize for not keeping you posted on all the recent news. It has taken some time to get back on track after Spring break.
Dates to note: April 28 - MSP begins (Write to tell a story) May 1 - MSP (Write to inform) May 6 - MSP (Reading) May 8 - MSP (Math) May 9 - Slumber party (details to follow) May 16 - Jog-a-thon (turn forms in on the day) May 30 - Genius hour celebration (time to be announced - details to follow) May 31- Sounders game - 1pm (first to turn in forms get to go - up to 400) June 23-27 -Art and Adventure Camp with Ms. Meg and Ms. Hunter (see details below) Homework: Genius hour has been a great challenge for so many students. They have another 5 weeks before the final presentation of their project. This week students are expected to make a goal on Monday and then reflect on progress by the end of the week. There is also a feedback form for parents or older siblings to fill out. At this point in the process, some students are near completion and others have taken on more work. Please encourage your student by asking how they can push their thinking or improve on their project rather than tell them what to do or do it for them. MSP Please help your student prepare by ensuring they eat a healthy breakfast and get good sleep. Often times, students may need an entire school day to complete the test and it is exhausting. I feel that students are prepared and that those two things will help them push through. Also, a past teacher at QAE implemented a little tradition to keep kids motivated during the MSP by giving a severel skittles (literally) at each break. At first I was not thrilled about the idea but when I saw how students perked up and pushed through, I decided to keep the tradition going. I also allow students to chew sugarless gum because Mr. Elliott shared research that this can help with concentration. I will also be proving a snack during our breaks. Dwankhozi Hope Week Several staff members have worked hard to bring awareness to QAE's connection with the Dwankhozi Hope School. They have scheduled many activities to enlighten the students and gain interest. I also know that there is a coin drive to help staff (Joe Bailey, Rene Yokoyama, Rachel Marks and David Elliott) pay for their trip to Africa this summer. Send in your coins! There is website with great videos and photos from last year's trip to Zambia. Art and Adventure Camp with Ms. Meg and Ms. Hunter June 23-27; 9:30-3:30 , 3rd-5th grade, $300, up to 16 students With teaching forces combined, Ms.Meg and Ms.Hunter will be leading an energetic camp full of unique art experiences and Seattle adventure! Each day students will embark on a field trip, big or small, to take learning out of the classroom and make hands on connection in the studio at QAE. Some of the hands on learning includes; sculpture making, painting, drama/costume design, creative writing and more! Some field trips include: Frye Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park, Golden Gardens The task:
I know that you've heard of the classic "Egg-Drop" experiment and probably even participated in it at some point in your life. Well, we put a twist on the experiment. Essentially, students were asked to construct some type of container that will keep a raw egg from cracking when put through several tests. While students will definitely be dropping the egg, they will also be throwing it a certain distance and putting it through a pressure test (vice or mallet, not sure yet). If the egg withstands the first test then it can move on to the second test and so on (somewhat competitive but it will be fun). More details: Do not test the container with an egg beforehand. The container should be able to be opened and closed several times, not sealed entirely (we have to check the eggs after each test). Students should use materials from around the house, which can be manipulated in any way. Please do not buy special materials. Please remember: Its all about planning, predicting, testing (at school) and reflecting. It is important to remember that in many engineering projects, its about drawing conclusions, not getting it perfect or "right" the first time. We love to reflect at QAE and learn from our experiences. Therefore, the result of the product should be student generated. Feel free to ask questions that get students to push their thinking! Who knows, maybe they will have an opportunity to try again in the future! Homework:
I have noticed lately that many students are unaware that libraries are organized by the Dewey Decimal system. I remember learning about the system in college from a friend and was thrilled to discover how easy it was to find books suddenly! Due to a minimal amount of class time, I thought it would be great for students to research and learn the system on their own. This is a valuable skill and I think they will be happy to know it! In addition to researching and finding resources to help them understand the Dewey Decimal system, students will be teaching the 1st graders how to find books. Students should come prepared with materials that are accurate and interesting. The 4th graders will get to test their teaching skills by taking the 1st graders through the library and practicing the system (scavenger hunt style). I know that so many of you rely on my blog for updates. I apologize for taking so long to get this post up. Please take the time to look through because there are many new things happening and likely a need for clarification. Please don't hesitate to ask questions. Homework this week: Throughout the year students have been gathering and storing all their work in binders and notebooks. We have intended to share our progress and work through our websites but just got busy with other tasks. Finally,with the help of a speedy new scanner and some diligence from students, the work is finally being posted on websites. The point of posting is sharing, so students are leaving comments on classmate's blogs. The quality of comments are important! The expectations is to leave a compliment AND a suggestion or question. The comments are always meaningful with kind language and include specific details. We have been working on elaborating and using more complex sentences. We also talked about using proper grammar, no texting language. If you can help support your student with these expectations that would be appreciated! Photo Gallery updated: Homework Genius hour Dates to remember: April 4th - Progress reports will be sent home April 7th - Singing performance by 4th graders at Monday Morning Meeting (this is the culmination project from the 3 week music program) April 22nd - Talent show (whole school event organized by 4th graders and proceeds put towards Islandwood trip next year) - Details and time to be announced May 9th (Fri.) -Class slumber party (details to follow). April 29th, May 1st, 6th and 8th - MSP dates June 23rd-27th (9:30-3:30) - Art and Adventure Camp with Ms. Meg and Ms. Hunter (details to follow) Clubs for 4th graders (sign up ASAP): Chess club Exploring Science Club with Isadora, Xalli's mom 4th and 5th grades - Tuesday mornings 8:15 to 9:25 am - April 1 to June 10 - $110.00 - 10 sessions The club is desinged to sparkle student's curiosity about science. We will learn about Puget Sound, watersheds and storm water; which are part of the water cycle in urban areas. But what about rural or natural areas? We will also explore the playground and look at it in a different way. Students will investigate their own questions driven by their interets, and share their findings on the last session. They will learn how to ask researchable questions with ice. This activity supports the learning of 5th grade students, as the topic is part of the MSP. The club connects science to other subjects, such as writing, reading, math, art, social sciences and communication. Students will use these skills to create a contract, research their questions and present their findings. The exploring science club uses the project base learning approach. It aligns with the next generation science standards for 4th and 5th grades. For example, students will engage in arguments from evidence, determine cause and effect, develop and use models, identify patterns, study natural resources and natural hazards, learn the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world, and will obtain, summarize and communicate information to explain phenomena. At the end of each session, we will reflect on what we did that day. Reflections emphasize the concepts learned and gives a self perspective of the topic. Register at http://qaeclubs.weebly.com/ by March 31st. If you have any questions or want more information, please email [email protected] Writer's workshop: Our persuasive essay unit began last week. First, students worked towards developing opinions, which they were not short on ideas! Then, they worked towards creating a thesis statement. Next, they learned to push their thinking by free writing all their thoughts about the topic. They also collected relevant examples, stories, ideas and factual information. This week they are drafting with a specific format to follow. Reader's workshop:
The focus this week has been continuing to read non-fiction articles and books slower with a focus on thinking and learning. They show evidence of understanding by taking notes. Students have focused on picking out the most important information and getting the gist. Eventually students will be taking the organized notes and writing summaries. Math: Students are using fraction knowledge to determine decimal notation with key denominators of 2, 4, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100. They will be converting fractions to decimals and visa versa by showing understanding through models, determining lengths or locating the on a number line. Social and Emotional Learning: CharacterWorks has begun! This is a unique program created just for our 4th grade bunch. Beaven Walters, the instructor, will be teaching lessons on communication for the next month and then moving towards progress on the musical. Beaven is wonderful and the students are so excited for this opportunity to begin! See Beaven's letter about the program below. Dear 4th Grade Families, Starting this week, your children will be starting a program called CharacterWorks, which is part of QAE’s Social and Emotional growth curriculum funded by the Parent Association. The program encourages students in their social and emotional growth by utilizing the performing arts as a primary tool. I am excited to be bringing CharacterWorks into the 4th grade at QAE for the third year. My name is Beaven Walters and I am the creator of the CharacterWorks program. I began my professional career as an elementary classroom teacher for seven years (BA in Education with Music and English minors from W.S.U.) in Idaho and Washington state public schools. It was there that I became hooked on teaching various curriculums through the arts. As a classically trained singer and actor, I have also been active in the performing arts in local regional theatres around Seattle. In 2011, I became certified as a Parenting Coach for Families with a specialization in Parenting the School-age Child through the Academy of Coaching Parents International and opened my parent coach practice, Polaris Parenting. As a parenting coach, I love helping families navigate the obstacles they face in today’s increasingly challenging world. It is with these combined passions that I incorporate elements of character education, performing arts, and parental support into the CharacterWorks program. This year, the 4th grade will be focusing on the topic of social skills. We will be looking at topics such as effective communication, communication through conflict, communication in various situations that are unusual (ordering at a restaurant, speaking to an adult, introducing yourself to a new peer, etc.), “Think before you speak, text, or type” and body language. We will also explore these topics and more through a musical play we will be presenting called, “How to Interact with Human Beings.” The program will culminate in two performances of the musical on June 5th (one performance during the school day and one performance for families in the evening.) Mark your calendars now!!!! In addition to the classroom lessons and play rehearsals with the children, I will also be holding a parent talk night at 7:00-8:30 on Wednesday, May 14 on the topic of Social Skills and your child. This facilitated discussion will give you a chance to discuss this hot parenting topic with your parenting community and explore current research on child development and parenting. Additionally, you will hear more about the musical play and how you can get involved and help out. The location of the parent talk will either be the school or at a parent volunteer’s home. If you are interested in hosting the talk at your home, please let Ms. Hunter or me know as soon as possible so we can make the announcement. I look forward to working with you and your children in the coming weeks in the CharacterWorks program. Many thanks, Beaven Walters CharacterWorks Founder [email protected] http://www.polaris-parenting.com PBL: The planning for the World Peace Game is much more intense that I initially figured because I am working off another teacher's experience, which is missing many aspects. The game is extremely complicated with many unknown factors. However, I am still looking forward to it! My husband has graciously agreed to design and construct our 4x4x6 foot board. I will send a list of materials that will be needed soon (thanks in advance). I am hoping you have some things laying around the house. Genius Hour: This idea was termed at Google. Google's work strategy allows employees to spend 20% of their time on projects of exploration. Google employees have created very successful projects, like gmail, with this time. The freedom has been successful in business and now it is making it's way into the classroom. I have decided to try it out because I know that this class will jump on board and create incredible projects. I am introducing it Wed. and we students will begin planning. There are a couple key elements that will be required. The exploration begins with passion and a driving question. Then, planning and taking action on a project that will be presented in the end. In a way, it's like a mini PBL project! I plan to give students Wed. afternoons to make progress. Instrumental music takes place at this time so some students will unfortunately have less time to work on it. Students will be able to work on the project at home once the first steps are approved. Check out the link for more info on genius hour. More things to remember: Yoga: Tuesday mornings with Ms. Skoog in the gym from 9:05-9:25. Parents are invited to join. Homework club: Still taking place Mon, Tues., Thrus. and Fri. until 4:30 in and a 3rd, 4th or 5th grade classroom in the treehouse (upstairs). |
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