And we Begin

A Little bit about our first days:
Are crew was in a unique position for the beginning of the year. We started off with two huge tasks: Hosting All School Meeting and preparing for our first Voyage. We had a very busy 1 and 1/2 weeks.  

We spent a lot of time team building: discussing what communication, leadership and creativity look like, and applying those characteristics in a variety of situations.  We also focused on establishing routines and expectations and doing some academic assessment. 

Because of our unique demands for our first days of school we did not focus on academics as heavily as might be expected.  However, each student wrote in their Solo journals everyday, began to explore the science journal genre, set-up their personal science and reading journals, researched cotton as it applies to wilderness travel and was assessed in both math and writing.  

Upon our return to Renaissance we will delve deeper into reader’s and writers workshops, continue building science background knowledge as it relates to our investigation into dry ice, launch our first expedition study "Why Does it Matter", data collection, organization during math and much more team-building.  

You might have noticed your child coming home and  asking or discussing some big questions.  Our last weeks read-aloud, Sophie’s World, informed us about philosophy, or developing the ability to wonder about our world.  The objective of sharing Sophie's World as a read aloud was to encourage kids to wonder and question-much like a scientist does when trying to understand or create.   

H20 Bottles a Must:  

Every child needs to have their own water bottle that they bring and leave in class for the week (returning back to class the following Monday).  Many students have them, but there remain a few that do not, and as a result, they drink very little water throughout the day.  

Birthday Celebrations:  

We had our first birthday this past week.  The celebration is typically short and sweet.  The birthday person chooses a song, the class sings the chosen song and the birthday person hands out treats to class mates, and everyone grubs down.  In no it way is anyone have to bring treats, but if your child chooses to please ensure that the treats are gluten free, or provide and alternative snack for our two students with gluten allergies.  If your struggle to locate gluten free treats, contact me and I will a list of wonderful suggestions.   The healthier the snack, the better for all our young minds.  

Ms. Cherly's (Music Teacher) Blog:  http://www.blogger.com/profile/14385868487037273767

Handful of Photos from the last week and half

The Gummy Bears Patrol

                                                    Figuring out how to work together

Figuring out how to work together

Solving the Acid River puzzle

The Rubber Duckies Patrol

Untying the Human Knot

Observing the mystery object #2.  An exercise in becoming object observers. 

ASM

Student Generated Ideas

Silent Birthday Line-Up

Sharing groups Invention -The Note Flicker

Below are two charts that depict students challenge by choice.  Each student placed themselves somewhere within the growth circles.  Each circle represents a specific challenge.   The inside ring represents the comfort zone, the 2nd circle represents the growth zone and the outside circle represents the panic zone.   The idea is to get oneself in to the growth or comfort zone.  Strategies are shared throughout voyage that enable kids to make growth.   We will revisit these same circles when return from voyage.  

Whole lotta gear

The Final Days

Ga Ga Ball - Many students, teachers and parents that were present for our crews ASM Ga Ga Presentation expressed great delight in the quality of the presentation itself and the over execution of the entire project.   Here's the short video a few kids made to share at ASM.  Keep in mind that while the movie was playing at ASM Jeremiah was pausing it at specific points for speakers to speak to a specific clip.  What you'll see is a straight run through.  

Portfolios – What a success! Your children did a wonderful job juggling another multi-step project with deadlines, accepting feedback, revising, and then presenting themselves and their learning verbally to adults. During their presentations, they spoke with pride (and humility) about themselves, our crew, and our school. Our staff was full of compliments for them this morning. The kids were very excited to read the letters from their panels. I hope they’ve shared them with you. I am very proud of our crew and the growth they have each  made this year.

Four of our five 6th graders

 Mr. Nick Ladies and Gentlemen

The lovely Ms. Lauren and Ms. Kimberly

And our special guest, the young man that can make a cup of water vanish before your eyes, Mr. Shane. 

Saint Mary’s Glacier - Please have your child here at school by 8:00am Monday morning, June 3.  We will be driving up to Saint Mary’s Glacier for one last adventure education experience and SOLO.  At the lake the 5th and 6th will split up.  A few parent chaperones and I will go with 5th and our five 6th graders will go with Mr. Josh, Ms. Lisa, Cody and a few parent chaperones.  We will be hiking in the snow for part of the time. Sturdy hiking boots, snow boots, or an extra pair of shoes are a must. UV sunglasses are also a must. We will return by 4:00 pm that day. A packing list went home on Friday and includes: 2 Water Bottles (Nalgene) Full // Sack Lunch // 2 Healthy Snacks // Sunscreen (skin and lips) // Sunglasses (importnat) // Gloves/Mittens // Sun Hat // Cold Weather Hat // Extra layer(s) // Extra pair of socks // Rain gear/jacket // Whistle // Pencil(s) // SOLO journal // Camera (optional)

Closing Ceremony – Our Adventure Education Closing Ceremony is this Tuesday, June 4 from 6:30pm to about 8:00pm. We will meet in the gym with all three crews, their families, REMS teachers and administrators. Renaissance 6th graders and staff will perform multiple drum circles for you, Ms. Deborah will say some words, and then the crews will split up into two different classrooms. At this point, our crew will sit in a circle, participate in an acknowledgement circle and a pin ceremony. Families will stand behind our circle, observe, and listen. The kids are carefully preparing their words for these ceremonies. I think you will find this to be a very meaningful evening. The evening will conclude with a cake reception in the cafeteria.  The whole family (with siblings who can be a quiet audience) is encouraged to attend.

All-School Drum Circle – Wednesday morning, June 5, at 9:00am, our 6th graders will be leading an All-School Drum Circle with over 400 drummers! Our 5th grade will be participating, but not leading...next year.  We have been spending time organizing and practicing and it looks like it will be very successful. Every student has an important role in leading, either in the middle or by example on the edges.  Sixth graders will also be sharing their “words of wisdom” with the rest of the school – on the microphone in the middle of the circle – and singing a song. You are invited – and encouraged – to attend this event. It is amazing!

Last Day of School – (Same day) Potluck picnic at the park across the street noon-2:00pm. You are invited to join us too. If you haven’t signed up to contribute something, please look for Nicole Lannone’s sign up genius email. Thank you for anything you are doing to help with this.

Final day with the wonderfully kind Mr. Bill.



Thanks for all the great goodies everyone!  I truly appreciate your kindness.

The Happenings and Going Ons

My favorite part of teaching, and the part I just might be best at is bringing people together.   I'd like to take responsibility for the nature of our tremendous crew, but the truth is they came to me spectacular people.   We are a crew of great diversity; there are many talents ranging from humor to mathematical brilliance to quite philosophers.   The one commonality, the attribute that many teachers and parents comment on, the thread that makes our crew strong, is kindness. 

Over the last few weeks we have been working on many things: Answering our Big Idea question to "Getting What we Need",  building Portfolios, prepping for Ga Ga and constructing Ga Ga, starting a non-fiction/research paper, reading Where the Red Fern Grows and building character.

Below is a select few images from previous weeks and Important Upcoming Dates.

 Team Building

 We are a jellyfish

Pretending to be a Martian.  Noticed all the hands.

Happy T-Rex

Analyzing food waste graphs for expedition

Ga Ga Pit Preparation  

 Working together to solve a puzzle

 Referencing peer made blueprints to construct the mini Ga Ga pit.

 Crew standing around the Ga Ga Pit angles.

 Parents work while kids eat ice cream.

Adding soil to the playing field.

 Gettin' busy.

 Eight students, eight sides. Pretty cool!

 Eight sides and ten students.

Game on!  First round of Ga Ga Ball.  

Way to go gang, you rock!

Thank you to all the parents that help us make our plan a reality.  We could not have made this pit without your help, your tools and most importantly your advice. 

Thank you Ule, and all those that assisted, for this amazingly clever and highly entertaining gift.   This poster is gettin' professionally mounted and framed.

  

Important Dates:
May 22:          6^th Grade Portfolios due to Review Panel (taken care of at school)

May 29:          6^th Grade Showcase Portfolio Day (Individual appointments between 1:00 
                        and 5:00pm)

June 3:          Adventure Education Final Solo: Saint Mary’s Glacier (drivers/chaperones  
                       needed).

June 4:          Adventure Education Closing Ceremony (evening – exact time TBA)

June 5:          All-School Drum Circle – led by our 6^th graders
                      Picnic at park across the street (chaperones and potluck food needed)
                      Last Day of School

Ga Ga and Other Interest

Expedition
  
By now you may have heard a bit about our new Social Studies Expedition Case Study: “Waste Not, Want Not”. We are exploring our big idea: The availability and use of resources affects the well-being and movement of people and our guiding questions, specifically, What choices do people make when they have what they need through the lens of food waste?

About collecting food waste at home:  About 2/3 of the crew has taken home scales to measure the food waste post family meals.  The objective of this task is to collect enough data to construct graphs that help us develop claims based on factual food waste data.  Each student has agreed to measure food for at least one night, some kids have agreed to measure a weeks worth food waste.  The crew understands that this task may be difficult for some families on go.  I understand as well.  We all agreed to do what we can to support this project.   This is in no way a contest.
 
Our culminating Case Study 3 project will be a community education night on Wednesday, May 15 from 6:00-7:30 pm. I will share details closer to the event. 


MAPS Testing

This past Monday and Tuesday the crew completed the Spring MAPS testing.  This test provides great insight into a students Math and Literacy progress.  If you're interested in perusing the results send word. 


Ga Ga Pit 

Our service learning project, designing and building a Ga Ga Pit, is nearing the construction phase.  Letters have been delivered to hardware stores and below is a letter from the kids to you, the parents.  

The crew has discussed how to earn money for the development of the pit. Some of the crew suggested fund raising in the form of at home lemonade stands and yard sales.  I encouraged the kids interested to start a conversation with parents to discuss the possibility.  No one is required to have an at home fund raiser, only encouraged to follow through with their ideas.   
 

Important Upcoming Dates

May 6-7:         District Interim Testing

May 11:           Ga Ga Pit Construction

May 17-18:     Ga Ga Pit Construction

May 13:          Prospective Mesa students visit Mesa 
 
May 15:          Canceled: Expedition Community Education Night 6:00-7:30pm:

May 22:          6^th Grade Portfolios due to Review Panel (taken care of at school)

May 29:          6^th Grade Showcase Portfolio Day (Individual appointments between 1:00 
                        and 5:00pm)

June 3:          Adventure Education Final Solo: Saint Mary’s Glacier (drivers/chaperones  
                       needed).

June 4:          Adventure Education Closing Ceremony (evening – exact time TBA)

June 5:          All-School Drum Circle – led by our 6^th graders
                      Picnic at park across the street (chaperones and potluck food needed)
                      Last Day of School




Enjoy a few pics from some of our experiences.

 TEDx

 El Tren de la Muerta

 Student made Math Games

 School of Mines Exhibition