A Whirlwind: Spelling Bee, Healthy Vision and more.

I few post ago I mentioned that the crew was considering hosting a parent night to share our learning.  This will not be happening.  The time we have this week is limited and will likely be quite spirited.    

Spelling Bee
We had a class Spelling Bee this past week and are top five spellers are:
1. Paradisio Dante
2. Tiernan Logue
3. Jolie Altman
4. Ellie DeBeer
5. Nick Spooner

The top two spellers will contend in an all school spelling bee in late January. 

Hearing and Vision Testing
On Friday all 5th graders had their hearing and vision tested.  If there is any reason for concern you will be getting a letter in the mail sometime this week. 

Permission Slips
Our Winter Voyage permission slip packet is due this coming Wednesday, December 19. Please look for these forms in an email I forwarded to you this evening. If your child’s health has changed since our last voyage or your child has medication that s/he needs to take, there are more forms to fill out. Please look for them in the email I forwarded.

Officer Lewis 
Officer Lewis will be visiting on Tuesday to discuss Cyber Bullying.  Please ask your kids how the presentation was for them. 

Report Cards
You will receive a hard copy of your child’s first semester report card on Thursday, December 20.

Winter Break Dates
We are IN school next Friday, December 21. However, Renaissance does NOT have school Monday, January 7. Students first day back from Winter Break will be Tuesday, January 8th.

Middle School
Counselors from both Castle Rock Middle School and Mesa Middle School will visit Renaissance in January to meet with our 6th graders. At this time, students will be given instructions on how to register for classes and registration materials to fill out with you.  As soon as I find out when their parent orientations are, I will let you know. You can also check their websites for this information.

If your child will be attending a different Douglas County middle school, please let me know so that I can make sure your child gets registration materials.

Winter Voyage
Fifth grade dates are February 25th-27th with a day of rest on Friday, Feb. 28th.  We will be staying in dorms at Keystone Science School, just down the road from the resort. This is the same place we journeyed to in the fall for our pine beetle study.  Our focus will be: snowshoeing, winter preparedness and survival, snow science and teambuilding.  

Sixth grade dates are February 4th-7th with a day of rest on Friday, Feb. 8th.  We will be staying in cabins in the Cameron Pass area west of Fort Collins. Our focus will be: snowshoeing, winter preparedness and survival, avalanche awareness, snow science, and teambuilding.

I will be accompanying both 5th and 6th grade on voyage.  While I am away there will be a sub at school taking my place.  

Town Hall Style Meeting: Saving Summit County from the Pine Beetle

A few weeks ago the students and I held our own Town Hall style meeting with the purpose of trying to generate solutions that would bring peace to Summit County's struggle to cooperatively manage the pine beetle epidemic.  While our crew was engaging in field work at Keystone Science School they were also provided an opportunity, from KSS staff, to preview how a town hall style meeting may function.  When we returned to REMS, groups of two students, working together as stakeholders with an unique investment in Summit County, began preparing for their own town hall styled meeting.  The research done in the field, classwork focused on both the scientific and the civic aspects and a guest speaker helped students begin to understand the depth and complexity of the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic.  Using insight gained through multiple perspectives the students came prepared to their town hall styled meeting, ready to defend and compromise.  It was truly a wonderful event to mediate.  You each would be quite proud of your child's commitment.  Below are a few photos from the event, video clips and the students agreed upon solutions. 

Crews agreed upon solutions Summit County Pine Beetle Epidemic. 

• Thin dying trees from town and forest which would aid in fire danger, safety and beauty.
• Private homeowners and land owners agreed to pay modest tax increase to cover removal of trees from their land.  
• Biomass company gets dead/cut trees for turning into pellets and usable lumber.  Company also agrees to assist town in tree mulching, for free, if job is small scale.  If job is larger scale company will either rent equipment to town or contract with town to fulfill large scale job. 
• Control Burn:  Near township, neighborhoods, high traffic outdoor recreation areas, ski resorts: Only w/ manageable access and low out-of-control-fire risk.  Any fires that present higher risk stakeholders must approve Control Fire.  All burns must be discussed with stakeholders that are effected, or maybe effected before burn.  
• Diverse native trees must be planted in place of thinning and clearing.  Specifically in areas dependent on forest for income (ex. in and near townships, outdoor recreation areas). 
• In certain cases were trees have been removed, mulch or  some bio material must be spread to replace nutrients decaying trees would have provided. 
• Spraying for Pine Beetle:  Spray should be used minimally and only if needed.  
• Spraying on Public Land needs the approval of all stakeholders potentially effected; area considered for spraying must be surveyed and noted to establish a baseline for future scientific monitoring.  Land agreed to be sprayed must be monitored for plant, animal, water and human threats.  Township and Forest service will pay for this service.  Spraying on Private lands (ex. ski resorts) does not need the approval of potential stakeholders threatened.  However, Private land owners must have land surveyed by multiple sources (one determined by private landowner, one determined by forest service) before spraying. These services are paid for by private land owner.  If wildlife, water quality or human welfare is effected in anyway negatively, private landowner is responsible.  This includes areas outside private landowners boundaries, as well as river health down stream from area being sprayed. 

Puppets, Rocks and Crew

STORIES WITH STRUCTURE

This past week the crew and I spent a quality amount of time focusing on plot elements and how there used to create stories.  The kids paired up, mapped out their stories, established characters and wrote a short script.  The students were expected to use dialog to establish introduction/ exposition and the plot.  The final piece was a puppet show recorded on the computers, iphone, ipads or iOther's, imported into iMovie (edited if time was avail) and shared with the crew.  We watched a few last week, and they are FUN!  This coming week we will form short story book clubs, begin writing short stories and delve deeper into plot and theme.  

Using iMovie to edit.

Practicing lines before capturing footage

After presentation students share constructive feedback with the story makers.

Post puppet show students review peer assessments and write a reflection, focusing on strengths, weakness and areas they will improve and how they will improve them.  The hardest part to write about is how it felt to be assessed by peers. 

Making some time to read short stories.

THE ROCK CYCLE

This week we also began Case Study #3: Rocks, Raku and You.   This will be are third and final case study in our Why Does it Matter expedition (see notes under Expedition tab).   During this case study students will be working with Ms. Pam (art) to explore certain parts of the rock cycle.  Ms. Pam is able to simulate some of the rock cycle using glaze's and the kiln.   In class we will explore how, and where, energy and matter can be found in the cycle, as well as how does this cycle connect to the other cycles of our world.  

 

 Pre-Thought Experiment

Jeremiah, Tiernan, a couple pre-thought questions and a giant erasure.

THE LOST TOOTH
 

This was the third tooth to pop out in a day (not all Camden's).  I'd completely forgot 5th graders are still loosing teeth.  Surprises me every time.

Crew News: 12/2

Expedition News  
Last week we finished up are recent science expedition case study, “You Got A Problem With Me?”, a study focused on the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic in Summit County.  We examined the beetle epidemic through two lenses: The first was through the perspective of the scientists and the next lens was through the perspective of a local "stakeholder", such as the private land owner, environmentalist and biomass company operator.  

Students preparing to defend their stakeholder role--for the Town Hall Meeting.

 This all appears to be important information.

 Some time we learn best when we're squeezed into expanding our minds. 

There is a possiblity our crew will be hosting a Community Education Night regarding “The Mountain Pine Beetle Epidemic in Summit County, Colorado”.  Stay tuned for more info. 

 Writer’s and Reader’s Workshop
This past week we began a short story genre study.  During workshops we identifying story/plot elements in two short stories and how dialog is used to establish plot and convey ideas that support main idea. This week kids will continue to apply what they know of story elements to the creation of a puppet show. Working in groups of two, students are responsible for structuring a story using setting, character, introduction/exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.  Each group will record their performance and share their creation with crew for peer review.  We will continue our short story study right up to break, making time to apply understanding to writing a short story, and then if time is available we will return to our puppet shows to identify areas in performance that need more focus; we'll have to make time.


Y.E.S.S.
Officer Lewis did not make it this past Thursday, 11/29.  We'll try again this week.   Below is an email sent out to parents last week explaining Officer Lewis' ed. program. 

Starting this Thursday Officer Lewis, from the Douglas County Police Department will be visiting our classroom.  He will deliver the Youth Education and Safety in Schools (YESS) curriculum.  He will be speaking about bullying this week, cyber safety the following week, and gateway drugs in two weeks. The teachers that have already had a visit from Officer Lewis feel that the topics are age appropriate and potentially good preparation for students moving on to middle school.  However, depending on how much you you have talked about these issues at home, some of the topics might be upsetting to 9 to 12-year-olds. Please speak to your child about what they have been learning during their sessions with Officer Lewis about and see if they have any additional questions or concerns.


Holiday Party 
The date, time and over-all plans for this event have not yet been decided.  What is certain is that we will be having a party and a secret Santa gift exchange.   In all likelihood the gift exchange requirement is that the gift cost nothing--this will not include cookie baking or gift making supplies. 

Catchin' Up

Over the last month we have had many things happen in our class.  Our visit to the Ice Core Lab, All School Meeting, Bootcamp, Fall Break, Interim Testing, Maps Testing, Halloween, Keystone Science School and of course all things we do while in class.  Below are a select few images and brief descriptions from a handful of our adventures. 

 The National Ice Core

   -38 degrees and still smiling.

      Inside these shinny tubes are 1000's of ice cores from one drill hole in Antarctica( ~ 2miles of ice)

                                              Boot Camp

                                       Working hard to beat the other half of the crew.

Alex expressing the sweet face of victory.

                    Ahh, the joy of climbing a top something not normally aloud to climb on.

                                                                   Whole Crew.

                                I believe Shane pulled off 23 laps.  The most of anyone.

                                                Keystone Science School 

Our crew was integrated with both Ms. Lisa's and Mr. Josh's class.   Mixing the groups was a great opportunity for all groups to experience different perspectives and different personalities.   Over all the commingling went well. The images below consist of characters from all three classes.

      Working hard to generate a hypothesis.

                                    Measuring the diameter of the a Lodgepole Pine.

           Brogan from Mr. Josh's crew uses the tree dichotomous chart to identify the species of pine.

                          Sydney from Mr. Josh's crew helps Shane measure a data plot.

 Tiernan showing off...the blue fungus stained wood used to make the tables.  

Wood harvested from beetle kill trees.

                                   Hopper's cleaning up after Thursday night dinner

           Weathered wood highlighting insect damage.  Some of the tracks are from the Pine Beetle.

            Part our crew, part Ms. Lisa's and Mr. Josh's, hangin' inside a Lodgepole Pine tepee. 

      When the weather conditions are right the forest service will set this tepee of lumber ablaze.

Tech in School: Parent's Approval

Times are changing, specifically, in how we get and process our information and communicate with the outside world.   The style in which we learn and how we learn is now being defined by new information sources.   It's clear that many, of the more "mature" generation, are conflicted with how tech fits into the modern ed. process.  It's not completely clear to me how it best fits either.  However, I do agree that tech plays a huge part in modern ed, and as time rolls on its place in the classroom will become more defined.   

Many students are now bringing tech to class.  The school is fine with this as long as parents and students' have signed the Bring Your Own Tech (BYOT) agreement.  If this contract has not been signed than a student is not allowed to have tech out in class or in their desk; it must remain in their pack.   It's also important to note that tech is not allowed out at lunch or during recess.  Students' perceive lunch and recess as free time, therefore, it is theirs to use as they like. This is not true.  Certainly they have a different sort liberty than in a classroom, but boundary's are still in place, and must be respected by all.  

To review the BYOT agreement click the link below.   

BYOT Agreement

Fall Voyage Starring 5th Grade Discovery

      My wife, Beth, has a deep fondness for a wonderful quote by Plato.  She brought the quote to my attention when we began dating as a means to inspire our relationship to grow in a certain direction, as well as, and perhaps more importantly for me, to share a shiny sliver of how she sees the world.   I was reminded of this quote this morning when pondering how I would share the greatness of fifth grade voyage, as well as the impact it had on me, with you, the families.   The quote is this:

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
-Plato-

     The quote doesn't quite express in full what we experienced, but it comes close to capturing what I believe to be the most beneficial gain of our adventure; the cultivation of a healthy community.  
 
     There were a handful of times my eyes swelled because I witnessed a few of the greatest attributes of humanity being genuinely expressed by some of the youngest people on the planet: kindness, compassion and bravery.  My emotions ballooned for three reasons: first, I experienced a bit of pride because they are my students.  Not so much because I have inspired them, or taught them to be a certain way, but simply because I get to associate with them.  The second reason I was affected was because I was reminded of just how important, to those kids lives, my job is.  These little great people, your kids, my students, deserve the best learning experience that I can give them.  No slacking, No whining. 

     Kids typically learn how to understand the world through play.  Whether it's play constructed by adults to develop a certain skill or free form play born out of a child's interest or whim.   In my experiences when I have been witness to children playing, or part of child's play, what I witness is often small bits of a child's developing perspective and skill.  As worthy as these micro-developments may be of celebration, it's the development of a fine human characteristic to the point were it can be practiced that demands our honor.   When I witnessed my students express kindness, compassion and bravery for each other my eyes swelled because those characteristics are few of the exceptional elements that make being human beautiful.

     We are lucky to be a part of a school that respects character development as an essential and necessary part of education.  Our voyage was only four days.  But, I can assure you that in those few days we learned more about one another than we had in the first four weeks of school.  From here, our crew will only grow stronger. 

     The crew was split into two patrols and as a result of there being two halves my time with each patrol was also split.  I did not accompany the kids on their over night backpacking adventure, instead I stayed near camp to be a part of rock climbing, high ropes, zip line, Leap of Faith and Ga, Ga Ball.  Below are a few of the images I snapped.   There are many, many more images posted on Educo's website.   There are over two thousand images.  Yes, incredibly overwhelming.  If you are interested, my suggestion is to look for the images where the kids are anchored to a safety rope.

     I had a wonderful time, and as far as I could tell, so did each of your children.   I hope I can make time in the next few weeks, while the memories are fresh,  to share with each of you bits about what I learned about your child.

 

Food Line.  Ellie and Justin cooked and then served.  

 

Aiden and Sarah under the moon.

Absorbin' the vista

Lots of things to move from one bag to another.

Garage Sale!

Feelin' good about the overnight backpack.

                                        Galapagos Lizard Patrol.  Ask to hear their chant.

                                     Cooper learning how to orientate.   Next step compass.

  Cole pushin' through the crux of the climb.

Aidan pondering his next move. Up or Down?

 

Kaytee pushing through the fear.

Sarah working hard to stay focused and calm.

                 

 Camden and Cooper problem-solving.

 Hailey pleased to be heading out for an overnight.

 Conner leaning under the weight of his pack.

 Emma sharing favorite part, most challenging part and part that required most team-work post high ropes course.

 The Lizards Patrol learning how to orientate from Mr. Tom.

 Jolie trouble-shooting how to get from one place to another during orientation class.

 Hailey and Tiernan hangin' out waiting their turn to climb real rock.

     Alex, Aiden and Gregory prepared to climb the "big wall." 

Only someone with a dirt mustache can think this hard.