Opening up our Expedition: Introducing Science Journals

Last Thursday our crew started our expedition, Why Does it Matter?, with a science journal gallery walk (Ask your kids to share the purpose of our gallery walk).  During this falls expedition, and next springs, we will be using science journals considerably to record notes, curiosities, ideas, experiments, discoveries, explanations...all things necessary for our crew to begin to analyze, evaluate and create with their new knowledge.  Check out these few pictures from last weeks gallery walk.  

Edmodo

Edmodo

Edmodo is an educational website that provides forums for classes to communicate electronically.  I opened a "group" for the class as a whole and each student opened one for themselves.

The whole-class group is for classwork such as posting thoughts on articles, taking polls, sharing ideas, etc.  The individual accounts were created for student's use in completing class related assignment. The 5th/6th group account is not meant to be a social network site or an open chat room.  

For the purpose of growing our community I have created a small group title The Chat Box where students are welcome to share inquiries, or have discussions about books read, movies watched, search for clarification about assignments and yes, just be chatty.  

It's important the children know the difference between the groups functions.  Please help remind your child that there is a space for school work and another for chattin'. 

Warmly,

Mr. K...

Check your email for camp EDUCO news.

Greetings Families,

Today the kids were given homework asking that they make a map of their neighborhood. Making a map is a very new thing for all the kids. We have had no build up to this assignment. What I'm after is not a well illustrated map, but the unique view of the students world. What will happen is that every students map will have many similarities because of where they each are in development. Part of the activity is to help them begin to see the similarities and ask some big questions about why and the other part is to share more about some things in their lives that are important to them.

I share to help ease any of your confusion, as well as to help you guide your child through the process. I mean guide in it's simplest form. This project is student generated work. The parents roll, if needed should be to reiterate that it's the child perspective we are after, not google maps or an older siblings view. It's not about perfection. It's about a window into how we see the world and community building.

If you are up for playing along, after your child has drawn their map, draw a map of your own and discuss the differences and similarities. Kids may want to add to theirs after the share; however they should refrain from doing so if it more your idea, and less theirs. Questions or comments let me know. 

Kenny...