Week 38: School's Out for Summer!
We had a great end to our year together, and spent our last day celebrating by watching the first Harry Potter movie. I think this is a tradition I might continue in my class from now on, as the kids absolutely loved reading Harry Potter and were so excited to watch the movie. The Harry Potter series is what got me into reading when I was in 3rd grade, and is likely why I continued to love books and eventually became an English major. 4th grade is a wonderful year for discovering the magic of reading, and there's no better intro to that world than Harry Potter!
This part of the year is always bittersweet for me. It is difficult to say goodbye to a group of kids I have spent so long with, and at the same time I am so excited for them to move on to 5th grade where I will get to continue to see them grow and learn before heading off to middle school.
Cheers to a well deserved summer!
This part of the year is always bittersweet for me. It is difficult to say goodbye to a group of kids I have spent so long with, and at the same time I am so excited for them to move on to 5th grade where I will get to continue to see them grow and learn before heading off to middle school.
Cheers to a well deserved summer!
Week 37: And the Winners Are...
The final stage of our gold rush miniature homes project involved choosing which three houses would be on temporary display at the Miniature Craftsmanship and Engineering Museum throughout the summer. Unfortunately the museum did not have room for all 12 of our beautiful homes, so we had to enlist the help of our classmates and coworkers to choose which three would be going. The students in my class created a rubric based on creativity, historical accuracy, construction, and details with specific criteria for each category that our "judges" could use as they evaluated each house. We had about 60 total people (both students and staff) look at the houses and make their final selections. The top three houses are pictured below in the staging room of the museum where they will be professionally photographed and then put on display!
Week 36: State Testing
We all managed to survive a very challenging week, with many hours of silent and independent testing -- very different from how we usually run things in our classroom. I was very impressed with everyone's work ethic, and ability to keep the classroom quiet until everyone had completed the test. I am certainly proud of these kids for being so tenacious!
Week 35: Spring Exhibition
After many months of hard work and careful thought put into planning, designing, and building, Exhibition is finally here. The energy in the building is always heightened during exhibition week as everyone is hard at work putting the finishing touches on their projects. I left most of the exhibition planning and preparation up to the students this time because, having gone through one this year already, I felt they were ready to take on some more responsibility and ownership. With some guidance and gentle nudging, they planned a beautiful night where they got to talk about building their homes and speak to the experiences of their character that they researched. I got to sit back and watch with pride, which is always my favorite part of the night.
Just a few short weeks left filled with state testing and end of the year celebrations before this year comes to a close!
Just a few short weeks left filled with state testing and end of the year celebrations before this year comes to a close!
Week 34: Old Town
In the height of Exhibition prep, we took a pause this week to go to Old Town and explore some of the historic sights this part of San Diego has to offer. Although we went as part of Mr. Scott's class, there was plenty for us to learn in regards to our gold rush project as well. San Diego boomed during the gold rush period because many people traveled through here on their way to San Francisco. Old Town is preserved to look like a town in the 19th century, so we were able to visualize what a 19th century gold rush town might have looked like as well. This gave many students inspiration for things to add to the miniature homes they are building.
This week we also got to host six visiting teachers during our math time on Thursday. They were hoping to experience what giving feedback and critique is like during a math activity, and we worked on equivalent fractions with them.
This week we also got to host six visiting teachers during our math time on Thursday. They were hoping to experience what giving feedback and critique is like during a math activity, and we worked on equivalent fractions with them.
Weeks 32 & 33: Welcome to the Construction Zone
With exhibition just over a week away, we are certainly feeling the pressure in our classroom! We are working on finishing two projects simultaneously (journal writing and house building) and are so excited to have the opportunity to share our work with our families soon. These past two weeks we have talked a lot about the importance of historical accuracy, especially as it pertains to stereotypes. This can, at times, be a difficult conversation to have with children, but I felt it was an important one. We discussed our duty as historians to capture the truth to the best of our ability, without oversimplifying the huge and impactful event that was the California Gold Rush.
Week 31: Camping in Anza Borrego
The highlight of this week was our camping trip in Anza Borrego with Mr. Scott. This trip was highly anticipated, and despite daytime temperatures climbing over 100 degrees, we had a blast. We explored a slot canyon, played water games to cool off, told stories around the campfire, and hiked to a desert oasis complete with palm trees, a waterfall, and jumping toads. Each year I look forward to the 4th grade camping trip because it is such a fun bonding experience for my group, and I find that kids return a stronger and more cohesive unit to finish out the school year. I love seeing my students out of our usual classroom element, and getting to play and explore outside with them. Hopefully this is a tradition we continue to have.
Week 30: Painting and Play Cubes
Many kids were eager to start painting their miniature houses this week, and as soon as they came up with a painting plan they were able to get right to it. We talked about how costly paint would have been during the gold rush, especially for immigrants who were making little to no money. Therefore, most houses were painted a simple white, or were left unpainted. The kids had to get creative with covering up the cardboard, and a few groups turned broken popsicle sticks into a wooden exterior. I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing the level of creativity that has come out of this project.
Our new playground Play Cubes were installed over the weekend, and we were able to test them out this week! They're a huge hit and provide endless opportunities for imaginative play.
Our new playground Play Cubes were installed over the weekend, and we were able to test them out this week! They're a huge hit and provide endless opportunities for imaginative play.
Week 29: Building Blueprints
Before heading off to spring break, we worked on planning out the blueprints of our miniature houses. We are spending time measuring and planning so that we know exactly how we want to cut out our pieces. We talked about the phrase, "measure twice, cut once" and how important it is to be accurate with our work.
We are definitely excited for two weeks off, and will hit the ground running when we come back!
We are definitely excited for two weeks off, and will hit the ground running when we come back!
Week 28: Math Games and Miniatures
In the midst of being hard a work creating miniature homes and writing historical fiction, we also learned how to play several new math games. The newest one I introduced this week is called Prime Climb, a race to 101 by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Learning math doesn't have to be only rote memorization. With a little creativity, there are ways to integrate learning and fun.
We also started our first week of Outdoor Leadership with Mr. Scott -- our third and final exploratory class of the year. The kids are excited to learn about our beautiful California State Parks, and go camping in Anza Borrego next month!
We also started our first week of Outdoor Leadership with Mr. Scott -- our third and final exploratory class of the year. The kids are excited to learn about our beautiful California State Parks, and go camping in Anza Borrego next month!
Week 27: Wonderland
After many months of hard work, the kids had their Theater exhibition this week -- a stellar performance of Alice in Wonderland! I am so proud of these little actors, and their courage, bravery, and humor that lit up the stage. It is wonderful to see fearless young people like them taking on the hard task of memorizing lines, creating costumes, and embodying new characters with unfamiliar language. I am beyond impressed with Ms. Starry for her excellent direction in this endeavor. Bravo!
Week 26: Research
We chose the characters we would be representing (women, Mexican miners, Native Americans and Chinese immigrants) in our perspective journals this week, and spent a lot of time researching about the daily life of these individuals. We also began to draft ideas for the mini houses we will construct to represent these people and the elements we want to include in the homes. We are all very eager for the building aspect of this project to begin!
As it turns out, our Kindergarten buddies were also doing research this week -- about animals -- and we were able to help them wrap up their work on Friday afternoon. We loved helping them write about and draw their animals in their research notebooks.
As it turns out, our Kindergarten buddies were also doing research this week -- about animals -- and we were able to help them wrap up their work on Friday afternoon. We loved helping them write about and draw their animals in their research notebooks.
Week 25: Miniature Museum
At the end of this week, we went up to Carlsbad to check out the Miniature Craftsmanship and Engineering Museum. The museum is a collection of miniature planes, trains, dollhouses, buildings, boats and everything in between. They had several working miniature engines, and an entire workshop room filled with machines and tools that the miniature makers use to create their masterpieces. We got to explore the museum and watch some of the machine demonstrations. At the end of our tour, the museum manager let me know that if the miniature Gold Rush homes we construct are "of the right caliber" he would allow us to put them on display in the museum for a few months! That was definitely a great incentive to produce some high-quality work!
Week 24: What is Love?
In honor of Valentine's Day this week we worked on learning effective ways of communicating our feelings to others. We practiced this by first identifying different feelings we could be having such as sadness, anger, happiness etc. We then talked about using "I" Statements to let others know how we are feeling using this sentence frame: "I feel __________ when you _________. I wish you would _________."
On Valentine's Day, we talked about what love is and made this video for our families!
On Valentine's Day, we talked about what love is and made this video for our families!
Week 23: Eagle Mining Company
The highlight of this week was our field trip to the Eagle Mining Company in Julian. Despite having to reschedule due to snow (!) we were excited to visit a real gold mine and bring some life to the history we've been studying. We got to walk through several levels of tunnels inside the mine, see the giant rock-crusher used to separate the gold from the quartz, and practice our panning skills!
Week 22: Alice in Wonderland
Our current exploratory class is Theater with Ms. Starry. This trimester our class is working on putting on a production of Alice in Wonderland. I had the chance to watch one of there rehearsals recently, and was impressed with how well the kids had memorized their lines, and dance moves! I am excited to see their final performance during their exhibition next month.
Week 21: Gold Rush Simulation
As we begin to learn about the California Gold Rush, we are doing most of our initial research through an interactive simulation. Students are split into mining teams and charged with the responsibility of making decisions such as how they are going to get to California, and which stake they will claim in the gold fields. They are also keeping a Miner's Log that details the events that happen to them and how their team responds to these events. Lastly, during the "gold mining" rounds of this simulation, the teams are asked trivia questions about different aspects of the gold rush that they've read about in background sheets. Correct answers earn the team "gold nuggets" and incorrect answers puts their claim in jeopardy of being jumped!
This week in math we started making strategy cards which represent the kids' various strategies for solving different problem type. They will add to their set of cards as they learn and master new strategies. It is the hope that these cards will be a resource they can use for the remainder of the year, and take with them to 5th grade.
This week in math we started making strategy cards which represent the kids' various strategies for solving different problem type. They will add to their set of cards as they learn and master new strategies. It is the hope that these cards will be a resource they can use for the remainder of the year, and take with them to 5th grade.
Week 20: Getting Back in the Swing of Things
We began this week excited to learn about our new project and get back into our regular school routine. We eased into the week by reviewing classroom expectations, choosing new class jobs, and getting new seat assignments. This week we also learned that our next project will be about the California Gold Rush. During this project we will examine the "untold stories" of the gold rush -- those from the perspective of marginalized groups such as the Native Americans, Chinese, Latin Americans, women and African Americans. More broadly, we will discuss the importance of examining historical events from multiple perspectives, rather than taking the mainstream narrative at face value.
Weeks 16 & 17: Exhibition and Celebration
These two weeks were a whirlwind of hard work and planning as we prepared to put on our mystery dinner theater exhibition for our families and friends. The kids did an amazing job showcasing their knowledge and demonstrating their acting talents as they seamlessly performed an original adaptation of Cinderella -- dinner theater style! I have never been so proud of a group of students. This truly was a team effort, and we certainly learned the value in working together to accomplish a task.
After the chaos of Exhibition Week, we had time to relax in our pajamas, and the following week we went ice skating, made gingerbread houses with our buddies, and wrapped up the end of the semester in preparation for the new year.
After the chaos of Exhibition Week, we had time to relax in our pajamas, and the following week we went ice skating, made gingerbread houses with our buddies, and wrapped up the end of the semester in preparation for the new year.
Week 15: Practice Makes Perfect
This week we spent all of our project work time practicing for our mystery dinner theater performance. We even got a chance to do a dress rehearsal for a group of 7th graders from High Tech Middle! We talked about the importance of practicing in front of an audience, and how that helps us "iron out the kinks" (a new phrase we also learned this week...). The kids did a great job with the show, and received many compliments from the 7th graders. We also got lots of wonderful constructive feedback to help us improve for Thursday's main event!
Week 14: Get Your Acting Together
This week we focused heavily on our acting, with the help of Ms. Janelle, one of the actresses in the mystery performance we saw in September. She worked with each of our scenes to help the kids project their voices, move across the stage, and show emotions. We had a lot of fun blocking out how each scene will look and deciding what costumes and props we'll need for the big night. With just two weeks until exhibition we are feeling a little nervous and a lot excited!
In continuing with our week of acting work, we started our second Exploratory rotation this week -- Theater with Ms. Starry! She is helping us learn now to be good audience members, and be supportive of one another both on and off stage.
In continuing with our week of acting work, we started our second Exploratory rotation this week -- Theater with Ms. Starry! She is helping us learn now to be good audience members, and be supportive of one another both on and off stage.
Week 12: Three, Two, One, Action!
This week we started blocking out our scenes for our dinner theater performance. We had to come up with our lines, decide who was going to play what part, and figure out how we were going to transition from one scene to the next. Once we got that figured out, we all worked on speaking loudly and showing emotions with our words and actions. We've still got plenty of work to do, but after Thanksgiving break we will be working with a professional actress who will give us some feedback on our acting and teach us some techniques that will help us improve.
Week 11: Ready, Set, Write!
We worked extremely hard this week to critique and revise our adapted fairy tales. We worked on capitalization, punctuation, flow, format, and spelling. We also sharpened our typing skills by practicing with Typing Club. Our stories are well on their way to being ready for exhibition night and we can't wait to share them with our family and friends!
Week 10: Halloween
With Halloween and the Costume Creep Jog-A-Thon, this week was full of fun costumes and celebrations. On Halloween we paraded in our costumes around the park and worked on some spooky math problems in class. On Friday, we participated in the Jog-A-Thon to help raise money for our school. We challenged ourselves to run as many laps as we could in just 20 minutes, and had so much fun doing it in silly outfits! We are well on our way to raising enough money to buy some new playground equipment.
This week we also pushed hard to finish the first draft of our adapted fairy tales that will be published and on display for Exhibition Night. We have had a lot of fun planning and outlining our adaptations, and it has been exciting to see them start to take shape on the page. We've also been working on our typing skills so that we can get out stories onto the computer for easier editing.
This week we also pushed hard to finish the first draft of our adapted fairy tales that will be published and on display for Exhibition Night. We have had a lot of fun planning and outlining our adaptations, and it has been exciting to see them start to take shape on the page. We've also been working on our typing skills so that we can get out stories onto the computer for easier editing.
Week 9: San Diego Crime Lab!
This week we had a very special guest come to speak to our 4th graders. Kimberly Kirkpatrick worked for 7 years as a forensic investigator for the San Diego Crime Lab. She shared with us her experience in the field documenting crime scenes, and the process in which evidence is collected, categorized and used to help solve crimes. She now works in the Latent Prints Lab where she compares fingerprints collected as evidence to try to match them with a suspect. The kids loved asking her questions about how investigators document crime scenes, the late and long hours they work, and all of the science that goes evidence collection. We will use this information in our adaptation of Cinderella to make it a scientifically accurate mystery story!
Week 8: Student Led Conferences
One of my favorite things about High Tech is the fact that we let our kids take ownership over their education. This means that they have voice and choice when it comes to the work that we do, and they understand that their contributions matter. The same goes for our conferences. I am always struck with an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration watching my students converse with their parents about work they are proud of, and goals they hope to accomplish by the end of the year. By giving kids the opportunity to be in charge of their own work, they are more likely to want to follow through on the commitments they make. Is it a perfect system? No. Do they sometimes need a nudge in the right direction? Absolutely. Nevertheless, I am always impressed with the insight and intellect the kids demonstrate when they sit down with their families during SLC Week.
Week 7: SLC Preparation
Amidst all of our project work, we took this week to slow down and reflect on the past 6 weeks of school in preparation for our upcoming Student Led Conferences. We've chosen work we are proud to share with our families, and have set some goals for the remainder of the year. We've worked hard to be thoughtful and purposeful in all that we do -- which can be exhausting at times! So, we ended our academics a little early on Thursday afternoon in favor of a walk down to the bay to enjoy each other's company free of the classroom. We had fun running through the grass, watching squirrels, looking for fish, and taking a silly picture at the top of the bridge. We were certainly glad to be out enjoying the San Diego sunshine, and went into this long weekend with happy hearts.
Week 6: Using Microscopes Like Detectives
The highlight of this week was getting to examine different types of hair under microscopes with the guidance of the 7th graders at High Tech Middle. We learned that detectives use microscopes to identify different hair samples left behind at a crime scene. While at HTM we got to compare human and animal hair, and also get a close-up look at two different types of bird feathers. We had a fun time learning about how to use a microscope from the 7th graders who just practiced this skill themselves.
We have also begun writing our very first fairytale adaptations! We chose between The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Riding Hood and had to make one change to the story. We talked about ways that authors make meaningful adaptations, and how that affects the rest of the story. We will be using these adaptation skills to eventually adapt Cinderella to be a mystery story that include forensic science elements.
We have also begun writing our very first fairytale adaptations! We chose between The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Little Red Riding Hood and had to make one change to the story. We talked about ways that authors make meaningful adaptations, and how that affects the rest of the story. We will be using these adaptation skills to eventually adapt Cinderella to be a mystery story that include forensic science elements.
Week 5: Mystery Theater!
We had some very special visitors to our classroom on Wednesday. The entire 4th grade got to take part in an interactive mystery theater performance which involved a diamond heist, a handful of student suspects, plenty of clues, and a big reveal at the end. It was a lot of fun to experience the type of performance we are hoping to put on for exhibition in a few short months.
In addition to the mystery theater, we also continued our study of forensics by learning about handwriting analysis. We learned the different markers that investigators use to compare handwriting samples such as size, spacing, slant, and letter formation. We even tried our hand (no pun intended) at comparing several handwriting samples to a fake ransom note for a stolen statue -- some of us were actually able to identify the culprit!
In addition to the mystery theater, we also continued our study of forensics by learning about handwriting analysis. We learned the different markers that investigators use to compare handwriting samples such as size, spacing, slant, and letter formation. We even tried our hand (no pun intended) at comparing several handwriting samples to a fake ransom note for a stolen statue -- some of us were actually able to identify the culprit!
Week 4: Fabric Forensic Analysis
To continue our project work, this week we focused on fabric analysis and identification! Did you know that forensic investigators can identify different types of fabric based on their weave pattern when looked at under a magnifying glass or microscope? We took a stab at it on Tuesday, and found it to be much more difficult than we thought! The students were given 5 different mystery fabrics, a magnifying glass, and a fabric identification chart. They had to work together to sketch the weave pattern as they saw it, identify the type of fabric, and provide evidence to support their decision. Many of them were able to correctly identify most of the fabric on the first try!
This week in Engineering, students finished making pop-up cards for their Kindergarten buddies and had a fun time delivering them on Friday afternoon. We also spent some time getting ready for Back to School Night by choosing a piece of work to share with our families and writing down some of our 4th grade hopes and dreams.
This week in Engineering, students finished making pop-up cards for their Kindergarten buddies and had a fun time delivering them on Friday afternoon. We also spent some time getting ready for Back to School Night by choosing a piece of work to share with our families and writing down some of our 4th grade hopes and dreams.
Week 3: Finding Out About Fingerprints!
We studied our first element of forensic science this week by taking a look at fingerprints. We learned that each person has a unique set of fingerprints, and they're different on each finger! We learned about the three main types of fingerprint patterns, and how to identify them. We also learned how investigators use fingerprints to help them identify suspects. After gathering all of this background information, we examined our own fingerprints! We began by coloring the tip of our finger with marker, and quickly stamping it on a piece of paper. We then identified our pattern, and had fun comparing patterns with one another.
Week 2: Project Launch
This week we launched our first project of the year! Our project is called "Caught in the Act" and it will be a study of forensic science and mystery writing. Students will adapt the story of Cinderella to be a mystery, and incorporate elements of the forensic science we learn. They will turn their story into a play to perform mystery dinner theater style on exhibition night. The kids were excited to discover all the elements of their project through a whole-school scavenger hunt as our project launch. This week we also found time to begin our book clubs (mystery books, of course!) and get started on our ST Math curriculum!
Week 1: Welcome Back to School!
The first week of school is always a little bit chaotic, as everyone tries to navigate new classrooms, new friends and new expectations. We spent this week getting to know one another, and establishing some classroom routines to set us up for a successful year ahead. We embarked on Jo Boaler's Week of Inspiration Math, and practiced critique and revision by creating beautiful radial symmetry art pieces. We also met up with our Kindergarten buddies for some Friday coloring fun!
We had a great first week, and I'm looking forward to a fantastic year with this new fourth grade crew.
We had a great first week, and I'm looking forward to a fantastic year with this new fourth grade crew.