Author's Chair Celebration--Essays!

Last week we held our third Author's Chair of the year. This time we celebrated and listened to the very hard work that students have done in the genre of essay writing. The topics and content all uniquely belonged to each student. A few students started us off in a whole class share format, and then we broke in to a more intimate setting, finishing out the sharing in small groups around the room.

Ask your student to explain the involved process that we used to piece the essays together, including the use of notecards to plan, and a folder system to keep the various entries appropriately organized. Students are proud of their accomplishments and I'm proud of the new ground they broke as writers. I encourage you to take a look at their pieces through the link below. You'll notice that each student created their own distinctive stationery on which to write their final draft.

View all Essays electronically here!

Learning Updates

Problem, what problem? Mr. Ciraulo (our SAGE teacher) worked with the class on problem solving, and specifically on writing their solutions in clear, succinct ways. We're fortunate to have him join us every other week for instruction on problem solving.

I'm famous! (As you've no doubt heard by now) Students from our class and Rappin's class made a quick cameo appearance in a film sponsored by Issaquah Schools Foundation on the topic of school funding.

Timeline Project. Students presented their Washington State Timeline research writing pieces and art projects in the hall outside our classroom. On the wall is our complete class timeline.

Recorder Concert. 4th graders perform for other students during a dress rehearsal prior to the evening concert for families.

Science Fair. Participants from our class shared about their projects.

Author's Chair. Students proudly display their final essay drafts.

School News 3/23/11

Summer school registration is now open for elementary school students.

Elementary Summer School is for current first through fifth graders who would like to get a jump-start on next year’s learning. The program also provides remedial assistance over the summer.  Classes are held on weekdays from July 5 to July 29, 9AM to 12 PM, at Clark Elementary School.  Tuition is $375 and applications are available in your school office or on the District website.

  

Summer Computer Camp is for current fourth and fifth graders. Students will learn how to use a camera, how to film correctly, and how to transfer video into the computer.  They will learn the fundamentals of video production and editing and how to use still pictures and video to make a movie. Their final project will be to produce a DVD.  Summer Computer Camp runs weekdays from July 11 to July 22, 9:30 to 11:30, at Clark Elementary School.  Tuition for this two-week program is $225 and applications are available in your school office or on the District website.

  

Grand Ridge Nights at Red Robin

The Issaquah Red Robin is helping our 5th grade raise money to cut the cost of Camp Colman! Join us Monday, March 28^th and 20% of your ticket will be donated to Grand Ridge. Contact Nancy Castonguay at tenkcast@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Thank you!

Lost and Found items to be donated March 31^stHave you been wondering where your child’s favorite coat, sweatshirt or hoodie could be? How about their lunch box or water bottle? You might want to check the ever-growing Lost & Found located at the bottom of the main stairwell. We have a wonderful team of volunteers who do their best to return labeled items, but you could really help by checking the L&F if you think your child has lost something. Also, please make sure all clothing and lunch boxes, etc. are clearly labeled. Unclaimed items will be donated to charity March 31st.

Grizzly Gear…last chance!!

Your snazzy Spring line of Grizzly Gear is now available!We are offering t shirts, pajama bottoms, embroidered fleece zip-ups and umbrellas.   Please click over to http://www.grandridgeptsa.org/grizzgear.html for ordering information. Orders due March 28th! This will be your last chance to order gear this school year.

Learning Updates

JA Biztown Field Trip:  Students were amazing at Biztown.  The worked hard and most were exhausted by the end of the day.  Ask your student about their job and how it contributed to the overall success of the Biztown community. Thanks to all our amazing parent volunteers, without whom this great simulation would not have been possible. Check out pictures here.

Social Studies: 

• This week students worked in business groups to complete activities in preparation for their trip to Biztown.
• Students wrote and designed a classified newspaper article and the copy for a TV advertisement
• CEOs filled out business paperwork including a loan application and promissory note
• Students visited Biztown on Friday to culminate their study of Economics.
• Next week students will debrief their Biztown experience, play a Jeopardy review game, and take their final assessment.

Health

• On Monday, Mrs. Oakes, our school nurse, came to our classroom to continue our discussion of nutrition and health.

Math

• Students conducted a probability experiment where they dropped a small cube on to a colorful board. They designed the board, made predictions about the expected number of times the cube would land on a particular color, and recorded data on 50 drops of the cube
• We found that with probability, the more times an event occurs, the more closely our results will come to what we expect. Ask your child what happened when we used a computerized spinner to spin 1 million times versus just 100 times.
• We finished up Unit 7 and took the unit assessment
• Please find the family letter for Unit 8 here 

Dropping Cubes. Probability experiment in process. Only 49 more times to go!

Tallying up the results.

Writing

• Students have been working very hard to finish up publishing of essays and their stationery
• Many students and I have met three separate times through the revising and editing stages
• We'll have the Author's Chair celebration early this coming week and move on to fictional narrative writing

Science and Reading

• We finished the science field test on our second and final unit--Matter
• Over the three lessons, we conducted a variety of different hands-on experiments where students learned about the properties of solids, liquids and gasses, and also that matter is conserved in terms of weight and volume.
• Conserved means that no matter the shape of the container, if we pour some liquid from one to another, we'll have the same amount of liquid
• This also means if we shape clay or other objects in different ways and measure the volume or weight--they will always be the same (so long as no matter is added or removed)
• This was not as intuitive a concept as you might think, and students confronted their preconceptions head on through these experiences
• We also did some great reading about states of matter, the story of Archimedes discovering how to measure volume with liquid (be sure to ask about that story!), and properties of matter

School News 3/13/11

SCHOOL NEWS: 

Fourth Grade Recorder Concert: Fourth grade recorder concert is coming up quickly.  The concert is scheduled for Thursday, March 17th, at 7:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room.  Details:

• Arrive between 6:30 and 6:45.
• Go directly to the stage and sit with your class.
• Dress nicely. 
• Girls wear skirt or dress pants with a blouse, or a dress.  No high heels. 
• Boys wear a collared shirt with dress pants.
• Refrain from wearing jeans.

Feel free to email Ms. Badgely at badgelya@issaquah.wednet.edu  with questions.

Popcorn is Back: It is time to enjoy the smell of popcorn in the air once again.  Don't forget to bring in your quarters and buy a bag or two to enjoy.

HERE'S THE SCOOP!!  Or two scoops, or possibly three!! Join us at Ben & Jerry's Tuesday March 15th and help our 5th graders raise money for Camp Colman. For every scoop, sundae, shake, smoothie or waffle cone you enjoy, Ben & Jerry's will donate 20% of your total purchase. What'll it be? Phish food, Fossil Fuel, Americone Dream, Cherry Garcia....YUM!

Science Fair is Here!  Check out our website for full details. Turn in projects March 15^th. Join us on March 16^th for a great night of learning. Receive a free bag of popcorn for participating when you come to school on March 17^th. Questions? Contact Theora Dalupan at tdalupan@hotmail.com

ANIMALS AT SCHOOL: In accordance with Issaquah School District Policy, please be aware that animals are not allowed in the school building or on school property. This is in accordance with Issaquah School District Policy 6973. For more information, visit the district website at http://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/

After School Movies:  Each movie is open to all Grand Ridge students (K-5)

·         "Megamind" (PG) will be show on Wed March 23rd immediately after school in the Grand Ridge Commons.

·         Permission slips can be found on the Grand Ridge website: www.grandridgeptsa.org and at the PTSA bulletin board outside the Grand Ridge office.

·         Permission slips must be completely filled out and returned with $10 admission (checks only please) per student by no later than noon on the Thursday prior to the event.

·         Students will be dismissed and met in their wing at 1:10pm the afternoon of the movie and escorted to the Commons by Grand Ridge volunteers.

·         Students should bring coats, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc. with them when they are dismissed to the movie.

·         A nut-free snack and bottle of water will be provided to students during the movie.

·         Photo ID is required for the 3:30pm pick up.

·         Volunteers will receive one complimentary admission for their child.

Learning Updates

We've been busy lately. Here's the latest from Room 264: 

Math:

• We have continued on with Unit 7 about fractions in Everyday Math.
• Students have learned the Equivalent Fraction Rule and practiced finding equivalent fractions.
• Students compared and ordered fractions. Students have discovered several strategies to help them compare and order fractions with like denominators, like numerators, and using ½ as a benchmark. Take time to ask your student about these strategies.
• This week we will finish our lessons and have the unit test.

 Reading:

• What a great week of celebrating reading! “Read Across America” was very inspiring for the students this week.
• We've been making more headway with our Read Aloud,  A Wrinkle in Time
• We'll be reading more about states of matter for our science field test

 Social Studies:

• This week we wrapped up our class lessons on Financial Literacy in our Biztown unit.
• Students now know how to write checks, maintain a checkbook register, and make bank deposits.
• On Thursday they learned their job assignment. They are over-the-moon excited for this field trip!
• Our focus next week will be on Workplace Readiness (appropriate behaviors, attire, and business costs).
• The students will then have the opportunity to work with their new business group colleagues to design advertisements, create a commercial, and apply for a bank loan to start-up their business.

Art:

• Students began a series of art lessons to make a clay dragon mask for our upcoming Pacific Rim unit in Social Studies. Thanks so much to Leigh K., Lynne V., and Karla O. for a great lesson!
• This week they created the face of their dragon and in the coming weeks the projects will be fired in the kiln and then glazed.  Each face was as unique as the child who designed it.  

Writing:

• Students are deep in the publishing process
• All have completed their rough drafts and are working their way through revising, revising conference, editing, editing conference, and publishing
• The pieces are so unique and so personal to each student. It's exciting to read their work and to help them fine tune things

Science:  As you know, our class is field testing new science materials.  Last week we field tested the GEMS space science program. We examined concepts such as gravity and earth's shape. We also began conducting our final tests on a second program--CSG Matter. We did a very interesting, hands-on lesson--be sure to ask your student about this and other lessons they participated in.

Biztown. Students role play the part of an employer and employee. After each of four scenarios we discussed what the employee could have done to be a more responsible employee.

Art docent lesson--clay dragon masks

Students brainstorm what makes a good business during a Biztown lesson

Ask your child about these two models. Which one is correct? What is the evidence that backs this up?

School News 3/6/11

CLASSROOM NEWS:

JA Biztown Field Trip:  Consent forms for this field trip (for photography) came home with your student this week.  Please note that students will need to arrive at school by 8:10 am (one hour early) on Friday, March 11.  Buses will leave no later than 8:20.  We will be back at school by 3:00.  For lunch, students and chaperones will be able to purchase one slice of pizza with their "Biztown Money".  If you or your student will require a more substantial lunch or you prefer a different lunch, you are welcome to pack your own lunch.  

SCHOOL NEWS: 

Fourth Grade Recorder Concert: Fourth grade recorder concert is coming up quickly.  The concert is scheduled for Thursday, March 17th, at 7:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room.  Details:

• Arrive between 6:30 and 6:45.
• Go directly to the stage and sit with your class.
• Dress nicely. 
• Girls wear skirt or dress pants with a blouse, or a dress.  No high heels. 
• Boys wear a collared shirt with dress pants.
• Refrain from wearing jeans.

Feel free to email Ms. Badgely at badgelya@issaquah.wednet.edu  with questions.

 Popcorn is Back: It is time to enjoy the smell of popcorn in the air once again.  Don't forget to bring in your quarters and buy a bag or two to enjoy.

Here's the Scoop:  One scoop, two scoops, or possibly three.  Join us at Ben and Jerry's Tuesday, March 15th and help our fifth graders raise money for Camp Colman.  For every scoop, sundae, shake, smoothie, or waffle cone you enjoy, Ben and Jerry's will donate 20% of your total purchase.

After School Movie: Our next session is coming soon!  Join us in watching Megamind on March 23rd.   

·         Movie:  Megamind (PG)

·         Fee:     $10 checks only (no cash)

·         Dates:  (pick one)

o  Wed. March 23rd 1:15pm-3:30pm: Permission Slips due by noon on Thursday, March 17^th

We Celebrated Reading! - We had a fabulous week of celebrating reading.  Thank you Mrs. Gekeler and Mrs. Otley for all your hard work.

SCIENCE FAIR:  March 16, 2011    Please go tohttp://www.grandridgeptsa.org/  for more information on how your student can participate in the Science Fair.