Around the world, there are 10 Mystery Classes waiting to be discovered! Our class has taken up the challenge, and will use the changing sunrise and sunset times to discover the exact locations of the classes. This investigation demonstrates that, as spring sweeps across the Northern Hemisphere, daylength changes everywhere on Earth. Students see that these dramatic seasonal changes in sunlight affect the entire web of life.
Each Monday starting January 28th, we will calculate and graph the photoperiod (amount of daylight) from the sunrise/sunset data for Webster. Each Friday, we will use the data from the 10 mystery classes, to find their photoperiod. Beginning in March, we will receive interdisciplinary clues - the climate, history, geography, and more - about the classes.
This investigation will take place for 11 weeks. Once we receive all of the data, we will use the clues to try to determine the locations of the Mystery Classes. Then, we will report our findings to Journey North, and see if we are correct!
If you are interested in learning more about the Mystery Class investigation, go to Journey North to learn more! This investigation is a lot of fun, but we learn a lot!
We are only at the beginning of this investigation, and we already see that Webster's photoperiod (amount of daylight) increased from last week! We are looking forward to see more and learn about where these other classes are located!
Have a great week!!
Mrs. Burns :)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
It's Been a While!
I am so sorry to be missing in action the past few weeks. Our class has been so busy!
In writing, we have been working on personal essays. Students chose a topic they felt strongly about, and wrote an essay supporting their thesis. Some of the big ideas that were written about were: family is the most important thing, kids should be able to choose a sport they want to play, students should be able to play video games for as long as they want, surprises are always good, and many others! Once they wrote an introduction, they wrote three supporting body paragraphs, and then a closing paragraphs. We will be taking what we learned from personal essays to start writing an informational piece, that we will organize into books!
Math has been lots of fun! We have been working our way through word problems that have multiple steps. We have learned that reading, and rereading the word problem is a good thing! We also learned how important it was to check our answers with the original question. We found that many times, we answered one part of the question, but there was still something else we needed to do. Checking our answer and asking ourselves, "Does that answer make sense with the question?" will help us to be sure we have correctly answered the problem.
We have also be adding and subtracting multiple digit numbers. You have probably seen the dot arrays the kids were using to "regroup". The dot arrays are just another way of explaining and showing how new groups need to be made when subtracting. The squares represent 100's, the lines represent 10's, and the circles represent 1's. Students are starting to "see" how to use these when subtracting.
In science, we are applying what we learned from our study of text features, to read and understand science texts. Students used a science text book to locate information about ecosystems. The students LOVED looking through the text at all of the neat photographs and information that was in it. While they were reading, they needed to read captions, diagrams, and charts to find information they needed. They also practiced using context clues to find meanings of vocabulary words. Finally, we are getting to wrap up our Package the Pringle Project! Yea! All information from our classes and the classes from Hong Kong are ready for us to calculate the final score of each team and each class. Students will be using calculators to find the score, then analyze their data to determine the winner!
As you can see, we have been busy, but this post hasn't even covered all we have been doing! I promise you will not have to wait as long for the next post!
Enjoy the rest of the day!
Mrs. Burns
In writing, we have been working on personal essays. Students chose a topic they felt strongly about, and wrote an essay supporting their thesis. Some of the big ideas that were written about were: family is the most important thing, kids should be able to choose a sport they want to play, students should be able to play video games for as long as they want, surprises are always good, and many others! Once they wrote an introduction, they wrote three supporting body paragraphs, and then a closing paragraphs. We will be taking what we learned from personal essays to start writing an informational piece, that we will organize into books!
Math has been lots of fun! We have been working our way through word problems that have multiple steps. We have learned that reading, and rereading the word problem is a good thing! We also learned how important it was to check our answers with the original question. We found that many times, we answered one part of the question, but there was still something else we needed to do. Checking our answer and asking ourselves, "Does that answer make sense with the question?" will help us to be sure we have correctly answered the problem.
We have also be adding and subtracting multiple digit numbers. You have probably seen the dot arrays the kids were using to "regroup". The dot arrays are just another way of explaining and showing how new groups need to be made when subtracting. The squares represent 100's, the lines represent 10's, and the circles represent 1's. Students are starting to "see" how to use these when subtracting.
In science, we are applying what we learned from our study of text features, to read and understand science texts. Students used a science text book to locate information about ecosystems. The students LOVED looking through the text at all of the neat photographs and information that was in it. While they were reading, they needed to read captions, diagrams, and charts to find information they needed. They also practiced using context clues to find meanings of vocabulary words. Finally, we are getting to wrap up our Package the Pringle Project! Yea! All information from our classes and the classes from Hong Kong are ready for us to calculate the final score of each team and each class. Students will be using calculators to find the score, then analyze their data to determine the winner!
As you can see, we have been busy, but this post hasn't even covered all we have been doing! I promise you will not have to wait as long for the next post!
Enjoy the rest of the day!
Mrs. Burns
Sunday, November 25, 2012
I am Thankful
The turkey has been eaten, the pies are all gone, and out come the Christmas trees and decorations. It seems like yesterday it was fall, now the snow is starting to fall! On the eve of the last day of Thanksgiving Recess, I pull out my lesson plans, and start to fill in the blanks I have left to fill. Last week was crazy! Getting ready for Thanksgiving, finishing the essays, meeting with parents for conferences. It seemed like one thing after another, but it was a really good week. It was so great talking with parents about their children. I had such a good time talking with the kids about their essays, and listening to them read! It was busy, but fun!
But I can't help but to wonder....how did the "I am Thankful" essays go over? Did anyone read them to their families during their meal, or did they chicken out? I am looking forward to tomorrow just so I can hear all about them!
Also, don't forget! This Wednesday we are going on our field trip to Helmer's Nature Center! We had so much fun last year, and I am sure the kids are going to have a great experience this year as well. We will be back in time for lunch in the cafeteria, so they can buy if they want to. Part of the field trip will be outside, so please have your child dress for the weather! Let me know if you have any questions!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Burns :)
But I can't help but to wonder....how did the "I am Thankful" essays go over? Did anyone read them to their families during their meal, or did they chicken out? I am looking forward to tomorrow just so I can hear all about them!
Also, don't forget! This Wednesday we are going on our field trip to Helmer's Nature Center! We had so much fun last year, and I am sure the kids are going to have a great experience this year as well. We will be back in time for lunch in the cafeteria, so they can buy if they want to. Part of the field trip will be outside, so please have your child dress for the weather! Let me know if you have any questions!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Burns :)
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Native American Projects
Hello everyone!
Sorry, I am a little late on posting...we have had some busy weeks! As you know, report cards are going home this Friday! Everyone is scheduled for a conference time and I sent home reminders of your day and time this week. If the reminder didn't make it and you need another reminder, or you are no longer able to attend, please let me know asap. We can arrange another time!
Last week, we introduced our Native American projects. Students picked out a project they would like to do. We have had a lot of conversations about these projects! They will be due December 17th, which seems like a long time from now, but it will sneak up on us quickly! I wanted to address some "frequently asked questions" from both the students and parents:
1. What should be included in the project?
Each student's project should contain the following:
* a visual presentation of the assigned topic
* a written (or typed) explanation of the information illustrated by the project
* a list of references (books, websites, etc.) used for the assignment
2. Where can we get examples of past year's projects?
Mrs. Coene has a wonderful page of examples and informational resources that can be used. Visit her classroom webpage HERE.
3. When are the projects due?
All projects are due in school, December 17th. Large projects should not be brought on the bus. Projects can always be brought in before the 17th.
4. How much help should I give my child?
Your child is expected to do most of the work on this project, however, they are going to need some help! This is a great opportunity to work on a project together, but we don't want the parents to do all of the work...you all already went to 4th grade!
5. Do I have to go out and buy a bunch of materials for this project?
We do not want families to go out and buy lots of things and spend a ton of money. Feel free to use materials you have at home. Recycling is a great idea! The native americans used what resources they had to survive. If you choose to go buy things, that is fine, but it is not required. If you are having trouble getting some materials, please let me know and we can work something out.
6. What if we have a question about the project?
Anytime you have a question, please do not hesitate to send me a note, email, or call!
I know there may be more questions, so please do not hesitate to ask! After a few weeks, I will send home a "status check" for your child to complete, to see how much they have done, and what else they need to do. This way, we are keeping tabs on it so they do not wait until December 16th to work on it! Once we get the projects in, we will have a Native American Museum, where students can see what everyone has done and give feedback about the projects. We will keep the projects on display throughout the school, so everyone can see what we have been working on.
I am looking forward to meeting with all of you to talk about your child, and the progress they have made! Have a great week, and a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Burns
Sorry, I am a little late on posting...we have had some busy weeks! As you know, report cards are going home this Friday! Everyone is scheduled for a conference time and I sent home reminders of your day and time this week. If the reminder didn't make it and you need another reminder, or you are no longer able to attend, please let me know asap. We can arrange another time!
Last week, we introduced our Native American projects. Students picked out a project they would like to do. We have had a lot of conversations about these projects! They will be due December 17th, which seems like a long time from now, but it will sneak up on us quickly! I wanted to address some "frequently asked questions" from both the students and parents:
1. What should be included in the project?
Each student's project should contain the following:
* a visual presentation of the assigned topic
* a written (or typed) explanation of the information illustrated by the project
* a list of references (books, websites, etc.) used for the assignment
2. Where can we get examples of past year's projects?
Mrs. Coene has a wonderful page of examples and informational resources that can be used. Visit her classroom webpage HERE.
3. When are the projects due?
All projects are due in school, December 17th. Large projects should not be brought on the bus. Projects can always be brought in before the 17th.
4. How much help should I give my child?
Your child is expected to do most of the work on this project, however, they are going to need some help! This is a great opportunity to work on a project together, but we don't want the parents to do all of the work...you all already went to 4th grade!
5. Do I have to go out and buy a bunch of materials for this project?
We do not want families to go out and buy lots of things and spend a ton of money. Feel free to use materials you have at home. Recycling is a great idea! The native americans used what resources they had to survive. If you choose to go buy things, that is fine, but it is not required. If you are having trouble getting some materials, please let me know and we can work something out.
6. What if we have a question about the project?
Anytime you have a question, please do not hesitate to send me a note, email, or call!
I know there may be more questions, so please do not hesitate to ask! After a few weeks, I will send home a "status check" for your child to complete, to see how much they have done, and what else they need to do. This way, we are keeping tabs on it so they do not wait until December 16th to work on it! Once we get the projects in, we will have a Native American Museum, where students can see what everyone has done and give feedback about the projects. We will keep the projects on display throughout the school, so everyone can see what we have been working on.
I am looking forward to meeting with all of you to talk about your child, and the progress they have made! Have a great week, and a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
Mrs. Burns
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Pringles, Pumpkins and Parties...oh my!
This past week has been filled with lots of activities! First, our Xerox Science Consultant came on Wednesday to do some pumpkin measurement. We reviewed finding the circumference and height of their pumpkin using rulers and tape measure. We also reviewed the terms diameter, radius, mass, weight, and volume. While the kids were finding the circumference and height, small groups went up to find the mass of their pumpkins in grams. Once everyone made their measurements, our friend Maizy took her pumpkin up to the table to find the volume of her pumpkin. Since pumpkins don't have a set length, width and height, we had to find the volume another way. Mr. Asarese brought a HUGE beaker with him. It will filled with a certain amount of water. He showed everyone how to find the correct amount of water in the beaker by getting eye level with the water, then read how much was in it. Then we placed Maizy's pumpkin in the water until it was covered completely. Mr. Asarese had to hold it down under the surface of the water, because pumpkins float! Then Maize read the new measurement of the water. When the first amount was subtracted from the higher amount, we would find the volume of the pumpkin! We were not able to do that with everyone's pumpkins since we ran out of time, but we had a great lesson reviewing measurement, and everyone got to keep their pumpkin!
About a week and a half ago, Mrs. Coene and I brought 12 packages to the post office in Webster. Boy were the workers glad to see us! We sent all of our packages to Hong Kong. I keep checking with Mrs. Smith to see if she has received them, but no word yet! My fingers and toes are crossed that they will make it ok. The workers looked at Mrs. Coene and I a little funny when we told them that they each contained one Pringle potato chip!! This week, we will be opening the packages from Hong Kong to see how their Pringles made out! We will post data as soon as we finish.
Friday, Klem South had it's annual Halloween Costume Parade! There were safari guys, witches, gangsters, boxers, angels, dolls, and werewolves just in our classroom alone! We were even visited by Finn from Adventure Time, Carmen Santiago, and Harry Potter. We all had a fun day and had wonderful treats. One of the favorite activities was Digging For Worms. For this activity, we put a gummy worm on a paper plate and covered it with some whipped cream. Then the plates were placed on a table, with a student at each one. The goal was for each student to find the gummy worm and eat it....all with their hands behind their backs! It was loud, fun, and everyone was laughing! I will be posting pictures of the worm activity on the class web page very soon!
This week, there seems to be more excitement. Sandy is on her way, and who knows what that will bring! Not to mention, Halloween is this actually this Wednesday. Wednesday we will be keeping things low key, since we already had our party last week. Until next blog update, have a great week, and stay safe!!
Mrs. Burns :)
About a week and a half ago, Mrs. Coene and I brought 12 packages to the post office in Webster. Boy were the workers glad to see us! We sent all of our packages to Hong Kong. I keep checking with Mrs. Smith to see if she has received them, but no word yet! My fingers and toes are crossed that they will make it ok. The workers looked at Mrs. Coene and I a little funny when we told them that they each contained one Pringle potato chip!! This week, we will be opening the packages from Hong Kong to see how their Pringles made out! We will post data as soon as we finish.
Friday, Klem South had it's annual Halloween Costume Parade! There were safari guys, witches, gangsters, boxers, angels, dolls, and werewolves just in our classroom alone! We were even visited by Finn from Adventure Time, Carmen Santiago, and Harry Potter. We all had a fun day and had wonderful treats. One of the favorite activities was Digging For Worms. For this activity, we put a gummy worm on a paper plate and covered it with some whipped cream. Then the plates were placed on a table, with a student at each one. The goal was for each student to find the gummy worm and eat it....all with their hands behind their backs! It was loud, fun, and everyone was laughing! I will be posting pictures of the worm activity on the class web page very soon!
This week, there seems to be more excitement. Sandy is on her way, and who knows what that will bring! Not to mention, Halloween is this actually this Wednesday. Wednesday we will be keeping things low key, since we already had our party last week. Until next blog update, have a great week, and stay safe!!
Mrs. Burns :)
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Stream Visit #1....Success!
What an awesome day we had in 4th grade today! Right after specials, we got on our rain boots and old sneakers, gathered our equipment, and headed out to Mill Creek at Webster Park. Our class, Mrs. Coene's class, and Ms. Hanson's class did three different tasks today. One group went with Mrs. Coene. Their job was to gather macro-invertebrates to bring back to school. They needed buckets and nets to get what they needed! A second group worked with me. My group collected the following data: water temperature, water pH, levels of nitrates and phosphates, stream depth, stream width, clarity of the water, and flow rate of the stream. We used LabQuest sensors, a clarity tube, meter stick, and string to help us measure those things. The last group broke into smaller groups with Ms. Hanson, Mrs. Richardson, and a number of parents, to complete visual surveys of the area around the stream. It is important to record information about what is in and around the stream, to help us draw our conclusions about the health of the water in that stream. These groups walked the length of the stream right to where it met Lake Ontario. One of the neat things we saw was the salmon that were working their way upstream!
This afternoon, we carefully went through our stream samples of water to identify the different macro-invertebrates we collected. Some macro-invertebrates are very sensitive to pollution, so if we find a large number of those macros, we can conclude that the water in that stream has little amounts of pollution. The students had a super time searching for macros, and sharing their findings with the others. Our next step is to post all of our data to our Stream Team Wiki, and analyze what we found!
Today was a great day of learning! I would like to thank Mr. Egerton, Mrs. Willmott, and Mrs. Kidane for joining us today. We couldn't have done it without you! Enjoy the rest of the week!!
Mrs. Burns
This afternoon, we carefully went through our stream samples of water to identify the different macro-invertebrates we collected. Some macro-invertebrates are very sensitive to pollution, so if we find a large number of those macros, we can conclude that the water in that stream has little amounts of pollution. The students had a super time searching for macros, and sharing their findings with the others. Our next step is to post all of our data to our Stream Team Wiki, and analyze what we found!
Today was a great day of learning! I would like to thank Mr. Egerton, Mrs. Willmott, and Mrs. Kidane for joining us today. We couldn't have done it without you! Enjoy the rest of the week!!
Mrs. Burns
Friday, October 12, 2012
Catching Up
It has been a while since my last post! We have been very busy here at Klem South. A few weeks ago, we went to the 4th Grade Fun Run. The kids did great! It was fun to see them all do their best and cheer on their classmates. We took some great pictures of the kids toward the finish line. I will post them soon!
We also started our spelling program. We are using Words Their Way. This program helps ensure that children have a spelling program to meet their individual needs. Your child was assessed using a spelling inventory and has been placed in a group that will work on the patterns he/she has not yet mastered. On Mondays, the students are placed in their groups, and the sort is introduced. On Tuesday, they sort their words into the patterns and record the sort in their Word Work Journal. Wednesdays, they choose 6 spelling words and write complete sentences. Thursday, they do a teacher choice activity, or rainbow words. Rainbow words is where they write 10 spelling words in their journal, then write the word again using 4 different colored pencils/crayons. Fridays is their spelling test. Again, it is not about memorizing a list of words for a test on Friday. We talk about how those words work, and how the words sound. We find other words that fit the patterns they are working on. This way, when they are writing, they can apply what they learned in spelling new words. Students are expected to practice their spelling by doing an activity each night. The activities are listed in their Homework Binder, and they do not have to bring the activity they do at home to school the next day.
We have also received packages from Hong Kong! The fifth graders we are partnered with sent their Pringle Packages. The kids are so excited to open them! Ours are finished and ready to be mailed today! Next week, we will be making our videos to introduce ourselves to our new friends, and we will be opening the packages!
Next week we have our first Stream Team field trip! We will be going to Mill Creek at Webster Park on Tuesday, October 16th. Students will be measuring temperature, water clarity, stream depth/width, flow rate, nitrate/phosphate levels, and completing a visual survey of the surrounding area. We will also be collecting macroinvertebrate samples to bring back to school to identify. We will leave after specials (10:45) and be back at 12:00 at the latest. Thank you for sending in the permission slips! We even have a few parents who volunteered to go with us! If you change your mind and want to join us, just send me an e-mail!
The PTSA is also sponsering a family science night, Tuesday, October 16th. It sounds like it is going to be a ton of fun! Check out the Klem South PTSA blog for more information: http://klemsouthptsa.blogspot.com/
Here is some more dates to remember:
Wednesday, October 17th: picture day!
Friday, October 26th: PTSA Meeting (8:50 am)
Klem South Costume Parade (9:20 am)
Class Fall Party **More info about our party is coming soon!
That's about it for now! Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Burns
We also started our spelling program. We are using Words Their Way. This program helps ensure that children have a spelling program to meet their individual needs. Your child was assessed using a spelling inventory and has been placed in a group that will work on the patterns he/she has not yet mastered. On Mondays, the students are placed in their groups, and the sort is introduced. On Tuesday, they sort their words into the patterns and record the sort in their Word Work Journal. Wednesdays, they choose 6 spelling words and write complete sentences. Thursday, they do a teacher choice activity, or rainbow words. Rainbow words is where they write 10 spelling words in their journal, then write the word again using 4 different colored pencils/crayons. Fridays is their spelling test. Again, it is not about memorizing a list of words for a test on Friday. We talk about how those words work, and how the words sound. We find other words that fit the patterns they are working on. This way, when they are writing, they can apply what they learned in spelling new words. Students are expected to practice their spelling by doing an activity each night. The activities are listed in their Homework Binder, and they do not have to bring the activity they do at home to school the next day.
We have also received packages from Hong Kong! The fifth graders we are partnered with sent their Pringle Packages. The kids are so excited to open them! Ours are finished and ready to be mailed today! Next week, we will be making our videos to introduce ourselves to our new friends, and we will be opening the packages!
Next week we have our first Stream Team field trip! We will be going to Mill Creek at Webster Park on Tuesday, October 16th. Students will be measuring temperature, water clarity, stream depth/width, flow rate, nitrate/phosphate levels, and completing a visual survey of the surrounding area. We will also be collecting macroinvertebrate samples to bring back to school to identify. We will leave after specials (10:45) and be back at 12:00 at the latest. Thank you for sending in the permission slips! We even have a few parents who volunteered to go with us! If you change your mind and want to join us, just send me an e-mail!
The PTSA is also sponsering a family science night, Tuesday, October 16th. It sounds like it is going to be a ton of fun! Check out the Klem South PTSA blog for more information: http://klemsouthptsa.blogspot.com/
Here is some more dates to remember:
Wednesday, October 17th: picture day!
Friday, October 26th: PTSA Meeting (8:50 am)
Klem South Costume Parade (9:20 am)
Class Fall Party **More info about our party is coming soon!
That's about it for now! Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Burns
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