Friday, April 29, 2011

4th Grade - The word of the day was Dread. Dread means to be in terror of; to anticipate with distaste or reluctance. Dread sounds like Bed. Tecumseh was the pilgrim of the day. Tecumseh tried to unite the Native American tribes understanding that through unity they could keep the white settlers at bay. Unfortunately, as his name means shooting star, the unity of the tribes could not keep the white settlers from expanding into Indian territory. The warm-up puzzle was a Quotation Quizzler. For more puzzles to work on at home go to: http://www.quotepuzzles.com/index.jsp. We spent the rest of the day trying to decide who really sank the Lusitania.

5th Grade - The word of the day was Fetch. Fetch means to go after and bring back; to get as in a price and sounds like Stretch. Samuel Morse was the pilgrim of the day. While many people remember Mr. Morse for the invention of Morse Code, few people know that he was also a famous painter. Quotation Quizzlers were the warm-up activity for this afternoon. For more puzzles to do at home, go to http://www.quotepuzzles.com/index.jsp. The affective lesson was spent discussing "Is it always easy to tell what causes things to happen?" Students spent about half of the afternoon beginning a presentation to convince the G.E.T.U. to resecue their missing family. We also spent a few minutes looking up information on hunger in the United States.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

3rd Grade - Today was spent celebrating the Oklahoma Land Run.

5th Grade - Students were on a field trip to the state capitol.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

1st and 2nd Grade - Our morning started out by finishing up the story of How to be Perfect in Just 3 Days. We then discussed why it isn't necessary to be perfect, just be yourself. The trip to Crystal Pond Woods had us studying Evaluative Thinking once again. Students used webs to help them think of the positive and negative results of decisions they make. Our final activity was to study the power of ice. We also observed different chemicals on ice to see what happens.

3rd Grade - The word of the day was Schlep. A schlep is a stupid or clumsy person. The pilgrim of the day was Louis Pasteur. As a student, Louis Pasteur spent a lot of time doodling. It looked like he was destined to be an artist. Upon entrance to Ecole Normale, he discovered his love of science and became known as the "Father of Microbiology." Our trip to Crystal Pond Woods also involved Evaluative Thinking. Students played three similar games and had to evaluate the different boards using the things they learned about criteria. The final activity was to finish our study of the difference between paleontology and archaeology. After listening to the story "Rare Treasure," students had the opportunity to "dig" for a fossil.

4th Grade - The word of the day was Dread. Dread means to be in terror of; to anticipate with distaste or reluctance. Dread sounds like Bed. Tecumseh was the pilgrim of the day. Tecumseh tried to unite the Native American tribes understanding that through unity they could keep the white settlers at bay. Unfortunately, as his name means shooting star, the unity of the tribes could not keep the white settlers from expanding into Indian territory. We spent the rest of the day trying to decide who really sank the Lusitania.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

1st and 2nd Grade - The word of the day was Precision. Precision means exactness or accuracy. Andrew Johnson, our 17th president, was the pilgrim of the day It wasn't until he married a school teacher that Andrew Johnson learned to read, write or do sums. The warm up puzzle was a Quotation Quizzler. For more puzzles to do at home, go to http://www.quotepuzzles.com/index.jsp. Our affective lesson had us listening to the story Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days! by Stephen Manes. Since it is a lengthy book, we will have to wait until tomorrow to see if Milo becomes a perfect person.

5th Grade - Class today was abbreviated due to testing, but here is what we were able to accomplish. The word of the day was Fetch. Fetch means to go after and bring back; to get as in a price and sounds like Stretch. The pilgrim of the day was Samuel Morse. While most of us remember him as the man who invented Morse Code, Samuel Morse was also a well known painter. When he had difficulty selling his art work, he invented the Morse Code and the single wire telegraph. The warm up puzzle was a Quotation Quizzler. For more puzzles to do at home, go to http://www.quotepuzzles.com/index.jsp. The rest of our time was spent developing a presentation to convince the G.E.T.U. that our family is where they are in order to be rescued. Students also received a gift for participating in the ExploraVision project.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Mrs. Rains was sick today. See you all next week.

Tuesday - Friday, April 19 - 22

Due to OCCT testing, there will be no Enrichment classes meeting the rest of the week.

Monday, April 18, 2011

4th Grade - The word of the day was Dread. Dread means to be in terror of; to anticipate with distaste or reluctance and sounds like Bed. The pilgrim of discovery today was Tecumseh. As the colonists became unified under the Articles of Confederation, they grew stronger. Tecumseh tried to do the same with the numerous Native American tribes knowing that the white settlers were wanting more and more land. Despite its unity, however, the confederation was still unable to halt the westward movement of white settlers. Just like a shooting star that streaked across the sky the night Tecumseh was born, the Shawnee confederation shone brightly, brilliantly, for a moment. The affective lesson had students focused on the understanding that successful people exhibit the traits of creativity, goal setting, intelligence, courage and kindness. Specifically today, we focused on caring and how words can hurt for a long time. Due to OCCT testing this week, no other Enrichment classes will be meeting, so this class explored what really happened to the Lusitania.

Friday, April 15, 2011

4th Grade - The word of the day was Transpire. Transpire means to happen; to become known and sounds like Vampire. John Glenn was the pilgrim of the day. In 1962, John Glenn made the first man made orbit of the earth from space. He went into space again at the age of 78. Quizzles were the warm up puzzle for the day. For more puzzles like the one we did today, go to http://www.puzzles.com/projects/AllLogicProblems.html. Logic puzzles are also a great test practice skill. They teach students to look for problems, search clues, put clues together and draw a conclusion. The Exploration lesson had students completing an experiment to understand Tectonic plates. Students completed the afternoon by researching information from the final clue sent by the CSI team. When we return to Enrichment after testing, students should be able to locate their missing family. 5th Grade - The word of the day was Parapet. A parapet is a low wall or railing and sounds like Pair of Pets. Anton Leeuwenhoek was the pilgrim of the day. Mr. Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch storekeeper who didn't want to keep a store. He enjoyed making lenses in order to study everything he could. People thought he was crazy, but his lenses led to the development of the microscope. Unfortunately, he didn't share his lenses with anyone and it would be another hundred years before the first really useful microscope was created. The SOS lesson had students searching the 4th clue provided by the CSI team to find their lost family. Once state testing is complete, students should be able to find their lost families. Students ended the day by completing an experiment that helped them gain an understanding of Tectonic plates. There was a little confusion about an icecream party for the 5th grade. With the extra time, we designed methods of crowd control that wouldn't harm people.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

3rd Grade - Occlude was the word of the day. Occlude means to obstruct or block. Bill Gates was the pilgrim of the day. Mr. Gates was often bored in school. When he got bored, he would daydream and when he daydreamed, he would rock. His parents realized he was bored with school and sent him to a private school where his love affair with the computer began. And as the saying goes..."the rest is history." The trip to Crystal Pond Woods for these students had them working on Evaluative thinking again. This time they had to develop criteria and evaluate potato chips. Paleontologists were the focus of the Discovery lesson. Students spent time researching well known bone hunters. 5th Grade - The word of the day was Parapet. A parapet is a low wall or railing and sounds like Pair of Pets. Anton Leeuwenhoek was the pilgrim of the day. Mr. Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch storekeeper who didn't want to keep a store. He enjoyed making lenses in order to study everything he could. People thought he was crazy, but his lenses led to the development of the microscope. Unfortunately, he didn't share his lenses with anyone and it would be another hundred years before the first really useful microscope was created. The affective lesson had students discussing why the word "because" is so important. The SOS lesson had students searching the 4th clue provided by the CSI team to find their lost family. Once state testing is complete, students should be able to find their lost families. Students ended the day by completing an experiment that helped them gain an understanding of Tectonic plates.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

It was great to be back with the Washington Irving Enrichment students. Wednesday was a little hectic, but we quickly fell back into our normal routine. 1st and 2nd Grade - The students took their weekly trip to Crystal Pond Woods where they continued to work on Evaluative Thinking. Several students brought their backpacks for today's activity. After developing their criteria, as if they were purchasing a new backpack for school, students evaluated the bags in order to decide which would be the best to purchase. The Discovery lesson had students focused on the concept that discoveries may impact the behavior of people and influence history. A short discussion on how ice is considered strong led to a simulation of how icebergs are formed and how powerful they can be once they begin to move. We ended the morning by watching a video about icebergs which we will finish next week. 3rd Grade - Occlude was the word of the day. Occlude means to obstruct or block. Bill Gates was the pilgrim of the day. Mr. Gates was often bored in school. When he got bored, he would daydream and when he daydreamed, he would rock. His parents realized he was bored with school and sent him to a private school where his love affair with the computer began. And as the saying goes..."the rest is history." The trip to Crystal Pond Woods for these students had them working on Evaluative thinking again. This time they had to develop criteria and evaluate potato chips. Paleontologists were the focus of the Discovery lesson. Students spent time researching well known bone hunters.
4th Grade - I was away from school Monday, but a wonderful lady was with the students. From the note I received everything went well and the lesson plans were followed. Here is what students learned: The word of the day was Transpire. Transpire means to happen; to become known and sounds like Vampire. John Glenn was the pilgrim of the day. In 1962, John Glenn made the first man made orbit of the earth from space. He went into space again at the age of 78. Quizzles were the warm up puzzle for the day. For more puzzles like the one we did today, go to http://www.puzzles.com/projects/AllLogicProblems.html. Logic puzzles are also a great test practice skill. They teach students to look for problems, search clues, put clues together and draw a conclusion. The Exploration lesson had students completing an experiment to understand Tectonic plates. Students completed the afternoon by researching information from the final clue sent by the CSI team. When we return to Enrichment after testing, students should be able to locate their missing family.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I was absent again on Tuesday, but classes were covered by an experienced substitute teacher. From student comments and the sub's notes, everything was covered in the lesson plans. 1st and 2nd Grade - Robust was the word of the day. A person who is Robust feels healthy and strong. Rose Greenhow was the pilgrim of the day. Mrs. Greenhow had learned as a girl how to be a good hostess and many people wanted to attend her parties. Even though she lived in Washington D.C., she was a southern sympathizer. As she entertained Northern officers, she would gain information to pass on to Southern officers. After a brief stay in prison for spying, she was sent south where she became a blockade runner. During a rainstorm, Rose begged the Captain to let her go ashore on a lifeboat. The lifeboat turned over, Rose could not swim, and in her attempt to save some gold for the South, she sank to the bottom of the sea. The warm up activity was a Quizzle puzzle. For more puzzles to practice at home go to http://www.puzzles.com/projects/AllLogicProblems.html. The affective lesson had students understanding that being gifted means different things to different people. Students discussed various expectations people had for them since they had been identified as "gifted." 5th Grade - The word of the day was Parapet. A parapet is a low wall or railing and sounds like Pair of Pets. Anton Leeuwenhoek was the pilgrim of the day. Mr. Leeuwenhoek was a Dutch storekeeper who didn't want to keep a store. He enjoyed making lenses in order to study everything he could. People thought he was crazy, but his lenses led to the development of the microscope. Unfortunately, he didn't share his lenses with anyone and it would be another hundred years before the first really useful microscope was created. The affective lesson had students discussing why the word "because" is so important. The SOS lesson had students searching the 4th clue provided by the CSI team to find their lost family. Once state testing is complete, students should be able to find their lost families. Students ended the day by completing an experiment that helped them gain an understanding of Tectonic plates.

Monday, April 11, 2011

4th Grade - I was away from school Monday, but a wonderful lady was with the students. From the note I received everything went well and the lesson plans were followed. Here is what students learned: The word of the day was Transpire. Transpire means to happen; to become known and sounds like Vampire. John Glenn was the pilgrim of the day. In 1962, John Glenn made the first man made orbit of the earth from space. He went into space again at the age of 78. Quizzles were the warm up puzzle for the day. For more puzzles like the one we did today, go to http://www.puzzles.com/projects/AllLogicProblems.html. Logic puzzles are also a great test practice skill. They teach students to look for problems, search clues, put clues together and draw a conclusion. The Exploration lesson had students completing an experiment to understand Tectonic plates. Students completed the afternoon by researching information from the final clue sent by the CSI team. When we return to Enrichment after testing, students should be able to locate their missing family.

Friday, April 8, 2011

4th Grade - Shoddy was the word of the day. Shoddy means of poor quality or make; dishonest and sounds like Body. Jackie Joyner-Kersee was the Pilgrim of Exploration. When she was born, her grandmother insisted that she be named Jackie after Jacqueline Kennedy (then First Lady), because grandma knew she would be first lady of something. By overcoming asthma, and with hard work and determination, Jackie Joyner-Kersee won several Olympic gold medals for the heptathlon. The warm up activity of the day was a Plexer Puzzle. Plexers are common words or phrases put into picture form. Students have to use visual clues in order to determine the puzzle answer. The affective lesson had us focusing on the fact that successful people exhibit the traits of creativity, goal setting, intelligence, courage and kindness. Today we focused on kindness. After dissecting the Pledge to the American Flag, students wrote pledges they could keep to those around them. The Exploration lesson had us studying the point that explorations of new frontiers may impact advancements in other fields of study. With the recent earthquakes in Japan, we will be studying the earth's tectonic plates over the next couple of weeks. We watched a brief news cast of flotsam from the Japanese sunami and where scientists predict will will go over the next five years as it follows the ocean currents. Finally, the CSI team provided students with another clue for helping find their families. 5th Grade - Colossal was the word of the day. It mean enormous, gigantic; huge in size, extent or degree and sounds like Fossil. Percy Spencer was the Pilgrim of the day. One day, while working for the Ratheon Company, Percy spent too much time near some magnetron tubes. Later, when he remembered he wanted to eat the candy bar in his pocket, he found that the candy bar had melted. He started asking for food from his coworkers to see what would happen. This was the beginning of microwave ovens. These students also worked on the Plexer puzzles. Trying to be more empathic or understanding was the focus of the affective lesson. After lunch, students visited the idea of moving continents. This will prepare students for the experiment they will explore next week. They then received the third clue that would help them search for their lost family in the SOS project. We watched a brief news cast of flotsam from the Japanese sunami and where scientists predict will will go over the next five years as it follows the ocean currents.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

3rd Grade - Spurious was the word of the day. Spurious means false, counterfeit. The pilgrim of the day was Henry Ford. While many are under the impression that Mr. Ford invented the car, there were 50 companies producing automobiles when Henry Ford started the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Ford thought that the people building the car should be able to afford to own one. In order to build them for less, Henry Ford invented the assembly line. The first Model T off the assembly line sold for $850. Seven years later, Ford vehicles were selling for $290. Plexer Puzzles were the warm-up activity of the day. Plexers are common words or phrases put into picture form. Students use visual thinking skills to solve the problems. Our trip to Crystal Pond Woods focused once again on Evaluative Thinking with students continuing the development of criteria to solve problems. Students were given thirty minutes of free time. By using the Problem Solving Matrix and using their criteria, students spent their free time learning and experimenting with flight. The Discoveries lesson had students focused on the fact that discoveries may impact the behavior of people and influence history. Just as the Gold Rush brought an influx of people into California, the discovery of dinosaur bones created a frenzy among scientists and they rushed to the west coast of England. Next week, we will research some well known dinosaur hunters. 5th Grade - Colossal was the word of the day. It mean enormous, gigantic; huge in size, extent or degree and sounds like Fossil. Percy Spencer was the Pilgrim of the day. One day, while working for the Ratheon Company, Percy spent too much time near some magnetron tubes. Later, when he remembered he wanted to eat the candy bar in his pocket, he found that the candy bar had melted. He started asking for food from his coworkers to see what would happen. This was the beginning of microwave ovens. These students also worked on the Plexer puzzles. Trying to be more empathic or understanding was the focus of the affective lesson. After lunch, students visited the idea of moving continents. This will prepare students for the experiment they will explore next week. They then received the third clue that would help them search for their lost family in the SOS project. The final activity of the day was to add more pieces to our invisible men.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

1st and 2nd Grade - Today, we finished up the card game with Max the Magician and Jordan the Judge. Students were to use good factual criteria as they selected a card to match the rest of the stack. Serendipity was the guide for the Discovery lesson today. Serendipity is a discovery by accident. Just as the Gold Rush was begun by accident, hundreds of other products were discovered by accident. Students researched different products many of which came about through Serendipity. 3rd Grade - Spurious was the word of the day. Spurious means false, counterfeit. The pilgrim of the day was Henry Ford. While many are under the impression that Mr. Ford invented the car, there were 50 companies producing automobiles when Henry Ford started the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Ford thought that the people building the car should be able to afford to own one. In order to build them for less, Henry Ford invented the assembly line. The first Model T off the assembly line sold for $850. Seven years later, Ford vehicles were selling for $290. Plexer Puzzles were the warm-up activity of the day. Plexers are common words or phrases put into picture form. Students use visual thinking skills to solve the problems. Our trip to Crystal Pond Woods focused once again on Evaluative Thinking with students continuing the development of criteria to solve problems. Students were given thirty minutes of free time. By using the Problem Solving Matrix and using their criteria, students spent their free time creating games. The Discoveries lesson had students focused on the fact that discoveries may impact the behavior of people and influence history. Just as the Gold Rush brought an influx of people into California, the discovery of dinosaur bones created a frenzy among scientists and they rushed to the west coast of England. Next week, we will research some well known dinosaur hunters. 4th Grade - Shoddy was the word of the day. Shoddy means of poor quality or make; dishonest and sounds like Body. Jackie Joyner-Kersee was the Pilgrim of Exploration. When she was born, her grandmother insisted that she be named Jackie after Jacqueline Kennedy (then First Lady), because grandma knew she would be first lady of something. By overcoming asthma, and with hard work and determination, Jackie Joyner-Kersee won several Olympic gold medals for the heptathlon. The warm up activity of the day was a Plexer Puzzle. Plexers are common words or phrases put into picture form. Students have to use visual clues in order to determine the puzzle answer. The affective lesson had us focusing on the fact that successful people exhibit the traits of creativity, goal setting, intelligence, courage and kindness. Today we focused on kindness. After dissecting the Pledge to the American Flag, students wrote pledges they could keep to those around them. The Exploration lesson had us studying the point that explorations of new frontiers may impact advancements in other fields of study. With the recent earthquakes in Japan, we will be studying the earth's tectonic plates over the next couple of weeks. Finally, the CSI team provided students with another clue for helping find their families.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

1st and 2nd Grade - The vocabulary word of the day was Spry. Someone who is Spry is nimble or lively. Abraham Lincoln was the Pilgrim of the day. During their years at the White House, the Lincoln children provided a lot of entertainment and challenges for those visiting as well as the staff. President Lincoln's reply was that they would only be young once. Plexers were the warm up activity of the day. These puzzles are visual renditions of common phrases that students have to decipher. The affective lesson centered on the idea that no one is perfect. After reading No, David and David Gets in Trouble, both books by David Shannon, students discussed telling the truth and whether some of David's problems were caused by accident or on purpose. We then began our trip to Crystal Pond Woods. Jordan the Judge was playing a type of card game with Max the Magician. We will finish this story tomorrow. 5th Grade - Colossal was the word of the day. It mean enormous, gigantic; huge in size, extent or degree and sounds like Fossil. Percy Spencer was the Pilgrim of the day for 5th Grade. One day, while working for the Ratheon Company, Percy spent too much time near some magnetron tubes. Later, when he remembered he wanted to eat the candy bar in his pocket, he found that the candy bar had melted. He started asking for food from his coworkers to see what would happen. This was the beginning of microwave ovens. These students also worked on the Plexer puzzles. Trying to be more empathic or understanding was the focus of the affective lesson. After lunch, students visited the idea of moving continents. This will prepare students for the experiment they will explore next week. They then received the third clue that would help them search for their lost family in the SOS project. The final activity of the day was to add more pieces to our invisible men.

Monday, April 4, 2011

4th Grade - The word of the day was Shoddy. Shoddy means of poor quality or make; dishonest and sounds like Body. Jackie Joyner-Kersee was the Pilgrim of Exploration. When she was born, her grandmother insisted that she be named Jackie after Jacqueline Kennedy (then First Lady), because grandma knew she would be first lady of something. By overcoming asthma, and with hard work and determination, Jackie Joyner-Kersee won several Olympic gold medals for the heptathlon. The warm up activity of the day was a Plexer Puzzle. Plexers are common words or phrases put into picture form. Students have to use visual clues in order to determine the puzzle answer. The affective lesson had us focusing on the fact that successful people exhibit the traits of creativity, goal setting, intelligence, courage and kindness. Today we focused on kindness. After dissecting the Pledge to the American Flag, students wrote pledges they could keep to those around them. The Exploration lesson had us studying the point that explorations of new frontiers may impact advancements in other fields of study. With the recent earthquakes in Japan, we will be studying the earth's tectonic plates over the next couple of weeks. Finally, the CSI team provided students with another clue for helping find their families.

Friday, April 1, 2011

4th Grade - The word of the day was Wean. Wean means to withdraw from any type of habit and sounds like Teen. Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan were the pilgrims of the day. When an illness robbed Helen Keller of her vision and hearing at the age of two, Helen Keller felt trapped and became very angry. When Anne Sullivan entered her world, Miss Sullivan taught Helen to see, hear and speak using what available senses she had. Helen then wanted to explore everything. She became an author and activist in teaching people how to interact with the disabled. Stories with Holes was the warm-up activity. Students quickly solved two Stories with Holes problems. Continuing the idea of caring for the disabiled, our affective lesson had us watching Leo the Late Bloomer. We then discussed various disabilities and how people whether disabled or not should be treated. Our exploration lesson had us learning more about the circulatory system and discussing what could happen if there was a problem. Students spent the rest of the afternoon researching information to help them find clues to where their family may be stranded.

5th Grade - The word of the day was Retrieve. Retrieve means to recover; to find and bring back; to get back and sounds like Retriever. The pilgrim of the day was Elijah McCoy. Mr. McCoy worked hard to become a fully qualified engineer. Unfortunately, due to his skin color, the only job he was able to get was as an oilman and fireman for the railroad. While working for the railroad, Mr. McCoy developed an oil can with a tube that would allow machines to be oiled without stopping them. This is how we got the term "the real McCoy." Our warm-up activity was Stories with Holes. This activity is similar to 20 Questions, except instead of looking at an object, students are given a short problem and have to decipher the situation. These students were able to figure out the problem with only a few questions. The affective lesson had students focusing on things that are important to them and why. The afternoon was spent researching the information for the SOS project clue #2 and exploring the circulatory system.