Delivering our donations to Street Roots!

Dear families,

This is very late notice but I was able to arrange a time with the Street Roots office for us to drop off our donations and get a little tour!  If you are free and interested, please meet me at 9AM tomorrow (Saturday 12/19) at

Street Roots

211 NW Davis St.

Portland, OR 97209-3922

The office is right in the heart of Old Town Portland not too far from the Old Town/Chinatown Max station.  There are two large pay parking lots just East of the office on Davis, if you drive.

We will have a brief overview of their work and then head out for a hot cocoa!

Hope to see you there!  Mark

971-322-6806

Wrapping up the [calendar] year.

Dear Families,  

This week is often one where excitement and energy levels run quite high.  To keep up with the excitement we a have some fun events scheduled.  I know you have busy lives and work schedules but if you are at all free, we would love for you to join us for the following.  

• Thursday 12/18 at 12:30 we will debut our Authors and Actors memoir scenes.  Come see your kids read portions of their memoirs while their peers act them out.
• Friday 12/19 Our Annual Family Breakfast and Singalong. Please join us for Breakfast at 8:15.  Bring a healthy dish to share. If your child has any allergies, please bring something they can eat.  We will provide drinks, plates and utensils.  At 9:00, Mr. Colvin will be back with his guitar for a group singalong.

We are still taking donations to support Street Roots. See the wish list on the back of this sheet for which items they can and cannot accept. I will take the donations down to the Street Roots office during Winter Break.  Thanks in advance for anything you are able to donate.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 12/19

• MATH: Math practice sheet!
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.
• Attached is an optional fun pebbles challenge.  Read it through.  It takes a minute but you will enjoy it!

Our awesome donation project.

Dear Families,  

What a wet and rainy morning and well ... rainy day.  Everyone had a short adventure tale to tell of their journey to school this morning.  We will not be spending too much time outdoors while this torrential downpour continues but please send your child with appropriate rain gear in case we do have a chance to get some fresh air.  

And speaking of rain gear, these conditions turn my mind to folks who are not fortunate enough to have a roof over their heads at this time.  Our class will be gathering supplies to donate to Street Roots over the next two weeks.  Street Roots is a weekly paper and advocacy organization by and for folks experiencing homelessness. You can find out more about the organization at their website, streetroots.org. I had the opportunity to volunteer in the Street Roots office a while back and was inspired by the work happening there.  

See the wish list below for which items they can and cannot accept. I will take the donations down to the Street Roots office during Winter Break.  Thanks in advance for anything you are able to donate. Just send along your donations with your student.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 12/11

• MATH: Math practice sheets!
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.

Street Roots Wish List

(http://streetroots.org/support/wishlist)

Your in-kind donations keep us going. We welcome any of the following in clean, useable condition:

Vendor Program

• Little Hotties handwarmers
• Hiking or regular tube socks
• Gloves
• Band-Aids of various sizes
• Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment (individual packets are best)
• Tri-Met passes
• First-aid supplies
• Cough drops
• Cup-O-Noodles
• Ibuprofin, Tylenol, Asprin
• Razors

Office

• Postage Stamps (Forever stamps are best)
• Printing paper (letter size, white)
• Yellow note pads
• Black and red ink pens
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper (partial rolls OK from housekeeping or janitorial programs)
• IKEA gift certificates
• Ace Hardware gift certificates
• Apple computers running Snow Leopard (OSX 10.6) or later (desktops and/or laptops)
• A black and white laser printer that will print up to 11"x17" (monochrome only; no color)
• Office Depot gift certificates
• Cash-N-Carry gift certificates
• Safeway, Fred Meyer, and/or Trader Joe's gift certificates
• A working refrigerator (energy-efficient)
• An 8 foot folding ladder

We are unable to accept clothing, perishable food, and blankets, but can refer you to a worthy program that welcomes such items. If in doubt, give our office a call at 503-228-5657 and we can talk with you about your donation.

Reading, Reflecting, Responding

Dear Families,  

Last week I wrote about students getting things done and fostering independence.  This weekend I finally had some time to really hunker down with the writing our students have been doing.  I was trying to walk my talk, but it is really just astounding how much you learn about students when you have time to read, reflect and respond to their work.

After reading their memoir drafts, I see our class with whole new eyes.  I am newly up to date on where they are on their journey as writers - how they express their thoughts, how they prioritize information, how they try to reach their readers.  Maybe more importantly, though, I also feel like I just know them better. I learned about mysterious disappearances, sibling conflicts, amazing discoveries and scary occurrences.  Who knew our class had lead such fascinating lives?  

This week, as we continue to develop our memoirs, I would love it if you took some time with your student to tell a few stories from your life.  Also, what are some funny or touching stories about them that they might not know about?  We are always looking for more ideas to add to our memoirs.  

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 12/4

• MATH: Math practice sheets!
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.

Working together AND being independent.

"Can we have partners?" is one of the most common student requests as I send them off to work after a lesson.  "Can we be a trio?" is probably the next one.  There is a joy in collaboration.  There is also an underlying social context and component for all learning.  We make meaning together by sharing and listening.

And we do work together a lot in class. We play partner games in Math. We have Read to Another time in Reading.  We have Writing Response groups, Science partners, table talk, and time to play and create together.  Most students live for this, though there is a strong contingent of kids who say "I'd prefer to work alone right now."

Recently, though.  We've been working on independence.  And we've unpacked what that means: not being dependent.  Not needing others to get assignments done and the ability to create on one's own are life skills that need support, too.  In a language rich, socially supportive learning environment there should still be plenty of time and space devoted to fostering self-discipline and pride in accomplishment.

Mostly we've been working on this in writing.  We've seen tremendous growth in the responses students are writing in their weekly Reading reflection journals.  Each week there is some newly sophisticated use of language or punctuational flare.  And I am pushing this in our current work around memoir.  We are writing for longer amounts of time and using all of the tools we can think of to keep ourselves going.  Some students run into a wall now and then and want to stop but with some guidance and some strategies for staying engaged, they dive back in.  It is a slower and less visible process, but for me, watching kids become more independent as writers is as thrilling as that first time they wobble down the sidewalk on two wheels when they learn to ride a bike.

Testing out some ideas

Our study of electricity and circuits is continuing to be lots of fun.  Last week students explored how to light a bulb and then how to create a circuit with a switch.  This week we are going to study materials that are conductors, nonconductors and insulators by making “conductor testers.” We will use our knowledge about switches to leave an open section in a circuit that we can then attempt to close with various materials. If the bulb lights, it is a conductor. If it doesn't, then it must be an insulator.

If you are interested in brushing up your own understanding of electrical vocabulary, I recommend the Brainpop mini-films on the topic. If your child does not remember the login information, just give me text.

If your child has not returned their Reading Journal for a while, please send it in this week.  I would love to take a look at any work that they have done.  If it is lost, we can make some new ones.

Reading Aloud

There are times when the importance of a certain basic thing reemerges.  For instance, reading aloud.

I have the harmonious situation of parenting a fifth grader and teaching third and fourth graders.  It makes it really easy to buy or check out books for my boy: "You want that novel? It can come live in my classroom library when you're done with it? Sure. Let's get it."

The lines between home life and school life can get a little blurry, but overall that is a good thing.  For instance: the power and the struggle of reading together with a child.  In the classroom it's easy.  I pick a great book, I read it out loud to the class, we talk about it, and enjoy it together.  One of my favorite things as a teacher is when I look up from a read aloud and the whole class is quietly staring into space, completely wrapped up in a story. It happens with good nonfiction, too.

There is a lot of educational writing, theory and research about the importance of reading aloud to students.  And there is an even larger amount about the importance of families reading together.

But guilty secret, here - sometimes I dread it.  After a long day of working, meeting other people's needs, getting to and from work, etc., I really need a minute or two to myself.  There are some nights when my son asks me to read to him before bed that I really have to find a happy response.  I dig up the resolve from knowing there will soon be a day when he doesn't ask and I will miss it.

Speaking to many families over the course of my career, I know this is true for many of you, as well.  But I want to challenge you in the coming weeks to make that time, if you can.  A few years ago my family tried the TV Turn-off challenge for a week and it was astonishing.  I finished two serious books and started a third. Louis plowed through a pile from the library.

We have been working in class on reading to someone else as part of our daily reading routine.  It's kind of my new favorite part of the day.  There is so much subtle learning happening.  Everyday I see students coaching their peers, too, in ways that help me design lessons. Partner reading spreads a passion for certain books and new genres and builds new friendships.  Students discover new things about each other and themselves. If you can, make some more time to read together this week!

Homework, due: 11/6

Reading Response
Math Practice and Challenge
Read together!

Local food chain discoveries and thanks for great conferences.

Dear Families,  

Thanks for the conferences.  I felt like I was connecting with old friends. We laughed, we cried, we set some goals!  

One key goal for every student was working on an expert topic presentation.  For some students this will mean teaching a lesson on how to do something, for others it will mean presenting on a topic they know a lot about.  This week I am sending home a presentation planning form to help your student get started.  Please take some time to help your student start planning their presentation.

I know it is odd but the planning day for conferences was scheduled after conferences so there is no school on Friday, 10/30.  

We are bringing our study of how energy flows through ecosystems by trying to put together the pieces of the food web of our school terrain. We grabbed clipboards, paper and pencil and set out to see what we could bind in action. A notable and exciting discovery was the beetles boring into our wooden play structure (this is, of course, why we are replacing the play structure). I was thrilled that the students immediately called out "The beetles are primary consumers and the wood in the play structure is a producer!"

October Goal Setting form link

http://goo.gl/forms/4AmvUzfzeG

Everybody's doing something different!

We are very much coming together as a class even though our mixed grade group requires students to be coming and going at all times!  As hard as it can be to have students travelling and working on different projects at the same time, kids shouldn’t always be doing the same thing at the same time.  Each child’s curiosity and particular needs can only be truly satisfied when a classroom offers multiple options at once.  On Friday we had some Catch Up/Clean Up/Exploration time and it was fascinating to watch as students found their way into different projects.  If you are not already following our class on social media, I regularly post on Twitter and Instagram as @LewisRoom24 and you can see them at work.

A few upcoming events to know about

• Please consider coming to a Lewis PTA meeting.  This Tuesday, 10/13 at 6:30.
• There will be a two hour late opening this Wednesday, 10/14, for a staff training.
• Run for the Arts will happen on Thursday, 10/15.  Our class is scheduled to run at 1:30 if you would like to join us or help out.
• Fall conferences will be on Wednesday and Thursday, 10/21 and 10/22, which means no school those days.  School will also be closed that Friday 10/23.  There will be no homework that week.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 10/16

• MATH: math practice and review.
• READING: Please read every day and write one reading response in your journal.
• SCIENCE: Food chain questions.

Be in touch!

Dear Families,  

I want to re-extend an invitation for you to come by our class whenever you have a chance.  We love classroom visitors, guests, and helpers.  I am grateful to all of the family members who have had time to stop by.  I realize you lead busy lives so dropping by is not always an option, but I just want to make sure that you know we would love to have you.  Likewise, please be in touch by phone or email if you ever have a question, concern or just want to share some happy news.

This week we did some great problem solving as a group.  We noticed that lunch time had gotten a little too rambunctious and the class was having a hard time settling back into our afternoon work.  We met in a circle on the carpet and figured out what was going on and how we might deal with it.  The next day things went really smoothly.  It is always so gratifying when I turn a problem over to the students and they step up to figure it out or solve it.

Again, thanks for supporting your kids in writing fantastic reading reflections last week.  I am thrilled with the level of thinking and effort that went into them.  

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 10/8

• MATH: Math practice sheets and KenKen puzzle.  
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.

Check out these KenKen resources.

Building on a Great Start

Dear Families,  

I am so excited about how our year together has started. We have a warm classroom community (not to mention a warm classroom) and passion for learning and creating. We have reestablished some solid work routines and developed some fun ways to do school.  

In the following weeks we are going to really focus in on the getting work done in a timely way and making sure that it is the best it can be.  We talked as a class about checking in with yourself to make sure that you are fully present.  We practiced checking in with our minds and our bodies to make sure that we were ready and engaged. Next week we will practice some self-coaching strategies to work through challenging moments.

Thanks for supporting your kids in writing fantastic reading reflections last week.  I am thrilled with the level of thinking and effort that went into them.  

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 9/18

• MATH: Number Visuals activity
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.
• SCIENCE: Peripheral Vision science experiment.

Check out these websites for some helpful resources on the math homework.

http://www.datapointed.net/visualizations/math/factorization/animated-diagrams/

http://mathlesstraveled.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/f8d01c2c511da904ae6f094ed04d1066.png?w=640

Another New Homework Element

This week we are adding a new piece to our homework routine: reading journals.

This is a place for your student to write about what she or he is reading.  Writing in this way can be scary but it is the best way to discover how smart you actually are.  When a young reader understands that they are in conversation with the writer to make meaning, their reading comprehension and critical thinking blossom.

We will support our young readers intentionally, starting with simple techniques to summarize their reading.  This will be the groundwork for our year long comprehension strategies work. Tools for writing summaries are included in the journal, along with a family checklist you can use to support your child.

I am asking that each child write one meaningful writing response in their new reading response journal per week.  You can adjust based on the amount of time you have and your expectations for your child.  We can plan together during conference times to set individual student goals. One strategy is to break up the writing of the response so that your child writes a few sentences a day.

Please return the journal to school on Friday.    We will look over the work together as a class and students will share their thinking with each other.  I will look over the work but may not have time to respond to each child each week. Journals will come home again on Mondays.

This is a big new step and it will take our students some time to master the process.  We will be working on this same process in class, so everyone should be up and running soon!

In the journal you will find:

• Tools for summarizing what you read (We use these same tools in class).
• A model response that shows expectations for how students should be writing by December. Note that the first few entries might be shorter as we build skills and endurance.
• Topics for responses.
• Reading strategies and “sentence starters” that match them.
• A checklist for making sure writing is the best it can be.

These tools are new to our students.  I do not expect them to use them independently yet.  We will be studying them and practicing over the next few weeks so they should be clear on everything soon.  I am sending them home so you can use them to support them until they are independent.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 9/25

• MATH: a Math challenge activity
• READING: Daily reading and one Reading Journal Response.

Moving right along

New Homework Element

Looking over your feedback about homework, one thing that stuck out is that families want Science homework.  So, this week I am sending home a Science activity that you can do with your student.  This is a classic experiment.  How much weight can you float on a boat made out of a bit of aluminum foil?  You can use whatever weight you have handy but the classic unit is a penny.  Feel free to mix it up or use what you have on hand.  

There is a data table for your child to use for making predictions and tracking results. Also, please help them write some reflections on the process.

I am still fine-tuning the homework so please send me feedback in the comments section and extend or adapt the homework in any way that you find meaningful. My goal is for each student to have a meaningful  and fun school-to-home set of activities every week.

REMEMBER: Return any remaining paperwork!  Back to School Night is Tuesday, 9/15, at 6PM.  Wednesday, 9/16, there is a two hour late opening for staff development.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 9/18

• MATH: a Math challenge activity
• READING: Please read daily with your kids.  I am not sending home a reading log.  Twenty minutes is a good base amount.  I will send home some strategies for supporting your child and talking to them about their reading.
• SCIENCE: The aluminum boat exploration.

Thanks, families! And some words on homework.

I want to start by thanking you for all of the supplies.  We are well stocked for the year because of your generosity.   Thanks also for returning the school paperwork and for responding to my questions about homework.  If you haven’t had a chance to get that stuff in, please take a moment to return those items. If the homework note did not make it home, just let me know and I will send another along.

In order to make our home school connection strong and meaningful for each student, I am assessing their current strengths and needs.  Once I have that, I’ll try to create a routine that fits your responses. Until then we will have a weekly set of short activities for you to enjoy together.  

The key for this part of the year is laying the groundwork for seamless connection between our class and your home.  The main thing to practice is getting paperwork home and then back to school! Please check your child’s backpack and folder daily.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK:   Due Friday 9/11

• MATH: To start off our home-school connection, I am sending home one of the greatest math games - Tic Tac Toe sums.  This is a fun way to practice math facts and to think strategically.  The sheet is attached.
• READING: Please read daily with your kids.  I am not sending home a reading log.  Twenty minutes is a good amount, but feel free to adjust.  I will send home some strategies for supporting your child and talking to them about their reading.

First week. We're back!

It is so great to be back!  We are off to a great start.  We picked up right back up where we left off.

Now for the news everyone wants to know: when does homework start?  Short answer; next week.  Longer answer; this week I will send home a homework survey. It will ask for your thoughts on how homework has gone before and what you find valuable in homework.  As a parent of a fifth grader, I understand the value homework can have in connecting home to school.   And I also get how much of a pain it can be. So, I want your input.  Please look for the survey this week in your child's bag.

The students are really excited about the read aloud book we are reading right now - Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.  Check out this trailer for the book.

As always, please be in touch.  You can feel free to email me, call or text.  And please stop by, the door is always open.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gL_vo7n1BWSHW5ZELdWaSKAuRlydX-chncL2Efd7Gz8/edit?usp=sharing

What a great year!

Well, this is it, friends.  I know people say this a lot but I can't believe it's already the end of the school year.  I am sorting through student work and marvelling at how our kids have grown.  Students who weren't really ready to read at the beginning of the year are reading and thinking independently.  Students who were complete strangers to each other at the beginning of the year are now like family.  Students who started with a handful of topics they cared about have found dozens of new lines of inquiry to pursue. We have become whole new, more mature versions of ourselves.

I want to take this last post to thank everyone for such a great year.  I want to thank Ms. Brenan and Ms. Leake for being inspiring and supportive collaborators.  I didn't get to work with Ms. Elissa or Mrs. Kennedy as much as I wanted but they both also kept me going.  I want to thank Tracy for all of the reminders and the thousand little things that she makes sure go right everyday.  Mr. Lauer makes Lewis a fabulous place  to work and to grow and explore as a teacher. Ms. Layman is not only an amazing PE teacher, but a relentless tinkerer and a creative inspiration.  Mr. Jamesbarry makes Music a joyful but intensely focused time - kids have fun while actually learning what it is to make music.  Ms. Kathleen made garden time a chance to explore the natural world around us and also an opportunity to give back.  Ms. Tori brought books alive for us, with high-flying read-alouds.  Our Learning Center team not only gave students the individualized support they needed but were always on hand to brainstorm ways to reach all of our kids.  Nick and Vianca were brilliant at helping Che participate but also at advocating for how our classroom could be more inclusive. Ms. Liska stopped by every day to check in on her special students and always left us smiling.  Rasema and Selim kept our room and the rest of the school looking good, even when we made a mess. This staff is an all around wonder.

I mostly want to thank you Room 5 families, though.  You shared these amazing students with me and gave me the support I needed to make meaningful learning happen.  Your kind words, helpful reminders, probing questions and good humor have made this a year I will never forget.  Thanks for everything.