Our Neurons are Firing!

This week, our class combined a little science with math.  We measured our reflexes in our right and left hands as another student dropped a sheet of paper with markings on it.  Where our fingers grabbed the paper were measurements representing how fast our reaction time was.  After 10 trials on each hand, we figured out our range, mode, median, maximum, and minimum reaction times. 

The Run for Education is quickly approaching.  This is a fantastic opportunity to build school pride adn work on our physical fitness.  The event is October 17th.  Schools with the most students participating are awarded grant money to purchase PE supplies for the school.  We have won this in the past, but not recently.  It would be great to see you all there.  Entry forms are available at the school, including in your child's classroom. 

On another note...if you had signed up for the updates to be sent from our class webpage to your email then that is great. However, I learned that the photos that are posted there don't get sent.  So, if you like to see some great learning in action, you will have to visit the actual website at http://brocksclass.blogspot.com/ .

Book Report

Last week it was announced to the class that our first book report will be due on Monday, October 4th.  Forms are by the door and have been covered as to what is expected.  Today they were reminded that they have 2 weeks until it is due.

Arghhhhh! Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Our class celebrated "Talk Like a Pirate Day" on Friday, since the official day is on a Sunday this year.  Our morning work, reading, science, and math was directly tied to a pirate theme, including the way we spoke in class.  The highlight of the day involved students learning why boats float, especially if loaded with "booty" such as gold.  Students created boats from aluminum and placed "booty" (glass beads) in their boat until it sunk.  After learning about the concepts of surface area, density, displacement, and buoyancy, they created another vessel which held more.

Measuring in mL!

The second week of school saw our class dig a little deeper into the curriculum.  Besides focusing on a heavy review of math content, burying "dead verbs" that  we are going to try to replace with more vivid ones, and our first reading groups, we also expanded upon what students learned in 4th grade on the water cycle.  We began by measuring out 1 liter of water using Falcon tubes which measured 50 mL each.  The 1000mL represented all the water on earth.  Students then measured out smaller amounts which represend lakes, rivers, glaciers, ground water, water in the atmosphere, and other sources.  The end product was a great visual of how much of the earth's water is actually drinkable in its current form.

Student Archaeologists at Work

Towards the end of the first week of school we kicked off the beginning of social studies with a bang. Combining scientific observations and writing, while motivating students on the subject of social studies, our class took on roles of archaeologists. Dividing the sandbox into quadrants, each scientific team chose a dig site and carefully began excavation, hoping to reveal artifacts below the surface. As artifacts were found, students sketched the location of where each had been discovered. Back in the classroom, teams of archaeologists discussed what their artifacts revealed. Their final task was to complete an official Archaeology Report to turn into the Archaeologist Director.