Scholars were given a multiple page document that has short answer, essay and multiple choice questions about geology/earth science- everything we have been studying for several months. Today most of the groups presented and did a great job! The information presented was allowing them to hear summary information about all the things we have been studying, from their peers. A few groups will finish up the presentations tomorrow. The scholars who presented created activities, like word search and crossword puzzles, fill in the blank diagrams, and short answer Jeopardy questions. The students need to complete the summative assessment work, making sure to do their best work. They are encouraged to use the resources that they have in their science logs, and folders, but it should be their work and they should not do this work in groups with friends. If they have an article that they read, that they took notes on, then they can use that to help them, but they cannot use the notes or resources of another scholar. How will I know if they are doing something different that? I believe in my scholars and I trust them. My expectation is that they will not violate that trust. I look forward to seeing the work each individual scholar produces. They may type answers if they prefer, but all of the ideas should be their own. Please provide them with a quiet place and blocks of time to complete this work.
Details for Math: This week the scholars have been working on a survey. They choose a question to ask and were directed to ask 25 people to respond to their question. The question needed to have at least three choices and no more than five choices for responding. Today in class, scholars took the organized data they had and used it to create a "necklace" or "bracelet". The threaded beads on to a string for each of the 25 responses they received. They tied the beads into a circle. They placed this circle inside of another circle (concentric circles) and used it to create a a pie or circle graph. This was colored. Next, they took the data they had and created fractions. They converted these fractions to equivalent fractions with a denominator of 100, and used this to then convert their date into decimals and to percents. For homeschool work, scholars are to answer the 7 questions on the Survey paper "Reflecting on Learning" in thoughtful complete and neat sentences. There are three other questions on another Survey paper (page 43) that they need to also thoughtfully answer. These three questions ask them to list for things their data tells them, Explain how making the necklace or bracelet helped them and to write the percents, which they have already done in their chart, so they can answer this last question by simply writing, "See Chart". Scholars should attach all the pages of the Survey work together with a staple and bring this into class Monday, along with their necklace or bracelet. If there are any questions, please try to ask them to me sometime on Friday. I am available by text, phone call or email.
Details for Science: This week scholars have been working in their Project Groups: Weathering, Tsunami, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Minerals, Plate Motion & Boundaries, Rock Cycle. They have been given several hours of class time to work on these projects. Each group is required to have an ANCHOR CHART, a Poster, Model or other Visual . (i.e. google slideshow.) and an activity for the class to engage. They will be presenting these on Tuesday and Wednesday as time is needed. They will have one more class period on Monday to finish up and to practice presenting. For homeschool, each group decided what each group member needed to do for homeschool to help get the group ready for presentation day. If you as a scholar do not know what you are supposed to be doing, you MUST call or text or email me Friday. Your group is depending on you having your work completed for Monday. For Science there are several pieces that scholars need to be sure are complete.They had time in class to work on these and these need to be completed for use at center activities that will start on Wednesday.
Rock Cycle Wheel - cut it out and color it in using the information that you got from the activity where we keyed out the rocks- about the various rock types. You can google the names for the colors if you did not get the information from the center. We will put it together with fastener (brad) on Wednesday. Scholars you received a white xerox paper with the following words on it: Large Pebble, small pebble, Large gravel small gravel and Sand. You also received an orange piece of construction paper. Cut out the white labels and glue them on the orange paper in order from largest to smallest. We will use this paper at one of the centers on Wednesday and Thursday. Pet Rock: you have a special rock, chosen at the very beginning of the school year (so if you were not here you need to choose a special rock- (We read a great book by Byrd Baylor called everybody needs a rock and in the book she describes the "rules" for finding a special rock.) This is your "Pet Rock". This is your "Pet Rock." Complete the information at the top half of the paper. We will be doing the weight and scratch and vinegar and floating tests in a center Wednesday and Thursday. Finally, there is a one pager (front and back) information page on rock cycle creation and destruction, that needs to be read and highlighted and notes taken (annotated). This week's Poster Problem is another great challenge for the scholars, and should be enjoyable and thought of as an opportunity to show what I know, and to learn something I did not know. No stress!
Palindromes: do you know what they are? You have heard them many times in your daily lives, even if you had no idea what they were or that they were even a "thing". A word, phrase or sequence (of numbers) that reads the same forward as backwards. If you did not know this, what could you have done to find out? That is how I want the scholars to think... "I do not know, yet, bug what could I do to get closer??" So, you could ask a friend, another teacher, you could google it, or ask SIRI. The problem states: You begin your trip at one highway marker and you end it on another. The beginning one is the lowest 3 digit palindrome. The end is the highest 3 digit palindrome. Palindrome- reads the same forward as backward... ie 1991 or 3456543... In this case though it is only three digits... _____ . _____ _____ That means it is in the hundreds place. What is the smallest number in the hundreds place? 100. Does 100 read the same forward as backward? Nope! What would the smallest number be? What would the largest three digit number that is a palindrome be? When you know both these numbers, what operation would you need to do to calculate the total distance traveled? When you have that number, then you have only one more thing to solve in this problem: Driving at 50 miles/per hour, how long would it take to finish this trip? What kind of a problem is this? What are we trying to find out? It is asking about a RATE. At a RATE of 50 miles per hour, how long would it take to go the distance you calculated above? Your distance is in miles, and your rate is in miles per hour. So you can set up the problem to get how many hours. Use these hints and give it a go! It is good to have a healthy struggle with difficult problems and develop a willingness to probe and persevere! Good luck! You are to imagine they you are Roxie rock and you are writing a post card home describing one part of your journey to the shore. The class has been divided up into groups. Each of you will take two (2) parts- there are eight (8) parts total. Each part is a scene from Roxie's journey. Read through the scene and take note of important or interesting details. Note the weather. Note things that have happened along the way. Is Roxie enjoying the journey? Why or Why not? You will write a summary as a letter back home from Roxie. You are encouraged to be creative. You can use personification and add emotions that Roxie might have, but at the same time, be accurate with the science information about Roxie's locations and activities. You will include a detailed drawing on the other side of the written part of the postcard. This of how lovely real postcards are, and put effort into making yours reflect that same beauty. Be sure to include Roxie in the picture that you draw. Eventually, we will be able to share Roxie's full story, full adventure- the story of the evolution of a grain of sand- by gathering everyone's writings/illustrations together, in sequence. These key concepts are to be considered:
Erosion is the gradual wearing away of objects by water, waves, wind or glaciers. Sand is created by erosion, and can be transported long distances by steams, rivers, and ocean currents. Waves and currents constantly move sand on and offshore and along the coastline to form beaches which change with the seasons. Structures like groins can affect sand flow along the shore and cause some beaches to disappear. This problem is similar to the heartbeat problem from last week because it is dealing with a rate. Two or more things are being compared. The numbers can be represented as fractions, ratios, rates. Data can be graphed! Start by telling what you know from having read the problem. How fast it the car going? How fast is the jet going? What do you NOT know? Is that important to solving the problem? If yes, how would you solve it? Can you find a way? Go through the problem and identify important words, and any ideas you have about how to solve this problem. What is the problem asking you ? Come prepared to share your ideas.
Pattern Block - fractions Math Writing to a fifth grader about how to do addition of fractions with unlike denominators Notice and Wonder- CGI on the geometric shapes and of the eggs in the carton and cubes in the cups Ratios: pages 3,4,5,6 from Ready Math Practice and Problem Solving Quiz 5 Solve Problems with Percents Quiz 9- adding and subtracting decimals Quiz 14- Coordinate Plane Page 3 Ready Math Instruction Book Page 55 Ready Math Instruction Book Last of the Facts for Multiplication Mastering Division facts *Math/Science Diamante Poem - final copy on nice paper- Well written and with illustrations for professional look This is not the best because it is kind of mushed together and is in both English and Spanish, but it is here for those who are having trouble with the site.
Carol Rock Transformations Glossary cementation: the process of sediment being glued together cementación: el proceso en el que el sedimento se va pegando compaction: the process of sediment being buried and pressed together compactación: el proceso en el que el sedimento se va enterrando y comprimiendo cross section: a diagram that shows what the inside of something looks like corte transversal: un diagrama que muestra cómo es el interior de algo energy: the ability to make things move or change energía: la capacidad de hacer que las cosas se muevan o cambien erosion: the movement of sediment from one place to another, often caused by wind or flowing water erosión: el movimiento del sedimento de un lugar a otro, a menudo causado por el viento o por agua que corre igneous rock: the rock type formed when magma cools and becomes solid roca ígnea: el tipo de roca que se forma cuando el magma se enfría y se hace sólido magma: hot liquid rock below the surface of Earth magma: roca líquida y caliente bajo la superficie de la Tierra matter: anything that has mass and takes up space materia: cualquier cosa que tenga masa y ocupe espacio metamorphic rock: the rock type formed when heat or pressure deep underground changes existing rock roca metamórfica: el tipo de roca que se forma cuando el calor o la presión de la profundidad subterránea cambia la roca ya existente mineral: one of the many different types of matter that make up rocks mineral: uno de los diferentes tipos de materia que forman las rocas plate: one of the very large sections of hard, solid rock that make up Earth’s outer layer placa: una de las muy grandes secciones de roca dura y sólida que forman la capa externa de la Tierra Rock Transformations—Glossary © 2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Rock Transformations Glossary (continued) plate boundary: the place where two plates meet límite de placas: el lugar donde se juntan dos placas rock formation: a region of rock that formed together as a single rock type formación de roca: una región de roca que se formó junta como un solo tipo de roca rock materials: everything made of rock: magma, sediment, and all rock types materiales rocosos: todo lo que está hecho de roca: magma, sedimento y todos los tipos de rocas sample: a small part that is meant to show what the whole is like muestra: una pequeña parte que sirve para mostrar cómo es el todo sedimento: pedacitos de roca sedimentary rock: the rock type formed when sediment is pressed and glued together roca sedimentaria: el tipo de roca que se forma cuando el sedimento se comprime y se pega subduction: the process by which rock material moves under Earth's outer layer and into the mantle due to plate motion subducción: el proceso por medio del cual el material rocoso se mueve bajo la capa externa de la Tierra y hacia dentro del manto debido al movimiento de las placas uplift: the process by which all the rock formations of a region are pushed up due to plate motion levantamiento: el proceso por medio del cual todas las formaciones de roca de una región son empujadas hacia arriba debido al movimiento de las placas weathering: the process of rock breaking down into smaller pieces due to wind or moving water desgaste: el proceso en el que la roca se descompone en pedacitos debido al viento o el agua en movimiento Rock Transformations—Glossary © 2018 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Permission granted to photocopy for classroom use. Mathematics and Community Service: Thanks to a generous donation from scholar Sunny and her mom, scholars in both classes will be participating in a 6th grade Community Service Project, putting together
WE CARE Packages. This is voluntary, but encouraged as one of our school's learning outcomes is for scholars to practice integrity and compassion. We will be making CARE packages with personal care items like shampoo, soap, and socks along with simple enjoyment items like playing cards, and stuffed animals. Because I always love to try to incorporate math and science into anything we do, I will propose a math problem for them to solve, based on the purchases I made. UPDATE and CLARIFICATION OF THIS PROJECT: This is a volunteer activity. No scholar is required to participate, nor will they be subjected to any comments or pressure should they choose to use their time differently. The activity will be done on Monday (and Wednesday as needed to complete it) during the time that scholars are rotating to the "Create Space" and "The Playroom." The time will be from 1:20-2:00 p.m. Scholars will have the option of how they want to package the items. -Thank you for clicking over here...( look at the "more" section here on this website for details. ) Monday and Tuesday night of next week, scholars will complete the final draft of their scientific argument, so this work is important preparation.
The final question/scientific argument: What best explains the pattern of volcanic activity and earthquakes on the Jalisco Block? Which type of plate motion? To effectively argue this you will need to present both claims- is it convergent movement between the Jalisco Block and the Rivera Plate, or is it divergent movement of the Jalisco Block and the Rivera Plate, or is it divergent movement of the Jalisco Block away from the North American Plate? Time to make your case! You are the geologist and you will be addressing other geologist, but you are also addressing the local area residents, so you will need to be very clear- if you use a vocabulary word- language of the discipline- that not be known or understood by the people of the village, you will need to explain by giving definitions. Be as thorough as you can be. You might consider having an outline or rough draft done when you return on Monday for the seminar. You can listen and share with our colleagues and then do your revisions Monday and Tuesday evenings. The final draft of the argument is due on Wednesday. **** If you are not attending school Wednesday, you must fine a way to get your scientific argument to me. You can send it to me as a google doc, or attach to email if you did in word and send to me. If you have extenuating circumstances- tournament, performance, you should discuss this with me by getting in touch with me by phone, before Monday's due date. Monday's Science Seminar- scholars will bring with then to school all of the notes and highlighted articles and response pages they have completed that give then information about Plate Tectonics and Boundaries. Scholars will have their vocabulary and will have article notes and highlighted important information. They will discuss the topics using all that they know about plate tectonics/motion, convergent, divergent, subductive and transform boundaries. The information will be recorded in a large chart/graphic organizer which students will have access to for their final scientific argument writing. It should be a lively discussion and fun day of scientific discourse. If you need questions answered, or direction of any sort, contact Carol Smith- 760 809 0390 or by email at [email protected] . |
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February 2021
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