Calliope Weekly Update
November 30-December 4, 2009
Week Fourteen
Happy December, Parents and Kids!
Literacy: Readers and writers are working on responding to text in guided reading groups. Many groups have finished up some longer selections, and vocabulary, fluency and comprehension continue to be a focus. All students continue to work in reading response journals and are reviewing how to write letters about our reading to our teachers.
Math: Fourth graders used raisins to study landmark data terms (mean, median, mode, range). Students predicted how many raisins would be in the box and compared predictions to data. Fourth graders also explored decimals to the hundredths place. Third graders have started a unit on operations, specifically multi-digit addition and subtraction. Students worked intensely to find $1.00 words...ask your child what this means!
Writing: Both classes are working on narrative writing. We are working on building stamina during writing, and how to add on and revise to make our writing stronger.
Word Study: Mr. B’s spelling groups are publishing silly spelling stories on a new class writing blog, stay tuned! There will be a spelling bee for Mr. B’s spellers next week (spelling test Thursday, bee on Friday). Fundations spellers worked on vowel-consonant-e syllable exceptions: /ive/ has a short vowel sound instead of a long vowel sound. Students are really seeing improvements in their spelling when they tap each word!
Social Studies: All 3-4 students worked cooperatively on a global address project: students worked in small groups to identify and map each section of our global address: 3-4 classrooms, Calliope House, Allen Brook School, Williston, Chittenden County, Vermont, New England, United States, North America, The World, The Solar System, and the Galaxy. Wow! This week, we worked in pairs to locate and label continents and oceans on a world map and countries, major cities and bodies of water on maps of North America.
Responsive Classroom: As we transition back and forth between the two classrooms many times each day, some students have raised concern over their property and school supplies while away from their desks. We had a conversation about the role of school supplies as tools for learning, and not collections (ex: fooeys and pencil cap erasers)—meaning no hoarding. Please encourage your child to keep any collections at home and tools for learning at school. Thanks.
Ask me about:
• Emma’s Birthday
• My new table-group mates
• Friday morning meeting with Ms. Schoolcraft’s class
• TCT: snowflakes, knitting, board games
• Our class pets (our worms in our worm bin working day and night to compost for us)
Other: FUN NIGHT IS SATURDAY NIGHT! We hope to see you and your families at this exciting annual Calliope event. And yes, Ms S. and Mr. B. will be there! The WSD/Cochran’s ski & ride program begins 1/8. Please see the online edition of the School Bell for details. Tuesday, December 15th is a half day for students, please plan accordingly. Have a fantastic first December weekend…and hope to see you Saturday!
Mr. Bolger and Ms. Schoolcraft
Friday, December 4, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Nov. 20, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
November 16-20, 2009
Week Twelve
Dear Parents,
Literacy: Both third and fourth grade readers have been working on gaining stamina during independent reading. We are also working on writing thoughtful responses to our reading, and journaling back and forth with our teachers. Students working with both Mr. B. and Ms. S for reading learned a comprehension strategy called “Read-Write-Think,” which prompts readers to interact with the text (underline, write in the margins—or use stickies if it’s not your copy!) when asked to read to find out, and answer questions about the text.
Math: Third graders continue their work with place value and worked with reading, writing, and ordering numbers to the ten-thousands place. Third graders created books, showing 8 ways to represent a large number. Next week we’ll wrap-up our study of place value and number sense. Fourth grade mathematicians explored algebra through in/out boxes. Clare Earley, a master teacher Mr. B is working with as part of a professional development experience, taught a lesson to fourth graders on Tuesday. Computational fluency continues to be a focus for fourth graders, as they set and reach for weekly goals on timed multiplication tests.
Writing: With Ms. Schoolcraft, students worked to develop their seed stories this week, revising to add “lively leads.” They shared “first sentences” of many of their favorite books, and compared action, question, thoughts & feelings, sound effects, and dialogue leads. Language arts this week focused on editing practice, as well as analogies and commonly misspelled words. Students in Mr. Bolger’s class did several “seven-minute writes” this week to build their bank of “seed stories.”
Word Study: Mr. B’s spelling groups ran the gamut of vowel teams, /dge/ vs. /ge/, and vocabulary word work, as well as, cursive handwriting! Fundations spellers worked with v-e syllable types, specifically in multisyllabic words, and reviewed closed, v-e, and closed syllable exception syllable types.
Social Studies: In Mr. B’s class, students learned that land maps are proportional pictures on paper of land and important things on that land (like cities or mountains or natural resources). They used the book Zoom and a Youtube video (check it out) called “The Powers of Ten” to learn how you can map everything from a square inch of soil to our town to our state to the continents --- all the way to a map of our known universe!
Four Winds: Students explored cones & conifers as part of the November 4-Winds lesson. We learned about designs in nature. We especially learned about how the Fibonacci sequence is all over the place in nature! We looked closely at how it appears even on a pinecone! Look it up on Google!
Ask me about:
• Male & Female cones
• Soda Pop, Don’t throw your junk in my backyard, Fish & Chips…Round Singing!
. The Youtube movie "The Powers of Ten."
. The nesting dolls.
. My reading chain.
Other: There will be no weekly update next week due to the Thanksgiving break. Please encourage your child to read over the long weekend. Have a peaceful, relaxing, and joyous holiday! Watch out…here comes December!
Take Care, Everyone!
David and Sarah
Parent/Guardian Signature & Comments: ___________________________________________________________
November 16-20, 2009
Week Twelve
Dear Parents,
Literacy: Both third and fourth grade readers have been working on gaining stamina during independent reading. We are also working on writing thoughtful responses to our reading, and journaling back and forth with our teachers. Students working with both Mr. B. and Ms. S for reading learned a comprehension strategy called “Read-Write-Think,” which prompts readers to interact with the text (underline, write in the margins—or use stickies if it’s not your copy!) when asked to read to find out, and answer questions about the text.
Math: Third graders continue their work with place value and worked with reading, writing, and ordering numbers to the ten-thousands place. Third graders created books, showing 8 ways to represent a large number. Next week we’ll wrap-up our study of place value and number sense. Fourth grade mathematicians explored algebra through in/out boxes. Clare Earley, a master teacher Mr. B is working with as part of a professional development experience, taught a lesson to fourth graders on Tuesday. Computational fluency continues to be a focus for fourth graders, as they set and reach for weekly goals on timed multiplication tests.
Writing: With Ms. Schoolcraft, students worked to develop their seed stories this week, revising to add “lively leads.” They shared “first sentences” of many of their favorite books, and compared action, question, thoughts & feelings, sound effects, and dialogue leads. Language arts this week focused on editing practice, as well as analogies and commonly misspelled words. Students in Mr. Bolger’s class did several “seven-minute writes” this week to build their bank of “seed stories.”
Word Study: Mr. B’s spelling groups ran the gamut of vowel teams, /dge/ vs. /ge/, and vocabulary word work, as well as, cursive handwriting! Fundations spellers worked with v-e syllable types, specifically in multisyllabic words, and reviewed closed, v-e, and closed syllable exception syllable types.
Social Studies: In Mr. B’s class, students learned that land maps are proportional pictures on paper of land and important things on that land (like cities or mountains or natural resources). They used the book Zoom and a Youtube video (check it out) called “The Powers of Ten” to learn how you can map everything from a square inch of soil to our town to our state to the continents --- all the way to a map of our known universe!
Four Winds: Students explored cones & conifers as part of the November 4-Winds lesson. We learned about designs in nature. We especially learned about how the Fibonacci sequence is all over the place in nature! We looked closely at how it appears even on a pinecone! Look it up on Google!
Ask me about:
• Male & Female cones
• Soda Pop, Don’t throw your junk in my backyard, Fish & Chips…Round Singing!
. The Youtube movie "The Powers of Ten."
. The nesting dolls.
. My reading chain.
Other: There will be no weekly update next week due to the Thanksgiving break. Please encourage your child to read over the long weekend. Have a peaceful, relaxing, and joyous holiday! Watch out…here comes December!
Take Care, Everyone!
David and Sarah
Parent/Guardian Signature & Comments: ___________________________________________________________
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Nov. 7 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
November 2-6, 2009
Week Ten
Literacy: Reading groups are underway! Students are establishing solid routines for reading in groups and responding to text in their reading response journals (rrj). Students are able to practice new strategies for reading in small guided groups, as well as, independently with self-selected “just right” texts. In Journey to the Center of the Earth, our explorers continue their trek beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
Math: Fourth graders are working hard on multiplication math facts, and students have set personal goals as to where they’d like to be for next Wednesday’s fact check. They also completed an end-of-the-unit test that will be coming home on Monday. Third graders used part-part-total and start-change-end diagrams to aid in solving addition and subtraction problems. These models especially help students to understand how to solve problems that have missing addends or subtrahends.
Writing: Students have completed some “quick writes” this week, practicing responding to prompts. Students also have been completing daily language review as morning work, which provides opportunities for students to practice editing skills, as well as basic grammar and language work. We made a list of things we Know About (like being a sister or having a pet run away) to build a pool of possibilities for our upcoming narratives.
Word Study: Students in Ms. S’s Fundations group did a third week in unit 2, reviewing the rules for adding vowel and consonant suffixes, as well as how to mark these words. Students did a “retake” of the Unit 2 assessment on Friday, with much better outcomes! Mr. B’s spelling groups are working hard (and having a lot of fun) writing “silly stories” with their spelling words each week. This is a great opportunity for students to apply spelling rules in the context of a written piece.
Science: On Friday, we wrapped up our rocks & minerals study with a collaborative lesson between both classes modeled after the “alphabet guessing game” book: Q is for Duck by Mary Elting & Michael Folsom. Students worked in pairs to make pages for a class book, Q is for Rocks & Minerals. It should be ready for publication next week . We are looking forward to our next social sciences theme: maps and globes.
Responsive Classroom: Ms. Schoolcraft was out half-day on Wednesday and all day Thursday. Mrs. Wissel was our substitute. We were able to earn 2 stickers on our “stickers for substitute” team chart for expected behavior during Ms. S’s absence. Ask your child what we will earn when all nine boxes on the grid are complete!
Ask me about:
• My reading group book
• My Friday spelling assessment
• Mr.Isham’s visit on Thursday
Other: Thank you for supporting your child’s homework routines. We have had better and better participation in Team Choice Time (TCT) each Friday because student work is complete.
We hope you have a nice weekend.
Sarah and David
November 2-6, 2009
Week Ten
Literacy: Reading groups are underway! Students are establishing solid routines for reading in groups and responding to text in their reading response journals (rrj). Students are able to practice new strategies for reading in small guided groups, as well as, independently with self-selected “just right” texts. In Journey to the Center of the Earth, our explorers continue their trek beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
Math: Fourth graders are working hard on multiplication math facts, and students have set personal goals as to where they’d like to be for next Wednesday’s fact check. They also completed an end-of-the-unit test that will be coming home on Monday. Third graders used part-part-total and start-change-end diagrams to aid in solving addition and subtraction problems. These models especially help students to understand how to solve problems that have missing addends or subtrahends.
Writing: Students have completed some “quick writes” this week, practicing responding to prompts. Students also have been completing daily language review as morning work, which provides opportunities for students to practice editing skills, as well as basic grammar and language work. We made a list of things we Know About (like being a sister or having a pet run away) to build a pool of possibilities for our upcoming narratives.
Word Study: Students in Ms. S’s Fundations group did a third week in unit 2, reviewing the rules for adding vowel and consonant suffixes, as well as how to mark these words. Students did a “retake” of the Unit 2 assessment on Friday, with much better outcomes! Mr. B’s spelling groups are working hard (and having a lot of fun) writing “silly stories” with their spelling words each week. This is a great opportunity for students to apply spelling rules in the context of a written piece.
Science: On Friday, we wrapped up our rocks & minerals study with a collaborative lesson between both classes modeled after the “alphabet guessing game” book: Q is for Duck by Mary Elting & Michael Folsom. Students worked in pairs to make pages for a class book, Q is for Rocks & Minerals. It should be ready for publication next week . We are looking forward to our next social sciences theme: maps and globes.
Responsive Classroom: Ms. Schoolcraft was out half-day on Wednesday and all day Thursday. Mrs. Wissel was our substitute. We were able to earn 2 stickers on our “stickers for substitute” team chart for expected behavior during Ms. S’s absence. Ask your child what we will earn when all nine boxes on the grid are complete!
Ask me about:
• My reading group book
• My Friday spelling assessment
• Mr.Isham’s visit on Thursday
Other: Thank you for supporting your child’s homework routines. We have had better and better participation in Team Choice Time (TCT) each Friday because student work is complete.
We hope you have a nice weekend.
Sarah and David
Friday, October 30, 2009
October 30, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
October 26-30, 2009
Week Nine
Dear Parents,
Literacy: Wow! What a couple of weeks it has been! We have been using our Reading Response Journals to write down what topics we like, what genres we like, and which authors we like. This kind of self-reflection is helping kids take responsibility for finding books they can love. Thursday was the first time we met in guided reading groups, and students will be working to establish guided reading routines and expectations with Mr. B and Ms. S in the upcoming weeks.
Math: Third graders explored extended facts (6 + 9 = 15 and 60 + 90 = 150), fact families, fact triangles, and “what’s my rule?” problems this week. Fourth graders are finishing up with geometry and will begin, next week, studying data collection and graphing. They will also move into a more focused study of multiplication, division, number sentences, and algebra.
We also practiced figuring out area without drawing out and counting up the squares.
Instead, you can just trust that an 8'x9' will have 72 square feet in it. Speaking of multiplication, Mr. B's class is also setting goals for their math-facts speed. Everyone is graphing their results each week on a timed one-minute test. Many students are hoping to go from fifteen to thirty random problems correct by Thanksgiving. The goal for the end of the year is to be able to finish fifty facts in a minute. Kids, put a set of flashcards in the car and quiz each other on rides. You'll see your speed improve in no time.
Writing: With NECAP testing behind us, we have shifted our writer’s workshop focus to personal narrative writing. For the time being, our minilessons will provide strategies for generating ideas for writing in this new genre.
Word Study: Students in Ms. S’s Fundations group continued to work with vowel and consonant suffixes this week. We learned the 1-1-1 rule for vowel suffixes; a 1-1-1 word has one vowel, one syllable, and one consonant following the vowel. When adding a vowel suffix to a 1-1-1 word, double the final consonant before adding the suffix. For example, cup becomes cupped. Groups in Mr. B’s spelling class explored many different patterns. “Remember, my clothes are drier than your clothes because I put them in the clothes dryer.” It helps to pretend that the Y in dryer is like an open clothes hamper receiving the laundry! We also studied the many spellings of the /er/ sound: worth, nerve, search, spur,
And horse. Wow.
Science: Our field trip to the Rock of Ages quarry in Barre was exciting and enlightening. We learned about the “famous” granite color Barre gray, the secret to the turquoise water, and were able to witness some of the dirks in action, lifting granite blocks! All week we have On Wednesday, we observed minerals and recorded luster, texture, and color. We introduced Mohs’ Hardness scale and will be experimenting with scratch tests next week!
Responsive Classroom: For sharing this week, we have talked about who we admire and why. That is a challenging question for this age group, but it has helped the kids think about what qualities in a person each of them most values. We talked about how if you know who you are, you will have a greater chance at becoming who you hope to be.
Ask me about:
• Thursday’s Harvest Festival (including singing to Esprit and inviting them
to lunch with us in Calliope.)
• Friday’s Harvest celebration in the field behind the school.
Students stood up and publicly thanked each other for what they feel they
have gained over the first 8 weeks of school.
• My favorite mineral.
• Our Four-winds lesson on leaves: leaf rubbings and leaf drawings. What
does a “palmate” leaf look like? (Hint: look at the root word in palmate.
Think Maple leaf)
Thank you for your donations of food and supplies for stone soup and our class Harvest Party. Students had a wonderful time at both! Many children have been out this week in our class, school, and county…please encourage your child to wash hands, eat healthily, get plenty of rest, and, please keep your child home if s/he is sick! Have a safe, spooky, super weekend!
David and Sarah
October 26-30, 2009
Week Nine
Dear Parents,
Literacy: Wow! What a couple of weeks it has been! We have been using our Reading Response Journals to write down what topics we like, what genres we like, and which authors we like. This kind of self-reflection is helping kids take responsibility for finding books they can love. Thursday was the first time we met in guided reading groups, and students will be working to establish guided reading routines and expectations with Mr. B and Ms. S in the upcoming weeks.
Math: Third graders explored extended facts (6 + 9 = 15 and 60 + 90 = 150), fact families, fact triangles, and “what’s my rule?” problems this week. Fourth graders are finishing up with geometry and will begin, next week, studying data collection and graphing. They will also move into a more focused study of multiplication, division, number sentences, and algebra.
We also practiced figuring out area without drawing out and counting up the squares.
Instead, you can just trust that an 8'x9' will have 72 square feet in it. Speaking of multiplication, Mr. B's class is also setting goals for their math-facts speed. Everyone is graphing their results each week on a timed one-minute test. Many students are hoping to go from fifteen to thirty random problems correct by Thanksgiving. The goal for the end of the year is to be able to finish fifty facts in a minute. Kids, put a set of flashcards in the car and quiz each other on rides. You'll see your speed improve in no time.
Writing: With NECAP testing behind us, we have shifted our writer’s workshop focus to personal narrative writing. For the time being, our minilessons will provide strategies for generating ideas for writing in this new genre.
Word Study: Students in Ms. S’s Fundations group continued to work with vowel and consonant suffixes this week. We learned the 1-1-1 rule for vowel suffixes; a 1-1-1 word has one vowel, one syllable, and one consonant following the vowel. When adding a vowel suffix to a 1-1-1 word, double the final consonant before adding the suffix. For example, cup becomes cupped. Groups in Mr. B’s spelling class explored many different patterns. “Remember, my clothes are drier than your clothes because I put them in the clothes dryer.” It helps to pretend that the Y in dryer is like an open clothes hamper receiving the laundry! We also studied the many spellings of the /er/ sound: worth, nerve, search, spur,
And horse. Wow.
Science: Our field trip to the Rock of Ages quarry in Barre was exciting and enlightening. We learned about the “famous” granite color Barre gray, the secret to the turquoise water, and were able to witness some of the dirks in action, lifting granite blocks! All week we have On Wednesday, we observed minerals and recorded luster, texture, and color. We introduced Mohs’ Hardness scale and will be experimenting with scratch tests next week!
Responsive Classroom: For sharing this week, we have talked about who we admire and why. That is a challenging question for this age group, but it has helped the kids think about what qualities in a person each of them most values. We talked about how if you know who you are, you will have a greater chance at becoming who you hope to be.
Ask me about:
• Thursday’s Harvest Festival (including singing to Esprit and inviting them
to lunch with us in Calliope.)
• Friday’s Harvest celebration in the field behind the school.
Students stood up and publicly thanked each other for what they feel they
have gained over the first 8 weeks of school.
• My favorite mineral.
• Our Four-winds lesson on leaves: leaf rubbings and leaf drawings. What
does a “palmate” leaf look like? (Hint: look at the root word in palmate.
Think Maple leaf)
Thank you for your donations of food and supplies for stone soup and our class Harvest Party. Students had a wonderful time at both! Many children have been out this week in our class, school, and county…please encourage your child to wash hands, eat healthily, get plenty of rest, and, please keep your child home if s/he is sick! Have a safe, spooky, super weekend!
David and Sarah
Thursday, October 15, 2009
October 15, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update Week Seven
October 12-16, 2009
Dear Parents,
Literacy: We had several opportunities to read a variety of texts and “show what we know” on the NECAP reading assessments this week. Students did a fabulous job using the text as they responded to multiple choice and constructed response questions. We read aloud a great picture book entitled Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler in honor of the NECAPS.
Math: Due to the testing schedule and half-day Friday, students engaged in formal math class once this week on Monday. Both classes were reviewing a variety of mathematical tasks and questions in preparation for testing.
Writing: Students got quite a bit of “on demand” writing opportunities during NECAP testing. Thank you, Parents and Guardians, for responding in writing to your child’s weekly update letters. This weekly ritual is a prime example of an authentic writing task. Having a written response to the weekly letters is incredibly motivating, even to our most reluctant writers.
Word Study: Students in Mr. B’s spelling groups had their first week of spelling homework, and they are getting used to seeing Mr. Bolger tug at his ear and say, “It’s all about the sound! What sound do those vowels make…?” They also explored words with prefixes and suffixes, as well as, word meanings in context. Ms. S’s Fundations group worked with both vowel and consonant suffixes this week, as well as, mastering the cursive i and j. Students learned that the suffix –ed makes three sounds: /d/ as in called, /t/ as in jumped, and /id/ as in folded.
Responsive Classroom: Congratulations to all students for successfully completing the NECAP testing this week! Also, students have been practicing respectful and responsible citizenship during Calliope meetings each week.
Ask me about:
• What we appreciate about Jack Gregory (we celebrated Jack’s birthday today.)
• Our Readers’ Notebooks with our new lists of books we want to read.
• The DCF books Ms. Wentz showed us – especially Knucklehead by John Sciezka!
• Pancake Breakfast!
We would like to include your home phone and address on an old-fashioned one-page sheet of 3rd-4th grade Calliope phone numbers so kids can connect out of school. Please note below if you would like us to refrain from including your phone number/address on this list. We won’t include emails.
Thank You: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous donations of snacks for this week’s testing. Please note that next Thursday and Friday are VT Teacher Convention days and there is no school. Have a cheerful, chilly weekend!
David and Sarah
Parent/Guardian Signature & Comments: ______________________________________________
October 12-16, 2009
Dear Parents,
Literacy: We had several opportunities to read a variety of texts and “show what we know” on the NECAP reading assessments this week. Students did a fabulous job using the text as they responded to multiple choice and constructed response questions. We read aloud a great picture book entitled Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler in honor of the NECAPS.
Math: Due to the testing schedule and half-day Friday, students engaged in formal math class once this week on Monday. Both classes were reviewing a variety of mathematical tasks and questions in preparation for testing.
Writing: Students got quite a bit of “on demand” writing opportunities during NECAP testing. Thank you, Parents and Guardians, for responding in writing to your child’s weekly update letters. This weekly ritual is a prime example of an authentic writing task. Having a written response to the weekly letters is incredibly motivating, even to our most reluctant writers.
Word Study: Students in Mr. B’s spelling groups had their first week of spelling homework, and they are getting used to seeing Mr. Bolger tug at his ear and say, “It’s all about the sound! What sound do those vowels make…?” They also explored words with prefixes and suffixes, as well as, word meanings in context. Ms. S’s Fundations group worked with both vowel and consonant suffixes this week, as well as, mastering the cursive i and j. Students learned that the suffix –ed makes three sounds: /d/ as in called, /t/ as in jumped, and /id/ as in folded.
Responsive Classroom: Congratulations to all students for successfully completing the NECAP testing this week! Also, students have been practicing respectful and responsible citizenship during Calliope meetings each week.
Ask me about:
• What we appreciate about Jack Gregory (we celebrated Jack’s birthday today.)
• Our Readers’ Notebooks with our new lists of books we want to read.
• The DCF books Ms. Wentz showed us – especially Knucklehead by John Sciezka!
• Pancake Breakfast!
We would like to include your home phone and address on an old-fashioned one-page sheet of 3rd-4th grade Calliope phone numbers so kids can connect out of school. Please note below if you would like us to refrain from including your phone number/address on this list. We won’t include emails.
Thank You: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous donations of snacks for this week’s testing. Please note that next Thursday and Friday are VT Teacher Convention days and there is no school. Have a cheerful, chilly weekend!
David and Sarah
Parent/Guardian Signature & Comments: ______________________________________________
Friday, October 9, 2009
October 9, 2009
October 8, 2009
Dear Parents,
We had a busy week.
SPELLING really got underway in both classes. In Mr. Bolger’s spelling class, homework was done in class this week so that students could get solid on the word-sorting routines before having to do them solo at home. Ms. Schoolcraft’s Fundations word-study class is moving at a brisk pace, and the kids are motivated.
ROCKS AND MINERALS: we studied the different layers of the earth, from crust to core, by frosting, and then cutting open, a jelly doughnut. Yum. As Jaden said, “If the Earth was really a jelly doughnut, I would so be going to the center of the Earth.” We also used chocolate chip cookies to model that minerals are pure elements that occur in the earth. Minerals can be parts of rocks, but they are not rocks. We also studied how humans EAT minerals. We looked at the ingredients in cereal boxes and vitamin bottles, and we made carrot and apple juice and drank the calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and potassium!
READING AND WRITING have again been a big focus as we have practiced efficient reading techniques in anticipation of the NECAP testing next week (Tues., Weds., and Thursday).
STOWE PINNACLE: Dave Schmidt, Doug’s Dad, is a professional photographer, and he took most of the pictures that are now featured in the slide show on the Bolger Class Blog (see the side bar on our Calliope Website). Dave has kindly offered to make the originals available to parents for cost. Here is the note he sent me this week:
David – If any of the parents are interested in some of the Pinnacle Pics, including the compilation poster and panorama, I’ve created a gallery for them where prints can be ordered. All net proceeds (print price minus what the printer takes) from the sale of these prints will go to the student fund. To get to them, go to www.daveschmidtphoto.com, click client galleries, then click “Calliope”. From there it’s pretty self explanatory.
- David
NECAP TESTING: please make sure that your child gets good sleep and breakfast next week. NECAP testing will be two sessions each day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Have a great weekend everyone!
David
Dear Parents,
We had a busy week.
SPELLING really got underway in both classes. In Mr. Bolger’s spelling class, homework was done in class this week so that students could get solid on the word-sorting routines before having to do them solo at home. Ms. Schoolcraft’s Fundations word-study class is moving at a brisk pace, and the kids are motivated.
ROCKS AND MINERALS: we studied the different layers of the earth, from crust to core, by frosting, and then cutting open, a jelly doughnut. Yum. As Jaden said, “If the Earth was really a jelly doughnut, I would so be going to the center of the Earth.” We also used chocolate chip cookies to model that minerals are pure elements that occur in the earth. Minerals can be parts of rocks, but they are not rocks. We also studied how humans EAT minerals. We looked at the ingredients in cereal boxes and vitamin bottles, and we made carrot and apple juice and drank the calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and potassium!
READING AND WRITING have again been a big focus as we have practiced efficient reading techniques in anticipation of the NECAP testing next week (Tues., Weds., and Thursday).
STOWE PINNACLE: Dave Schmidt, Doug’s Dad, is a professional photographer, and he took most of the pictures that are now featured in the slide show on the Bolger Class Blog (see the side bar on our Calliope Website). Dave has kindly offered to make the originals available to parents for cost. Here is the note he sent me this week:
David – If any of the parents are interested in some of the Pinnacle Pics, including the compilation poster and panorama, I’ve created a gallery for them where prints can be ordered. All net proceeds (print price minus what the printer takes) from the sale of these prints will go to the student fund. To get to them, go to www.daveschmidtphoto.com, click client galleries, then click “Calliope”. From there it’s pretty self explanatory.
- David
NECAP TESTING: please make sure that your child gets good sleep and breakfast next week. NECAP testing will be two sessions each day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Have a great weekend everyone!
David
Friday, October 2, 2009
October 2, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
September 28-October 2
Week Five
Hello Parents!
First, Thank you for the wonderful turnout and participation at our Parent Night on Wednesday. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. B or myself. Williston has just launched our brand new website…still at wsdvt.org…be sure to check out our team and classroom pages! If you have not scheduled a fall conference and would like to, please contact me so I can share the openings with you. If you are interested in volunteering this year, please plan to attend CONFIDENTIALITY for School Volunteers! This 10-15 minute MANDATORY presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00 a.m. OR 2:20 p.m. Happy October!
Literacy: This week, students worked especially on reading and responding to fiction and non-fiction passages. We will begin reader’s workshop and small group work next week. We also followed Harry and Professor Hardwigg two miles down the volcano shaft in Journey to the Center of the Earth. The shaft turned horizontal, and they found themselves hiking beneath the ocean! Suddenly, they came upon fossils of fish, and they found lots of layered SEDIMENTARY rock that had been created from millions of years of animals and plants and minerals settling into layers and turning into rock! We learned from Harry, the narrator, that they only have three days’ worth of water left. What are they going to do?
Math: Fourth graders continue geometry and NECAP reading and math review. They also began multiplication facts study with the goal of being absolutely solid on their math facts by June. Third graders reviewed time and money concepts and began a data collection in-class project on Friday. Third graders also established weekly ‘mad minute’ fact test routines.
Writing: Students wrote friendly letters to families in preparation for parent night on Wednesday. We will continue to practice writing constructed response questions using the hamburger model next week.
Word Study: Students in Mr. B’s group practiced spelling routines and strategies, as well as word sorts. Mr. B’s spelling class will begin homework (at home) next week. Students in Ms. S’s group finally received materials (!) including student notebooks, composition books, and magnetic letter tiles! We reviewed /k/, /c/, and /ck/ sounds, closed syllables, and /ch/ and /tch/ sounds.
Responsive Classroom: Students watched a documentary entitled Mad Hot Ballroom, which depicted inner-city middle-school Dominican children (NYC) who find identity, belonging, pride, and many life lessons in a city-wide ballroom dance competition.
Ask me about:
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Our smarts—multiple intelligences
• Our hard-at-work worms
• Our Math Facts books (4th grade) and Quizmo
• (For Mr. B’s spelling group): how does carving an apple help us remember that “Apple” ends in le. And why don’t we say, “That apple has lots of seed’s? “ but we do say, “Look that apple’s seeds!”
September 28-October 2
Week Five
Hello Parents!
First, Thank you for the wonderful turnout and participation at our Parent Night on Wednesday. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. B or myself. Williston has just launched our brand new website…still at wsdvt.org…be sure to check out our team and classroom pages! If you have not scheduled a fall conference and would like to, please contact me so I can share the openings with you. If you are interested in volunteering this year, please plan to attend CONFIDENTIALITY for School Volunteers! This 10-15 minute MANDATORY presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00 a.m. OR 2:20 p.m. Happy October!
Literacy: This week, students worked especially on reading and responding to fiction and non-fiction passages. We will begin reader’s workshop and small group work next week. We also followed Harry and Professor Hardwigg two miles down the volcano shaft in Journey to the Center of the Earth. The shaft turned horizontal, and they found themselves hiking beneath the ocean! Suddenly, they came upon fossils of fish, and they found lots of layered SEDIMENTARY rock that had been created from millions of years of animals and plants and minerals settling into layers and turning into rock! We learned from Harry, the narrator, that they only have three days’ worth of water left. What are they going to do?
Math: Fourth graders continue geometry and NECAP reading and math review. They also began multiplication facts study with the goal of being absolutely solid on their math facts by June. Third graders reviewed time and money concepts and began a data collection in-class project on Friday. Third graders also established weekly ‘mad minute’ fact test routines.
Writing: Students wrote friendly letters to families in preparation for parent night on Wednesday. We will continue to practice writing constructed response questions using the hamburger model next week.
Word Study: Students in Mr. B’s group practiced spelling routines and strategies, as well as word sorts. Mr. B’s spelling class will begin homework (at home) next week. Students in Ms. S’s group finally received materials (!) including student notebooks, composition books, and magnetic letter tiles! We reviewed /k/, /c/, and /ck/ sounds, closed syllables, and /ch/ and /tch/ sounds.
Responsive Classroom: Students watched a documentary entitled Mad Hot Ballroom, which depicted inner-city middle-school Dominican children (NYC) who find identity, belonging, pride, and many life lessons in a city-wide ballroom dance competition.
Ask me about:
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Our smarts—multiple intelligences
• Our hard-at-work worms
• Our Math Facts books (4th grade) and Quizmo
• (For Mr. B’s spelling group): how does carving an apple help us remember that “Apple” ends in le. And why don’t we say, “That apple has lots of seed’s? “ but we do say, “Look that apple’s seeds!”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
September 25, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
September 21-25, 2009
Week Four
Literacy: I have been taking turns reading with students to establish independent and instructional reading levels. We’ve also been practicing reading passages and answering both multiple-choice and short-answer questions as we polish our skills for the upcoming NECAP test in October.
We will use the “Burger” model to develop constructed response paragraphs next week. The buns represent the intro and the conclusion to your paragraph. The lettuce, the meat, and the cheese represent the three detail sentences to support the point you’re making.
Another way we’re practicing our writing is in our composing a song for our recent Stowe Pinnacle hike. Students have contributed many, many words and images over the last week, and today we thought about what kind of a melody would best fit the experience we had on that mountain. Hmmm: was it more “We Shall Overcome” ? Or was it more along the lines of “Running Down a Dream”? or Michael Jackson’s “ABC”?
We began Spelling this week. Students are in mixed groups with Mr. Bolger or Ms. Schoolcraft. We will be establishing spelling homework routines next week.
Finally, Professor Hardwigg and his nephew Harry, are about to sail for Iceland to find the volcano that will be their entry into the Earth’s crust in Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Math: Both third and fourth graders are hard at work in math. In addition to NECAP review, third grade mathematicians are reviewing time and money concepts, as well as, data collection. Fourth graders are exploring geometry and NECAP review.
Responsive Classroom: We finished up with the last of our Life Boxes this week. We are hanging pictures of each of our students around the classroom, and they will serve as the bases for activities across the year.
We watched the documentary “Paper Clips” to show that one classroom of kids truly can impact thousands of people.
“Ask Me About…” _
Spelling (if you’re with Mr. B): --- there are so many ways to make the /a/ sound in words! One is by using Magic e as in cane. As an intro to this year’s spelling, we looked at this and three other ways. What are the other ways?
Germ City. Yuck!
The Spanish we’re learning. “Buenos dias”, “Hola clase!” “Hola Senor Bolger!” , “Manos arriba, por favor. (= “hands up please.”)
Our new project cubbies.
Our paper chains that celebrate our progress with our At-Home Reading.
Over
Homework Routines: Thank you for helping your child establish and maintain homework routines. I know it’s a lot of signing and paper handling initially. We’ll scale back parent involvement in a few weeks. For now, thank you for keeping those signatures coming.
Dress in Layers: As the weather becomes increasingly cooler, please encourage your child to dress in layers to ensure comfort throughout the day.
Finally, We all look forward to seeing you on Wednesday night at 6:30 for Curriculum Night. Please remember that this is an “adults-only” evening. Thanks for your understanding.
Also, note that Tuesday is a half-day of school for students. Please mark your calendars!
Volunteers must attend a Confidentiality Training (short and well-presented!) If you are interested in volunteering this year, please plan to attend CONFIDENTIALITY for School Volunteers! This 10-15 minute MANDATORY presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00 a.m. OR 2:20 p.m.
Enjoy the first weekend of autumn! And thank you for the gift of your children’s bright faces each morning when they bust through that door.
Mr. Bolger
September 21-25, 2009
Week Four
Literacy: I have been taking turns reading with students to establish independent and instructional reading levels. We’ve also been practicing reading passages and answering both multiple-choice and short-answer questions as we polish our skills for the upcoming NECAP test in October.
We will use the “Burger” model to develop constructed response paragraphs next week. The buns represent the intro and the conclusion to your paragraph. The lettuce, the meat, and the cheese represent the three detail sentences to support the point you’re making.
Another way we’re practicing our writing is in our composing a song for our recent Stowe Pinnacle hike. Students have contributed many, many words and images over the last week, and today we thought about what kind of a melody would best fit the experience we had on that mountain. Hmmm: was it more “We Shall Overcome” ? Or was it more along the lines of “Running Down a Dream”? or Michael Jackson’s “ABC”?
We began Spelling this week. Students are in mixed groups with Mr. Bolger or Ms. Schoolcraft. We will be establishing spelling homework routines next week.
Finally, Professor Hardwigg and his nephew Harry, are about to sail for Iceland to find the volcano that will be their entry into the Earth’s crust in Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Math: Both third and fourth graders are hard at work in math. In addition to NECAP review, third grade mathematicians are reviewing time and money concepts, as well as, data collection. Fourth graders are exploring geometry and NECAP review.
Responsive Classroom: We finished up with the last of our Life Boxes this week. We are hanging pictures of each of our students around the classroom, and they will serve as the bases for activities across the year.
We watched the documentary “Paper Clips” to show that one classroom of kids truly can impact thousands of people.
“Ask Me About…” _
Spelling (if you’re with Mr. B): --- there are so many ways to make the /a/ sound in words! One is by using Magic e as in cane. As an intro to this year’s spelling, we looked at this and three other ways. What are the other ways?
Germ City. Yuck!
The Spanish we’re learning. “Buenos dias”, “Hola clase!” “Hola Senor Bolger!” , “Manos arriba, por favor. (= “hands up please.”)
Our new project cubbies.
Our paper chains that celebrate our progress with our At-Home Reading.
Over
Homework Routines: Thank you for helping your child establish and maintain homework routines. I know it’s a lot of signing and paper handling initially. We’ll scale back parent involvement in a few weeks. For now, thank you for keeping those signatures coming.
Dress in Layers: As the weather becomes increasingly cooler, please encourage your child to dress in layers to ensure comfort throughout the day.
Finally, We all look forward to seeing you on Wednesday night at 6:30 for Curriculum Night. Please remember that this is an “adults-only” evening. Thanks for your understanding.
Also, note that Tuesday is a half-day of school for students. Please mark your calendars!
Volunteers must attend a Confidentiality Training (short and well-presented!) If you are interested in volunteering this year, please plan to attend CONFIDENTIALITY for School Volunteers! This 10-15 minute MANDATORY presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00 a.m. OR 2:20 p.m.
Enjoy the first weekend of autumn! And thank you for the gift of your children’s bright faces each morning when they bust through that door.
Mr. Bolger
September 11, 2009
Calliope Weekly Update
September 8-11, 2009
Week Two
Reading: We discussed our read-aloud book, Westlandia, a book that champions being different, being resourceful, and being imaginative. We explored and practiced making meaningful connections to text in our new read aloud, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Students have been working with Ms. Gail on beginning of the year Reading Benchmark assessments, which will be used for the planning of future instruction.
Math: Students in third grade completed a beginning of the year numeracy assessment this week in math. Students also learned the number-sense game Pico, Fermi, Bagel and routines and expectations for math class. Fourth graders have started working with geometry and logic problem-solving strategies.
Writing: Our writer’s notebooks are close to being done. We are very excited for you to see them when you next visit school. We will be beginning our Readers’ Response Notebooks next week. Also next week we will discuss what makes a good personal narrative.
Theme (Science): We “kicked-off” our study of Rocks and Minerals with a teacher game-show style skit in the kiva where Mrs. Dodge, Mrs. Powers, and Ms. Schoolcraft were sedimentary, igneous and metamporphic rocks! Students collected rocks as part of a homework assignment and did an observation activity in class on Friday.
Responsive Classroom: Our year is off to a great start. We thought hard about what we most enjoy and what we are most good at (ex: thinking quietly or thinking by talking with others/sports/board games/drama/dancing/ etc.) Howard Gardner talks about the 8 intelligences. We’re figuring out all the ways that we, uniquely, are intelligent. We also discussed some more how all the routines and expectations we have been practicing support us as we grow.
We discussed expected and unexpected behavior for kiva meetings and the cafeteria. We also explored our hopes & dreams for the year and will develop classroom rules next week. Finally, we played sharks & minnows, duck, duck, goose, and worked with the parachute as a 3/4 team this week. We have received several compliments on our line and hallway behavior. And we talked about how walking down the hall from, say, class to art, is a great time to just take a deep breath and breathe! We’re working hard to be the best we can be both inside the classroom and out!
Other: Thank you for your enthusiasm and support for our work together! Calliope 3/4 will be hiking Stowe Pinnacle on Wednesday, 9/16. This will be an all-day field trip…and a wonderful learning experience for all of us. Detailed information and a permission slip was sent home Thursday on bright yellow-orange paper. Please return the permission slip and payment ASAP. If this presents a financial burden for your family, please return the permission slip only. Finally, the Calliope House will host a parent open-house on Wednesday 9/30 from 6:30-7:30pm. This will be an opportunity for us to share our plans for the year ahead, as well as, specific classroom expectations, routines, and volunteer opportunities. We hope you can make it!
Sincerely,
Mr. Bolger
September 8-11, 2009
Week Two
Reading: We discussed our read-aloud book, Westlandia, a book that champions being different, being resourceful, and being imaginative. We explored and practiced making meaningful connections to text in our new read aloud, Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Students have been working with Ms. Gail on beginning of the year Reading Benchmark assessments, which will be used for the planning of future instruction.
Math: Students in third grade completed a beginning of the year numeracy assessment this week in math. Students also learned the number-sense game Pico, Fermi, Bagel and routines and expectations for math class. Fourth graders have started working with geometry and logic problem-solving strategies.
Writing: Our writer’s notebooks are close to being done. We are very excited for you to see them when you next visit school. We will be beginning our Readers’ Response Notebooks next week. Also next week we will discuss what makes a good personal narrative.
Theme (Science): We “kicked-off” our study of Rocks and Minerals with a teacher game-show style skit in the kiva where Mrs. Dodge, Mrs. Powers, and Ms. Schoolcraft were sedimentary, igneous and metamporphic rocks! Students collected rocks as part of a homework assignment and did an observation activity in class on Friday.
Responsive Classroom: Our year is off to a great start. We thought hard about what we most enjoy and what we are most good at (ex: thinking quietly or thinking by talking with others/sports/board games/drama/dancing/ etc.) Howard Gardner talks about the 8 intelligences. We’re figuring out all the ways that we, uniquely, are intelligent. We also discussed some more how all the routines and expectations we have been practicing support us as we grow.
We discussed expected and unexpected behavior for kiva meetings and the cafeteria. We also explored our hopes & dreams for the year and will develop classroom rules next week. Finally, we played sharks & minnows, duck, duck, goose, and worked with the parachute as a 3/4 team this week. We have received several compliments on our line and hallway behavior. And we talked about how walking down the hall from, say, class to art, is a great time to just take a deep breath and breathe! We’re working hard to be the best we can be both inside the classroom and out!
Other: Thank you for your enthusiasm and support for our work together! Calliope 3/4 will be hiking Stowe Pinnacle on Wednesday, 9/16. This will be an all-day field trip…and a wonderful learning experience for all of us. Detailed information and a permission slip was sent home Thursday on bright yellow-orange paper. Please return the permission slip and payment ASAP. If this presents a financial burden for your family, please return the permission slip only. Finally, the Calliope House will host a parent open-house on Wednesday 9/30 from 6:30-7:30pm. This will be an opportunity for us to share our plans for the year ahead, as well as, specific classroom expectations, routines, and volunteer opportunities. We hope you can make it!
Sincerely,
Mr. Bolger
September 4, 2009
September 4, 2009
Dear Families,
It’s been a great first week of school! We have already settled into a good routine and have practiced a lot of things so far. The focus this week has been on laying the foundation for a strong classroom community where everyone interacts with each other thoughtfully and takes on the many learning tasks they will face in a purposeful way.
Our morning meeting gives the kids a chance to begin the day by greeting each other, practicing our speaking and listening skills, working together successfully, and trusting each other to take all the risks you need to take around here to really learn.
We’re also working on our Hope and Dreams for the year and our class rules and routines: what does each of us really want to accomplish this year and what rules should we have as a community so that we can all best reach our goals? We thought about how a tomato plant or a pea plant grows best when it has stakes or fencing to lean on and grow against. Likewise, we humans often grow best when we have routines and expectations and rules that we can rely on. We will be investing time over these first few weeks on these rules and expectations so they are understood and automatic. Then we will really flourish!
We read Weslandia again this year because it does such a good job of depicting the challenges and the rewards in daring to be different.
Stowe Pinnacle Hike: Mrs. Schoolcraft’s class and my class are planning, tentatively, to do a Mountain Climb on Wednesday, Sept. 16th. As of today, we are planning to climb Stowe Pinnacle. For anyone who has been on one of our start-of-the-year hikes, there’s no doubt about what it does for leadership building among these 3rd and 4th graders – not to mention the team building it affords between Ms. Schoolcraft’s and my class, and finally, the good spirit it brings with parents, kids, and teachers beginning the year taking on this challenge together. We’re in need of chaperones. Please think about signing up when you receive your child’s permission slip next week. We’d love to have you join us.
Can you volunteer for our Four Winds program for Ms. Schoolcraft’s and my class this year? It was very successful last year. It’s a blast for the kids, and it’s run completely by volunteers who, by the way, get loads of support from an outstanding naturalist curriculum. The commitment for volunteers is to attend 1 training per month for all volunteers and then come into the classroom one time per month for about 2 hours to present the content and do the activities with the kids and the teachers. My understanding is that if you are unable to make the trainings, it is videotaped and is available for volunteers to borrow to prepare for that month’s lesson. If you are interested, please let Ms. Schoolcraft or me know ASAP.
Would you like to volunteer for to work in the classroom or to work at home gathering supplies or preparing projects? Please let me know. I love to have parents in the classroom.
Communication: I welcome your thoughts and questions about your child and about this class. Email and telephone have proven to be the most effective means of parent-teacher communication. Contact me at bolgerd@wsdvt.org and 878-2762 x 5775. I look forward to connecting with you and your child in the coming weeks and months and together, building a rich, successful 3rd/4th grade year.
As I do my beginning-of-the-year assessments in reading, spelling, and math, I’m reminded of how much these kids grew last year – and have grown over the summer. Thank you for the privilege of working with your child.
Mr. Bolger
Dear Families,
It’s been a great first week of school! We have already settled into a good routine and have practiced a lot of things so far. The focus this week has been on laying the foundation for a strong classroom community where everyone interacts with each other thoughtfully and takes on the many learning tasks they will face in a purposeful way.
Our morning meeting gives the kids a chance to begin the day by greeting each other, practicing our speaking and listening skills, working together successfully, and trusting each other to take all the risks you need to take around here to really learn.
We’re also working on our Hope and Dreams for the year and our class rules and routines: what does each of us really want to accomplish this year and what rules should we have as a community so that we can all best reach our goals? We thought about how a tomato plant or a pea plant grows best when it has stakes or fencing to lean on and grow against. Likewise, we humans often grow best when we have routines and expectations and rules that we can rely on. We will be investing time over these first few weeks on these rules and expectations so they are understood and automatic. Then we will really flourish!
We read Weslandia again this year because it does such a good job of depicting the challenges and the rewards in daring to be different.
Stowe Pinnacle Hike: Mrs. Schoolcraft’s class and my class are planning, tentatively, to do a Mountain Climb on Wednesday, Sept. 16th. As of today, we are planning to climb Stowe Pinnacle. For anyone who has been on one of our start-of-the-year hikes, there’s no doubt about what it does for leadership building among these 3rd and 4th graders – not to mention the team building it affords between Ms. Schoolcraft’s and my class, and finally, the good spirit it brings with parents, kids, and teachers beginning the year taking on this challenge together. We’re in need of chaperones. Please think about signing up when you receive your child’s permission slip next week. We’d love to have you join us.
Can you volunteer for our Four Winds program for Ms. Schoolcraft’s and my class this year? It was very successful last year. It’s a blast for the kids, and it’s run completely by volunteers who, by the way, get loads of support from an outstanding naturalist curriculum. The commitment for volunteers is to attend 1 training per month for all volunteers and then come into the classroom one time per month for about 2 hours to present the content and do the activities with the kids and the teachers. My understanding is that if you are unable to make the trainings, it is videotaped and is available for volunteers to borrow to prepare for that month’s lesson. If you are interested, please let Ms. Schoolcraft or me know ASAP.
Would you like to volunteer for to work in the classroom or to work at home gathering supplies or preparing projects? Please let me know. I love to have parents in the classroom.
Communication: I welcome your thoughts and questions about your child and about this class. Email and telephone have proven to be the most effective means of parent-teacher communication. Contact me at bolgerd@wsdvt.org and 878-2762 x 5775. I look forward to connecting with you and your child in the coming weeks and months and together, building a rich, successful 3rd/4th grade year.
As I do my beginning-of-the-year assessments in reading, spelling, and math, I’m reminded of how much these kids grew last year – and have grown over the summer. Thank you for the privilege of working with your child.
Mr. Bolger
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June 11, 2009
Dear Students, Parents, and Families,
Enjoy our 4th-Grade-Graduation Movie. 4th Graders, Thank you for what you gave to Calliope. Be leaders in Middle School. Why not? First, 2nd, and 3rd Graders, you have played a big part in making our graduates who they are as they head off to their fifth-grade year. Thank you.
1) I plan to put together a reading list for summer reading. I'll post it here, and I will email everyone when it's ready.
2) Thank you all who donated clothes, gift cards, bike helmets, and a couple of Shaw's gift cards this week to ABS families-in-need. We are accepting hand-me-downs until tomorrow (Friday the 11th.)
3) I would also love to get emails from anyone who wants to write to me. I want to know what books you are enjoying so I can share the titles. I'll be checking my email every week.
4) Want to keep your math skills strong over the summer? Check out links on the Bolger- Calliope web page and on the other houses' web pages!
Recharge, Revitalize, ReLAX.
Mr. Bolger
Enjoy our 4th-Grade-Graduation Movie. 4th Graders, Thank you for what you gave to Calliope. Be leaders in Middle School. Why not? First, 2nd, and 3rd Graders, you have played a big part in making our graduates who they are as they head off to their fifth-grade year. Thank you.
1) I plan to put together a reading list for summer reading. I'll post it here, and I will email everyone when it's ready.
2) Thank you all who donated clothes, gift cards, bike helmets, and a couple of Shaw's gift cards this week to ABS families-in-need. We are accepting hand-me-downs until tomorrow (Friday the 11th.)
3) I would also love to get emails from anyone who wants to write to me. I want to know what books you are enjoying so I can share the titles. I'll be checking my email every week.
4) Want to keep your math skills strong over the summer? Check out links on the Bolger- Calliope web page and on the other houses' web pages!
Recharge, Revitalize, ReLAX.
Mr. Bolger
Friday, May 22, 2009
May 22 2009
Dear Parents and Friends,
It has been a very active and productive couple of weeks in Calliope. Check out the Mother's Day pictures and the Reading Restaurant pictures in the sidebar. Thank you, students, for bearing down and bringing so many writing pieces to thoughtful conclusion in the days before our reading restaurant. Thanks to parents and colleagues who provided food, drink, vases, table cloths, photography, car rides to students, and all other manner of labor. Special thanks go to Liz Neeld who kept coming back to do more. This year's Reading Restaurant, especially, bore the mark of many many hands.
Thank you to our Four-Winds teachers who brought the Four-Winds season to a close this week. Liz, Stacey, Wendy, and Ann, you led us in a study of the sun: we learned to build solar ovens and cook nachos. Nice hands-on learning.
Finally, thank you, Beth Dubin, and thank you, wonderful students and parents in my class who collaborated this week on getting me a gardening t-shirt and a generous gift certificate for my gardening this summer. Amy, Sadie, Liam, and I have so much to thank you for already this year. And now, this. You're wonderful.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend, and we'll see you next week.
David
PS: Don't forget to check the updated Calliope Calendar for some late additions to our end-of-the-year events.
It has been a very active and productive couple of weeks in Calliope. Check out the Mother's Day pictures and the Reading Restaurant pictures in the sidebar. Thank you, students, for bearing down and bringing so many writing pieces to thoughtful conclusion in the days before our reading restaurant. Thanks to parents and colleagues who provided food, drink, vases, table cloths, photography, car rides to students, and all other manner of labor. Special thanks go to Liz Neeld who kept coming back to do more. This year's Reading Restaurant, especially, bore the mark of many many hands.
Thank you to our Four-Winds teachers who brought the Four-Winds season to a close this week. Liz, Stacey, Wendy, and Ann, you led us in a study of the sun: we learned to build solar ovens and cook nachos. Nice hands-on learning.
Finally, thank you, Beth Dubin, and thank you, wonderful students and parents in my class who collaborated this week on getting me a gardening t-shirt and a generous gift certificate for my gardening this summer. Amy, Sadie, Liam, and I have so much to thank you for already this year. And now, this. You're wonderful.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend, and we'll see you next week.
David
PS: Don't forget to check the updated Calliope Calendar for some late additions to our end-of-the-year events.
Friday, March 13, 2009
March 13, 2009
Hello Students and Parents!
We kicked it into high gear over the last half of this week, and our Space reports are done. We had a lot of debates: can nebulae be the beginning of stars and the end of stars? Can asteroids hit the sun? Why are some of our planets gas planets instead of rock planets, and what's the real story with Pluto? Are those really methane lakes that you see on Titan? Wow. (see on Youtube the NASA video of the Hyugens probe landing on Saturn's moon, Titan, in 2005!) Do all stars turn into black holes, or is it just the big ones? And, by the way, why can't you see black holes?
Take a look at the slide show on the sidebar. It shows building the planets to scale, then spreading them out (to scale) along a one-fourth-mile walk we took from Pluto (near the classroom) to the Sun (in the field above the playground). On the last slide, Juliet is in the foreground holding the Earth, while everyone else is lined up, holding a 100-meter rope to represent the corresponding diameter of the Sun. It was cold enough to feel like we were in deep space.
Everyone's looking forward to the Green Breakfast/Open House next Tuesday. We'll be posting all of the Space Reports on our Bolger Class website too -- in case you're not able to make the Open House.
Take Care, Everyone.
Mr. Bolger and the Class
We kicked it into high gear over the last half of this week, and our Space reports are done. We had a lot of debates: can nebulae be the beginning of stars and the end of stars? Can asteroids hit the sun? Why are some of our planets gas planets instead of rock planets, and what's the real story with Pluto? Are those really methane lakes that you see on Titan? Wow. (see on Youtube the NASA video of the Hyugens probe landing on Saturn's moon, Titan, in 2005!) Do all stars turn into black holes, or is it just the big ones? And, by the way, why can't you see black holes?
Take a look at the slide show on the sidebar. It shows building the planets to scale, then spreading them out (to scale) along a one-fourth-mile walk we took from Pluto (near the classroom) to the Sun (in the field above the playground). On the last slide, Juliet is in the foreground holding the Earth, while everyone else is lined up, holding a 100-meter rope to represent the corresponding diameter of the Sun. It was cold enough to feel like we were in deep space.
Everyone's looking forward to the Green Breakfast/Open House next Tuesday. We'll be posting all of the Space Reports on our Bolger Class website too -- in case you're not able to make the Open House.
Take Care, Everyone.
Mr. Bolger and the Class
Monday, March 2, 2009
Class Newsletter
March 2nd, 2009
Welcome back, everyone! We have a busy March ahead of us. We have updated our Calliope Webpage Calendar.
We have also been working hard on our space research. We learned, for example, that Ally can jump six inches here in the classroom, but she would be able to jump 3 feet into the "air" on the moon. We are studying everything from black holes to exploding stars to nebulae. We can't wait to show it all to you at the Green Breakfast. Next week, we'll post a slide show of us building planets. If Mercury is the size of a marble, and the Earth is the size of a softball, we realized that Jupiter would have to be a whole meter in diameter. We still haven't finished making Jupiter yet.
-- And if Jupiter had the diameter of a yardstick, how wide do you think the sun would be? You're going to be amazed. Do some research and tell us at the Green Breakfast!
Welcome back, everyone! We have a busy March ahead of us. We have updated our Calliope Webpage Calendar.
We have also been working hard on our space research. We learned, for example, that Ally can jump six inches here in the classroom, but she would be able to jump 3 feet into the "air" on the moon. We are studying everything from black holes to exploding stars to nebulae. We can't wait to show it all to you at the Green Breakfast. Next week, we'll post a slide show of us building planets. If Mercury is the size of a marble, and the Earth is the size of a softball, we realized that Jupiter would have to be a whole meter in diameter. We still haven't finished making Jupiter yet.
-- And if Jupiter had the diameter of a yardstick, how wide do you think the sun would be? You're going to be amazed. Do some research and tell us at the Green Breakfast!
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