Coloma Photo

Our fall fieldwork overnights are complete!  The students have met amazing experts in the field, including one top historian of the Gold Rush who portrays James Marshall, and has been involved in over 70 documentaries covering the Gold Rush.  Students can not only describe in detail the 3 routes Argonauts and 49’ers took, which was our first case study content and learning targets, but they can also demonstrate knowledge about the various professions people capitalized on during this time period (The Outliers).  Students are working on an information piece that describes one aspect of the Gold Rush routes currently, as well as writing letters home explaining their experiences “out on the trail,” or “out on the ocean.” As we delve more into the second case study, students will learn about the entrepreneurs who used the Gold Rush as a professional tool outside of mining.

Students in Language arts are continuing to read good fit books, and are flagging their thinking as they read.  After reading, students respond to their reading in their ARJ’s via “fat questions” that identify comprehension skills and deeper thinking.  Also, students have been reading By The Great Horn Spoon and participate in Book Clubs centered around the work.  This week, students will begin finding beautiful words, sentences, and passages the author uses, and will flag the book for these examples.  They will discuss their findings in a “Literary Luminary” Book Club next week.

We will kick off next week with rough draft writing of our informational piece on the Routes, with the final being due on Friday.  In the interim, students will complete a narrative on demand write, participate in a 3 verb sentence starter workshop, and review how to properly structure an organized paragraph.  Busy!

In Math, 5th grade students are completing Unit 1 and wrapping up with a Post Assessment.  Students are reviewing the array model for division, and are learning how to build arrays in multiplication and division via word problems.  We have been working on exit tickets and unpacking “My Favorite NO” on index cards throughout class.  I have emphasized the importance of Responsibility of Learning throughout the classes so far, as it is imperative that students engage themselves 100% in class and ask clarifying questions when necessary.  We continue assessments for learning on daily basis by partner check ins, exit tickets, and Friday quizzes.  4th grade students are also wrapping up Unit one- stay tuned for more information from Mrs. Akers.

Students are continuing to reflect on their Habits of Work and how their ethic of learning directly reflects in their grades.  They pose a goal for the week and check in on Wednesdays and Fridays.  We constantly are referring back to their Habits of Work and setting goals to achieve the HOW’s 100.  This year we are focusing on integrity of the SIERRA norms heavily and are setting many of our goals around this norm.

Thank you for getting most of the paperwork in- I really appreciate your patience in the process.  Also, thanks to the many individuals who helped our fieldwork run so smoothly!

Happy Fall!

Julie