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Ms. Bickmore's Classroom Blog May 17, 2010 Halfway through May, into the play, what more to say? Actually, we have many things going on in the classroom as we enter our last two weeks of the regular three hour morning work period. Finishing our group literature study, working with the Renaissance timeline, studying ecology through biomes and food webs, as well as the normal math, geometry, spelling, grammar. We also had our second Monday Morning Challenge last week and look forward to a few more of those before the end of the year. The Jerry Spinelli novel, Crash, was enjoyed by most of the class. The story delved into relationships, teasing, differences between people, and how to stand up to a group mentality and do what is right. The main character made some major shifts in how he treated others in the book. The inner struggles he faced made for good discussion questions for the whole class. Throughout this literature study, we worked as a large group and were able to work cooperatively on some activities. Role playing conflicts and then role playing how you could do it better was one of these activities. The students also worked in two groups on creating a Venn diagram of the characters. In the beginning of the book, the two main characters had little in common and many more differences. By the end of the story, the students could see many more similarities because of the growth and change that occurred. Our Monday Morning Challenge was exciting and challenging for the students. They had a bag full of supplies with which they were trying to build a bridge from one chair to another. The bridge was complete when they could roll a ping pong ball from one side to the other. The activity itself would be fun, and difficult, for any individual student. The group working together, communicating, leading, and following effectively brings a whole new level of challenge. After the activity, we had a conversation about the group processes. One group had a rift as two members decided to leave to do their own thing. Once they all paused and took time to communicate their ideas and listen to each other, the whole group reunited and found success. Their final outcome was stronger because they combined their ideas.
We are spending our afternoons on the play and the students are really getting into the details. They are planning costumes, props, and scenery as well as memorizing lines. We will have different needs for all of those areas of work. A few parents have mentioned helping with costumes and scenery work. I would love to have all parents who are able attend a meeting this Wednesday at 3:30. We would then be able to make a plan and pool our resources to most benefit the class. Thank you for all the work you do to help your children enjoy great opportunities like the play! Let‘s hope this beautiful weather keeps coming! May 10, 2010 What a beautiful week of weather and Mother’s Day Teas we had! This year one day was designated to each classroom for their tea. The Osprey’s Nest was able to help with every other classroom as well as our own. Each day, different students helped a classroom with preparation, supported during the tea, and assisted with the clean up process. As the Loon’s Nest and Puffin’s Nest were getting ready for their tea, some upper elementary students read with groups of primary students or helped them with art projects. All of the work that the Osprey’s Nest students did, provided genuine support and was an example of meaningful contribution to their school community. Each classroom teacher was very appreciative of the service provided and had many complements for the performance of their helpers. By Friday we were practiced and polished for our own Mother’s Day Tea. It was very nice to see all the mothers given special treatment by their children. Thank you moms for time out of your busy schedules to be part of this event. The work we did last week with the Kieve staff, Pam and Owen, was valuable for the group. To keep this growth going and to increase the cooperative group skills and leadership development, we engaged in a Monday Morning Challenge. The students were required to work in groups to solve a challenge which involved moving all of their members from one spot to another. The key was that they could only touch the wooden circles, or “tree cookies”. Another caveat was that the circles had to be in contact with a person or they would be taken from the group. This activity involved planning, coming to agreement, and many levels of communication. It was also critical that each individual keep the group in mind because one person could easily succeed alone, but then the group would fail. The students were highly successful because together, with teamwork and effective communication, they kept the group goal a focus.
This week we had a presentation by one of our own students, Tommy Rushton. He presented a visual display and provided information about a research project to both the Lower and Upper Elementary students. The subject was steam engines and we ended with a live demonstration of a steam powered model. This was a reasonably large audience and they were extremely focused and respectful.
As we continue to move through May, we are now dedicating our afternoons to the play. Students are in the process of memorizing lines. We will be having a meeting soon to discuss the costume and prop needs. It will be very beneficial to have parent support and collaboration as we will find more success pooling our resources. I will let you know when we have a date and time for that meeting. Enjoy the week ahead! May 3, 2010 What a busy week we had in the Upper Elementary coming back from vacation! On Tuesday, we enjoyed a field trip to Hatchet Cove Farm in Warren. They provided us with many tips and ideas about the preparation and work involved in setting up for growing vegetables for the new adolescent program. On Wednesday, Amy Hinkley brought University of Maine Cooperative Extension Educator Mark Hutchinson to share his knowledge and expertise on compost. He brought his own materials to use to create a large base for our compost. We talked about the importance of all the different parts of successful compost and how they work together to get the job done. The students had many questions and were all eager to participate in the compost creation. Another exciting event on Wednesday was that Kieve came to visit us in our classroom. We worked on games which involved trust, activities to work on teambuilding skills, and participated in group challenges. We also had a great deal of fun with each other. With each activity, the Kieve staff talked the class through the important lessons which could be applied to many different situations. Body language, eye contact, listening respectfully, and teamwork between groups were all explored through various activities. The students were encouraged and even required to learn through their mistakes in many of the challenges. Assessing failure by determining what was keeping them from achieving a goal was critical. This enabled the students to decide what to change in order to find success. The culminating activity involved constructing a bridge to span an imaginary gap. The students had to plan, work, assess, rethink, communicate, lead, follow, reassess, and keep focused in order to complete the task. Once the bridge was complete, each member of the class had an opportunity to cross the construction. It was a nice way to end the program, with a whole group project and a trusting exercise to test the construction ourselves.
The last project of the week was to finish the Upper Elementary contribution to the auction. A large portion of the boys in the class worked to complete a workbench. The girls in the class created two bags out of duck tape. The bright blue and yellow bags included the DMS initials and logo of the nautilus. Each group had to work within a finite time frame to complete their work. Some students had more of a knowledge base of the activity and the became leaders. Others listened and were able to learn and follow directions in order to contribute. Overall, it was a great job done for the auction as well as another exercise in which to practice our teamwork skills and cooperation within a group.
I know it seems like a long way back, but here are a few pictures from Grandparent’s Day. It was really great listening to the students talk about what they were learning and how they operated in the classroom. Our guests were very impressed with the presentations given to them by the students about their learning. I enjoyed watching the students explain aspects of the classroom from math, grammar, and geometry to the peace shell, kindness chain, and class meeting.
Remember, Mother’s Day Tea is Friday. This means it is a half-day for the Upper Elementary students. Also, we will not have any hot lunch program for either classroom this week so bring a lunch on Thursday! Have a great week! Karen Bickmore Kim Andrews
April 5th, 2010 I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy this beautiful Easter weekend. Many an egg hunt has happened in the snow, but this will be the Easter where the solid chocolate bunny melted into an unrecognizable lump! The Boston trip is upon us! The permission slip has been sent out and may be turned in to the office anytime. Last week the students spent time on the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) website. They are working to create a list of at least eight pieces of art from the Renaissance they would like to see as well as several other pieces or artist of interest. This activity has generated a great deal of interest in and conversation about different artists and types of art. It is also putting responsibility on the students to be active learners. They are becoming invested in this visit to the MFA through the process of making their own choices, instead of just being passive observers.
In writing, we have been working on poetry. The students have been exposed to many different types of poems. Some of the poems include haiku, limerick, acrostic, concrete, and some more complex types such as double-dactyl, clerihew, and elegy. The students have learned about different tools they can use in their poetry including strong verbs, simile and metaphor, and using senses and vivid adjectives to bring the reader into the poem. Each student has written several of their own poems, some following a set formula and others in which they could use their own style. As we move toward editing and publishing, students have had opportunities to share poems with one another. This collaboration requires trust and kindness as the student sharing their poetry is opening up and asking for feedback from the listener. It is great to see students who are willing to share with each other and others who are interested in hearing the poetry of a peer.
Have a great first full week of April! Karen Bickmore Kim Andrews
March 22, 2010 “We habitually serve children; and this is not only an act of servility toward them, but it is dangerous, since it tends to suffocate their useful, spontaneous activity.” “He who is served is limited in his independence.”- Maria Montessori There are times when every student asks the teacher, “How do I do this?” or “What am I supposed to do?” If the teacher immediately answers the question, it may undermine the student’s independence. It is important to use how and why questions to determine what the student is really asking for and what they actually need, before considering providing an answer. By needlessly “serving” a student, the teacher reinforces a feeling that the student needs the adult to tell them what to do. If this happens too often, the student will not utilize their own knowledge and resources first. They may be forming the mistaken belief that they cannot do it on their own. The student needs encouragement that they can work independently of the adults in the classroom. Students helping students builds strength for both helper he giver and the recipient As one student is exercising their independence, another is able to offer expertise and help to a peer. The following pictures show students working together after one student has sought out help from another.
What’s this? Toilet paper in the classroom? Don’t worry, its just this week’s science work. Each student worked with a roll of toilet paper to plot out our solar system. Every section of the roll was equal to approximately 18,700,000 miles. The students laid out the positions of the planets. This included the minimum, average, and maximum distances from the sun due to the elliptical orbits of the planets. This activity provided students with a clearer perception of the distances between bodies in our solar system and of the vast space within it. The picture on the right shows the extension of the solar system (in three pictures going clockwise) from the classroom, through the hall, and into the library.
Below are examples of students engaged in grammar work. Both of these involve using materials to symbolize the parts of speech within sentences. The students symbolize the basic parts of speech including article, noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, pronoun, conjunction, and . Some of the students also use the symbols to classify nouns as proper and abstract and verbs as transitive or intransitive.
Have a great first week of spring! Karen Bickmore and Kim Andrews
March 8, 2010 As we move further into March, we are down to only a handful of bake sales left before our April 9th trip to Boston. Two weeks ago, we assessed our fundraising totals and realized that we needed to increase our bake sale profits and/or commit to continuing the bake sale until we had reached our goal. The students contributed ideas as to how we could increase our sales. This past week, the bake sale crew applied four of the sales improvement suggestions. The ideas were to make a sign, to come up with creative names for the cookies, and to sell until 4:30, and to sell the leftovers on another day. This past week’s bake sale profits were the most thus far. The students were very excited to let the rest of the class know how it went. The rest of the class felt involved because they had contributed ideas towards the improvement.
In addition to our class fundraising, we have been talking about progress toward the student’s portion of money raised for Boston as well. Each student is responsible for raising $85 toward the class trip. Some of the students have made the total amount and others have more to earn. As we only have 5 weeks left until the trip, we are raising our awareness and efforts to reach our goals.
In our study of astronomy this week, the students studied different constellations. Most of the constellations have creative stories which the students have enjoyed learning and sharing. After reading, the students chose one or two constellations upon which to focus. They recreated the stars in the night sky using different techniques. Some students made a crayon resist, which involves using black watercolor over crayon. Other students used crayon and pencil on black paper.
The last pictures show students working on various geometry works. In the study of area, students used a tape measure to determine the dimensions of different rectangles in the room. Once they had recorded the measurements, they calculated the area of those rectangles. In the study of volume, students used a set number of cubes to construct various three-dimensional solids. The work involved determining how many solids could be made with different dimensions of height, width, and depth.
Have a great week! March 1, 2010 According to the forecast, March is not coming in like a lion. Unless we get some snow, we are going to experience an unusually long mud season. This means that while it may not be critical to have “snow” pants, it is important to wear snow or rain pants to protect their clothing. Coming back into the classroom with wet or muddy clothing presents a problem for our classroom environment. With any luck, we will get a little snow to enjoy at recess and during cross-country skiing. We are working in our next literature groups. The students have had one week to begin reading and this week they will complete the questions and vocabulary work. For the last book report, some students chose activities involving a diorama or a three-dimensional representation. The pictures below show some of the student’s work in this area:
As a class, we continue to develop an awareness and sensitivity toward kindness. We are trying to focus on substituting kind behavior for unkind or teasing behavior. When an individual does not feel good about themselves, it is not easy to reach out with kindness toward others. Using this reasoning, to increase kind behavior, it is important to allow opportunities for students to increase self-confidence. One manner of increasing self-confidence is through meaningful contributions. When students contribute to their community in meaningful ways, self-confidence grows. The students have several areas in which they contribute to our community. Helping other classmates with work, helping younger students, shoveling snow, cooking for their class, fundraising, recycling, and classroom cleaning are some of the meaningful contributions the students can make. As the students continue to participate in activities which help them feel better about themselves, they are more readily available to reach out with kindness and help others feel better, too.
Enjoy the first week of March! Karen Bickmore and Kim Andrews February 8, 2010 Osprey’s Nest Over the past few weeks, the students have been working on poetry writing. Much of the subject matter has involved comparing different things using similes and metaphors. The main purpose of these comparisons is to be very descriptive in the poetry. Making comparisons which involve the use of all five senses, including taste and smell, creates a powerful experience for the reader. I have been thoroughly enjoying reading the poems the students have written thus far. We will be creating a class compilation of poems later in the year. During recent class meetings, we have discussed the effects of teasing. The majority of students does not like to be teased, yet acknowledged that they participate in teasing. Instead of focusing on a negative, the teasing behavior, we are placing the focus on inserting a positive behavior in its place. We have talked about making a commitment to increasing acts of kindness within our classroom. We read the book Because Brian Hugged his Mother which tells the story of how a single act of kindness can impact many people. We are reporting and recognizing acts of kindness in our pre-lunch circle each day. Each day we put up some rings on a paper chain to represent the kind acts within our class. Exploring the differences between joking and teasing, experimenting with humor and sarcasm, pushing the limits within friendships, dealing with self-doubt by calling attention to another‘s faults are all parts of pre-adolescent development. Mistakes are made throughout their learning process. Attention given to developing consideration and appreciation for others as well as kindness within oneself is very beneficial. To do better, it helps to feel better. Our goal is to increase the “feel better” factor in the classroom which will have a positive effect on every individual. Have a great week!
February 1, 2010 February has arrived! The days are getting noticeably longer as we make our way into the second month of the new year. We had a large amount of snow but now the playground has little snow left. I am hoping we get some more so that we are able to continue to enjoy our cross country skiing program. Our poetry work last week began with identifying abstract nouns. Peace, freedom, liberty, anger, evil, and love were some of the abstract nouns the students brainstormed. Next, the students chose a noun to use as the subject of their poem. Their following work involved explaining that abstract noun in a concrete way using their senses. For example, they would write what liberty smelled like, sounded like, moved like, acted like, tasted like or any number of other creative descriptions. Our literature work continues this week with each student reading a novel for a book report. The book report is due next Friday, before February vacation. Each student monitors his or her own progress reading. Most of the reading for the book report falls into the homework category. They may have time planned within their day or week at school to read. Some students have broken down the pages they need to read each day. Our goal is to have completed the reading by the middle of this week in order to have plenty of time to follow through with the book report questions and activities. This is the third book report of the year. Each student will be choosing one more novel for a book report before the end of the year. We continue to raise money through our Tuesday bake sale. The schedule of baking is planned around our Thursday cooking assignments to try to spread out the joy of cooking among the whole class. We have had a few weeks in which we have switched our bake sale to another day of the week due to weather. The students who are baking for the week choose what they want to bake and how much. We are tracking how much bake sale money we make each week. Have a great week! January 25, 2010 The last week of January is upon us as we move further into the new year. We have lots of snow to enjoy at recess, along with some cold temperatures. Please make sure that your child has snow pants and warm outerwear to enable them to be comfortable and dry during our outside time. In history, we are beginning our study of the Renaissance. We will start by looking at the transition from the Middle Ages into this period of enlightenment. Some of the first work will involve distinguishing between facts and opinions and writing them as well. Astronomy is the next topic within our science studies. Through the next portion of the year, our writing work will focus on the study of poetry. We will introduce, review, and practice writing different forms of poetry. We will also be able to study some poets and playwrights from the Renaissance. Our grammar studies will continue with application of the parts of speech, work with different forms of verbs, and sentence analysis. The sentence analysis work involves identification of subject, predicate, direct object, indirect object, and other parts of complex sentences. One important aspect of the Montessori classroom is the development of inner discipline. The following quote illustrates a point which parallels our belief that we are working on progress, not perfection in the area of discipline.
"Let us always remember that inner discipline is something to come and not
something always present." It is critical to remember that we are focusing on the development, not perfect performance of this aspect of the student. The classroom provides the environment in which a student can work to develop inner discipline. Opportunities to self-monitor, self-correct, make decisions, and negotiate changes are all pieces that foster the development of inner discipline. Each of these opportunities are supported by the structures and adults in the classroom. The attention to the growth of inner discipline is one of the benefits of the Montessori classroom which will serve students in their future education and life beyond. Enjoy the last week of January! January 11, 2010 Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful and healthy holiday break. Last week was a nice beginning for 2010 in our classroom. The students were excited to see one another again and to trade stories about their time away from school.
In history, we are continuing our studies of Medieval times as we move toward the Renaissance . We recently learned about how and why Medieval towns developed. The students created a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the qualities of a Medieval town and a modern-day city. Our literature studies overlap with history as each student is reading an historical fiction novel from Medieval times. The students also read graphs about the population of different cities during the plague. Some students took the work to another level by creating their own graphs and writing questions about the information they used. Overlapping subject areas, like history and literature, enables the students to become more deeply immersed in the topic. By studying and analyzing one topic through the lens of several subject areas, a more complete picture can emerge.
Rocks and minerals will be the subject area in science this week. The students have completed several inquiries on this topic. Last week, they sorted several different types of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. This week the students will incorporate graphing and using percentages in their science work.
We are cooking in our classroom and in our kitchen both for our bake sale and for our Thursday lunch. It is amazing to see how involved the students become with the preparation of their food. Last week the students baked several loaves of bread, made soup, salad and cookies. The students' pride is obvious when the rest of their classmates appreciate their work. The students who did not cook continue to gain appreciation for the meals made from scratch as their own cooking experience increases. THey are sometimes surprised at what their classmates have made. This appreciation, even if they do not love the food itself, is part of grace and courtesy. The students try things they might not love, but they do so in a way that is gracious. For that reason, along with teamwork, measuring, math, and more, the cooking portion of our curriculum holds a great deal of value.
December 20, 2009 As December draws to a close; snow, ice and cold temperatures are here in full force. Last week, we spent a few days inside for recess because of the extreme cold and wind. If at all possible, we go outside for recess as it is very beneficial for the students to move and get some fresh air each day. Please be sure that your child is prepared for outside recess every day. Hat, mittens, warm jacket, snow pants, and boots are necessary to keep the students warm and dry. Being prepared enables the students to enjoy our time playing outside. In science, we have been studying volcanoes. The students have completed several different types of work throughout their volcano study. Building a felt volcano and labeling the different parts, reading and matching cards of volcano nomenclature and definitions, and creating their own labeled drawing are three different activities within this study. Some students have engaged in recreating maps which will be used to indicate major volcanoes in the world. This work develops geography, measuring, math, and drawing skills while working on a science topic. Not all student work looks the same within each area of study. Students experience a group lesson and take in the introductory information on a topic. The follow up work that each student completes can be specific to their level of interest. This allows the student to introduce creativity into their work as it crosses different areas of the curriculum. Often, students are able to integrate their own individual strengths or interests as they complete work. One student may write a journal entry of an individual who is studying a volcano, another may create a world map with labeled volcanoes, while another may write a summary of an article they read about volcanoes. Students continue to develop creativity as they see the different types of work completed by their peers. For students who enjoy geography and drawing, the map work in science may transfer into other curriculum areas such as literature or history. The classroom was very focused last week as we moved further into this busy and exciting time of year. We will be busy in this last short week of December. Some of the work this week will include two science inquiries, individual challenge spelling lists, history research of an individual or event from our medieval timeline, creative writing, and more. Have a great week as we head into our winter break! The Osprey's Nest Karen Bickmore Kim Andrews As we began December, the Upper Elementary enjoyed our first classroom cooking experience. The meal was appreciated by all. As we continue to increase the student's involvement in the cooking program, we are setting up some classroom guidelines to support this work. The two students who are cooking will decide on a meal plan and select recipes in the week BEFORE they cook. The recipe can come from cookbooks or internet searches at school. If there is a certain recipe at home that your child would like to use, they must bring the recipe into school by Wednesday. The next job the cooking crew must complete is to increase the recipe to feed the class. They will have to answer questions in order to create their ingredient list. Does the recipe need to be doubled, tripled, quadrupled? What amounts of each ingredient is needed for the recipe? Completing this work will enable them to itemize their ingredients by the end of Friday. They will then have a written list coming home over the weekend. This will allow more time for the shopping to be scheduled. During the week they will be cooking, the students will plan the necessary steps in the preparation of the meal. This will enable them to estimate the time they will need to prepare, cook, and clean in the kitchen on Thursday. As we continue to gain experience with our expanded cooking program, the routines will become more familiar for the students. If you have any questions about your child's contribution or preparation, do not hesitate to call or stop in. Have a great week!
November 9, 2009 Osprey's Nest Karen Bickmore Kim Andrews On Monday, we had a busy bring your parent to school night. It was great to see the students engaged and excited about showing their work and explaining what they do. During the day to day routines, the students do not always display excitement about the work that they are doing. I appreciated seeing the work they chose to show, hearing them talk about their work, and seeing their own pride in their accomplishments. On Tuesday morning, our class spent 45 minutes in the lower elementary enjoying the renowned DaPonte String Quartet. The members of the quartet spent time talking about their instruments and the music of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn. They answered many insightful questions from the students. It was great to see all the different ages very focused on the fantastic performance. In Earth Science, we are studying the hydrosphere. Last week, the students learned about a watershed and various components of a watershed. Some students are reading and researching tides. This week and next, students will be completing a scientific inquiry (or experiment) about ocean currents. In groups of three, students complete the inquiry and write observations and conclusions in their science journal. The work they are doing combines previous knowledge about density with new information about ocean currents. The students are able to use each other as resources, assess their work, and learn from their success or mistakes within the inquiry. As an extension of our study of the hydrosphere and oceans, we are looking forward to a field trip next week to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Thursday, the students will break into groups, and become scientists for 2 1/2 hours, solving four scientific investigations. They will be able to utilize scientific equipment as well as putting the scientific method of hypothesis, data collection, and conclusions into action outside of the classroom. This program is designed for students to work independently within their groups without adult assistance. This approach will allow our students an opportunity to practice cooperation and refine problem solving skills which are important to develop in a Montessori classroom. An added note, we have no school on Wednesday and we leave EARLY for this field trip on Thursday. We will be getting together to leave Thursday at 7:30 in order to be at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute ready to work at 9:00. Thanks for all of your support.
October 26, 2009: From the Osprey's Nest, Upper Elementary On Friday afternoon, Amy Hinkley worked with the entire class on landscaping around the building and in the parking lot. Jobs included weeding a large flower bed, removing landscaping paper from beneath soil in another area, moving large plants from one place to another, digging holes for shrubs and other plants, moving full wheelbarrows of mulch and soil, and planting many bulbs. It took a focused effort from all students to accomplish the tasks. Each student had to take on part of a larger job with individual focus. We had to cooperate with each other, for example when the wheelbarrow was too heavy to push without falling over, more than one student had to work together to be successful. We shared limited resources because different tools were needed for each part of the various jobs. After 2 1/2 hours, the class had completed most of the work. Some students continued to work past dismissal time. The gardens looked fantastic during our sunny Harvest Fest on Sunday. In the time that was available to plant the shrubs and bulbs, it would have taken a few people multiple days of work. The students were able to contribute in a meaningful way to their school environment and community. Completing meaningful work is critical to the development of self-confidence and self-esteem. Individuals know when work is valued and important to the larger picture. By contributing in this way, students are able to experience a sense of accomplishment and build confidence. They also develop a feeling of partnership with others in their community while they take ownership within the project. Upcoming events this week include school pictures on Tuesday and Wednesday. We also look forward to a trip to the DRA on Wednesday. It will be important for students to have boots, gloves, hats and warm coats since we will be outside for the afternoon. On Friday, we will have Mystery History presentations at 9:30. Anyone interested in coming is welcome to visit our classroom and enjoy watching the students. Enjoy this last week of October! October 19, 2009: From the Osprey's Nest, Upper Elementary The Upper Elementary had many great experiences at Kieve last week. Each experience held opportunities for students to develop communication, teamwork and problem solving skills. LEADSTAR is an acronym used at Kieve to emphasize critical pieces of effective communication. Listen, eye contact, avoid distractions, don't interrupt, speak loudly and clearly, think before you speak, ask questions and repeat the message are all parts of LEADSTAR. After each experience during a debrief, students evaluated their use of the LEADSTAR principles. They answered questions about which strategies they used, what was helpful, and skills they could continue to improve. At Kieve, students were involved in large group, small group, and individual challenges. The whole group participated in challenges in which we were striving to meet a single goal. Solid problem solving approaches and effective communication were keys to help us meet our goal. The students worked cooperatively in different small groups to complete tasks or solve problems. At times, students were specifically asked to work with others with whom they did not normally work. I watched students work very well with each other as they focused on and enjoyed the challenge at hand. Individuals met physical challenges head on with the support, both figurative and literal, of their peers. The climbing wall, the trapeze, and the flying squirrel were all opportunities to choose an individual challenge that put you outside your comfort zone. Throughout the week, the group encountered other challenges such as the chilly weather or homesickness. It was important for the students to pull together to support each other. They were able to lend support to their peers, from lending an extra jacket or gloves to sharing how they dealt with missing their family at another time. The Kieve trip provides our class with an opportunity to work closely for a few days and to challenge ourselves and each other. As students "step out of their box", peers are able to admire, support, and encourage one another. We look forward to bringing back Kieve growth, learning, and perspective to enrich our classroom community. Have a great week!
October 5, 2009: From the Osprey's Nest, Upper Elementary In our first full week of October, the class is hitting full stride with weekly lessons and follow up work. Many students are continuing to learn how to manage their weekly planners and focus on seeing their work to completion. It takes practice and learning from mistakes to plan a full week of work which is challenging, yet not overwhelming. With guidance, students are increasing their ability to make choices that support their own working needs. Introducing and practicing problem solving strategies is a large part of the independence of a Montessori classroom. Students realize their own potential to solve problems themselves. They learn to utilize classmates to answer questions or provide assistance. Independence is fostered when the teacher is not the sole problem solver or source of information. Instead of being limited to one or two sources for answers to questions or for help with problems, our class has seventeen. When students look to each other, it provides them opportunities to be leaders or teachers. As they rely on each other, it allows them to develop problem solving skills. Using many sources allows them to get answers more quickly as well as freeing up the teacher to give lessons instead of addressing questions. Each day, the student who brought in snack passes the snack bag on to the next person on the list. So far this year, healthy snacks have been coming in smoothly. Thank you to parents for their support in providing snack for the classroom. Thanks to Vicki Black for driving to and from Skidompha last week. We are looking forward to our days at Kieve next week. Permission slips and information regarding Kieve went home with students last week. More forms are available in the office if needed.
September 21, 2009: From the Osprey's Nest, Upper Elementary
We have had a couple of busy Saturdays at Damariscotta Montessori School. Two
Saturdays ago, teachers and parents moved the Heron's Nest (lower Elementary
classroom) over to its new location on the first floor of the new building. This
past Saturday we welcomed current parents, potential parents and community
neighbors to our new and improved campus at our Open House. The lower and upper
Elementary programs are looking forward to being closer to one another. This
proximity will allow students from each classroom to connect and work together
as the year moves forward. September 7, 2009 Upper Elementary “The Osprey’s Nest” Karen Bickmore Kim Andrews Welcome back to a new exciting school year! The upper elementary class is in an amazing new space this fall. We are all becoming acquainted with the new classroom as well as the changes in the campus as a whole. Some very important work in the first few weeks of school is to come together as a whole group to create classroom guidelines for behavior and decide on how we will take care of our classroom, materials and classmates. We engage daily in group activities which build skills necessary for successful classroom meetings and beneficial conflict resolution. Recognizing and exploring different points of view and brushing up on respectful sharing and listening skills are critical to this development. This time put in early in the year toward activities that strengthen our class meeting and conflict resolution framework will pay off throughout the year. The classroom community takes responsibility for behaviors and actively participate in group problem solving. One example of a concept we have introduced and explored in the group is that mistakes are an opportunity to learn. Everyone makes mistakes, and how you react to them can be an asset to you and those around you. It is common to feel embarrassed, ashamed or inadequate when making mistakes. If you are afraid of making mistakes or unwilling to address them, you will lose out on an opportunity to grow. There are three R's of Recovery when a mistake is made. First, recognize with a feeling of responsibility. Second, reconcile by apologizing to those you have offended or hurt. The third R is to resolve the problem by working together on a solution. With these strategies, we can turn mistakes into growth opportunities. Practicing this concept involves experiencing and learning from mistakes, practicing forgiveness, and allowing for the growth and development of ourselves and others. Our class is putting an emphasis on taking steps to keep ourselves and our classmates healthy. We have built washing hands thoroughly into routines and are helping each other to remember. Hand sanitizer is available in the classroom for use at any time. We are hopeful that our awareness and efforts will help us all as cold and flu season approaches. The snack list is out and the snack bag has begun its rounds. We will be working to be sure that the snack bag goes home the night before snack is to be brought in.
May 25, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We did not see the summer temperatures over the past few days unlike last week. I am hoping those record setting highs will keep their distance until the weekends or after June 12th. Along with the warm temperatures, the black flies are out on the playground in full force. If you have bug spray you want to send in with your child, put their name on it and it will be available for them to use before going out. Sometimes a hat for recess which is pre-treated with spray can be helpful as well. 10 school days until the elementary plays will be performed on Tuesday, June 9th. Wow! The class is working hard on lines, cues, projection, costumes, props, setting and so forth. Costumes should be coming in to school this week. We will keep them here so we have what is needed on site. If you have any last minute needs for costuming, let me know and I can send an extra e-mail this week to see if we can draw upon our classroom community. Parent-teacher conferences are coming up on June 3rd. The sign up sheet is in the office and you can stop in and choose a time at your convenience. I hope you all have a great last week of May! May 11, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore I hope all you who spend so much time mothering your children and families had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday. The students here in upper elementary worked hard to ready our room for our tea last Thursday. Washing tables, arranging flowers, cleaning and rearranging the room were just a few of the jobs they did. I wanted to thank Mackenzie for making the biscuits for the strawberry shortcakes and Aidan for bringing the beautiful, overflowing basket of tulips and daffodils to make our room look fantastic. It was a very nice social and sharing time in our room with cards and Mother's Day interviews. I also wanted to thank Chip for helping to get our tea underway which enabled me to sit with my daughter and have my first Mother's Day tea.
The work with our play continues as we spend time each day practicing. We will begin to work without scripts as we nail down our stage movements. Last Wednesday, I talked with a few parents about costume needs. Each student is responsible for collecting whatever they need for their costume. If you have any questions about what your child needs, it would be great to find out about it sooner rather than later. If you have a specific need, I could add a list to the classroom blog. It is a good use of our classroom and school community to communicate and utilize the shared resources of those around us.
In the next two weeks, we will be finishing up our study of the ancient Romans with work centered on the timeline and a study of some of the Roman emperors. In science, last week we completed work on reacting two elements, iron and oxygen. This week, we will study some chemical reactions involving metals to see how they vary in reactivity. Thursday lunch this week is Tommy with the main dish and Mackenzie with the side and dessert. Next week, May 21st, Zoey has the main dish and Mel has the side and dessert. This week snack list goes as follows: Monday: Ben, Tuesday: Tilly/Taylor, Wednesday: Alex, Thursday: Tommy, and Friday: Zoey. Let's hope for the sun to come back out and look forward to a great week ahead Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore What a busy time of year! We have had some beautiful weather since returning from April break. And now we are back with the construction project moving full steam ahead. We have a good view from the first and second floor to keep tabs on progress. The students are doing a great job observing the job site from time to time without letting it become a huge distraction. Saturday night was my introduction to the school auction. What an event! Food, drink, and fantastic items to bid on, I came away with a pair of handmade earrings by Christina Rushton, Tommy's sister. The Montessori inspired shelf made by this class came together well with the organization, supervision, and expert assistance of Phil Morrison. The class appreciates his time and efforts to help us accomplish this work. We also have copies of the beautifully printed book, Not Aesop's Fables, written and illustrated by the students. Copies are available to purchase, every family needs one. I want to thank Vicki Black for all her work to publish this work for our class. Our class is now in the midst of the ongoing preparation for the play in June. We are dedicating our afternoons to play practice. We are anticipating moving to rehearsal without scripts after this week. That means lines need to be memorized. Any support at home to help with the memorization process would be much appreciated. Art class is now focused solely on set design and prop creations. Last week, we talked about individual costumes and what each student felt they needed. This Wednesday at 3:15, up in our classroom, all interested parents are invited to hear what is needed and then pool resources and talents. Getting together should be helpful to find out what items someone else already has to provide. If you are unable to make it, touch base with me about plans for your child's costume. This week we are having our Mother's Day Tea on Thursday at 11:00. This will be another new event for me, as a teacher and as a mother! After the tea at 12:00, our class will dismiss for the day. I hope all the mothers of our class have a fantastic Mother's Day on Sunday! Because of Mother's Day Tea, we will not be having our elementary lunch this Thursday. Next week, Thursday May 14th, lunch duties are as follows, Tommy has the main dish and Mackenzie has the side dish and dessert. I hope the great weather continues as we progress deeper into spring. Have a great week!
April 13, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore April is moving quickly, bringing some days with sun and warmth and other days leaving us cold, damp, and windy. We will hope for more and more of the sunny and warm days as we move toward our spring break. This week the students are looking forward to playing outside in less mud-protective clothing. Thank you for keeping them warm, dry and clean this winter and early spring with all the gear needed. After we return from April vacation, we will begin focusing on our play, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. We have taken time in class to talk about tips for memorizing lines. I have asked the students to have their lines memorized when we come back from vacation. This will help us to work on many of the finer points of the play and help us to move easier through the process. In history, the students have learned about the Roman army. This week we will look at the process of Roman expansion and some of the challenges brought about by their wide ranging power. This will be our last week focusing on the periodic table in science. We are working on understanding the classification of some of the groups of elements. Some students have reconstructed the periodic table with a large card work. Any students interested in working on the school yearbook can let me know and I will pass that information on to Melissa Hearth. She will be working with the students on Friday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30. There was a large amount of interest from the students, but I was not sure if that communicated to those making decisions about schedules at home. It will be a great opportunity to contribute to a school-wide project while working collaboratively with classmates. Have a great week and a wonderful April vacation! P.S. Remember to encourage the studying of lines in the play books over break. Thank you in advance for your support! April 6, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Wow! What an amazing trip to Boston! First I would love to thank Ms. Lavigne, Melissa Hearth, Doug Rushton, Yvonne McLean, and Dot Sewall for driving, chaperoning, and enjoying the trip with our class. Their time, patience, and courage were greatly appreciated! The tour at the Museum of Fine Arts was focused on ancient Greek and Roman work. We saw concrete examples of works we had only read about or seen in pictures. Coins, sculpture, vases, and sarcophagi were some of the pieces we were able to see. The docents were impressed with the knowledge and curiosity of the students in this specific subject area. After we had the guided tour, the students participated in a hands-on clay sculpting activity. They molded busts, pots, plates, reliefs, and sculpted figures using their previous knowledge as well as information they had from the tour. After lunch and some fresh air, we broke up into groups and explored the museum at our own pace. The Egyptian exhibit was fantastic, the students enjoyed this one quite a bit. We saw a room full of musical instruments, artwork from Africa and Oceania, as well as prints, drawings and photographs. The Chinese and Himalayan art collection included sculpture, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy. Overall, the Museum of Fine Arts provided an overwhelming amount of exposure to the history and art of different cultures around the world. Next, we proceeded to the Science Museum and began our more hands-on experience. The students were able to explore the museum to begin the evening. We had a group workshop and then our class participated in the Natural Mysteries program. The students worked as scientists to classify materials in different ways. They completed a scavenger hunt trying to find as many examples as they could for each category. Next, they were able to dissect and analyze owl pellets in small groups. The program ended with a question and answer session on an interesting creature - a live tarantula. Before we were able to set up for bed, we watched a Lightning Show in the Theater of Electricity. It was bright and loud and very entertaining. We then had to wait for everyone else to be sent to their rooms since our sleeping space was in that same room. By 11:30 we had ourselves all ready to slow down - it had been quite a day beginning before 5:00 a.m. for everyone. The next morning we were awake, packed up, and eating breakfast before 7:30. We were focused and motivated as we had two scheduled events in the morning. The Planetarium Show began at 8:00. It was a beautiful sight that we take for granted here in Maine, for those who live in the city don't always get to see such starlight. After that show, we had a movie in the Omni theater. It was called Adrenaline Rush - and the Omni theater setup provided quite an experience. The movie gave you a firsthand look at what it might look and feel like to be a thrill seeker as a parachute or base jumper. After our two morning shows, we broke up to explore the museum. The human body room, a frog exhibit, machines and transportation, light, and the live animal center were just a few of the areas and exhibits we were able to enjoy. It was such a pleasure to participate in this amazing trip with the class. The students should be proud of their listening skills in large and small groups, their willingness to share information and ask questions, and their overall behavior in all settings. The students were respectful to each other, other students, other museum goers, and museum staff. I can't say enough about how enjoyable this experience was (even though it was VERY tiring!) and how much I appreciate all the students and chaperones for making it a trip to remember! March 30, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Time is flying by - here we are looking at the first days of April approaching. It is hard to believe that the trip to Boston is here already. The last DMS cafe is tomorrow - Mackenzie, Aidan, and Zoey have the pleasure of finishing the cafe out for the year. We are addressing questions from the students regarding the Boston trip as they come up in class. If you have any additional questions that were not answered in the April Science Museum Trip e-mail, feel free to ask. Another exciting event in the classroom is in the beginning stages and set to get into high gear after April vacation. We have chosen A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court as our play. Parts have been assigned and highlighted in the play books. I have asked the students to begin memorizing lines over the next three weeks. When this is accomplished, we will be hitting the ground running when we come back after the April break. Mr. Bross has had the students working with Celtic knots, complicated patterning, and weaving in art class over the past few weeks. The students have been working to visualize and plan a pattern. Then they had to be very meticulous in applying their idea on paper and following their idea through to completion. Another activity to mention is an after-school yearbook group. It will be only upper elementary students working with Melissa Hearth to complete a school yearbook. I will introduce and explain the program this week and we hope to begin next week. It should be an exciting and rewarding activity for those who chose to be involved. Have a great week. Let's hope for good weather for us to head to Boston on Thursday!
March 16, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore The temperatures are up and down in this pre-spring season. I am looking forward to the students getting more and more quality outside recess time moving their bodies. I know they are excited to be able to go outside with less clothing (snowpants, scarves, hats, mittens) than in the depth of winter. As the snow leaves, we are working on combating the mud and dirt in the cubby area, which seems like an uphill battle. The students are working toward finalizing an original fable based on Aesop's work in the times of ancient Greece. We will be putting them into a book similar to the poetry book from last year. For ancient Rome, we will begin looking at quotes from Roman philosophers, writers, and emperors. Students will be interpreting, discussing, and writing about the quotes as well. We have been working on diagramming and analyzing sentences in grammar. Over the past several weeks, the students have learned about the subject, predicate, direct object and indirect object. The next step has been to add the adverbial extensions of the sentence which answer the questions how, when, where, with whom, and why. The students are writing their own sentences, analyzing the text, and diagramming the sentences according to the Montessori materials. In science, the students are working through the "Who am I?" cards of elements. Once they learn about the element using the descriptive card, they can construct the atom with protons, neutrons, and electrons using Bohr's model. This work has been very engaging for many students. We will continue to learn about the elements and the periodic table over the next few weeks. March is halfway done, with April and the museum trip fast approaching. The DMS cafe snacks are much appreciated, only a few weeks left to contribute. This week cafe is Alex, Taylor, and Ben. March 9, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Losing two Mondays in a row to snow? Where is spring anyway? We have been working with less time than a normal week as well as juggling lessons to some extent. These both mean which the students have to practice being flexible and managing some changes to their schedules. Those skills can be taken for granted or not given value. In fact, with this age group making adjustments and showing flexibility to handle situations can provide them with skills that will benefit them in the future. We are continuing the study of ancient Rome in history. The students have continued to show interest in learning about the evolution of the understanding of the atom and its structure. They have become familiar with the fact that some areas of science are in constant development and must be adjusted and "improved" due to new knowledge. We have less than four weeks until our trip to Boston. The students are beginning to be excited about it. We have DMS Cafe for the next four Tuesdays in order to keep raising the money we need. Next week Cafe responsibilities are Tilly, Eve, and Seth. The students have been doing a good job with the Cafe, so we hope to finish strong up until the first week of April. March 2, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore I hope everyone had a relaxing and restful February break. It seems like our classroom got hit with some illnesses before break, but we are back to full strength now. We are beginning to turn the corner into warmer temperatures and muddier footing as March arrives. As we move into March, our trip to Boston is coming right up. Only 5 weeks left of the DMS cafe. The students have been doing well with the cafe and usually selling most of the baked goods. This Tuesday, March 3rd, the cafe students are Alex, Riley, and Ezra. The next group will be Tilly, Eve, and Seth on Tuesday, March 10th. We have also talked in the classroom about how students are doing raising their own $100 contribution for the trip. The first week of April will be here before we know it! In our year long science study of chemistry, we have moved into the study of the atom, the elements, and the periodic table. The students were very interested in the introduction to the atom and its parts. We talked about the process scientists have engaged in over time to explain the atom and the evolution of the understanding of the atom. In class, we have a board we use to examine Niehls Bohr's model of the atom. We will soon begin reading a book called The Mystery of the Periodic Table. In history, we continue with our study of ancient Rome. The students are reading and learning about everyday life at that time. What jobs did people have? What clothes did they wear? What food did they eat? What were children's lives like? Already the students learned about the family structure with a strong male figure making decisions for the entire extended family. It is always interesting to compare the similarities and differences between ancient Greek and Rome. The students often compare their own lives to the lives of those in the past as well. In music, we will be learning about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. We will listen to his music and have opportunities to interpret it verbally, through writing, and drawing. If you have any reference materials or CDs of music by Mozart we would appreciate using them in the classroom. We will see if March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. No matter how muddy and warm it gets, I would have to say we are not out of the winter woods yet! February 9, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore February vacation is almost upon us. I hope warmer temperatures are soon to come our way. Valentine's Day is coming right up as well. If your child wants to bring in valentines, please have them do one for everyone in the class. We are working in class to take clear steps to let students know ahead of time about snack, lunch and especially the cafe responsibilities. We have the names written on a board near the snack area. On Monday we will give a verbal reminder to those students as well. Over the past few weeks, our class has had an opportunity to read with Ms. Wilson's primary class. The upper elementary students are able to meet the needs of the younger students in two different ways. They are able to read books to individuals or small groups of primary students. The older students are also able to be a listener for the emergent readers which is so important for them as they begin reading. This activity has been sought out by some students who are very excited to work with the younger children. Everyone in the upper elementary class has had a chance to work with reading with the primary in some way. It is a powerful way for the students of different ages and classrooms to connect. I have enjoyed watching the students interact and work with those younger children. The after-school activities are going strong. I have had a chance to observe the photography class and to participate in the cross country skiing. It is great to see the students working in a different environment and with different peers. It has provided me with a chance to interact with the students from the upper elementary as an observer. I have been able to be a cheerleader and offer encouragement to those working so hard in the cross country skiing. Also, remember Thursday are the Parent/Teacher Check-in's for the upper elementary. The sign up sheets are in the main office. Have a nice week and a great February vacation!
February 4, 2009
Upper
Elementary Karen Bickmore
January 26, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore We are already looking into our last week of January. Time is flying by and the students are really busy. It was wonderful to have everyone get back outside with temperatures within a comfortable range. The fresh air does everyone good especially with some of the germs going around right now. As I mentioned last week, we are transitioning from studying ancient Greece into Rome. The students wrote about what they liked best from the history study or what they enjoyed learning. There seemed to be a clear favorite area of study which almost everyone mentioned in some manner. Here are a few things that the students had to say about their ancient Greek work. "I really liked learning about the gods and goddesses. Artemis was my favorite because she would protect women and she refused to marry." "I love the gods and sculptures to the gods. My favorite god is Poseidon. I think it is so cool that he made a horse from a wave. I also love Zeus with his lightning. I like Demeter and Persephone with their flowers and plants." "In history, I learned a lot about Greek mythology, mostly about Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. I wrote a letter to Zeus wanting to be Poseidon. Also we learned about the Titans and about how Zeus was raised." "The best thing to me was drama and mythology. Drama was really cool to me because I'm an actress. Learning about ancient Greece acting was cool and the masks and why they did the plays. Mythology was super, extremely cool because looking at gods and goddesses was so much fun." "I liked the Classical Period best from Greece. Why I liked it was because it was the most exciting to me." We had a field trip to the DRA on Tuesday and spent the afternoon with Sarah. We took a meter which read water temperature, water salinity, and level of dissolved oxygen and took readings in three different water areas. The students took turns helping to drill a hole in the ice with a manual drill. We compared the differences in the water from a pond, to an outlet, to the stream near the Great Salt Bay. Sarah kept a running conversation about how the readings could effect the environment or what scientists might use the information to learn. On our way back, it was most interesting that small fish had found our hole in the pond because we had created a spot with a high level of oxygen in the water. In a recent class meeting, we discussed keeping track and receiving advanced notice of snack, DMS cafe, and Thursday lunch assignments. We now have a board up near our snack area that lists the individuals responsible for the next week. The class also decided to create a snack bag that stands out and will not go unnoticed when it comes home. Keep a lookout as we will work to make sure that the bag goes home as a snack reminder. Thank you for all your support providing healthy snacks and lunches and delicious cafe treats. Enjoy the last week of January - warmer days are not so far away!
January 20, 2009
Upper
Elementary Karen Bickmore
January 5, 2009 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Happy New Year to everyone! December flew by with many fun activities, new learning, and anticipation of the holidays and some vacation days. One of the fun outings we had was to see The Second Shepard. Thank you to Vicki Black and Melissa Hearth for driving to and from the play. It was a very interesting and "active" performance. The dialogue was somewhat challenging, but the actors and actresses added emphasis to key words and phrases to enhance understanding. The form of the performance was to speak to the audience and it was very engaging as well as entertaining. The students worked on their book reports during the weeks of December. Many of them had completed some of their follow up activities on their books. This means that most students had to spend some time over vacation to finish their work. We will be making sure all that work is wrapped up in this week before we begin our next Literature Groups. If you need a hard copy of the snack list or the list for the DMS Cafe, just ask Kim in the main office. The DMS cafe is beginning to take off and become an anticipated event each Tuesday. The students (and maybe some adults) are looking forward to it each week. We will be working on Ancient Greece for two more weeks before moving into Ancient Rome. If anyone has any reference materials or interesting resources related to Ancient Rome, please let me know. In Science, we spent time using heat and working as a team collecting data and organizing this data in a graph. The students heated different substances and made observations of how they changed during and after being heated. We spent the Tuesday before the break on a challenging wrap up of our unit on the Characteristic Properties of Matter. The students had to find the identity of the substance which made up a mystery object. They needed to apply previous knowledge to determine a procedure to find the mass and volume of the mystery object. Once they had done that, they found the density of the mystery object and compared their finding to a chart of different substances and their densities. The students also worked on an assessment which looked at their understanding of the material in this unit. Different measurements, procedural questions, reading a graph and a data table, applying knowledge of density and the properties of matter were some of the areas that the students integrated into these multiple choice questions. We are looking forward to some activities with Bowdoin College as well as with the Damariscotta River Association. Some of these activities involve some work at school where individuals come to us to extend some learning. We will also be traveling and enjoying some field trips coming up soon. More information on these activities, dates, and times will be coming to you. December 8, 2008 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Time is flying by as we are already into December. As some holidays pass and others approach, time seems to move even more quickly. Be sure that your child is equipped with gloves or mittens, hats, scarves and boots as the cold weather is beginning to be a regular occurrence. We are very busy in the classroom. The two days during Thanksgiving week were spent with a science focus. Science groups rotated through four inquiries. Building thermometers, measuring the density of irregular objects, creating a density column, and measuring the density of air were the topics of the scientific inquiries. The students needed to formulate hypotheses, test ideas and work collaboratively to complete the work. Several different levels of math are being used in our science work as students measure, calculate, and graph. Our Ancient Greek timeline work has begun. We are beginning our focus on earliest Greece, the Dark Ages and the Geometric Period. Students are choosing an activity in which to apply their knowledge or research further on this time period. Literature groups are taking a break for December. Each student is reading a book of their choice and they will complete an activity or activities which will demonstrate their understanding or interpretation of parts of their story. The books should be finished by Monday December 17th which will allow a week for the completion of the activities. Students made book recommendations to each other and already several individuals have multiple books on their "I want to read" list. We are looking forward to a field trip this Wednesday, December 10th, to see The Second Shepard's Play at 10:00 am at Lincoln Academy. Look for the field trip permission forms A new snack list came out for December through March, if you need a hard copy just let Kim or I know. I try to keep the students involved in keeping track of who is responsible for snack next but sometimes we miss a beat. Have a great week! November 17, 2008 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore Thank you to all the parents and students who came to the "Bring Your Parent to School Night" last Monday. I think we shared our space well while adding many more adult bodies. It was great seeing the students' enthusiasm as they showed some of the things they are doing in the classroom. In this last full week before Thanksgiving, we are finishing our current literature books. The reading assignment is to finish the book, hopefully having read over the weekend, and complete questions and vocabulary by Friday. In science, the students compared the mass of different beans and used decimals to make comparisons. This week they are finding the mass and volume and comparing densities of different materials. Last week we discussed Socrates and the process of Socratic Questioning. In a whole group format, I introduced a moral dilemma and used only questions to probe into the students thoughts and feelings on the topic. In Music, we are getting ready to study Beethoven as our composer. If anyone has any materials, CDs or books that would be of interest, they would be much appreciated. We are working on responsibility and accountability in the classroom as the students continue to develop skills to increase their effectiveness in managing their work. The goal is not to have the work completed for extrinsic reasons or motivators. If that were the case, punishment and rewards would be the most effective strategy to have things done quickly. The development of internal motivation and self-awareness is not an immediate process. There are some times when the process of improvements may feel frustrating and you just wish Jane/Joe would just do the work. Below is a section from Positive Discipline - A Teacher's A to Z Guide which provides more food for thought on this subject. "Whether they teach first graders or high schoolers, teachers struggle each year with students who dawdle over - or just don't do - their in-class assignments or homework. Educators variously hope that rewards, incentive plans, grades, or punishments will promote the completion of assignments and homework. However, the research clearly indicates that these extrinsic motivators don't work in the long term. To make a real difference, teachers need to understand that they cannot control students but they can influence how students motivate themselves." "Teachers should also be aware of the reasons students choose not to turn in their class assignments or homework. Some do it for the attention (even if negative); others do it because they see their refusal to do assignments as a way of being in control in an environment that gives them few choices. Some students refuse as a way of getting back at the teacher or their parents. Others are afraid of making a mistake or believe they are incapable of completing the task, so they just don't try." November 10, 2008 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore With all this mild weather it is hard to believe that we are almost midway through November. The students have been enjoying the warm recesses. I imagine that we are all in for a crisp awakening as the temperatures come back to reality soon. In science, the students are constructing their own paper beam balances. They are working on following specific directions and problem solving as they move toward their finished product. Next they will be comparing masses of paper clips and different types of beans. Mr. D took some time with the class on Tuesday to discuss the election process and some general political concepts. Without entering into specific political views, the students got an idea of the process beyond the candidates themselves. Art class made good use of some of our Greek architecture products this week. Students were attempting to develop skills needed to create perspective in drawings. The subject of the drawings was some of the student created Greek temples we have on display in the class. Some students were able to make concrete connections between how they constructed their temple and how they drew it on paper, from the foundation up. Our literature groups are reading Where the Red Fern Grows and The Sign of the Beaver. The students have their reading assignments before the weekend. The questions are distributed Monday morning. Our literature groups meet to discuss the questions and share vocabulary words on Friday. All the literature work, which includes the reading, completing the questions, and defining four vocabulary words, is due Friday morning. I am working with the students to plan and distribute their work over the course of the week. Thank you to all those who have already done the Thursday lunch. We have enjoyed many different things and lunch on Thursday is something to look forward to. It is highly anticipated by the class, what will the lunch be? I think the students are doing well to come together and plan their meal early in the week. Our upper elementary "bring your parent to school night" is Monday evening at 5:30. I look forward to seeing those of you who are able to attend. November 3, 2008 Upper Elementary Karen Bickmore We had another full and busy week culminating in the excitement of Friday being Halloween. Our first Mystery History presentations went really well. This activity is a great way to channel the energy of the holiday in a way that brings many different areas of learning into practice. The students researched their character and wrote notes on their lives and accomplishments. Some of the students read their notes while others had committed their information to memory. The students had many different ways to represent the look of their character and they were really excited to see what their classmates had done. The presentation we did with the Lower Elementary was a nice connection between our classrooms. Overall, Mystery History was a huge success and will be a fun October project to look forward to next year. Our Thursday meals have been wonderful. The students are getting together early in the week to compare ideas and make a plan. It seems to be running smoothly from the classroom perspective, let me know if there are any other ideas from home. As I had mentioned before, we would greatly appreciate any volunteers to help with the preparation of our Thursday lunches, let me know if you are available and interested. In Music, we have discussed and listened to examples of the string and the woodwind sections of the orchestra. Listening to musical compositions which illustrate the sounds of specific instruments will give the students a base of auditory knowledge. This exposure will help us to listen and appreciate longer compositions when we move into the study of specific composers. Our Greek study of politics, including the introduction of democracy in ancient Athens, coincides with our presidential election. Political discussions have been popping up from time to time. We have a wide range of opinions in the classroom which makes for lively conversations. Tuesday we will spend some time on the election and relating present day to our study of ancient Greece. The students are working on a writing piece centered around three ideas they have to make the nation a better place. Introduction, main ideas and supporting details, and conclusion are the writing components we are building skills around. Included are some pictures of Mystery History. Enjoy!
October 27, 2008
Karen Bickmore October 20, 2008 After having two consecutive four day weeks, we are looking forward to having a complete week ahead. This week we will have music, Spanish, and art lessons. On Wednesday, in music, we will begin looking at the instruments of the orchestra, listening to their sounds, and noting their significance. This work will enable the students to apply this knowledge to the studies of composers as we move forward. In Spanish, the students are getting their Rosetta Stone computer work underway and practice speaking in class Thursday. I'm sure the students and Mr.Bross are excited to get back into art on Friday after missing a couple of weeks due to the in service day and the field trip. I am asking the students who have Thursday lunch responsibilities to plan and coordinate their meal by the end of the day Tuesday. I hope that gives parents enough time to support the process at home. I welcome any feedback on how Thursday lunch is going from the home perspective. We are also looking for any parent volunteers to help with the preparation and clean up on Thursday. The preparation begins at 11:15 and clean up begins around 12:20. If you are interested and available, please let me know. What a beautiful day we had Friday at the apple orchard and corn maze! Thank you Joan Ray for coming along and enjoying the afternoon with us! Karen Bickmore October 14, 2008 In talking with parents and students and through my own experience this year, it is clear that the homework expectations and procedures for the upper elementary class need to be clarified. I am very confident that clear expectations will enable all of us to be more successful on the follow through. The only homework that is regularly expected of the students is to read for their literature group. All other work and assignments that students have is expected to be completed at school. Since the beginning of the school year, we have been and will continue to work on making choices and strengthening time management skills. Students are also learning what space works for them to be successful and with which other students they can work effectively. If students are applying themselves during school time, they are completing their jobs. If students are not making productive choices with their time, they will not able to complete the assignments. Students have the responsibility to plan and choose their work, with my oversight and assistance. At the point when work is not being completed, the student and I work on a plan to improve. If the plan between myself and the student is not followed through on, I impose a plan. When I am choosing the jobs for the student, I choose work that can be completed at school for school time. This includes work that involves research materials or teacher assistance. I would leave jobs that are more independent; spelling, handwriting, math facts, or math problems; for the end of the plan. In this way, if the student does not complete his or her workload, the work that goes home is clear and manageable. When work comes home, it will come home in the white three-ring binder. The weekly planner will be in the front of the binder. On the planner, I will indicate, with highlighter or marker, which jobs from that day need to be completed at home. The expectation is that the work will be completed by the beginning of the next school day. If the work is not completed by the next school day, I will ask the student to come into morning care the following day to finish the work. I will be calling parents between 3:30 and 4:30 to confirm that plan. I hope this clarification will be helpful to parents in supporting their child, I know it will be very helpful to me. Please feel free to let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. A more exciting and interesting topic for this week is Mystery History, which is a mystery to some of you and I hope to clear it up now. Each student will choose a historical figure who has made some valuable contribution to society. They will research their individual and write information about them. The information should be in a "Who am I?" format which does not include their name. For example, "I was born in .... I invented.... My three greatest accomplishments were... I was famous for...." The student will then have an opportunity to create a costume of their historical figure. I want students to use ingenuity in their costuming and to utilize small and simple clues instead of being concerned with an elaborate or expensive costume. On October 31st, the students will read their "Who am I?" write up while dressed as their historical figure and the other students will have an opportunity to guess who they are. We hope to extend this performance to include the lower elementary in the audience as well. Some of the students have chosen their historical figure already. It will be important for the students to have chosen their figure by the end of this week in order to prepare. I will provide a more detailed schedule of the event as we get closer to that date. Thank you for all the support you provide from home! Karen Bickmore October 6, 2008 The upper elementary class finished another busy and full week. We are continuing to work on fine tuning the regular lessons and improving our time management skills. The class is still getting used to our schedule as we added our art program last Friday with Mr. Bross. We also began our regular class meetings which take place three times a week. The addition of lessons or class meeting times introduces more for the students to be aware of as they look to manage a week's work of jobs and lessons. Our class meetings began and we are off to solving small and large group problems in that format. The class meetings provide an structured and organized forum in which to tackle challenges. In the meetings, students have opportunities to support each other. One example of this is when just a few students have a problem, others are able to let them know they are not the only ones to have had that experience. Just knowing you are not alone with your experience or feelings is helpful in approaching your problem. We are continuing our work with ancient Greece and are currently researching gods and goddesses. This week we will apply some of our research to an interesting writing activity. Last week we read some of Aesop's fables as they originated in ancient Greece. The students then had an opportunity to create their own fable which will undergo an editing process this week. The literature groups will be working on the last section of their books in the next two weeks. With the two four day weeks, we will be having our last literature circle on Friday, October 17th. That will give students an extra few days to complete the reading assignment. Also students may be able to manage working on their questions and vocabulary in class instead of doing much of that at home. That will allow students to ask for support in completing the questions during class time. I would like to thank the parents for the great snacks that have been coming in every day. We get such a variety and the kids certainly enjoy taking a break for a snack. Thank you - September 29, 2008 Wow! What an experience at Camp Kieve! It was a fun-filled and activity packed three days. All the students had many opportunities to learn more about each other and to share things about themselves. I especially enjoyed seeing the students out of the classroom and pushing themselves mentally, emotionally, and physically. It was a chance for me to interact with the students and get to know them better. Leadership training for the students included a focus on eight elements of effective communication: listening, eye contact, don't interrupt, speak loudly and clearly, think before you speak, avoid distractions, ask questions on the topic, and repeat the message. Ask your child if they remember all the elements of LEADSTAR. After learning what makes effective communication, the students were able to put their own skills to the test by working together on different challenges. Some of these challenges involved the students working as a whole team and other times we were in small groups. Trust was a large part of our group development at Kieve. It is an essential element for the physical challenges - you must be willing and able to trust your teammates as they are key to your safe performance. Trust comes into play emotionally when the class tackles subjects like homesickness, teasing, or helping others. Without trust, it is difficult to share your true feelings and thoughts about a serious subject. I was able to see many members of our group demonstrate a willingness to take another classmate or subject seriously. These skills of trusting, sharing, and demonstrating caring will continue to be developed throughout our year. One whole group format in which these skills are sharpened is in our classroom meeting. We have been introducing and practicing skills needed for success in our meetings over the past few weeks. The work we did at Kieve has provided us with a fantastic framework upon which to build. We will be beginning our meetings this week and continuing to develop communication and problem solving skills in that format. Last but not least, my guess is that you have already heard about it, but if not, be sure to ask your child about the flying squirrel - it was awesome! September 22, 2008 Our class has been working
hard to begin our school year. The students have been introduced to almost
all of our weekly lessons. We are beginning to learn how to effectively use our
weekly planners. How many jobs to complete, where to choose to work, and whom
to work with are questions the students need to consider. The students are
learning what works for them in the planning stages of work as well as in the
active stages of work and in the completion of their work. This process is not
supposed to be 'perfect'. September 15, 2008 This new school year has begun and I am so excited to be a part of it. The upper elementary is off and running with many things to do to ensure a safe, successful, and fun year ahead. We have reviewed whole school expectations and begun to introduce classroom procedures and schedules. Discussions and activities to build a strong foundation for future classroom meetings are part of almost every day. We are learning and practicing the conflict resolution process using the peace shell as well. This year's upper elementary class welcomes three new students moving up from the lower elementary, three students new to the school, and one new teacher. We are working in a new space and learning what individual adjustments we can make to increase our success. With so many new "pieces", our class is beginning to get to know one another better. It takes some time to develop each years' classroom community. The students have been reconnecting with old friends and making new ones--especially enjoying the beautiful weather during our outdoor time. I have learned a lot about each student thus far and am looking forward to getting to know all of them better. Even though we are just starting our new school year, we are already delving into many different subjects and topic areas. Students are beginning to work with their weekly planners--some as novices and some fine tuning previous experience. Student jobs include spelling, math facts, math problems, handwriting, and typing. We have also been working with parts of speech, sentence analysis, writing, and pin maps. Our work with ancient Greece began with learning about the geography of that area and completing map work. In science we began to work on thinking like a scientist by using words to describe the properties of different objects. Spanish lessons with Mrs. Rushton have also begun. I am looking forward to continuing to become more familiar with all the students and parents of the school. I am also thrilled to be part of the school community, not only as a teacher, but as a parent of two students as well! I am becoming familiar with the afternoon transition to the playground and dismissal. In order to help make this process as smooth as possible, please have your child check out with me as they are leaving. Until next time! --Karen Bickmore
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