News and Notes 10/10

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

Testing Zone

This week the fourth graders demonstrated their “smarts” in the realm of reading.  They participated in the NECAP standardized state testing as a way of demonstrating mastery of the third grade curriculum.  We have been preparing for the testing for the past few weeks with all kinds of review and test-taking strategies.  This week was their chance to shine, and the students really did a great job!  Once the tests were distributed and the “TESTING” sign was posted, the class fell silent and everyone turned on their testing minds.  The students worked very hard and did an impressive job of staying focused through three mornings of testing.  A special thank you to our room volunteer, Diane Brunetti, who provided awesome snacks for the kiddos!  It was great to see the efforts of each student.  It was also good to recognize how much amazing learning took place in third grade!  Next week the fourth graders will have a chance to show what they know about mathematics!

My Time Projects

One of the special highlights of fourth grade is an endeavor called “My Time Projects.”  These choice projects are basically a time of student-directed discovery.  Students create their own proposals for their projects, complete with a defense for why they should be allowed to study their chosen topic.  Then the students plan how they will do research, including what resources they will use to gather their information.  The last piece of the plan is what their final product will be, and how they will share their learning with their peers.  This group of fourth graders has been extremely excited for “My Time Projects.”  From volcanoes to the ASPCA and from owls to the White House, the classroom is full of all kinds of interesting learning.  Generally we reserve Friday afternoons for working on these projects, but during our two weeks of NECAP testing, we get a little extra project time.  The fourth graders are thoroughly enjoying their research!   Encouraging a love of learning and self-directed discovery are life-long pursuits we want to teach these great learners.

Earth’s Changing Surface

As we continue our study of geology and the Earth’s changing surface, the fourth graders each took a topic to learn more about.  Last week we looked at the rapid and gradual changes to the Earth’s surface, and this week the fourth graders each selected one of these changes to study in-depth.  From floods to tsunamis, the fourth graders were enthusiastic to learn more about what causes the changes to our Earth’s surface.  Mixing together our research skills, technology skills, reading skills, and creativity makes for one great science project!  Next week we will pull together our research and have some very informative presentations about the Earth’s surface.