Room 23 RAMblings

The Day of Decision

2009-03-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Our report cards came home today (bum, bum, buuum). It was actually quite refreshing knowing almost all of the grades I was going to get- I knew that if I mostly got fours on a subject area, I would get a four. I'm glad Mrs. Storms grades that way. Today, we also took our math facts tests- although those generally don't cause a lot of commotion. Last, we took our "4" work vocab test- if you received mostly threes on your regular vocabulary tests, and you got 65/75 questions right, you get an overall grade of "4" on your report card in the vocabulary area. Happily, I got 74/75 questions right! I am especially proud because I didn't miss any problems on the words that I struggled with before.
Mrs. Storms was extremely disappointed with the chatty people of our classroom. She said that she might take away candy boxes from the sixth graders who are being excessively talkative! I am glad that I don't usually talk much when I'm doing math- most of it really interests me, so I don't think I was one of the people repeatedly mentioned by our recent substitutes. Candy boxes are these big nets the sixth graders make of a candy box, such as Nerds or Lemonheads. They then fit them together to make a box, which, in theory, looks just like the real candy box! I hope that everyone can do them, and they all turn out really great! I am very excited, and I hope that our class comes back to standards with Mrs. Storms!
--Gigi, a Sixth Grade Student

Please, Sir, May I Have Some More?

2009-03-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

Today, the Musical Theater group presented the play "Oliver Twist". It was a great performance, and everyone did an outstanding job. On the same note, the talent show was today. It was amazing how talented everyone was, and it was a really fun show! I was super scared at first because the piano was sharp, but it ended up sounding just fine! Sadly, Mrs. Storms had a headache and felt very sick, so she got to see neither of these events. Having a substitute created a lot of chatter and talking in our class, so Mrs. Storms probably won't be very happy coming back.
On a lighter note, we presented our reading posters today. The posters were revolved around a certain children's story, such as Little Red Riding Hood or Rumpelstiltskin (our story). We then found all of the plot, theme, characters, setting, point of view, and elements of the like for our story. Finally, we combined it all into a poster with a picture relating to the story. It was actually very fun, and our group had a great time doing it. It was quite nice reading a story meant for little children and noticing all of the things in it that were higher-level. Today was a very interesting, exciting day.

--Gigi, Sixth Grade Student

A Surprising Normality

2009-03-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

From the hectic days of the past, today was actually quite normal. Although we had a substitute so Mrs. Storms could grade our papers, we went about in our normal schedule. In library, we continued our discussion on what websites are valid sources and what websites aren't, although the class was talkative and our discussion couldn't be further continued. We will send in our letters tomorrow, and so another exciting day awaits. The year, having flown by, seems to come to a halt as so many things are happening. We had music class today, and our orchestra played most of the many songs we are practicing, such as Sahara Crossing, Pachelbel's Canon in D, Star Dancer, and Hoedown. I can't wait until our concert! Today was surprisingly normal.

-Gigi, Sixth Grade Student

We Can Do It!

2009-03-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

Today we finished our legends unit by completing our week four discussion. Although not particularly eventful, the quality was very high, especially in the unit project done in this week. My book was King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, and it had a fantastic ending. However, a more eventful happening occurred today. A father whose daughter is in a highly capable class came in to talk about the proposal Washington State is considering cutting funding to the gifted/highly capable program. Our entire class (as well as the other high cap classes) decided to write letters to the state representatives requesting that they reconsider their proposal. We hope that our letters, as well as other districts' letters, will make a difference. We can do it!

-Gigi, Sixth Grade Student

Interview Day

2009-03-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today we interviewed for our jobs! It was really nerve-racking, because Mrs. Storms talked very quietly and she sounded very mysterious. I also felt like I didn't answer any of the questions like I was supposed to, although I don't really know what you are supposed to answer the questions like. I got the job I wanted, Museum Director, as well as one other candidate, so we're Co-Museum Directors! Everyone else figured out what their job was, too, and we're all really excited to start the museum. The Museum Directors executed our first job today: we led a discussion on our mission statement. I can't wait until we begin making exhibits and artifacts!
We also finished the reading projects today! I can't believe some of the things that 5th and 6th graders can do! My favorite part about reading projects are seeing everyone else's. People are so creative, you think, 'Wow! That's an awesome way to do that!' Mrs. Storms also seemed really impressed with all of the projects, which is a big bonus. Today was a very fun, exciting day!

-Gigi, Sixth Grader

The Big Day

2009-03-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

Today, reading projects were due. Reading projects are where you take a book and analyze the important elements of it. Then, you can turn the book into a game, a travel brochure, a time capsule, a dress up, a comic book, an iMovie, a scrapbook, or a picture book. Most people did games, but they were all amazing. I can't wait until tomorrow: we only got through half the class! Everyone's projects were really cool, unique, and high-quality. I have a lot of books to read!
We also worked on finishing our resumes and cover letters for our ancient Egyptian museum, Egyptopia, today. I am trying to be Museum Director, and I really hope that I get the job. The entire process is really fun, although you feel like a criminal when you say that you got a P.h.D in history and worked for the Smithsonian (of course, I haven't done either of those things). Our museum sounds really fun, even if I don't get the job I want. I saw a different class's version of the museum in second grade, and it was really cool. I know ours will be just as cool as theirs!

-Gigi, Sixth Grader

Classroom Update

2009-01-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

We are doing a Rube Goldberg project. It's where you make something you can do simply, complicated. Today we got an art project. The assignment is to take a sentence from Obama's speech and turn it into a picture. Oh yeah, OBAMA BECAME PRESIDENT!

~Noah, 5th grade student

Science Experiment

2009-01-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Today we did "Levers and Pulleys" in science it was so cool! To had to try to balance a spring scale with the load. It was cool. Shannon and I made these data graph to measure our data. Hope everyone is enjoying their 2009!

~Maria, 5th Grade Student

Health

2009-01-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

Today we started health! Lucky us... It's really awkward. Nobody likes it, but it's necessary. We got split up into...7 groups I think... Anyway, it was sad. It's nice to do it with your friends. It just feels more comfortable, but most of us didn't get to be with our really close friends. Oh well. It was probably for the best, and there are a LOT of sixth and fifth graders...
Anyway, I can't say I'm looking forward to tomorrow. :)

~Cami, 6th Grade Student

The 1st ever Auction of the 2008-2009 School Year!

2009-01-09T17:12:00.000-08:00

Our whole class was excited about the auction. The last auction points (from our class jobs) were being counted by our wonderful teacher Mrs. Storms! As soon as the auction started was when the fun began. People's hands were up for bidding over items and some people had the excitement of bringing home something from the auction. Lots of people bought items (with their points). Some items included two big funky sunglasses (one orange and one green), noisy things such as hand clappers, homework passes, buddy passes, and of course, LOADS OF CANDY! I believe all of us had fun at the auction! We all look forward to the next auction of this year.

~Amanda S.
A sixth grade student

Genre Reading Projects

2009-01-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

The genre reading projects were awesome! The iMovie previews looked like actual previews and the board games looked really professional. The scrapbooks did too. They all looked really cool I can't wait for next trimester.

Maria, 5th Grade Student

The 1st Ever Auction of the 2008-2009 School Year!

2009-01-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Genre Reading Projects

2009-01-06T17:13:00.000-08:00

Swedish Stars

2008-12-12T20:29:00.001-08:00

This month we have been doing swedish stars. They are very fun. They are very pokey/pointy balls. They're made from wrapping paper. A lot of people have made two or more but I just finished my first. They are hard to make at first but get easier the longer you do it. They can be used as ornaments for your Christmas tree. Usually when we work on them we ether listen to music, or listen to Mrs. Storms read the sequel to "The Mysterious Benedict Society" called, "The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey". It can also be a social time while making Swedish stars. It is very fun!!!

-Elise

Two On a Crayon (Pencil)

2008-12-12T15:18:00.001-08:00

Today, we all did "Two On a Crayon" where two people are on a pencil and they have to draw a picture. They aren't allowed to talk or communicate in any way. A lot of people did random drawings like Kyle and Elizabeth drew people "Shoot-Da-Whooping!" Noah and Mikayla made a "season" thing with a sun and snowflakes. Theo and I made a dragon chef, blowing fire and bouncing on a spring. Mrs. Storms and Naphtali made a baby clown, in the water with a cow? I don't know. It was really fun though, you should try it!

See Ya,
Maria

A Great First Week Together...

2008-12-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

This is the first entry for our new classroom blog at the end of our first week together as a class. I have to be honest and tell you that I was as nervous about coming back to work as I was when I was about to start my very first classroom as a new teacher. I don't know if it was the length of time I was off (a whole 6 months total) or if it was coming back with a renewed perspective on my job now that I was a parent but either way I was nervous.

Well I had nothing to be nervous about. It was like riding a bike. You never forget. I slipped easily and comfortably back into my role as a classroom teacher. The students and I got along wonderfully. The whole week went marvelously. What a wonderful bunch of kids I have this year. We have already shared many laughs and have begun to set our goals for learning and community building (see our class website-discussion link for our ideas).

We started the week off with a discussion about the things that NEED to be met before they can LEARN. Basic things such as sleep, a full stomach, an empty bladder, etc. topped the list because if your body needs something it is going to occupy your mind until it has what it needs thus putting up a temporary mental block to active and engaged learning . Then we discussed other "needs" that fall into a more "MIND" needs category such as power, love, freedom, etc. This led to a good discussion around how we treat each other in and out of class and how that effects other's learning. It was a great conversation and we began to see how the classroom structure and routines support their learning.

More to come on this topic...

I am happy to be back.