Yes, we are learning many fascinating facts about worms during this Expedition and that is wonderful. But the most important things we are learning aren't about worms at all. We are learning how to think and work like a scientist. We have had several great discussions about how scientists learn about animals like worms. At first the crew thought that scientists just read books about worms or Googled worms. Then we began to wonder where the information in books and on the internet came from and that led us to think deeply about how we learn new things. We have talked a lot about using observation skills, talking to experts, noticing things and asking and answering our own questions. As a crew we developed a test to try to learn/prove that worms prefer dark, damp places. We had to work through lots of issues to come up with a way that might help us figure this out. The whole point of an Expedition is to develop this kind of thinking so that we can use it in all areas of our lives. Facts may change over time so we will need to be able to think critically about how to learn new facts, concepts and ideas. We will soon be learning all about how parts of a system impact the whole system. The system we will be using to learn about this will be the garden system. We will continue to learn about worms but will also begin learning about bees, soil, seeds and plants and how each of these impacts the others.
Mathematician
At the beginning of the year, I began asking students questions every time they shared an answer to a math problem. The questions could include: "How do you know?', "How did you figure that out?", "Are you sure?", "Are you right?" and a couple more. At first the crew didn't like this because they assumed that I was telling them that their answer was wrong but now they understand that I really do want to hear how they figured something out. They are even beginning to ask each other these same questions. We have been working on solving word problems and after they have a chance to work on a problem on their own, I have them work on it with a partner or in a small group before we discuss it as a whole crew. I love hearing them talk to each other during these times. I am hearing them say things like: "No, I disagree", "How did you get that?", "Show me what you did", "How did you use the hundreds chart to figure that out? I used a number line.", "Oh we agree!", "You did it differently than I did but we still agree.", "Wait, what did you do again?" "Here, let me show you how to do this part" and so much more. Mathematics is about the discussion and deep understandings that are built through discussion. I love that our crew is so willing to jump right in and talk to each other and really listen to each other.
Writer
Most of our crew sees themselves as writers. They love to make books and write all kinds of things. They get upset when we have a schedule change or assembly or something that takes away our writing time. They love to write. They are really able to think like writers now, too. They think about what type of paper they need or if they want to type on Seesaw. They think how they can use the books that they are reading to give them ideas to use or tweak in their own writing. They are paying attention to what they know about words and how they work so that they can spell words correctly. If you are in the room during writing time you will hear all sorts of discussions about words and word parts. They want to try to get it right so that their readers can read what they have written.
Reader
The crew loves to read and have discussions about the books we read. I know that I have to be sure to allow ample time to discuss the books we read. The crew feels frustrated if that time gets cut short. They love to compare books and characters. They loved to notice details in illustrations. They love to talk about what the characters learned in a story and what they themselves learned from the story. They have favorite authors and favorite characters. They have lists of books that they want to read next or that they want me to buy or get from the library. They make requests all the time. We have had to Google when the next book in a series will come out. We have had to Google the order that books in a series were published to help us figure out what a character knew and when they knew it. They share and recommend books with each other and with me. They know that chapters often end with a cliff hanger intended to keep you reading and they know that cliff hangers work really well. In short, they truly are thinking like readers.
Important Dates
Library - Tuesdays are check out only days for small groups and Fridays are whole crew library time. Be sure to bring back any books that you have finished with by those days if you would like to check out new books.
4/28 Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) Work Day
5/9 Renaissance Art Museum Walk 4:00 pm
5/16 - 5/17 Student-Led Conferences for First Grade
5/23 Third Grade Showcase Portfolios 1:15 pm 3rd Grade Showcase Panel Member Sign Up
5/28 No School
5/30 Sixth Grade Showcase Portfolios 1:15 pm 6th Grade Showcase Panel Member Sign Up
6/5 Sixth Grade Closing Circle 6:30 pm
6/6 Last Day of School - All School Drum Circle at 9:00 am
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