Clarissssa is comfortable in the 4th grade classroom!

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This is a good picture to give an idea about her length. She moves smoothly over the limbs and coconut husk bedding. Climbing from top to bottom of the tank, she covers the whole area. The water bowl  that she passes through helps keep some humidity in the tank. Since the water is room temperature, it is a spot that she moves through and drinks from. When she drinks, her head is just above the water and she sucks in. The only way to tell she drinks is that her throat moves as she swallows. I have seen her at the bowl sometimes drinking for up to 4 minutes.

The limbs are something she can completely wind around and does hang from. There is spot to the right that has the red light heat lamp where she bakes. There are really two spots in a tank, a hot one an a cold one. She regulates her body temperature by moving back and forth between the two areas. 

Many other students have some by to visit. It has been fun to answer questions and for them to get to know Clarissssa.

                                                                             

Finding details in the text...

Each chapter of the Sid Fleischman text is packed with interesting dialogue which are clues to character, and plot twists that are fun to figure out. Having different partners allows the students to read, analyze, question, and enjoy the novel. These pictures are how the kids typically look when ever they work in partners. They are engaged and helpful with each other. They reread and wonder about how the story will develop. They have proved to work so well together. I have been very proud of their work

Collecting the character traits is for a project at the end of the book.

  It is great to watch and listen at how well the kids take turns and read enthusiastically with each other.

 

 I help answer questions about the characters and remind them to cite their information.

Haven't let that idea out of the bag yet... :)

Sodoku Mania...Inspiring Each Other!

Using a straightedge for a professional look

Complicated and new versions

Talking about math

The class is creating and finding all kinds of puzzles. They are enjoying thinking, talking about, checking in with, and wondering about how the numbers or symbols are fitting together. Other ideas emerging are about problem solving and the fun  of creating and sharing....inspiring and getting to know each other better.  All kinds of great opportunities come together because of the weekly sponsorship to the Moscow Pullman Daily News. As a teacher, I signed up for the Tuesday paper because it has the Sidewalk Series. The paper offers so many resources for teaching and extension activities. The class became excited about Sudoku when I used the puzzle during math. Most had seen one, but didn't understand how it worked. Right after Ayden brought a book and then Caden created a puzzle, Keeahna joined in and just yesterday, Elizabeth made one. There have been good laughs and shared learning.

Proud Creators

 The students come to the document camera and explain their thinking and creative process. They also get to work on presentation skills while our class participates as an active audience engaging in questions and comments.

Character Traits for Prince Brat and Jemmy, Scoring Guide for Personal Timeline

Partners work together to capture character traits-citing chapter and page number.

We just started Literature Circles which is the next step for the class to think through a story. As we dissect the stories, the kids are analyzing the characters of Jemmy-From-The-Streets and Prince Brat. 

We have had great discussions about what the similes mean--Social Studies is everywhere! 

The sticky notes are the information captured by chapter. 

This is the rubric for the Timeline. They are learning about fractions too. L

We have spent time creating criteria lists for work, used checklists and are talking about how to evaluate. It is what 4th grade is all about-- working thoroughly, thoughtfully and carefully together.

Next pictures will be of the Sodoku madness that has taken over. The kids are inspiring each other to create and solve...so much fun!

Found Spider Egg Sacks-- adaptation in my backyard!

 I told the kids that I found the Spider--Wolf-- under the potted plant water plates in my backyard while I was putting in some new xeroscape perennials.
       It was so cool to see the eggs sacks.  We will see how well they survive through the winter and look for the emergence of little spiders in the Spring sometime. We will take predictions on when they will hatch.

The sacks were so round and dense looking held in place by a lot of webbing.

Math Stations for Multiplication and Division-- start of Quarter 2

Working on Tenmarks program

 The students were divided into three groups.
        One group played Baseball Multiplication from the Student Reference Text. They have to read and learn how to play. The second group worked on their Tenmarks accounts. (Reminder: these can be accessed from any computer with Internet access.)
       The third group worked on the floor with close to 300 horse-chestnuts that Anne collected for us!! Great for grouping into multiples. This group also got to use the 'Multiplication Keys' for basic practice. We will be working in more groups during this next quarter.

They all have been working on a 100 Grid to find patterns with multiples. The goal of all this foundational work is to grow their number sense by providing opportunities to think and process with their peers.