"At the Dead Creek viewing area on New Year's Eve, 2007, two Short-eared Owls put on a show. The birds were observed coursing low over the fields, uttering their nasal bark-like calls as they foraged. Dead Creek is Vermont's most reliable area to find this medium-sized, pale brownish owl of open country, and winter is the best time to seek out the species." (VT Center for Ecostudies, 1/27/07 notes--http://vtecostudies.com/)
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I want to thank Pam and Randy for coming in today. Their presentation for "Four Winds" this month was about animal tracks--SO cool!In Social Studies today, the fifth grade finished up our study of explorers with a comparison of Cortes and Pizarro , and of Coronado and De Soto. Lots of stories of Conquistadors and gold fever. Next week we'll create our final products and be done, done, done.
Language Arts followed the theme as I introduced "Explorer Poems" (to the fifth grade only, since we had "Four Winds"). Basically these are biography poems, or gist poems, each of which tell the main events of an explorer's life. The class went into research mode, gathering information and trying to figure out how to tell their explorer's story in poetic prose. It was fun! (We'll finish these tomorrow.)
In 6th grade, We completed Day 4 of GVS today, and I urged them to complete Day 5 of Vocabulary (since that's the only one that HAS a Day 5...) Tomorrow is the Spelling test, of course.
We're continuing testing in Reading--we're doing QRIs instead of a DRAs. The basic difference--QRI is not contingent on written responses, which is where many kids seemed to be falling down--we wanted to test their READING/COMPREHENSION levels, not their ability to compose constructed responses. That's ANOTHER test...
Language Arts followed the theme as I introduced "Explorer Poems" (to the fifth grade only, since we had "Four Winds"). Basically these are biography poems, or gist poems, each of which tell the main events of an explorer's life. The class went into research mode, gathering information and trying to figure out how to tell their explorer's story in poetic prose. It was fun! (We'll finish these tomorrow.)
In 6th grade, We completed Day 4 of GVS today, and I urged them to complete Day 5 of Vocabulary (since that's the only one that HAS a Day 5...) Tomorrow is the Spelling test, of course.
We're continuing testing in Reading--we're doing QRIs instead of a DRAs. The basic difference--QRI is not contingent on written responses, which is where many kids seemed to be falling down--we wanted to test their READING/COMPREHENSION levels, not their ability to compose constructed responses. That's ANOTHER test...
Well, once again I apologize that this is late. I just can't get to it any earlier on Thursdays (class night). Those of you who are also enrolled in coursework know exactly what I mean...
I'll be in touch again tomorrow. Until then, good night, everybody--
Teri
I'll be in touch again tomorrow. Until then, good night, everybody--
Teri
