We are beginning Phase One of the Invention Convention this week and will have that completed by the Chinese New Year Holiday. Considering how much my class enjoyed this project last year I believe we are in for a treat.

I will link to some of the sheets we will be using in the unit below so you can have access to the information the students will be accessing in class.

In short, phase one of the project is research based and students will begin by researching a number of different inventors and doing some sample research on Thomas Edison. They will then choose an inventor of their choice, research them in greater detail and present a speech as that person on January 23rd.

Rubric for Speech

Useful versus Entertaining Chart

Personal Technology Survey

Inventor and Invention Chart

Thomas Edison Questions

Thank you for the wonderful wishes and gifts I received this holiday season.

I really enjoy teaching the class and am disappointed we are losing 4 lovely students in January; we have already said goodbye to Min Sung which was very sad.

Congratulations to all of 5th Grade for such a wonderful Global Natives Project. We appreciate all the help and support the parents gave us to make our Open House and Native Celebration such a success.

Have a safe break and see you in January.

Well, it is Christmas Eve, oh, actually it isn’t is it? So why all the excitement in 5KP today???

Ah, that is right, it is Global Native Eve, well almost. Today was the final day the students had to work on their project to complete finishing touches before they set up tomorrow. We performed our speeches in class so that Willow and Kyle could be assessed with their groups as they are both leaving before the Open House on Thursday. So we hope to see you there, between 8.00 and 10.00 in the Orange Grove Room in between the Middle School Library and the Cafeteria.

In the meantime 5KP you have some reflecting to do, please take the time to answer these questions Mr Hossack has made up for you.I would like your answers posted on your blog before the end of the week under the heading: Global Natives Reflection

1.    Explain what you liked most about the project and why?

2.    Summarize what you found most difficult or challenging about this project and why?

3.    Analyze one aspect of the project that you would change and give details as to why?

4.    Assess what new knowledge you gained from this project?

5.    Define what skills you have gained from working with your group during this project.

6.    Justify how you were a positive influence on your group.

7.    Describe the problems that you and your group encountered throughout this project.

Here are a few photos from our Christmas Concerts.

You can see the children in action here.

For the latest book you have read in our ‘Classics’ series I want you to do an online book review. I would like you to post before next Friday the 19th of December, the sooner the better but I don’t want you to feel overly pressured if you are flat out with yourGlobal Project. You will have class time on this next week as we have finished Math for 2008 so we can use next week for Global Projects and Book Reviews.

This book review will include several components so read the following carefully.

1. I want you to find 5 websites about book reports/book reviews/book chats and link to them giving them an annotated bibliography like we have been doing with our Global Native Project. Only link to sites you think might be useful to people your age who are writing their own book review. I went to allreaders.com and then put in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and came up with this page. Use easybib.com to help you with the presentation of your bibliography.

2. I want you to include at least two and no more than five covers of your book on your post and tell us when each of the covers was used if you can find that information out. Then tell us which cover is your favorite and why?

3. In between 200-400 words write a summary of the book without giving us the ending.

4. Tell us  why you think this book is still considered a classic today?

5. Who would you recommend this book to and why?

6. Have a look at some sites about Classic Children’s books or Classics in general and read through their lists. Tell us some of the books from the lists that you have read? What other books would you add to the list?

Other sites worth looking at include:

this, this and this

Now see what you can come up with. Happy Reading and Reviewing 5KP.

Students, Mr Howitt has been working hard on developing some questions that parents may ask you next week at our Global Natives Open House.

You may want to cover answers to some of the following questions in your speech or at least be aware of them so that you can provide the relevant information to parents when you are asked.

1.    How does your artifact represent the culture you studied? Why was this artifact important to them?

2.    Why did you select this artifact over other ideas?

3.    What else did you learn about this culture?

4.    What did you learn about yourself as a group participant? What was most difficult for you as a member and what was the easiest aspect?

5.    What types of resources did you use for your research? Why did you select those resources over others available?

6.    If you were to redo this project what would you do to improve it?

Math Test on Unit 5 is on Monday Morning, December 8th.

Book Report is due on Monday. (Some will present on Tuesday and Wednesday as time permits.

Writer’s Workshop Personal Narrative 2 is due on Tuesday, we have been working on this in class and at home.

Students do not need to bring instruments on Monday but do need them on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Elementary Holiday Music Concert is on Thursday;Grade K-2 at 10.30 and Grade 3-5 at 1.15 in the Auditorium.

Santa’s Workshop will be visited by our class on Tuesday from 11.00 to 11.30 am. Information was sent home yesterday.

Every day next week students can bring in second hand clothing in good condition for the SAS Clothing drive.

Information about Second Hand Clothing Drive

This week the class is working on their second book report which will be presented to their classmates over a few lessons of Language Arts starting on Monday the 8th of December. This is not supposed to be an extensive and detailed project. I was really impressed with the effort the students put into their first report two weeks ago and already many students have read one of the books that their classmate recommended to them. Great stuff 5KP.

Due to the interest expressed by the class in studying Classics, that is what we are focusing on now in reading. Thanks to Jackie for sharing 11 of her Classic Stories with us. I am sure many parents recall hours of joy reading such stories as Treasure Island, Moby Dick and Heidi.

This time no storyboard is required for the oral presentation. Instead you are to complete an A4/A3 sized-poster for the class advertising your book to us, this poster will be used as a visual aid during your presentation. Your aim is to ‘sell’ the book to us by giving us an attractive poster and informative speech that highlights the best parts of the book.

When you do your speech, it is along the same lines as what is on the poster, your poster should complement your oral presentation in the same way your storyboard complemented your recent speech.

Questions you should be answering in your speech and/or poster…

Who is the author?

What else have they written?

What year was this book written?

What makes it a classic, why do you think people are still reading it today?

What were the highlights of the book for you?

Pick a sad/funny/happy/scary/exciting/tragic/dangerous scene and read it aloud to the class.

Here is an invitation to attend our Global Natives Open House.

Invitation

The Giving Tree bags are due to be handed in this Friday December 5th, ignore all other dates, sorry for any confusion.

Our Unit 5 Math test is next Monday the 8th of December.

Unit 5

Skills covered on the unit five test include:

*add fractions with like denominators

*order and compare fractions

*convert between fractions and percents

*draw a circle graph for a set of data

*measure pieces of a circle graph; interpret a circle graph

*convert between fractions and mixed numbers

*find equivalent fractions

Students are busy working on their Global Native Project in class. They are expected to be following the calendar we have set up in class that is on the wiki and this blog. Every couple of nights they should be spending about 20-30 mins on either the wiki, artifact or speech.