Hello everyone, 

This week, we continued our deep dive into the coordinate plane. To help us feel confident graphing points on the grid, we played a game of Coordinate Battleship! The students secretly placed geometric shapes on their coordinate planes, then their partner had to use ordered pairs to try and figure out where each shape was located. The students had so much fun developing strategies to try and find each others’ shapes! 

We also expanded our understanding of how the coordinate plane can be used by introducing all four quadrants. The students were shown a graph for different modes of transportation based on how fast, slow, fun, or not fun each option was. The students noticed that each end of the graph represented opposites. We noticed where each item was located on the graph, which struck disagreements with the students. Some believed that certain modes of transportation belonged in different areas of the graph based on how fun we believe they are. We took time to explore where different people would want these modes of transportation to be on the graph. For example, some people believed the sail boat should be on the fun section of the graph, while others strongly disagreed. Then, the students broke up into groups to create their own four quadrant graphs. Students chose to look at animals, video games, and technology and find ways to organize them on their graph. It was a great way for students to see the relationships that placement on this type of graph can convey. Once our graphs were finished, the students analyzed graphs from different groups to offer feedback and whether or not they agreed with where items were placed. In the end, we all agreed that four quadrant graphs can be helpful in showing information, such as opposites, in ways that a single quadrant graph can’t. 

For our Multiplicity Lab challenge, the students were shown an image of a 3D structure made from unifix cubes and were asked to determine how many cubes there were. Since not all of the cubes were visible, the students needed to do some problem solving. Even though each group got the same answer of 33, they visually broke up the same figure in different ways, approaching the problem with unique strategies. Some students even created 3D models to demonstrate their reasoning. Since part of the structure was a cube, the students were also able to apply what they had learned about exponents in their problem solving. Once we had heard each strategy, we were able to use them to create a general formula to use when finding the volume of any shape: length times width times height. The students then had the opportunity to build their own shapes with a volume of 33. We saw incredibly unique shapes, even though they all had the same volume. Once they finished, some students even designed shapes with as many cubes as they liked, then had a different member of their group determine the volume. 

We also spent time this week finishing up our boats. The students have filled them with such interesting artifacts that they would need in the afterlife. They had so much fun building these boats and it really shows in their final products! We will be using these boats for an exciting writing project next week! 

We also took a virtual field trip to Egypt! The students analyzed video footage taken with 360 degree cameras of famous Egyptian sites. Groups picked one to focus on, looking at the details all around them. They noticed hieroglyphics, statues, decorations, and the dessert landscape. The students had so much fun exploring these ancient sites!

We’ve kept working on our persuasive essays as well. The students are continuing to do research to help support their view on Plato’s new mask optional policy. It’s been great practice for us in interpreting data and finding accurate information from reputable sites. We also have used it as an opportunity to talk about transitions in writing. Together, the class looked at a sample essay and were given a list of common transition words. As a group, we decided where transitions were needed, and which ones were most appropriate for various parts of the essay. As students begin writing, they are incorporating transitions throughout their pieces. 

This week we have also begun preparing for spring conferences. The students have been looking through their work to find pieces they are proud of, as well as pieces they found challenging. The class has been reflecting on the purpose of each assignment, why they are proud of certain items, and what goals they feel are most appropriate for them. The students are excited to show off all the progress they have made since November! 

Have a great weekend!

Hello everyone, 

We started this week off by revisiting the powers of ten. The students showed the posters that they made of all the things they found that were 1/1000, 1/100, 1/10, 10, and 100 times the size of their group members. It was amazing to see the size differences between what they found! We then started talking about exponents, what they mean, and how we can use them to represent these values. We also saw how negative exponents work and how they can be used to represent fractions. Then, we took what we learned about exponents and applied it to numbers other than 10. We practiced solving exponential equations and representing them visually. 

We also took some time to begin working with graphing using ordered pairs for Dynamath. We discussed the X and Y axes and how we can use them to find specific points on a coordinate plane. We will continue working with graphing next week and begin applying it. 

For Multiplicity Lab, we did another mathematical scavenger hunt. This time, we looked for patterns in the classroom. Since we have spent so much time finding patterns in pictures, we decided we were ready to look for patterns in our own environment. The students went around the room, documenting the patterns they noticed around them. They found patterns in furniture, decorations, parts of the building, and more. Some patterns were focused on shapes, symmetry, and form, while others were focused on numbers. It was fascinating to see the different kinds of patterns we were able to find. The students loved sharing with each other all of the unique details they noticed! 

For our Egypt exploration, we revisited one of the concepts we learned about in the documentary we watched last week, Drain the Oceans. We had learned a bit about boats that ancient Egyptians buried in the desert as part of a funeral ritual to help transport the Pharaoh through the afterlife. We decided to learn a bit more about these boats. We saw that they were used for thousands of years, but over time the boats became smaller models filled with wooden crew members that the Egyptians believed would come to life. We looked at some examples of these model boats and the students noticed design features such as oars, masts, and bright colors. After researching the boats, we began to make our own. Students used cardboard, styrofoam, and other materials to design their own funerary boats, filling them with things that they would want to take with them to the afterlife. The students have had so much fun creating intricate designs and incorporating their knowledge of Egypt, such as using gold, since it was meaningful to the Egyptian people. We will do more activities with these boats next week. 

This week was also the start of Plato’s new mask optional policy. We decided to take advantage of this as a persuasive writing opportunity. Since this decision was made by grown ups, the students are getting the opportunity to write about their thoughts. The students are using research to formulate evidence-supported reasons to back up their stance supporting either a mask optional or mask mandatory policy. So far, the students have developed strong, thoughtful arguments in their planners and are handling the topic with maturity and respect. 

We have also started a new daily routine- mindfulness and yoga. We have begun each day this week with a short chair yoga session and are using guided breathing and mindfulness breaks throughout the day. Our goal is to use this as a tool for students to handle stressful situations, stay focused, and help manage interpersonal relationships. It’s been awesome watching the students engage in these practices. 

Have a great weekend! 

Hello everyone, 

We’ve had a very busy week filled with special events! 

We started the week off with Valentine’s Day! We had a lot of fun playing games in our pajamas and handing out Valentines. We also did a special science experiment- making oobleck! The students experimented by adding various amounts of water to cornstarch. We saw how it gradually became a wet and slimy substance, but it was also crumbly. The students were amazed at how it broke apart when they tried to pick it up, but it also melted in their hands. We wondered if the oobleck was a liquid or a solid. After observing the substance for a while, the students decided that it was liquid since it was filling the containers it was in. We then watched a short video showing people running across a pool of oobleck, as well as riding a bike over it! We noticed that when the people moved quickly, they would stay on the surface. However, when the people moved too slowly, they would sink into the pool and get stuck. We all had so much fun with this amazing and messy activity! 

We also spent part of Valentine’s Day watching a documentary called Drain the Oceans about archeological finds in ancient Egypt. We saw how people were able to use computers to see what hid below the surface of oceans and deserts. We learned about Alexandria’s lighthouse, a wonder of the world that fell into the sea. We also saw remnants of boats buried in the middle of the desert. The students had great hypotheses as to why they were there- maybe there used to be an ocean there or people kept them in the desert for storage. We ended up discovering that these boats were part of a pharaoh’s tomb! We learned that the ancient Egyptians believed that being buried with boats was necessary so that a person could navigate through the afterlife. We will learn more about these funerary boats next week. 

We spent a lot of time doing Dynamath, dividing multi-digit numbers. We talked about two strategies: traditional long division and partial quotient division. The students chose the strategy that was best for them; some liked the structure that long division provides and others liked the flexibility of the partial quotient method. We spent a lot of time practicing and making sure that students felt comfortable with at least one division strategy. 

We finished up our analysis of our magnet data by learning about central tendencies. We discussed the mean, median, mode, and range and how each contributes to help us understand our data. Since the mean is a more complex concept, we demonstrated it with a hands on simulation. We decided to find the average number of cousins each person in the class has. The students were given unifix cubes to represent their own number of cousins, then were told to try to figure out how many each person would have if we all had the same amount. The students decided that we should put all of our cubes together, then divide them out one or two at a time until they’re all gone. We ended up having seven left over, which got divided into 7/9 of a cousin. We discussed how the mean sometimes gives values that aren’t represented in the data and that our fraction meant that the average number is between four and five cousins since we can’t have part of a person. 

We ended the week with our pig dissection! To prepare, we played Kahoot as a way to review the information we had learned about our organs before winter break. The students used their informational packets to help them find the answers to the questions. It was also a great way for us to practice test taking strategies for multiple choice questions, as well as a way for us to practice finding specific information in a nonfiction text. 

Finally, it was dissection time. Ms. Cathy, the guest teacher leading the activity, was so impressed by how much the class already knew about the body. The students handled the activity with maturity, handling each of the tools with care and treating the pig with respect. We made sure each student was engaging with the activity at their own comfort level. Students who felt comfortable cut the pig and removed the organs, and other students observed and helped identify what each organ was. It was such a memorable experience for each of us! 

Hello everyone, 

We spent a large amount of time this week working with powers of ten. The students broke up into groups and picked one student to be their measuring unit. They then needed to find items that were 10 times as big and 100 times as big, along with items 1/10, 1/00, and 1/1000 the size of their groupmate. The students figured out creative ways to measure these increasingly large and small quantities, since they knew that if they went in order things would be getting 10 times larger or ten times smaller each time. The students were amazed at the size difference between their items. Our smallest items were tiny seeds, and our largest items were massive!  We even had to go outside to find how big 100 times a student would be. Many students ended up measuring around the entire parking lot! Once groups finished measuring, they started creating posters to show their results. It’s been a great way for us to visualize this exponential growth in size.  

We also did a quick Multiplicity Lab activity where students were challenged to figure out roughly how many blocks were in the picture. Because of the way the blocks were stacked, not all of them were visible. The students had to figure out based on the height of the visible stacks how many blocks were hidden. It was a great problem solving challenge and practice conceptualizing 3D space. In the end, we decided there were roughly 120-150 blocks in the picture. 

We also had a mathematical show and tell! The students spent the week looking for items at home that showed “a little less than half.” The students brought in photos, drawings, or the items themselves. Students showed off partly empty containers, furniture, and even body parts! It was great seeing all the different ways “less than a half” is represented in our world! 

The students finished presenting their Google Slides presentations on their Egyptian gods. It was evident how hard the students worked to become experts on their subject matter.  Everyone was fascinated by how each of the gods’ stories were connected and the symbolism behind the way they were depicted. 

We’ve also continued reading our novel, The Egypt Game. The students are loving how they can connect what they learned about the Egyptian gods to the book. Since The Egypt Game also frequently references Queen Nefertiti, we decided to read an article about her. The students were amazed by some of the things we read, like that she had six daughters and that she had probably married her cousin. They were also shocked that she disappeared and that her body was never found. We decided to use our imaginations to do a quick-write of what might have happened to Queen Nefertiti. The students came up with creative explanations, some even incorporating their Egyptian god into the story! 

For science, we discussed the magnet experiments that we completed last week. The class was introduced to the scientific method and we discussed how each step in our process aligns with that method. We noticed that there was one step that we haven’t completed yet, which is to report our results. Because of this, we have been taking the data we collected and have started putting it into graphs so that we can visually represent the data. We will do more work with this data next week. 

Have a great weekend! 

Hello everyone,

We spent our math time this week taking a deep dive into Pascal’s Triangle, a famous mathematical pattern. The students started by identifying as many patterns as they could inside the triangle. We shared these patterns on the board as a class. We were able to determine how the triangle grew and continued filling in the missing values. 

Next, we looked at a specific aspect of the triangle- the rows. The students were challenged to create equations to determine the sum of the numbers in each row. Since many of the numbers repeated, the students were encouraged to use multiplication and parentheses, along with addition, in each of their equations. This helped us practice building complex mathematical equations and helped us see new patterns. We noticed that the numbers in the triangle were being multiplied by two each time and that each row was double the total of the previous one. 

We ended the week by creating our own versions of Pascal’s Triangle. In the original triangle, the number on the top is one. This time, the students got to choose the number they wanted to start with. They were then challenged to determine if the patterns we noticed in the old triangle were still present and if they noticed any new ones. We saw that many of the same patterns were still present, just with multiples of the new starting numbers. The students loved finding multiples in their new triangles. 

The students finished collecting data for our ongoing magnet experiment. We were finally able to determine for sure that our small spherical magnets were the weakest and that our large stick magnets were the strongest. Thanks to our data, we could directly compare how much stronger each magnet was then the others and have strong evidence to back up our hypotheses. We will continue to analyze this data next week. 

We’ve continued reading the Egypt Game. We’ve been analyzing the motivations of the main characters and using text clues to try and learn more about them. We’ve also used the words from the novel for fun Vocabulary Jams! 

We took some time to review some of our previous writing projects. We took one of our recent fictional narratives and analyzed it using a general writing rubric designed for elementary students of all ages. The students looked at various parts of their stories, such as the lead, transitions, ending, and elaboration. They marked on their rubrics how they thought they did in each category. This was very eye opening for students to see where their current strengths are with writing, what is an area for growth, and what the expectations are. 

We’ve continued writing our essays on ancient Egyptian gods and have finished up our Google Slide presentations. We’ve begun sharing our presentations and will continue next week. The students are so proud of what they have made! 

We also started an impromptu service project! We have taken on the task of creating and collecting Valentine’s Day cards for veterans in local hospitals. We created signs, talked to the other classes about what we’re doing, made a collection box, and started our Valentines. We’ve all had so much fun spreading love to those in need. 

Have a great weekend! 

 

Hello everyone, 

This week, we continued with our magnet experiment. The students analyzed the work that we did last week and realized that we needed to revise our plans to get more accurate results. We discussed the different things that could show us how strong a magnet is, such as the distance between the magnet and an object, the thickness of an item between a magnet and an object, and the weight a magnet can hold. The students designed new experiments that had variables that they could measure. They collected data allowing them to directly compare the strength of each magnet. The students are continuing their data collection and we will discuss our results next week. 

For math, we spent most of the week focusing on representing multi-step equations. In this multi-day activity, the students were shown images of complex visual patterns, then had to write an equation that could be used to represent it. The students did a great job incorporating addition, multiplication, and using parentheses. We were amazed at how many different equations we could come up with using the same image. Next, we reversed the activity; students were given an equation, then had to decide how to draw it. As we went, each equation got progressively harder, adding another step to each problem. The students had a lot of fun with the challenge of figuring out how to depict multiple operations at once. 

For Multiplicity Lab, we went on another mathematical scavenger hunt. This week, we looked for items in the room that were partitioned into equal parts. The students measured to make sure the items they chose actually were split equally. The students noticed bookshelves, tiles, drawers, and so much more! It was a great way for students to notice fractions in the world. 

We’ve started reading our new novel, The Egypt Game. It’s an exciting story of a group of friends using their knowledge of ancient Egypt to create an immersive, imaginative game. While we’re still early in the book, the students are intrigued by the mysterious characters.  

We’ve also continued researching our Egyptian gods and creating our Google Slide presentations. We’ve also begun taking our research and using it to write an informative essay. We analyzed the structure of an informative essay, looking at parts that are the same as the persuasive essays we’ve written before and what parts are unique. The students have planned out their papers, making sure they are organized, and have started writing. They’re so excited to share what they’ve learned!

Additionally, this week is National School Choice Week. We’ve been celebrating how lucky we all are to choose to attend a school like Plato Academy. We’ve spent time creating signs about how much we love it here at Plato and dancing to show our support for school choice. We all had a blast!

Have a great weekend!

Hello everyone, 

We started off the week with a new math game: Target 20. The students paired up and rolled four dice. Then, they had to use all four of those numbers to get as close to twenty as they possibly could, using any operations. This was a great way for students to practice using operations flexibly and generating multi-step equations. After the game, we discussed the patterns we noticed. The students saw that they were most likely to use multiplication, especially in the first step of their equation, and were least likely to use division since it wasn’t as helpful in generating the large numbers they needed. We also used this as a great opportunity to discuss the order of operations so that we could make sure our equations were written in a way that gave us our desired answers. 

For Dynamath, we took some time to review equivalent fractions. We used pictures as a tool to help us see how the same fraction can be split in different ways but still have the same value. 

For Multiplicity Lab, we went on a mathematical scavenger hunt. The students were challenged to find items in the classroom that were about 1lb each. The students went around the room measuring various items. Since our scales only measured in ounces, the students were looking for items that were approximately sixteen ounces, since that equals one pound. This was a great way for students to gain understanding of what these units mean. The students had a blast weighing their items. 

We also read a Super Science article about magnets and all the ways that they are used in our everyday lives. The students were shocked at how many household items include magnets. The students were then given magnets to explore with, and then were given a challenge: how can we find out which magnet is the strongest and which is the weakest. The students created hypotheses and then began crafting procedures for how they were going to answer this question. We will continue our investigation next week. 

We also continued working on our vocabulary. We took the words we learned from our Vocabulary Jam last week and looked at them more in depth. The students each created word expert cards which included the definition, a sentence, a synonym, an antonym, and a picture representing their word. 

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day, we watched the documentary, We are the Dream about students in Oakland, California participating in an annual oratorical fest to honor Dr. King’s legacy. The children in the film made powerful speeches about racism, prejudice and xenophobia. The students wrote reflections on what they learned and were impressed by all the upstanders they witnessed in the film. 

Finally, we’ve been continuing our research on the Egyptian gods and goddesses. The students are finishing up their research and beginning to incorporate what they have learned into Google Slides presentations so they can teach the rest of the class about their god or goddess. They are having a lot of fun creating their presentations and can’t wait to show them off! 

Have a great weekend! 

Hello everyone, 

It’s wonderful to see all the students again after a long winter break. Everyone has been so excited to start learning again!

This week, we started our new exploration on ancient Egypt. We started by discussing why Egypt was so important and what contributions Egyptians made to the world. We discussed the innovations that Egyptians made with measurement, including how they used their arms to measure distance, along with how they measured time by dividing the day into twenty four hours and coming up with a 365 day calendar. 

Our main focus so far has been on Egyptian mythology. We have started with a research project on some of the ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. Each student picked a god or goddess to learn about, researching the symbolism behind their appearance, the myths associated with them, and interesting facts about them. Eventually, the students will take this information to create a presentation to share with the class. 

For Dynamath, we started working more in depth with decimals. We talked about how to add them, making sure we are paying close attention to place value so that our answers are accurate. 

We applied this concept of adding decimals to our Mindset Math activity this week. The students were given the numbers 1.5, 1.25, 2, and 4, and were challenged to use them to make all of the numbers 1-20. The students were allowed to use numbers more than once, but their equations each had to use four numbers. The students were so creative in their solutions, using a mix of operations to incorporate both decimals and whole numbers into their solutions. Once we came up with as many solutions as we could, we analyzed them. We determined that 4 was the number we used the most because it helped us build the higher numbers. We also noticed how we used mostly addition to come up with the numbers 1-10 and multiplication to come up with the numbers 11-20. 

This challenge also asked students to create visual proofs to represent the equations they developed. This led to a class discussion on how we can actually draw these mathematical concepts- what does it look like to draw a subtraction problem or a multiplication problem? We spent time brainstorming ideas and trying out different visual representations until we found ones that clearly conveyed the expressions we were trying to represent. We then played a student inspired game- each student was given a different expression to represent visually, and the other students needed to determine what the original expression was. We all had a lot of fun with this challenge! 

We tried out a new game to help us build our vocabularies- Vocabulary Jam! The students worked in teams to answer multiple choice questions to determine the meaning of new words. It was a great way for students to develop strategies to answer these types of questions, such as process of elimination or guess and check. The students had a blast and were introduced to a lot of new words! 

We also did a fun Mystery Science lesson about how our bodies move. We saw how our bones support our bodies, how our joints allow parts of our bodies to bend, and how muscles contract to pull on our tendons. The students also made a lot of great connections to what we had learned about the brain from before winter break, adding in that our brains send messages through our nerves to cause this process to happen in the first place. We then took this information and applied it to create a working model of a finger using string and paper. The class loved seeing how their robot fingers worked and some students even went on to create a working model of a human arm! 

Instead of our regular theater class, we did some theater activities in the classroom. Since we had just finished learning how our bodies move, we focused on body awareness. We played a game of movement telephone, where one person starts with a movement and it gets passed from person to person around the circle. The students were amazed at how much the movements changed as they got passed around the circle. Then, we watched a short clip from I Love Lucy where Lucy and Harpo Marx are mirroring each other. The students thought this was hilarious and were excited to pair up and try this out for themselves. The students took turns being the leader and being the reflection, closely watching how the other person moved, trying to copy their movements exactly. We all had a blast!

Have a great weekend! 

Hello everyone, 

To help us prepare for our fetal pig dissection next week, we’ve been focusing on anatomy. The students have broken up into small groups to become experts on two systems out of the internal systems of  the body: the respiratory system, the endocrine system, the digestive system, the lymphatic system, the urinary system, and the circulatory system. The students read about what these systems do, what organs are part of that system, and what those organs are responsible for doing. The student put their information into Google Slides so that they could easily present it to the class. They even came up with comprehension questions for their classmates to check to see if everyone understood the systems they taught about! 

We also completed a paper dissection to get an idea of what each of the organs looks like and where we are going to see them in the pig. The students colored and cut out organs from various systems in the body, then glued them into their paper pig. The students got to see how the organs overlap in the body, with some behind others. This will be super helpful for when we do our real dissection next week. 

For math, our main focus was on connecting fraction concepts to decimals. We discussed what 1, 0.1, and 0.01 all represent and used base ten blocks to visually show these concepts. We then practiced converting fractions to decimals, then converting decimals to fractions. We used visuals such as pictures and manipulatives to aid in our problem solving process. 

We also took the time to finish discussing our Multiplicity Lab problem from last week: how much of the pastry in the pan is missing? We decided to measure how large each of the pieces were and draw in the missing pieces to see how much was still missing. We discovered that there was a gap about half the size of the remaining pieces left. Once we knew that, we split each of the pieces we drew in half to see how many of these new smaller pieces were missing. Finally, we simplified our new fraction, discovering that 7/9 of the pan was missing. 

We also took some time to make holiday gifts for our families. While I won’t spoil the surprise, I will say that the students all got super creative and they loved coming up with their designs! 

We ended the week with our holiday show. On Wednesday, we went together to the theater for the opportunity to rehearse onstage. It was amazing to see how confident the students had become. Friday, we all gathered together for a wonderful in person performance! It was wonderful seeing everyone and we were so fortunate to have an in person holiday program. The students all did a phenomenal job! 

Have a great weekend! 

 

Hello everyone, 

Mindset Math, we worked on dividing fractions by whole numbers. This activity also happened to be a great connection to the holidays. The students were tasked with cutting paper so that we could make holiday cards. The students were given six sheets of paper and asked how many pieces there would be if we cut each sheet into thirds. Once we discovered how many sheets we could make, we figured out what equation we could use to represent it. While six times three gave us the correct answer, it didn’t quite fit what was happening in this situation. We decided that six divided by one third was a better representation of what was happening. The students then took the paper they had cut to create beautiful holiday cards for friends or family. 

We did a second mindset math activity to show how dividing whole numbers by fractions is different from dividing fractions by whole numbers. We used cuisenaire rods- color coded rods that represent numbers- and assigned them a fraction value. The students then had to figure out what color rods could be used to split that fraction evenly, then determine what those new fraction values were. The students discovered that some rods were easier to split than others. They also realized that they needed to account for fraction pieces that weren’t shown when deciding what fraction values each new piece was worth. For example, if they started with a piece representing one half and split it into three pieces, they needed to remember that there was an imaginary other half being split into three as well, meaning their piece was split into sixths, not thirds. Some students chose to represent this by building the rest of their whole and others used multiplication to help them determine what their new fraction really was. It was great to see all the creative methods the students came up with. 

For Dynamath, we took another look at comparing fractions with unlike denominators. We discussed a variety of methods that can be used to solve these types of problems, such as using manipulatives, pictures, or creating number lines. Some students also made the connection to the work we did last week with adding fractions and discovered that we can find a common denominator to compare fractions as well. 

Our Multiplicity Lab image this week asked us to determine what was missing from a tray of pastries cut into rectangles. This activity ended up sparking some mathematical debate. The students all agreed that the original tray of pastries was cut into three pieces vertically, but there was disagreement over how the tray was cut horizontally. Some students decided that the tray would have been cut into four pieces, making the extra pieces we couldn’t see larger than the pieces we had left in the pan. Other students decided that the sheet would have been cut into five pieces, making those pieces closer in size, but still slightly smaller than the ones left. Some students even decided to measure the pieces left in the pan, discovering that if each piece were the exact same size, there would be a row that was much narrower than the rest of the pieces, meaning that extra mathematical work would need to be done to find the exact answer. We will continue to discuss this image next week. 

We also continued our work analyzing the poetry of Hopi poet Ramson Lomotewama. This week, the students picked a new poem by him and worked in small groups to analyze the characters, events, and figurative language in these poems. The students learned strategies for understanding poems, such as breaking it into smaller parts and paraphrasing. The students also used this as a great opportunity to practice recognizing the difference between literal and figurative language.

The students also had the opportunity to practice writing their own poetry. Last week at the Holocaust Museum, the students collected words that were part of their identity. This week, they were challenged to use those words to create a poem about themselves, incorporating examples of figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, personification, and onomatopoeia. So far the students have been coming up with creative and introspective poems. 

We also did a Mystery Science lesson explaining how the brain works. We did a variety of experiments. We created an optical illusion by rolling up paper and putting it against our eye and holding up our hand to make it appear like our hands had holes in them, which helped us learn about how our brains can be tricked by our perception. We also looked at a list of words saying various colors, but written in different colors. The students were amazed at how hard it was to say the color of the word when it was different from the color the word actually said, and it was a great opportunity to see how our brains think. Finally, we tested our reflexes by catching falling rulers to see how quickly we could react, showing how our brains use motor neurons to tell our bodies what to do. The students loved each of these little tests!

We continued studying Native Americans by reading folktales from various tribes. Each of these stories was retold by Joseph Bruchac, the author of Two Roads. We read The Great Ball Game from the Creek tribe, The Story of the Milky Way from the Cherokee tribe, and How the Birds Got Their Feathers from the Iroquois tribe. It was a great opportunity for us to identify the moral in a story. It also showed us that many folktales were used as ways to explain natural phenomena in the world. Even if we now know the real reasons for these things today, we still had a great time hearing these engaging stories. 

In addition to all of this, we took time to participate in the worldwide Hour of Code. The we used basic programing software to help students learn the fundamentals of coding. The students had a blast!

Have a great weekend!