Sierra Scientists:  Case Study 1

Thinking Like and Ecologist

     We are off and running with our first case study.  Students worked today on a  “processes of living things” jigsaw…ask a Brisbin Crew member to describe one of the six criteria for all abiotic things.  In the following weeks we will be observing the preferences of seedlings, behavior of isopods and darkling beetles (we are building ramps for them!), and tolerance levels of brine shrimp and goldfish.  We are visiting the Science Expo next week and the Sacramento Zoo to tap the brains of local scientists.  We invite all parents to our “Ecology World Summit” in which we will be presenting findings based on our assigned environment via powerpoint (this is the project assigned to our first case study. 


Language Arts

     We are wrapping up an all-class read by the author Gary Paulsen.  The title of the book is “Tracker,” and students are thoroughly enjoying it.  We have been experimenting with different formats of literature circle roles to help students gain a well- rounded perspective on how to correctly fill each role out.  At the end of this week and starting next week we are going to pick back up with our scaffolded reading groups, and students will be working with new titles.  

     Readers workshop will be kicking in each Monday after lunch- come on by and check them out!  Also, students have been working hard on the voice writing trait and are working with a rubric that they created themselves.  We are all very proud of how far we have come with the abstract technique of using tone, audience, and personality in our writing.  The 4th grade writing test was this week, and students rocked it!


Math

     4th grade students just wrapped up a post assessment in which they achieved high marks.  5th grade students are working on probability and are creating a poster right now based on their inferences of number and color of tile in a bag.  The post assessment for this unit will be on Friday.


Design Principle

     The Having of Wonderful Ideas is this month’s design principle.  Please encourage your child in all aspects of their lives to trust and celebrate their creative instincts!


Dates:

March 14th- Minimum Day

March 14th- XC ski

March 15th – Science Expo

March 19th- Middle School Configuration workshop/ Board Meeting

March 22nd- Zoo trip

March 27th- World Ecology Summit (tentative)

Marth 28th and 29th- Goal Setting Conferences.


Proudly,


Julie Brisbin