Expedition Express
Redcoats and Rebels: The Brisbin Crew is exploring events that framed the American Revolution by examining their second case study “The Boston Massacre.” Students have learned about that fateful night when the Redcoats fired upon unarmed Rebels in the town square, Crispus Attucks and the irony behind his fate, and how King George grasped at anything to keep hold of his reign across the pond. Students will participate in a Socratic Seminar at the end of the case study, defending their arguments for which side they stand upon, and assess each other in a peer critique based on their debating skills. Mrs. Akers and I have imposed taxes on our students by assigning them to “roles” in which they are designated a profession and a salary based on that profession. They also have been assigned as a Loyalist, Neutralist, or Rebel based on the card they chose.

Currently, students are realizing the implications of the Stamp Act, in which they must pay for stamps to place on each assignment/ paper they turn in. They are also charged one pound for internet usage, as I am sure King George would have required back in the late 1700’s. Next week students will be taxed on much more as we get into the various acts imposed upon early Americans. Students are really enjoying this simulation!

We kick off our new writing assignment this week, as students have finished their Three Colonial Regions informational piece. Also, we continue to practice our George Washington Minuets, and are beginning to piece together our final product performance with song, dance, and lines! Head’s up that our performance will be at the Truckee High School Gym on Celebration of Learning evening…. more info soon!

Questions to Ask Your Child:
What was the Boston Massacre? Was it a massacre at all?
Who was Crispus Attucks and why was his fate in the Boston Massacre so ironic?
When did Paul Revere make his midnight ride? What are the details leading up to the ride?
Where did the first Continental Congress meet? How was John Adams elected to represent the colonists at the Continental Congress?
Why did King George impose acts and taxes on the colonists? What were they?

Crew News
Goal Setting Conferences: Thank you to all students and parents for attending our Goal Setting Conferences! I am so impressed with the conversations that were shared between families at the meeting. Be sure to post those goals in a place where your child can see them regularly.

Bridges 4th Grade Math: The students successfully completed Unit one and we are covering a mini unit on measurement. They will explore linear measurement, mass, weight, and liquid volume and review definitions and units of measurement for each category. We will then go into a unit where we will build the great wall of base ten and use base ten pieces to investigate base ten value patterns. We will use strategies to explore multi digit multiplication. We will also make generalizations about multiplying with 100, 1,000, and 10,000. We will continue to solve multiplication problems with arrays as well as practice the standard algorithm.

Bridges 5th Grade Math: 5th grade students are currently working on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. With the underlying theme of fluency with equivalence, students learn that there are two models to understand equal fractions: clocks, and money. Students should understand that fractions can have many meanings: ¼ can equal a quarter, 15 minutes, half of ½, 25%, etc. Denominators that are factors of 100 or 60 will aide students in choosing the right model for the problem (clocks or money). Denominators that are NOT factors or 100 or 60 are presented in two different models. The first of these models is a double number line, presented in the context of a running track. The second is the ratio table, which students have already encountered in third and fourth grade, as well as in the previous unit. We are also exploring multiplying whole numbers by fractions and the connection between division and fractions.

ELA:
Reading – Book Clubs are centered around the amazing novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, Chains. Students are so intrigued by the content of this book that we cannot get them to put it down! Students are responding to their reading in their Active Reading Response Journals, and will produce a Book Review when the book is complete. We will also have a Book Talk celebration at the completion of the book, where students can bring in healthy baked goods to share as they chat about events that happened in the book. Talking points will include the plot, character motives, themes, etc.

Grammar / Conventions / Spelling – We continue to work on our Daily Oral Language, Hard and Fast rules for punctuation/grammar, and spelling rules. The Brisbin Crew is kicking off the first spelling rule – closed syllable rule. We will have Friday assessments that alternate between Language Study and Spelling. Please see your child’s planner for spelling word practice and assessment calendaring.

Writing – Writer’s Workshop is in full swing! Students are writing about small moments, learning about the ideas writing trait, and how to narrow down the focus of their pieces. We are practicing the art of peer critique by filling out post-its during revision, and learning that the more we write, the more we feel comfortable getting our ideas out. Students always follow the structured hamburger paragraph for organization and drafting, then word process the final draft for completion. Our new creative writing project is a Time Capsule Personal Narrative. Ask your child about it!

Harvest of the Month- Thank you to Jenna Shropshire and Yvette Durant-Bender for sharing her culinary genius with our crew – this month we tasted pears!

SELS News
This month our school hosted a Site Seminar for EL Education. It was very successful, and we really are impressed with our students’ overall behavior and enthusiasm. What an honor to be chosen to host!