Academic I’m really happy with the progress that’s happening in math right now. Most of the class is learning to find area and perimeters. Some are working with finding areas and perimeters that involve fractions and mixed numbers, while others are finding areas of parallelograms or triangles.
The class is still hard at work putting the finishing touches on the Class Constitution. We’re also gearing up for an election. This week students made speeches, and answered questions from the class. I was really impressed with the thought that went into both of those things. It’s awesome to see the kids taking this process so seriously.
We’ve started writing stories that focus on "setting." Students are writing stories set in the European country they chose to research. The focus of the assignment is to add details specifically on the setting they chose.
Peace Education this week focused on the power of a group to get results. The class wrote skits where several students get together to stop a situation where someone is being harassed. The skits came out very well, students really thought about realistic scenarios and solutions to the problems.
Middle School Info Night For 5th & 6th grade students and families: If you’re wondering what middle school is going to look like for your child, Jon will host a middle school info session, Thursday, 3/1 from 7-7:45pm.
Nut Eating Area - In an effort to ensure a safe environment for a student with nut allergies we will implement a "nut eating area." This means that students with nuts for snack/lunch will need to eat at a specified location. The designated "nut eating area" will be cleaned after each sitting. Students will also need to thoroughly wash their hands after consuming the nuts as the nut oil can cause a reaction in the student with the allergy.
End of the Year Trip If your family has not returned the Intent to Participate form for our End of the Year Trip, please do so as soon as possible. We need to know how many people we will have so that we can adequately plan food and transportation for everyone. Students not participating must attend school as normal and will be placed in another classroom during this time.
Volunteer Hours Thank you so much to all the wonderful volunteers we have coming into the classroom right now. It's been fantastic to see the work you've been doing and it's impact on the students. Make sure you're logging those hours with the office, or online at Volunteer Time Tracker .
Computer User Agreements Upper El and Middle school students brought home computer user agreements last week. These are contracts that students and parents must agree to in order to be able to use computers at school. Agreements are due back at school on February 22. After that Students will only be allowed to use computers at school if that agreement has been signed.
Well it has been a busy week in Room 10. Students’ focus is really starting to gel, and we’ve had an energetic "hum" running all week. I am loving it!
Academics This week the students decided to rebel against the unfair taxes that they were being asked to pay. As a result, on Tuesday the class wrote a Declaration of Independence. We did have a few (3) who were not ready to leave the safety net provided by Queen Natasha of the planet of Red Star, setting the stage for a very short, painless war on Friday, taking the form of Capture the Red Star. The loyalists were quickly overpowered and a truce was formed.
In science I introduced subatomic particles. Students discussed information that they already knew, and came up with a long list of questions that they wanted to know more about. Then students picked out 5 of the questions on the list and researched the answers to them.
We have a lot of area and perimeter work going on in math and geometry. Some students are working with rectangles, others with triangles, and a few with irregular shapes. Several students are working with fractions, finding equivalents, changing improper fractions to mixed numbers or vice versus, and adding them together.
Character Education Carmen Coleman has agreed to come and start working with both Upper Elementary classes on character education once a week. She started in our class this week and talked with the kids about what it means to stick with each other. She explained that when you support others, and work to build everyone up instead of putting them down, and work for everyone’s best interest, you are sticking with them. Carmen also challenged the class to stick together for one full day and see how that felt.
Oregon Battle of the Books Students who are interested in participating in OBOB this year have begun reading the books on the book list. Starting soon, they will be meeting after school with coaches. More information on that will be going home soon.
Academics The focus of work this week has been on catching up with old assignments, in order to be ready to come back after break with a blank slate. I am enjoying the new work that students (who are caught up) are coming up with on their own. They are so creative and productive!
Planned Parenthood has been coming in and presenting Human Growth and Development lessons to all of Upper El this week. On Wednesday, anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system was discussed. Thurdsay’s focus was puberty, and Friday’s discussion was about HIV and AIDS.
In the afternoons we have been taking district assessments in reading, vocabulary, and math. This gives us a benchmark to spot any struggling students who may need a little extra support.
Oregon Battle of the Books Our school would like to participate in Oregon’s Battle of the Books this year. For those of you who are unfamiliar, students from across the state read the same list of books, and compete against other schools to answer questions about what’s happening in the books.
However, in order to do so, we will need two things: books and volunteers.
To participate, we need copies of all the books on the list. What makes things even more interesting in upper elementary is that we cross over into two divisions: 3-5th grade and 6-8th grade, which makes things fun, since we need twice as many books.
Thanks to parents who participated in this year’s Book Fair at Barnes and Noble by buying books for the class, we have received a few of the books that we need. However, if you have copies of any of the following books that you would be willing to donate to the class, please have your student bring them to school ASAP:
11 Birthdays Becoming Naomi Leon Earthquake Terror How Oliver Olson Changed the World Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher Last Newspaper Boy in America The Magical Ms. Plum The Mouse and the Motorcycle Number the Stars On the Wings of Heroes Who Were the Beatles? All the Broken Pieces The Circuit Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam Football Genius Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Kingdom Keepers Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo NERDS Red Kayak Stolen Children Tiger The White Giraffe
As for volunteering, we are looking for one or two people who would like to coach the team that chooses to participate. If you have any experience or desire to help us out with this, we would greatly appreciate it.
Class Trip A message from Diane Kelly, parent volunteer and organizer of the end of the year class trip:
At the beginning of the year, I sent home a questionnaire asking for feedback and requests for this year’s trip. When I reviewed the results, I found two conflicting commonalities: the majority of the responders wanted to do one of the costly OMSI camps and the majority said they would rely heavily on fundraising, but would be unable to help with it.
What I took away from this is that we (parents) like the idea of a more structured, educational trip, but with all the other fundraising that we are doing at school, there is not enough energy left to justify a really pricey trip. So I have been working to design a structured, educational, fun trip that won’t break the bank. I am currently looking in the Columbia Gorge, or Mt. Hood region, more updates to follow.
Most importantly, I have worked with Ridgeline to pin down a date for the trip. We will leave early Wednesday, May 30, and return Friday, June 1. As always, we will need lots of parent volunteers to drive, supervise, and have fun with us. I hope that by giving so much advance notice, everyone who wants to participate will have the opportunity. I will send home more information & intent-to-participate paperwork shortly after Winter Break.
Academics: Math and book groups are continuing at individual paces. We have several groups who have finished their first reading group book this week, and are currently working on final projects about their books that they can share with the class.
This week, students are taking their country research that they started last week and are using it to plan a vacation to that country. Students have been looking up air fares and prices on hotel rooms in cities all over North and Central America, as well as finding fun things to amuse them while they are there.
Students are also taking a closer look at an event that led up to the Revolutionary War. In groups of three, students are researching a specific event, and planning a skit to show the rest of the class just what was going on with that event.
We’re also starting to edit stories that will become picture books next week. Students are looking for ways to make their stories more interesting and are adding things like descriptions, dialogue and emotional language.
Practical Life Along with the time management required to get much of the assigned work done on time, students are also trying to work in groups to create their skits. In this instance, I chose the groups before hand as a way of mixing things up and getting people to socialize with others outside their normal circle of friends. Things seem to be working out really well, and we’ve had lots of respectful work getting done.
Volunteers It would be great to get some students out working in the garden after break. However, in order to make this happen, we need volunteers who can be out in the garden with the students. If this is an interest of yours, please contact me!
FYI Next week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Planned Parenthood is coming and presenting Human Growth and Development to all of the Upper Elementary students. If you prefer that your student not participate in Human Growth and Development, I will need direct communication from you as the parent/guardian (email, note or phone call) by Wednesday, December 14. All students are expected to attend school on these days. Students opting out will have an alternative space to work during the presentation.
Academics: This week the class has begun a geographical study of a country in North or Central America. Students have each picked a country and are taking notes on things they would want to know about that country if they were going to visit there. Next week students will begin using this information to plan what a vacation to that country would look like.
In history, students are studying the causes of the Revolutionary War, and creating a timeline of events that led up to the war. For many, these events, such as the French and Indian War and the Stamp Act, are just names, but we will soon be discussing them as a class and investigating the results of each.
In writing this week we talked about writing as a process, and how a first draft is very, very different from a final draft. Students are currently using this idea as they begin writing a story that will, in its final draft, become a picture book.
Practical Life Work expectations for the class have been steadily rising over the last month. Students are dealing with more assignments and more deadlines. Therefore students are learning to be much more careful with their class time, or finding consequences meeting them.
Human Growth and Development In two weeks, December 14 - 16, both upper elementary classes will be participating in a Human Growth and Development presentation being given by Planned Parenthood. Students will be receiving age appropriate instruction about physical changes related to puberty and pregnancy and will also receive instruction on transmission of HIV and AIDS. Students in grades 4 & 5 will be split from students in 6th grade, but all will be receiving basically the same information in some form.
If you have any questions about the information that will be presented, an instructor from Planned Parenthood will be coming to school on December 6 for a parent informational meeting to give an overview of the material that will be covered. If you plan to attend this meeting please inform me on or before December 5. The instructors will cancel the informational meeting if less than 5 adults RSVP, so please be sure to let me know if you are attending.
If you would not like your child to participate in our Human Growth and Development education, you may opt out. Students would be able to work in a different room during that time. I will need verbal or written confirmation directly from parents if you should choose to opt out.
Read-A-Thon Remind your students that reading they do at school counts towards their totals. Each day students participate in 30 minutes of silent reading and 10 minutes of the class read-aloud. Those 40 minutes can really add up if students remember to record them.
Academic Work In math students are still concentrating on operations. Most have started bridging from the Montessori materials to paper pencil work. Several of our older students have gotten the review of operations that they needed, and are starting to move on to working with fractions.
We have been focusing more on writing for the last couple weeks. Last week we started discussing the Ideas and Content trait of writing, and students came up with what great writing looks like, what okay writing looks like, and what bad writing looks like. This week they are taking those things into consideration as they put together a story.
We started working on science experiments this week. We’re looking at ways to make a science experiment repeatable. Experiments need to be repeatable so that they can be confirmed. So currently the class is working on writing directions that are exact enough to be followed by someone else.
Practical Life One thing that I am trying to focus on with the class right now is working well in groups. With the work that has been going on with the variety show, a number of communication issues have come up. I like the experience, and I see these issues as a learning experience for all. Being able to work well with others is a skill that will come in useful for everyone sooner or later.
Volunteers I’m still looking for people who would be able to come in and work one on one with students. If you are available between 9:30 and 11:30 in the mornings and would be interested, please let me know.
Reminders Thank you to everyone who donated to our Explosions and Fireworks themed class basket for the Ridgeline Rising fundraiser. It looks like some fun things have found their way into the basket, and I’m sure other class baskets are just as interesting. Don’t forget to come down to our Ridgeline Rising fundraiser at Southtowne Shoppes on October 22, when all the baskets will be auctioned off. The school choir will be performing, and Cheri’s class will be bhangra dancing. There will also be other events and games for the whole family.
Family conferences are coming up at the end of the month. They will be taking place on October 31 and November 1. Signup sheets are now in the office, so stop in and find a time that works.
Academics This week has been fairly dominated by district benchmark testing. The purposes of these tests are to start sending up some flags for students who may be needing extra support in the classroom. Students are being tested on reading comprehension, reading fluency, vocabulary and math skills.
To compliment the tests, we’ve started talking about a few general test taking strategies, such as reading the questions multiple times, writing down any work that you’re doing, and checking answers when finished. I see test taking as a practical life skill that the class will be practicing several times this year, and I like to teach students to take the test taking process seriously while not letting it cause too much stress.
We have also begun spelling work this week. Over the course of the year, students will be compiling a personal dictionary of words they have misspelled. Students will then be able to choose from those words, or challenging words from a current research topic, to create their weekly spelling list. Dictionary work is also going to be a focus of spelling work this year. Students will look words up in a dictionary using guide words, find a word’s part of speech, and definition.
Practical Life Campaign season is in full swing in the classroom. In our class, students will vote on a class mascot. Currently students are able to put up advertisements in the classroom in favor of their candidate. Later in October we will be staging a candidate debate before voting on Election Day in November.
Volunteers I’ve been getting some great ideas for electives from adult volunteers. Ideas are ranging from foreign languages and art projects to cooking, drama, and media literacy. I’m really excited about getting these things started some time in the middle of October. If you would like to chime in with an activity that you would be willing to spearhead, I am still looking for ideas.
I am also still looking for volunteers during our morning work period to work one-on-one with students to help keep them focused on their work. I have heard from several people who will be able to come in, but there is still space available. Even if you’re only available one morning a week from 9 until noon, we could use your help.
For Your Information Ridgeline is beginning a capital campaign to help us raise money to buy our forever home. On Saturday October 22, we will be kicking things off with an event at Southtowne Shoppes in south Eugene. The event will involve student performances and a silent auction along with other activities. Each class is putting together a basket with a specific theme that will be auctioned off at the event. Our theme will be "Explosions." If you have anything that would be a good addition to our basket, please send it to school with your child.
Thank you for everything, Sarah, Emily, and Room 10
Before I begin, I just wanted to mention that this year looks like it’s going to be fantastic. The class is full of independent learners who are eager to work, and I have to say I’m impressed by what they are coming up with. I am so excited to see these kids already challenging themselves and organizing some great learning activities. This year is going to rock!
Academics The class is getting off to a wonderful start this week. Today we had a lesson on ways to integrate a research project into a number of different subjects. Students are already getting excited about their research topics, and many are off and running. Next week I will be sharing my expectations for research projects with the class, and will be sure parents get a copy as well.
This week I’ve begun teaching math lessons. For some, this is a review of basic operations with numbers up into the thousands. Others are seeing this for the first time. Many students are enjoying writing their own problems and using the materials to complete them.
I am also completing reading and writing assessments this week. Those will enable me to place students in literature groups and writing workshops, which will be starting up in the next couple of weeks.
Friday Market This Friday will be Room 10’s first Friday Market of the year. Friday Market is a time when members of the class are able to bring in crafts that they have been putting together and sell them to the rest of the class. We are using a class money called Mud Bucks designed and voted on by members of the class. I see it as a fun way to sneak a little economics instruction into the curriculum once a month.
Donations Our classroom is in need of some basic supplies for science experiments. The students have some great ideas and if you are able to donate any of the following to the class, we’d greatly appreciate it: - Flour - Salt - sugar - Baking soda - Vinegar - Food coloring - Honey - Oil - Rubbing alcohol - Magnets - Measuring cups - Measuring Spoons - Funnel - Glass jars of all sizes with lids
Field Trip Questionnaire Earlier this week, a questionnaire was sent home to investigate opinions about this year’s End Of The Year trip. If you could return those by Tuesday September 20, that would help us gauge where we’re starting from and where to go from here. Thank you.
Volunteers For those of you who couldn’t make it to the class meeting last week, we have a number of volunteer opportunities coming up for the classroom. First, we need people to volunteer to head up electives on Friday mornings. If you have a skill or craft that you’d like to share, I’d be happy to see if there is interest in the class for learning that skill. This could be a one-time deal, or an on-going project, whatever you’re comfortable with. If this is something that interests you, please give me a call or an e-mail and let me know your area of expertise as well as your availability.
Also, we have a number of students researching topics with limited classroom resources. If anyone would be able to drive a small group of students to the library on Friday mornings (or chaperone them on a bus trip) that would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Families, I hope you have all fully enjoyed your summers and are eagerly anticipating the first day of school next week.
Things at Ridgeline have been changing for the better. Our classroom moved to a new spot on campus in order to make room for Lower El to join us. Yes, that’s right. We’re all finally back on one campus.
In other news, I spent the month of July down in California taking my Montessori training, and have come back filled to the brim with new ideas and ways to teach. This year is going to rock!
If you would like more information and specifics about what this year is going to look like, there are several opportunities coming up. Ridgeline is hosting an Open House this Thursday at 5:30. Come with a picnic supper and check out the new classroom. I am also planning an informational meeting during the first week of school. We will be meeting at 6:00 on Thursday, September 8 to discuss in more depth what this year is going to look like.
Please take this next week to do something fun and exciting before school starts. I know I will.
Last Friday our class held Rome Day, where students shared independent research they had done on Ancient Rome. Students learned to make togas and watched a Roman fashion show. They also had a chance to try see what Romans would eat and. Some were even brave enough to try watered down vinegar, a Roman drink.
Students have been learning about human tendencies for the last couple weeks. Last week we defined Maria Montessori’s twelve human tendencies that she observed while watching children (exploration, movement, sharing, imagination, abstraction, concentration, repetition, creating order, perfection, self-control, hard work, and decision making).
This week we have been designing science experiments to see if we can observe these tendencies in the classroom. Some students are creating surveys to ask, others are picking things to watch for in the classroom.
Yesterday we took the process to the next step. We talked about observable behaviors, and how each of these tendencies has specific observable behaviors that would exemplify them. Then we spent the afternoon at Tugman Park, recording observable behaviors as examples of the human tendencies.
This week students have been writing newspaper articles. Each student was given a picture and was asked to write a newspaper article based on that picture. Each article was to include the answers to who, what, when, where, why and how. I’ve gotten some really fantastic results, and am hoping that after students edit their work, we’ll be able to compile articles into a class newspaper.
In math we’ve got a lot of the class moving into operations with positive and negative numbers. Students have learned the rules for adding and subtracting integers, and some can also multiply and divide them. Our algebra group is looking at triangles, and finding measures of angles based on information given.
End of the Year Trip
The class is going to Honeyman State Park in Florence for our end of the year trip. We’re going to be leaving on Wednesday June 1 and returning on Friday June 3. Cost of the trip is $40 per student. We are looking for donations of food and supplies. There is a sign up sheet in the office if you have something we could use.
As of right now we have six confirmed chaperones along with Emily and myself. If you are available on those dates, please contact me and let me know asap. Chaperones need to be cleared with the office, and we would like to get all paperwork completed ASAP.
The Itinerary and packing list for the trip are as follows:
Sarah’s Class End of the Year Trip Itinerary
Wednesday, June 1st:
9:00 AM Depart from Ridgeline.
10:30 AM Arrive in Florence, (Heceta Beach), play on the beach
11:45 AM Lunch on the beach
12:30 PM Group activity
4:00 PM Check in at Honeyman, set up tents and get settled into campsites.
5:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Evening activity
9:00 PM Lights out
Thursday, June 2nd:
8:00 AM Wake up
8:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Free activity time (hiking, sand boarding, games, etc.)
11:30 AM Lunch
12:30 PM Free activity time (hiking, sand boarding, games, etc.)
4:30 PM Group Activity
5:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Evening activity
9:00 PM Lights out
Friday, June 3rd:
8:00 AM Wake up
8:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Pack lunches
10:00 AM Pack up tents and clean campsites (if time there could be a group activity)
12:00 PM Leave Honeyman
1:15 PM Arrive at Ridgeline
Some of the group activities will include:
Hiking
Group Games
Sand-boarding
Educational Activities
Supply List
Things to bring:
☐ Lunch and snacks for the first day
☐ Sleeping bag (the warmer the better)
☐Pillow
☐Sleeping mat
☐Warm clothes including:
☐Pants
☐Long sleeve shirts
☐Sweatshirts
☐Rainproof jacket
☐Other clothes:
☐Shirts
☐Shorts
☐Underwear
☐Socks
☐Warm pajamas
☐Tennis shoes or hiking boots
☐Flip flops or shower shoes
☐Shampoo/conditioner
☐Soap
☐Towel
☐Anything else you need for a shower
☐Toothpaste
☐Toothbrush
☐Deodorant
☐Hairbrush
☐Sunscreen
☐Bug repellent
☐Water bottle
☐Flashlight with batteries
☐Plastic bags for dirty clothes
☐Recess equipment
Please leave all electronic devices at home. Thank you!
