Life Among the Elms

What's Going on in There?

Today the Elms headed outside to find buds to dissect.  It always amazes me to see their wonder when they explore outside, "Woah"  "Look what I found!"  "What's this?"  "C'mere, c'mere!" echoed though our little woods.  We took our finds back inside, sketched them, and then took them apart and sketched some more.  Students reported finding "tons of tiny leaves" in their buds.  Others found the bud scales that protect the bud throughout the winter.  Many went on to do close up examinations of some of our epiphytes (air plants) and dandelion flowers that are already popping up.

Yesterday, we examined the bean sprouts that we grew and labeled their various parts.  Students this age like to know the "real" names for things and we practiced getting words like "cotyledon" and "hypocotyl" to flow off our tongues.  Their sketches were beautiful.

When we looked at the beansprouts today, we noticed  something interesting.  Having been liberated from their dark closet growing place and placed on a sunny window sill, their first leaves had turned from a yellow white to a spring green.  Chlorophyl!  Today we talked about photosynthesis and even got a chance to look at the chemical formula.  Students discovered for themselves why plants release oxygen -- "Wait!  It uses the 6 carbons from CO2, 12 hydrogens and 6 oxygens from H2O...that leaves 6 O2s!!  That's where our oxygen comes from!"  (I'm not kidding, they figured it out.)  As S.H. said, "Hey, nature math!"

Use only a #2 Pencil

Well, it's silent in the Elms right now -- something that rarely happens when we're learning.  The GORP fueled students are bent over their MCAs, working hard and trying to remember that, this once, it's not O.K. to ask a neighbor for help.

At Prairie Creek, we don't focus on test preparation for a month or two before the MCAs.  Our first conversation about it was last Friday.  I think it is our responsibility to help students feel comfortable in test taking situations and to help them understand the format and purpose of this particular test. 

We explain that a standardized test is an efficient way to get a snapshot of a student but is not an effective way to get to know a learner or to see everything that learner can do.  We talked about our recent 4th grade and honors projects and how much more information that provides to us as teachers.  We also help the students understand that the state couldn't afford to send someone to watch their projects or interview so this is one way they can try to make sure that schools are successfully teaching students -- or at least get an idea of what schools might be struggling.

I also think it is important for students to be "good test-takers."  Unfortunately, standardized tests are a way institutions use to measure our abilities and students will be asked to show their learning this way for many years to come.  I keep test taking advice simple:

1. Have fun - smiling releases chemicals that enable us to think better.  I give the students test taking nick names on their GORP cups (ala World Wide Wrestling)-- "The Bubbler," "The Eliminator."  This kind of silliness helps students relax and feel comfortable as they are taking tests. 
2. Get interested - you do much better on tests if you're paying attention.  We talk about our "Wonder and Awe" habit of mind and how it can help us be better readers and thinkers as we're moving through new material.  I always share that I once had to take a two hour reading test that was entirely about the history of buttons.  If I would have been bored, I would have been sunk. 
3. Be prepared - know the format of the test and its purpose.   I encourage students to always take a pre-test if it's offered so that they can feel very comfortable when they are sitting down to the test.  They know what to expect.
4. Take your time - I am almost always the last person to finish a test.  We teach that "check your answers"  means "think through the answer from scratch."  For open ended questions, we urge students to write more than they think they need to, to be clear in their response (marking the different things they were asked to provide), and to be obvious ("as it says in the article").  This type of specialized writing takes time to develop but we do introduce the frameworks for successful standardized test writing.

  Simon and I used to have disagreements about test taking in the progressive setting.  Personally, I think that if a pedagogy is successful then students should be able to exhibit their abilities in a variety of ways.  I do think that progressive teaching allows students to excel in many, many more ways than can be measured with a multiple choice or limited written response test -- but when asked, I'd like my students to be able to perform on such tasks.  Simon, I think, saw test preparation as simply training students to jump through hoops, hoops that had no meaning and no value in "real life."  Perhaps.  Perhaps.  For right now, I'll have another handful of GORP and marvel at our silent, diligent students who have learned that no matter what you do, you should do it to the best of your ability.

Collecting Data with All of your Senses

Yes, Emma and Milly are licking the maple tree in front of the school (as all of us did.)  The Elms participated in a quick but very memorable lesson on xylem and phloem on Friday.  For those of you who don't do crosswords regularly, xylem and phloem are the botanical name for the "straws" that run through plants.  Xylem typically brings water from the roots to the leaves.  Phloem brings the sugars produced by photosynthesis back to the roots for storage.  Only in spring time does the xylem transport sugars, this time from the roots where it's been stored all winter to power the growth of the buds, leaves and new growth.

After learning about the process, the Elms got to observe it first hand, licking trickling sap off of our only maple tree.  All in the name of science.

Honoring Week

One of my favorite weeks of the year is upon us.  The fourth graders get a chance to try their hands at presenting -- learning very valuable lessons about how much preparation they need to do to feel truly comfortable.  The fifth graders get to see the fruition of their months of work.  I'm always amazed by the questions students ask and their ability to sit for hours and watch the projects.  They are interested in everything.  They celebrate each other in such a genuine way by admiring the work of their friends and being fascinated by what they're learning.

This year, I was excited to hear several students include sections about new questions they have after studying their topic.  In a few cases, the new questions out numbered the original questions by a fair margin.  It's an illustration of the winding path most true research takes.

Thank you for all the support you've given your children as they work through these projects.  Fourth grade parents, your children have been working through the process largely independently.  We'll reflect with them about what they've learned and what parts of their work were the most difficult.  We allow fourth graders to make some mistakes such as not practicing as much as we'd like or trying to write a paper without organizing one's ideas first.  Only through such stumbles do they truly come to understand the process and its rationale.  The hope is that next year they'll be able to motivate themselves to ask for help or spend more time on the things they found difficult this year.

Each child will be writing a letter to a fifth grader about his or her work.  These letters are carefully drafted and we stress the importance of honoring the work of one's friends by thinking deeply and sharing details one notices.

I hope you'll come and join us at Honoring Night to see the fruit of, really, six years of learning. mm

Math Facts

Last week, we had a great time exploring Pascal's Triangle.  Initially, we simply tried to figure out how to construct the next row of the triangle.  Then we looked for patterns (you can find the powers of 2, natural numbers, triangular numbers and even the fibonacci series.)  We created new Pascal triangles using bases (or "Dinosaur Math" as the Elms have taken to calling it) and looking at the fractal patterns by coloring in the multiples of two, three, and five.  We learned about Pascal's Petals and prime factorizations.  Finally, we looked at how Pascal's Triangle could predict probability for coin flips (we ran the "quincunx" machine) and we looked at using Pascal's Triangle to work on combinatrix problems.  Regularly during our explorations and discussions, the students were amazed, "NO WAY!  That's so cool!"

I was pleased to find a great article about math problem solving in the paper the other day.  It talks about "Fermi Problems" which have long been a favorite of mine for math explorations.  It's a math game of sorts that's played by mathematicians when they get together at conferences.  My husband and his friends introduced me to the idea years ago, unaware that there were other people playing the same game.  They called it "Guesses by Crackpots."  Basically, you take an unusual question, say, how much ice cream would you have to buy to make an ice cream sundae the size of Prairie Creek's gym?  Then, you talk through together how you would get the answer.  Along the way, you make certain assumptions and estimations (like, well, a half gallon of ice cream is about seven inches long, four inches tall, and four inches wide.)  It's like the Problem of the Week grown large and hairy -- and kids (and adults) have to do an amazing amount of math to find answers to such a problem.  I highly recommend it for your family entertainment during long car trips! 

Letter to the Elms (and interested third grade parents)

Dear Elms Parents,

            I wanted to let you know of two family situations that will affect our classroom next year.  First, I am expecting a baby at the end of next September.  I will remain a full time teacher and will take about six weeks of maternity leave.  Elizabeth Treat will be in charge of the classroom while I am away.  It is my intention to attend all events such as curriculum night and conferences.

            Secondly, my husband George is teaching a course in England for the last ten weeks of the Carleton school year.  James, Hal, the unnamed #3, and I will be joining him for a month of that time.  The tentative time for our trip is April 2010.  Again, Elizabeth will be in charge of the classroom during my absence.  I’ll be back in time for Village and April is a very straight forward month curriculum-wise with personal projects and MCAs.

            I have thought long and hard about my decision to be the lead teacher next year in the Elms.  The integrity and coherence of the children’s experience in the classroom has always been my single consideration and concern.  It is extremely difficult to find a “long call” sub who is able to function effectively at Prairie Creek.  That person needs to be able to design curriculum, develop community, and keep the momentum of the year moving.  In a typical school you can hand a long-term sub your teacher’s editions and say “Start on lesson 54.”  Not so at Prairie Creek.

            In fact, for my previous two pregnancies, I resigned my teaching position so that we could find a teacher to replace me who would be a good fit for the school.  I resigned with the knowledge that another full time position for me at Prairie Creek might not open any time soon.  Luckily, both times one did.

            This time around, I feel so confident in Elizabeth’s ability to lead the class that I believe the experience of the Elms will not be adversely affected by my absence.  She knows these kids.  She has watched me work to build our community all year.  She has worked beside me and by herself to design strong, emergent curriculum.  She knows the rhythms of life at Prairie Creek.  She’s a very reflective practitioner and whenever I quiz her, “Why did I do that?” she’s able to explain the rationale behind my actions.  While I am gone, we will continue to communicate and collaborate so that the transition is seamless for the children and, of course, she will be working closely with Cathy and Sarah.

            I realize you still might be apprehensive.  Please know that I treasure the Elms and the community and learning we share.  It is very hard for me to spend even a day out of the classroom.  I would not have made the decision to remain their teacher if I wasn’t fully confident that Elizabeth and I can ensure another great year for the Elms.

 

Thank you for your understanding and support.  I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about next year.

 

Yours,

Michelle