It has been a week of “wonder” writing and planning, fraction work and problem solving and, of course, testing. The end of the year is fast approaching and I am feeling the sprint to the finish beginning. We still have portfolios to prepare and dates to set for the student-led end-of-the-year conferences. I feel a bit panicky as I type that out, but we’ll just plug on through, doing the best we can. The kids are feeling the end too. They are full of baseball, field hockey and lacrosse talk. There are dance recitals and piano recitals and special family gatherings. They are busy and tired. Please help them stay focused and committed to doing all they can for a few weeks more. Thank you.

Week One of Testing Done

The students have completed the English Language Arts portion of the Smarter Balanced Assessment. I hope you’ll give your son or daughter an extra special hug for his or her effort this week.   Things went smoothly. Though a few of the children said they thought it was fun, but most found the tests exhausting.  At first the children felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of what they were being asked to do.  There are lots of directions and many of parts to attend to all at once. It is very different from what we present children in the classroom (or anywhere for that matter.)  I am very proud of their efforts and their willingness to push on through the challenges to do their best.  They all worked very hard. I’d like to give a special thanks to Mrs. Wyman who spent countless hours to make sure all the computers were ready for us to use.   She knew all of the “tools” available in the test – like the highlighter, the dictionary and spellcheck – and supported us all through the entire process.  She is the mom of a fourth grader.  She thought about the testing through his eyes and tried to do everything she could so that the children could be as successful as possible.  Thank her if you have the chance.

Wrapping Up Wonders Research and Writing

This week the children have been completing their research and have begun to write about their Wonders. Though the goal has been to write several paragraphs about each “wonder” many of the topics they have chosen are challenging to find information about. I think a few of them are feeling concerned about what they will have finished to put on display that evening. Several of them have commented that they could do it at home because their mothers would tell them what to write. (Please don’t do that.) This is challenging work but doable. Our goal in this writing project was to learn more about how planning and organization are important in writing. Some of the children have used this opportunity to develop leads and conclusions for their writing. Some have put their main ideas first and supported them with details they found interesting. They have attempted to add voice to their pieces and truly hope you will be interested in their Wonders. Their choices will make you smile. It is fun to note what each of them finds striking about their states and what interest them – corn, John Deere, violets, potatoes, The Snake River. Regardless, all of the children are more curious and interested in our country and that is another goal of our study. The United States is an amazing place.

Bits and Pieces –

• We are learning more about Albie in Absolutely Almost. You might want to ask your child about what is happening for Albie. He struggles at school. He is dealing with pressure from home and changes are happening with friends.
• We enjoyed our last challenge of the year by looking for changes in nature by the vernal pools. We spotted some frogs but not tadpoles this year.
• Our broccoli is finally starting to take off out in the greenhouse. Yay!