Active Engagement…Time for an Upgrade!

My colleagues and I have worked together to increase active engagement in the classroom.  In the video below, you will walk with us through our journey of this process.  We would like to thank PD INC for making this possible.

Guess the Idiom

Our class has been learning about idioms.  Idioms are considered an example of figurative language since you can not interpret the saying or expressions literally.  It would just be silly!  The students of Room One created some idiom puzzles for our viewers to solve.  Try to guess the idiom puzzles below.  If you think you know, feel free leave a comment.  (No peeking at previous comments).

Try to create your own idiom puzzle and invite us to guess your idiom.  Make sure you comment below with a link to your puzzle.

 

Digital Footprints

footprint on the sand Creative Commons License Photo Credit: ezioman via Compfight

Our class has been learning about Digital Footprints through the Student Blogging Challenge.  We have learned many interesting facts about our digital footprints.  Digital footprints are traces of data that are left behind like a trail of breadcrumbs of someone’s digital activity.  After watching two informative videos on this topic, we learned:

  • Your digital footprint starts begins before you are even born
  • It continues even after your death
  • People can see what you search and watch on the Internet
  • Your address and phone number are part of your D.F.
  • You can erase your browsing history and cookies and your footprint will remain unchanged
  • Whoever uses your computer (account) adds to your D.F.
  • It is important to log out of all computers you use when not using them
  • When you get married or have children, they contribute to your D.F.

What does your digital footprint say about you?  Google your name or online nicknames to see what your digital footprint says about you?  Are you surprised at what you find?

  

Student Blogging Challenge

sbc_2014_d-1fonf8sWe did it!  We signed up for the Student Blogging Challenge!  Each week we will have a new task to complete as participants of the challenge.  This week the challenge was to create or update an “About Me” page on our blogs.  Since many of the students had already accomplished this task, it gave us an opportunity to edit, revise, and evaluate our About Me pages.

The students used an app from the Google Store called My World to add interest to their page.  They created their world, took a screenshot, and then described it on their About Me page.  Not only does this app allow you to drag items into the canvas that describe you and your personaility, but it also analyzes these items and gives the creator some feedback regarding their interests.  The program tells you the type of person you are and suggests some fields of study for when you attend college.  We had fun using this app!

Here’s an example:

The World of Vazquez

The World of Vazquez

Please click on our Student Blogs located on the right-hand side of the page to view some of the About Me pages created by the students.  Look for the “About Me” tab located on the top of their Home Page.

Have you created an About Me page?  If so, what web tools have you used to make your page interesting?

Whoa, What’s That?…Digestion

1393531252213.1

My class and I did a awesome science lab! What we did was awesome because our class got pantyhose and oatmeal and  put a knot in on the end of one side of the pantyhose. Next my group and I put the oatmeal in the pantyhose and tied a knot on the other side of the pantyhose. Last we pushed the oatmeal through the pantyhose, and all the liquid was coming out of the pantyhose into a bucket.  That’s what my class and I called nutrients. The reason that they called it nutrients was because the science lab my class was doing was about the small intestine. After my group and I got mostly all the nutrients out of the oatmeal, it weighed  6 oz but when all the nutrients was in the oatmeal it weighed 10 oz. This is how the small intestine sucks up nutrients and then sends it to the blood cells. For or me, it was a awesome science lab.

Does your class do any science experiments?  If so, what was your favorite?

 

Welcome to the M.S.I Club

I’d like to welcome our two newest members of the M.S.I. Club.  These students have proven themselves to be worthy of the title.  Watch their videos to see why they were chosen by their peers to be “Masters of the Skills of Independence.”

To learn more about this prestigious club and meet all the members, please visit our M.S.I Member page.

QuadBlogging Buddies

Credit: iStockPhoto

Credit: iStockPhoto

We are excited to share that we are QuadBlogging with three other classes from around the world.  QuadBlogging allows the students to share their work with other students from different parts of the world.  Each class will take turns being the “Spotlight” class.  When you are the spotlight class, the other three classes will visit your blog and leave comments on the works you have posted.  We are looking forward to sharing our learning with our new blogging friends.

Ms. Staker’s 4th Grade (Italy)

Hardy Mill Primary School (UK)

Bellfield Primary School (England)

 

Typhoon Haiyan Hits Hearts

Photo Credit: Erik de Castro/Reuters

Photo Credit: Erik de Castro/Reuters

UPDATE:  We have raised $304.84 and chose to donate to Care.org.

When Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, I believed it was important to inform the students about this disaster. The class had done CLOSE reading work on the articles regarding Superstorm Sandy (which hit the east coast last year) and how children have responded to that disaster.

Then, we read the article about Typhoon Haiyan by Time for Kids. The students could not believe that such a devastating storm had hit the Philippines a mere three weeks ago. We watched a music video to the song “We Are the World” which showed images of the aftermath of the storm. The students were moved by the images they saw.

When asked about the video and how it made them feel, a student responded “There were many people on the streets; I can’t believe how poor people around the world are. I felt so sad for all those people. I just can’t believe it,” Jasmeen wrote.

“I felt sad. The people were left with no homes or food to eat,” Jagger commented.

Logan B added, “This video made me feel sad and it also made me think about how thankful I am for what I have.”

The students realized the impact this disaster has had around the world and they saw how people wanted to help this impoverished country. Nicole R stated, “Lots of people are heart broken about the people that live there.”

Benson declared, “The video showed destroyed houses and homeless or displaced people, including newborns. I want to help if I can.”

We brainstormed as a class all the ways we would like to help. Students thought we could raise money, collect goods to donate, volunteer to help rebuild houses, and send supplies including construction equipment. As a class, we decided that raising money would be the most realistic way we could help. We made fliers and decorated donation jars.

DSC_0257

DSC_0261

In order to make a larger impact, we decided to ask our whole school to participate. Students went around to the other classrooms on campus and shared our vision to help the Philippines. They also left donation jars in every classroom. Any student who donates a dollar receives a heart that they can write their name on and add to our hallway bulletin board.

DSC_0259

Our class is going to analyze the websites of the many foundations that are sending help to the victims of the Philippines. We will choose our foundation that we would like to donate through and send the money we raised to help.

Igniting a Passion for Reading

DSC_0381We have started volunteer book clubs in Room One.  We decided for the first round we would have The Girls Book Club and The Boys Book Club. The girls read Firegirl by Tony Abbott.  We fell in love with this book!  After reading the book, we met during our lunch and engaged in a great book talk while munching on some delicious snacks.

During our book chat we asked clarifying questions, shared our favorite parts, and evaluated the author’s purpose and motivation.  To close, we each chose one adjective to describe Jessica’s character.  If you’ve read this amazing book, which adjective would you chose to describe Jessica?

Would your class like to be involved in a book club with us?  Please comment below and let us know if you’re interested.  We are looking forward to networking with others and possibly using Skype for a book chat.

Click here to see what the girls are currently reading.

“Speak Life”

The students of Room One have made a video!  We love the song “Speak Life” by Toby Mac.  We fell in love with the song as soon as we heard it.  We analyzed the lyrics and wrote the message we think the artist is trying to speak to our hearts.  We wanted to share with others what this song means to us.

Click HERE to get a copy of the lyrics.