Looking Back AND Ahead

Last week was a busy week as we forged ahead in Math, Science, and Social Studies.

In Math we have moved away from our two long units on FRACTIONS and have now entered the world of ALGEBRA. We are working on getting used to solving Number Expressions with letters in them that REPRESENT a number. So far so good.

In Science we are plugging along with our Astronomy unit as well as fitting in some time for the Snow Fort project. We finished watching the the exceptional Ron Howard documentary, In the Shadow of the Moon, which talked about the Apollo space missions and the first man on the moon in 1969. The class really got into seeing the early space capsules, Apollo astronauts, and real video from the moon walks.

We are as far along with the Snow Fort project as possible. Last week we finished the planning process and created a model of what the groups want their forts to look like. Some of them are a bit extravagant, so there may be some changes once we get outside and actually build them. Now all we need is SNOW!

In Social Studies we have been focusing on the 13 original colonies and the difference between the three regions (New England, Middle, and South). The focus has been on Reasons for the Colonies Founding, Government, Climate and Geography, and Economy. The History Alive textbook and videos from Discovery Education are our main sources of information here.

We also enjoyed having the opportunity to view the 4th grade presentation of the annual dance dedicated to Sadako Suzuki, a young girl who died from the atomic bomb disease in the 1950's. As usual, the 4th grade classes did a great job with the presentation, especially considering that they only had one day to work on it. Thanks for inviting us to watch, Mrs. Kelleher.

Looking ahead, the next two weeks are short weeks for us at Proctor, so we really have to stay focused. We will be continuing with, and completing,  our short foray into the world of Algebra in Math. In Science and ELA, we will be researching and writing about an assigned planet or satellite in our Solar System. This will be done in the format of a postcard sent from that planet using the book Postcards from Pluto as a model. We will also be wrapping up our look at the 13 colonies in Social Studies.

Believe it or not, we are inching up on the halfway point of the school year. Hard to believe. We are starting our MCAS prep during morning work as MCAS starts with ELA in March. Math and Science will be given in early May. Just something to look forward to.

Astronomy Week

Last week was a busy Science week as we had multiple visitors from outside the school. On Tuesday and Thursday, we were fortunate to have Ms. Patsy Eldridge return to Proctor to enhance our instruction regarding Astronomy. On Tuesday Ms. Eldridge did a great job informing the class about the phases of the moon. We learned about the lunar month and what causes the moon to appear in different shapes during various times of the month.

MOON PHASES

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday, Ms. Eldridge returned to explain why the Earth experiences the four seasons. The students learned that it is the tilt of the Earth on its axis that creates the seasons, not the distance from the Sun. In fact, during the winter, we are closer to the Sun than we are in the summer! It all has to do with the tilt and how it affects direct and indirect light form the Sun. As always, Ms. Eldridge did a wonderful job explaining complex topics to the class in a way that every child in the class understood. Great job. 

 

SEASONS

 

 

Finally, on Friday, the Museum of Science and the Traveling Planetarium visited the Proctor School. The inflatable structure was a wonderful way for the students to view the night sky and to learn where stars, planets, and constellations are located during this time of year. The presentation was both informative and fun for the class.

 

MOS Planetarium

 

 

All in all, a great week of Astronomy for 5th graders at Proctor. Moving forward we will be doing a fun research report on planets in our solar system and a moon journal as we forge ahead in the subject of Astronomy. Good stuff!