You Talk Too Much!

Want to know the biggest problem I have with my students??????? They want to discuss everything!

Not a bad problem to have! In fact, I welcome it. I have found that my students this year (most of them, anyway) would rather be late for lunch or recess so that they can talk more about our books and how they relate to the skills we are learning. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and under appreciated Thursday evening about school related matters. By Friday at noon, my students had given me a rejuvenated spirit and feeling of purpose. I walked out to recess (late, mind you) with a smile a mile wide simply because of my students.

These great people that I have the honor of spending time with every day, make such intelligent and thought provoking comments daily. They amaze me. I make notes at the end of each day to capture the best student comments heard. Below are my top ten picks of the week. I hope you get a kick out of them! (Students: if you see a quote from you, join in the discussion by commenting below)

Rue's death woke Katniss up [figuratively] like Pearl Harbor woke America up during WWII.

Wow, Katniss really goes through a big transformation in this chapter.

Isn't it ironic that Katniss chose Rue as an ally because she reminded her of Prim,  but she ended up being more like Katniss?

The Mockingjay must be a symbol for Katniss's rebellion.

Katniss  has gone from fighting to survive to fighting for a belief.

Suzanne Collins must be one of those authors that writes a book not for money but for the joy of writing. I bet she is a lot like Katniss.

Mrs DuBose, I didn't think you could help me spice up my writing at all but I'm starting to sound like a real author. Want to blog about me?   

Mrs. DuBose, can I go to the writing table and write a story?

Mrs. DuBose, will you print off the pages of the rest of the book so I can read more of it?

Student: Mrs. DuBose, are we going to get back to our writing prompts?

 Me: No,  that'll have to wait until Monday.

 Student: AAAAAWWWWWW MAN!!!!!!!!!!!

Narrative Writing

Two worlds diverged.... 
        Two protagonists; one goal..... To survive

We have spent much of our time in class discussing these two wonderfully developed protagonists. We talked this week about major characters vs. minor characters, and how our two authors have developed these heroines we have come to love. We are rooting for them both.

Thursday and Friday of last week was all about writing. Our second narrative prompt of the year is based around our two major characters, Kira and Katniss. Both protagonists receive a special gift. Kira receives a necklace from her dying mother and Katniss receives a mockingjay pin from her friend before the reaping. The students are now developing their own essays explaining a special gift they have received and why it has meant so much to them. To model narrative essay writing with the students, Kira and Katniss both sent us an essay they wrote. (I actually had some students ask if they really did :)) These two essays "written by our protagonists" show the students how their stories can be captured in an organized fashion.

In our writing, blue represents background information; green represents topics; yellow represents reasons, details, facts; and red represents explanation, example, and ellaboration

An essay written by Katniss Everdeen:
     In District 12, we have learned to be creative when searching for gifts to give our loved ones. There are many objects at the Hob that could be bought to give as gifts. But sometimes, on rare occasions, gifts come from very unexpected places. My friend, Madge, gave me a gift on the day of the reaping. It was a mockingjay pin. This unexpected kindness from her turned out to mean much more to me than I ever thought it could.
     One reason the pin became so important to me was because it reminded me of home. Once I entered the arena to play the games, there were times when I missed home so much it hurt. So, on these occasions, I held my pin tightly and tried to envision what Prim, Mother, and Gale were doing. It's funny how I missed something I didn't much like at all before coming to the Capitol. But that's what this pin did....It made me appreciate what I had back home.
     Another reason I cherished this pin so much is because of the mockingjay itself. This bird not only reminded me of my father and how he used to sing to them, it also helped me stay strong and brave. It helped me to see my importance to my district... Someone who would fight for those who couldn't. The mockingjay became my symbol. I was District 12's voice. I was their hope.
     As you can seel, this pin has meant so much to me. It has taught me more about myself. It has helped me hang on to courage I didn't think I had. I am truly thankful for Madge, and the pin she gave me.

An essay written by Kira:
     We don't receive many gifts in my village. Gifts are a rare thing. In fact, my friend, Matt, says the only gift he ever received was a kick in the pants. Although gifts are rare, I did receive one from my mother before she died. This special gift is a necklace that was given to her by my father.
     One reason this gift is so special to me is because it brings back wonderful memories of my mother. I can remember the day she gave it to me. She was sick, but not so close to death that she couldn't sit and talk with me. It was a lovely day... and lovely days are hard to come by in my village. I will always be able to feel her presence with me in times of trouble as long as I am wearing her necklace.
     Another reason why this gift means so much to me, is because it was given to her by my father. My father was killed by the beasts in the field. I've heard that he was a great hunter, but something must have gone wrong on his last hunt. Although I've never met him, I feel that this gift keeps us connected somehow.
     Clearly, the village I am from has many flaws. I do not know anyone who has a gift from their loved ones. Usually, special gifts are taken by the Council of Guardians. I am thankful to have my necklace to remind me of both my mother and father. I feel they will always be looking out for me as I make my way through this difficult life.

CLASS DISCUSSIONS: ALWAYS UNEXPECTED DELIGHTS

It has been the most challenging, fast paced year yet....and I'm only two weeks in. Don't get me wrong....I'm loving it. The exhaustion we all feel at the end of the day, is a good feeling because we know we are working hard. We are being productive and stretching our minds daily.

One of the reasons I love teaching reading so much is because it opens such great avenues for discussion in class. We have had such great discussions this week, I thought I'd take a moment to highlight them.

While discussing the connections between our two protagonists (Kira from Gathering Blue and Katniss from The Hunger Games), we also began to see some real world connections as well. We were able to expand our discussions to science and social studies this week in a really interesting way. We discovered that with each passing generation, our cultures and societies change, of course, but also remain eerily the same. We were able to discuss diversity and the importance of it within a culture. We talked about the control of the two governments within our books and how we need to have diversity so that we are not controlled. In a society, competition eliminates control. Why else would we need ten different banks in a five mile radius? The lightbulbs began turning on. I was able to see realization on my students' faces. It was a great thing.

During these discussions, one student told how his father was a soldier, and has been stationed overseas. He explained to us some of their customs, where his father was. He even told us about the "man dress" that men wear. He said his father had brought one home. Well, we couldn't let him off the hook. I joked with him, and told him we'd love to see him wear it to school. The next day, he brought it in for a delightful demonstration. What a great treat it was to have this as part of our learning experience. As you can see from one of the pictures below, the students are much more interested in learning from their peers than they are from me :)

Here's to a great week of discussions....and to many more to come!

OBVIOUSLY IT'S MORE EXCITING TO LEARN FROM PEERS....

WRAPPING THE MAN DRESS

THE MAN DRESS CAN BE WRAPPED TO KEEP THE HEAD COOL

THE MAN DRESS HAS MANY FUNTIONS. HERE IT IS A SHELTER FROM RAIN

AIR CONDITIONED PANTS HE CALLS IT

CLASS DISCUSSION: CULTURE AND SOCIETY WITHIN OUR NOVELS

CLASS DISCUSSION: CULTURE AND SOCIETY WITHIN OUR NOVELS

CLASS DISCUSSION: CULTURE AND SOCIETY WITHIN OUR NOVELS

Hit the Ground Running

Hit the ground running indeed! Easing the students (and ourselves for that matter) back into the swing of things was not even an option. Our first week back to school has been full steam ahead to say the least. In reading classes, we have been reading and discussing two different novels simultaneously. We have been learning how to conduct literature circles with Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue and book clubs with The Hunger Games. The students are making some great connections and seeing many similarities between Kira and Katniss's two worlds. Next week, we will be working on an art project to depict those similarities. Photos to come. In science this week, the students visited the lab to create 3D models of plant and animal cells. The students brought in various types of candy to use for their cell constructions. Our plan is to continue in our vigorous pursuits to strengthen our minds and expand our knowledge. What wonderful things we are experiencing and learning every day. 



Working on number arrays in Mrs. Lanke's classroom




Eager to hear about the day's science lab in Mrs. Holland's classroom




Answering some thought provoking quesstions in groups in Mrs. Carollo's class




Diving into reading for pleasure in Mrs. DuBose's class



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS



LAB DAY: EDIBLE CELLS

A Note from Lois Lowry

Students,
As you know, your summer reading book was by the author Lois Lowry. We will continue our author study on Wednesday of her and continue throughout the year. She is an amazing author. Past students have enjoyed many of her books, but the one that always seems to be the favorite is a book titled The Giver. I contacted Ms. Lowry to tell her how much we always enjoy her stories. She tried to post her comment to our blog, but was having trouble. She decided to email me a copy of what she wants you all to know. Below, is her response:


Hi, Kids:
I'm so glad to hear from your teacher that you are enjoying my books! The book called SON will be published in October and will make a quartet... four books... out of what was THE GIVER trilogy. The baby, Gabe, is the center of this book, along with the young girl- her name is Claire- who gave birth to him. But Jonas and Kira are there as well. I hope you like this one as well.
When I was your age, reading was my very favorite past time. Actually, it still is.
Lois Lowry


Well, there you have it! Three cheers for Lois Lowry! How amazing it is that she took time to write to you! See you all on Wednesday. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts about this.

And May the Odds Be EVER in Your Favor

We believe that the fifth grade at Madison Crossing is a TEAM, but we will hold you accountable as an individual.  We believe that learning should be fun, but we will not be easy on you. We believe you will succeed, but we will challenge you. We believe in respect, but realize that respect is a two way street. We believe everyone has a special talent, and we will find yours. We believe in guiding and helping you along the way, but we will expect you to become independent in your learning. We believe in collaborative learning, knowing you have much to share.

Wednesday begins the 2012-2013 school year! We have worked as a team diligently over the summer break to prepare ourselves for you to arrive. There is a lot to accomplish this year. It will not always be easy, but easy isn't what we want. We are confident that you will progress and grow so much this year. We look forward with great anticipation to watching your journey of growth.

Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year. "And may the odds be EVER in your favor!"

Science Fun Day January 2012

Mel Lanke - Math & Science

Natalie Carollo - Language Arts & Social Studies

Lisa Holland - Math & Science

Amy DuBose - Language Arts & Social Studies

A Letter to My New Students

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.” ― Oscar Wilde


Dear students,

I have spent all summer reading as much as I could get my hands on to prepare myself for you to enter my classroom. Your principal (my boss :0) had me read a great book on education. I started with that one because I figured I'd get my "homework" out of the way. One chapter in, I was hooked. It didn't feel like homework at all. It motivated me and inspired me to be the best teacher I can be for you this school year.

After completing my "educational" book, I decided it was time for a trip to Barnes and Noble to check out some bestselling fiction books to sink my teeth into. I have several friends who had been recommending that I read The Hunger Games trilogy. I had ignored them for almost a year because I just hadn't had the time during school to do much reading for my own pleasure. Since I hadn't seen the movie, and I knew it was a book I'd probably enjoy, I bought book one. I came home, settled myself down in my comfy cozy reading chair and began. The next day I had finished book one and was quite depressed that the story was over. See, when I find a good book, I don't just read the words....I enter the world....I live there. My next mission was to, of course, finish the next two books. This took about a week.

From there, my summer reading has taken on a life of its own. I have found a theme I enjoy. You'll find that it is a theme running throughout each book we will read in 5th grade. I am so excited to take you on a journey with me this year. With each book we read (and we will read a LOT), we will enter into a new world, a new experience. So strap on your gear.....It's going to be a great adventure!

Looking forward to getting started,
Mrs. DuBose