Friday, May 13, 2011

Can They Fly?

Hello Families!

This week blogger has been read only at times, so I am finally able to post this!  Here it is:

The presentation bug has begun in our classroom! I think it was inspired both by our upcoming Presentations of Learning and the talent show. Last week we saw Aryav show his work about circuits and this week Olivia wanted to show the class how to finger knit. (I am sorry that I didn't get photos this time, my camera wasn't working...!) She did such a slow and specific job that it was clear and understandable. The others were very intrigued by this and many chose to spend their relaxation time trying out this new skill. The repetitive action is truly relaxing! Thank you to Olivia for asking to show her skill!

We also watched a few videos this week, about peacocks and chickens, to help us answer the question about whether they fly. looking at these two videos, the kids were identifying what they did see: flapping, fluttering wings and a solid jump. This lead us to wonder whether they could fly long distances. Many children identified elements of weight and length of tail as being elements that might make it hard for them to be able to fly long distances. Most friends felt that though the videos show what looks like flight, they still think it wouldn't be realistic for these birds to migrate long distances... What do you think?  We plan to read more about these birds in our animal encyclopedia.

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/peacocks-can-fly-check-it-out/7fedaf52088326ec42657fedaf52088326ec4265-576196051474?q=peacocks+fly&FROM=LKVR5>1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4576351/wild-chickens-ruffling-feathers-of-phoenix-residents/

Finally, I want to post some more of our exciting and amazing math equations. As with much of our work, it's not just about math. The children often use story elements and a real world context to connect to their equation. And their drawing skills, as well as peer critique methods, are really helping their work come along. What creativity and precision!

I hope your child enjoys sharing about their work! Love, Jennifer






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