Room 21 Newsletter, November 4, 2005

CLASS NEWS

Literature Circles are going quite well. Each group has now met twice and I’m hearing lots interesting discussion about the novels in all the groups.

We are still working on concepts of volume in math. Working with cubes and “packages” of cubes the students explore how many will fill various boxes and how to create boxes that will hold certain amounts of cubes.

This week the class was introduced to a variety of fascinating people when the students presented their Biography Book Reviews. We met musicians like Louis Armstrong,

famous scientists like Rosalind Franklin,

and figures from the world of sports such as Muhammad Ali.

The students enjoyed “becoming” their characters and we all enjoyed meeting and learning about them.

Our salmon eggs are growing and more are showing signs of movement & life. Students take turns monitoring the conditions in the tank and keeping watch on the eggs. Come on in and check out the eggs in their tank.

We are looking forward to their hatching and eventual release. I have a tentative release date of December 9th (this will be a field trip).

NOVEMBER I-SEARCH PROJECTS

In lieu of Book Reviews I have assigned a research (I-Search) project for November. Each student has chosen a Macro-vertebrate that is native to the Pacific NW for his or her study. This week I gave everyone a folder to help organize their search. In the folder they have a planning page outline that has topics to cover and a note card system to collect & organize the information they locate. The folder is also a good place to keep papers printed off the Internet or any other information the students find.

Though much of the I-Search project will be done at home I will present lessons on note taking, putting notes into written report form (paragraphs), report structure, and ways to present their information.

Rough drafts are due Nov. 17th and the final reports are due Dec. 5th.

CHINOOK BOOKS

Sales of Chinook Books are going pretty well. Remember the proceeds of the sale helps to offset costs for our spring overnight.

The past few years we’ve spent two nights at Opal Creek. This is a wonderful place and I’m hoping to go again. They provide workshops, lodging and food. All this adds up to about $50 per person per night. The more we raise in Chinook Book sales the less out of pocket expense there is come spring.

I have books for sale here in the classroom and with holiday season approaching Chinook Books can be a gift option.

Students this blank space could be filled by your article, or cartoon, or joke, or…

If you want to talk to me, you can contact me by phone or email: David Lifton 503-916-6336 or dlifton@pps.k12.or.us