Structured Academic Controversy

        Structured Academic Controversies are a fantastic way to allow students to interact with history.  November 10th is the anniversary of the sinking of the famous Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. The kids had a great time researching, supporting, and debating how the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk.  It was exciting to see them so engaged right up until the end of the day on Friday.  Most kids didn't even notice it was time to go home for the weekend.  These experiences are fundamental for students to begin the inquiry process.  They need to have authentic questions to research and support their thinking.  These experiences cement the learner and engage them in the content.  I have been a long time fan of John Dewey and his work with experiential learning.  When we return from Thanksgiving Break we will be learning about several different types of Social Scientists (Historian, Political Scientist, Economist, Geographer), and how they look at the world.  Through these hands on, engaging experiences students can build a framework by which to ask deeper questions and respond to them with experience and examples. 

        As stated,  Dewey advocated that education be based upon the quality of experience. For an experience to be educational, Dewey believed that certain parameters had to be met, the most important of which is that the experience has continuity and interaction. Continuity is the idea that the experience comes from and leads to other experiences, in essence propelling the person to learn more (Experience & Education, Dewey).

Description:

The SAC (Structured Academic Controversy) was developed by cooperative learning researchers David and Roger Johnson of the University of Minnesota as a way to provide structure and focus to classroom discussions. Working in pairs and then coming together in four-person teams, students explore a question by reading about and then presenting contrasting positions. Afterwards, they engage in discussion to reach consensus. 

Rationale:

By the time students reach adolescence, many believe that every issue comes neatly packaged in a pro/con format, and that the goal of classroom discussion, rather than to understand your opponent, is to defeat him. The SAC method provides an alternative to the "debate mindset" by shifting the goal from winning classroom discussions to understanding alternative positions and formulating historical syntheses. The SAC's structure demands students listen to each other in new ways and guides them into a world of complex and controversial ideas.

Fishing Vest Project

The Fishing Vest Projects are just about done and ready for viewing!  The kids worked hard researching their chosen Great Lakes Fish.  The vests are a popular project for students every year.  It's always fun to see what creative choices they will choose to put on their vests.  Make sure to check them out in the hallway when you are stopping by Quincy!  They will be up until conferences so you'll have time to see what great artists, writers, and researchers your fourth graders are!

Area and Perimeter of Complex Figures

Here is a quick tutorial showing how to do the complex area and perimeter problems.  This is an extended core math GLCE, so not expected as mastery in fourth grade, but as introducing the concept.  Mastery will be expected in the higher grades.  Thanks for watching!

A student had this to say, "We have been working on area and perimeter in school. Here is a video to help you. most students have gotten confused when you try to add the numbers and split the shapes."

Fish Adaptation Station

Last Friday we had a great time doing this experiment in the classroom, "Do Fish Care How Cold it Is?"  . 
Fish, especially ones in the Great Lakes Ecosystem have some very special adaptations that help them survive the icy waters in the winter.  The students were collecting some basic water temp, breathing rate, and fish behavior activity data.  The students were very concerned about how cold these little fish were getting.  But, learned how these little creatures can quickly adapt to the changing temperature of the water.  Did you know gold fish can survive even after being frozen in ice!  Amazing!
 

Friends Goodwill and the Michigan Maritime Museum

It was another great trip to the Michigan Maritime Museum with another great group of students!   We learned first hand how important the Lakes were historically, and still today to the commerce and movement of goods throughout our country.  We unfortunately didn't get to sail due to the weather, another reminder of the dangers the early mariners faced while trying to do business and survive in this fledgling country, and our unpredictable Great Lakes.

New Richmond Sturgeon Hatchery - Kalamazoo River

We started the year off with a bang!  A field trip on the first Friday of the school year.  The students had a great time learning about an exciting fish in the Great Lakes. Our famous Lake Sturgeon!   We have been and will be exploring animal adaptations and the Great Lakes Ecosystem in the beginning of the year.   The fourth grade teaching team was invited to a special Lake Sturgeon Conference this summer, and had the opportunity to work with the actual scientists doing the research on restoring the Sturgeon to the Great Lakes.  It was a special treat to have this years group of students out to our local rearing facility; where the kids had the opportunity of touching and feeling an endagered animal that is protected. What a great day and start of the school year!

Electricity and Magnetism Show

A few years ago a parent built an electricity board for demonstrating the flow of electrons, and the power from a normal wall outlet.  Which they donated to me as a demostration tool for years to come.  It has been a highlight demonstration of our electricity studies each year.  This particular experiment dealt with testing different objects for their ability to conduct electricity.  We were looking at what objects are conductors or insulators.  The students enjoyed making their quess and testing whether it was true or not.  This is a bit dangerous, and yes "please don't try this at home."

Students have also enjoyed experimenting with building electrical circuits and testing how adding more batteries increases the power of the lightbulb.  This will culminate with students designing, wiring, and building a replica lighthouse of their choice from one of our regions in the United States.

Friends Good Will

What an experience!  It is amazing to see the students out on Lake Michigan raising sails and learning about how people, and goods moved during the 1800's.  We began studying the Northeast Region this week, and how immigrants first came to America on sailing vessels like The Friends Goodwill.  The staff at the Michigan Maritime Museum does an amazing job recreating this time period for the students.  They use old nautical language and dress in 1800's style sailor suits.  The chance for students to relive history in this way represents the ultimate learning experience in my opinion.  Not only is this trip a fantastic experience for anyone, but the team building that takes place among the class as they raise and lower sails, help to pretend to load the gun, and learn knot tying skills is unmatched on any other field trip I've been on.  This is our culminating trip of the year, and it ties together our beginning of the year studies of the Great Lakes and our end of the year study of the Northeast Region.  I feel so fortunate that we can provide these types of experiences for kids. 

Fossils and Petoskey Stones

A student presents her Petoskey Stone Tic-Tac-Toe Project on our new technology equipment.  The tech cart was designed to have student and teacher presentation as a focus.  It's great to see it finally coming into the classroom! 

A student had this to say:
I thought the open office presentation was fun to do because of all the new stuff I learned. Also I put down what I knew and some information from the internet. And I hope people liked my pictures and info I put down but if not they still looked like they were interested. Also I loved using the new technology cart.

Fractions with Hersey Bars!

Hersey bars from Hersey Pennsylvania are one of Americas oldest treats!  And, they come in nice fractional parts of a whole, which was perfect for introducing the concept of unit fractions.  The students enjoyed thoroughly, as did I taking apart these little fractional parts of the whole chocolate bar and eating them!  We began Unit 9 in our Math Expressions books this week, and the students enjoyed having this concrete example to start with.  Our first Quick Quiz is today!  Good luck students!

Experimenting with new technology

We were having a little fun yesterday playing with our new technology cart and projector in the room.  The students had to look at this face during their reflection time at the end of the day.  Poor kids!

Culminating Experiences for the Underground Railroad

 

We culminated our studies of slavery in the Southeast Region and the Underground Railroad with a reader's theatre about Harriet Tubman, and a field trip to Dr. Nathan Thomas's house in Schoolcraft Michigan.  This house was the original home of the Thomas's. And it was an Underground Railroad stop where 1,000-1,500  escaping slaves stopped and rested while they were helped along through Michigan, and into freedom in Canada.  After all our learning it was amazing to walk on the same floors where so many runaway slaves had come to seek freedom.  These learning experiences bring us closer to the time when slavery was a legal practice in our country, and what some courageous people did to help America live up to its dream of freedom for all.  I hope the students will remember the important lessons learned from this unit and our experiences for many years to come.    

A student in our class had this to say about the trip. "I think it was a really fun field trip . It was so cool that we were able to go on it. The people there were so nice to us . My leader let us play the piano and everyone wanted to make me do it but I said no way because I was to scared to do it in front of everybody. . The thing I thing I will remember is that the slaves that hid in the little eve by the kids bedrooms  .I wonder if the childen were small kids because I hit my head a lot.It was nice that the people at the Schoolcraft elementary school let us use their bathrooms .It was also really nice that they let us eat in their front lawn. I will also remember that we got to look inside the eve were the slaves hid. I think Mr. Nathan Thomas house is really cool . It was cool that they either got the furniture from their family or bought old things that looked like it would have been their furniture . It was cool that Mr. Nathan Thomas pulled his house from the place it was built to the place it is today. I can't believe that horses pulled the house and they had little carts under the house to move it . I think it is cool that he helped to free over one thousand slaves to Canada to freedom.I think it is weird that he helped more slaves than Harriet but he is not as of famous as her because she only helped three hundred slaves to Canada. I think the Thomas family hid the secret door well because they could not find it . I thought it would be wood floor like the kitchen but it was like cotton and a lot of dust in there and I thought it would be a lot bigger than it was. I really hope everyone liked this field trip. I know I really did it was really fun and really interesting to see the floor were the slaves walked on.I also hope that the Schoolcraft station will stay there and not be gone .I think that you should bring your parents to the Schoolcraft underground railroad stations to let them see what it would be like to be in that house when slavery happened just like we did.I would bring a camera so you could remember the great times you had being in the time of slavery.That house is a great thing of the history so we should be a part and give them money so it will stay there.I think it is amazing to believe that that Mr.Nathan Thomas had four kids and had time for helping slaves get to freedom in Canada.Harriet was amazing and so was Mr.Nathan Thomas .I can't think of being in the time of slavery.I can't believe that they said yes to helping slaves get to freedom and had to worry about slave hunters looking for slaves.I hope you all enjoyed the field trip I know I did I really hope you did . The bus ride was long but it was worth it to see the house."

Introduction to Slavery in America

Today the students were given some images of Slavery in America.  The purpose was to generate questions and discussion around the pictures, and see how much background knowledge the students had.  These compelling images engaged the students in the thinking and questioning process.  Some of the students had background knowledge of slavery, and some did not.  The lesson culminated with a rich discussion about why slavery existed, and how this led to the creation of the Underground Railroad and ultimately the Civil War.

Culminating our Studies of Space

We culminated our studies of space today with some great experiences and activities. First we had some fun recreating the moon phases with Oreo cookies, the students loved that! Especially the eating part! Then we had a visit from our Zeeland (B.O.B built of brains) Robotics Team. They showcased their 2010 robot which they took to competition. We had been studying how engineers and scientists had to design, build, and deploy many different robots for the exploration of space, especially the Lunar Rover and Mars Rover. That led us to finish up our day watching a Discovery for Kids video called Moon Machines, which is all about the challenges of designing and building the first Lunar Rover. Thank you kids for a great unit, and a great day!

Phases of the Moon

The students enjoyed learning about the phases of the moon with this activity.  The large lamp you see in the background acted as the sun.  They had to pretend their head was the Earth, and the moon on their pencils orbited their head.  It is very easy to see the phases of the moon take shape right before your very eyes!

Arsenal of Democracy Time Bike Adventure

Our first Time Bike experience was last Friday.   I always begin the year by reading a book titled "The Time Bike" by Jane Langton .  In the story a boy receives a bike as a gift, and this bike can travel through time. During my first year teaching I found an old bike and refurbished it to be my Time Bike.  Each year I ride it into the classroom dressed in costumes from the past.  The Arsenal of Democracy was a nickname given to Detroit during World War II for all the war supplies that were manufactured there, and it wrapped up our studies of the Midwest Region.  The kids have a lot of fun teasing me about my Time Bike and silly outfits.  It is a tradition I plan to continue for the rest of my career, and if anyone out there has any great costumes, I would love to borrow them! 

Author's Purpose Example

A student explains what he thinks the author's purpose is.  We worked on determining author's purpose for informational text.  Students sometimes struggle to find what the author's narrow purpose is.