Lynchsters Mr. Lynch's 5th Grade Class 

Last week students were introduced to the Powwow Project. Over the next three weeks our class will be studying an American Indian tribe and its role in North America in the mid-1700s, just prior to the American Revolution. This project will help students learn about the other inhabitants of North America just before the birth of our country. The groups will learn about different traditions of these tribes such as foods, games, stories, clothing, and shelter. On the final two days of the project, the class will have a Powwow, which is a gathering of different tribes sharing various aspects of their culture. Depending on which “tribal position” each student is assigned, he/she will have an individual task/assignment to be presented at the powwow. Each student will also write a paper on a topic related to the tribe. Finally, each tribe will build and then present a model of the type of shelter the tribe would have lived in during the mid-1700s. Click Powwow Packet to download a PDF of the packet that explains the entire project, including grading.

Our Halloween Luncheon is on Wednesday – hopefully the real Halloween won’t be cancelled for the second year in a row. For our luncheon, students do not have to bring in a lunch. We are on Unit 3: Geometry Explorations in Math. Just a reminder that you can get all the math homework online – click here to access it. In science students are currently studying Light.

Stay safe.

 

Upcoming Events

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

Last week we managed a mostly rain-free Sturbridge Village, despite the heavy rains back in Avon. On Tuesday students will have the Unit 2 Math Test. I will be offering an extra study session before school (7:30 AM) on Tuesday morning for anyone interested. Parents, if your child will be attending, please let me know via e-mail.

On Monday I will be introducing the Powwow Project. Students will receive a lot of information about this on Monday. Over the next four weeks our class will be divided into groups and assigned an American Indian tribe to study. This project will help students learn about the other inhabitants of North America just prior to the start of the American Revolution. The groups will learn about different traditions of these tribes such as foods, games, stories, clothing, and shelter. On the final two days of the project, the class will have a Powwow, which is a gathering of different tribes sharing various aspects of their culture. Depending on which “tribal position” each student is assigned, he/she will have an individual task/assignment to be presented at the powwow. Each student will also write a paper on a topic related to the tribe. Finally, each tribe will build and then present a model of the type of shelter the tribe would have lived in during the mid-1700s. Click Powwow Packet to download a PDF of the packet that explains the entire project, including grading.

I will be taking a small group of students to the More Than Money Fifth Grade conference on Friday, run by Junior Achievement. It takes place at Aetna and I have been taking a group of students to this for the past few years. I am taking students from a few other classes as well so I can only take eight students from our class. (A sub will be with the rest of the class in school.) Students start the day by hearing from a guest speaker and then break up into smaller groups where they will learn about saving, spending, and other relevant economics. The way I selected the eight students was by having interested students write me a letter explaining why they deserved to go. Somehow it worked out perfectly with exactly eight students (all girls) writing a letter.

 

 

Upcoming Events

More Than Money Conference (8 students) – Friday, October 26, 2012

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

No students have melted so far this year and no one is going to melt during tomorrow’s Sturbridge rain. As of this moment, Sturbridge is on and good to go. If it was up to me, the trip wouldn’t be canceled unless there was an actual tornado spotted in the village itself. That or a tsunami. Or maybe a zoo escape.

On Thursday, students have their first Z-Day of the year. Our team runs this a few times a year and on this day students will rotate amongst the other teachers on our team (staying together as a class). It’s kind of like their first experience with a middle school schedule for the day. It helps promote team unity and lets the students get to know the teachers and vice-versa.

Friday is our trip to Sturbridge Village. We will be gone the entire day so students need to bring a lunch. The village is large so they will be doing a lot of walking outside – sneakers and weather appropriate clothes are a must. Electronics are allowed on the bus, but they must stay hidden when at Sturbridge. Since the bus ride is long, it may not be a bad idea to have something to occupy the time.

As part of our Writer’s Workshop, we will be making a connection with a fifth grade class in Ruwais, two hours outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It is a very unique opportunity for both schools, being 6,700 miles apart. Their school has a U.S. based curriculum and students there come from countries all over the world. The United Arab Emirates (UAB) is one of the fastest growing countries in the world and Abu Dhabi in particular has become one of the financial giants of the world, know for both its oil industry and its financial center. Since it is an eight-hour time difference between Connecticut and UAB, live communication (like Skype) would not be possible unless students want to meet me here at school some morning at 6 AM. Then we could all take a mid-day siesta. Ok, probably a bad idea.

In lieu of the siesta plan, we will be communicating with them via video-messaging and blogging. The video messages were uploaded this weekend on a secure, password protected page on a website that I created for this project: www.tbsgsad.weebly.com. Your child has the password to access the page. We will also use the blogging feature at some point in the near future to have written communication with the class.

Upcoming Events

Z-Day – Thursday, October 18, 2012

Sturbridge Village – Friday, October 19, 2012

More Than Money Conference (8 students) – Friday, October 26, 2012

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

This is a four-day week, coming off the extended Columbus Day weekend. We will not have spelling this week. In math we are on Unit 2: Estimation and Computation. If you ever need a copy of the Study Link homework at home click here for access to all the homework assignments and even homework help.

The Sound Science Test is on Friday. Click Sound Study Guide 2012 for a copy of the Review Packet students will receive this week.

A victim

A survivor

Upcoming Events

Sturbridge Village – Friday, October 19, 2012

More Than Money Conference (8 students) – Friday, October 26, 2012

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11