Riccardi Class News

September 10, 2007

Dear Parents and Friends,

Welcome back! We have made it through the first semi-full week. And boy, were we busy! And, consequently, became exhausted each day. I don’t know about all of you, but doesn’t everything in our lives go faster when school is in session?

While many of the activities and lessons we have been doing have not only been fun but have also included data collection, following directions, team building, and cooperative learning. Last Friday, kids constructed solar cars (www.sunwind.ca) in conjunction with the mini-unit both 5/6 classes will complete on solar energy. Students worked diligently on tweaking their cars to get them go straight (rather than in circles or not at all!) and then we did a trial run to see whose could go the farthest (Betsy won!) They then teamed up with a partner to attempt to design a "super car" to see if adding another solar panel, tin foil, or engine would increase speed and distance. Once we complete this mini unit we will start a geology unit that we will work on throughout the entire school year. Next week a geologist from the state will meet with each 5/6 class to discuss geological changes and how forces of nature, climate, and weather affect changes over time on earth.

This past week during math, students also performed one of their many data collection sessions: they kept track of the types of vehicles that pass the front of the school each day, at the same time, for three days, and graphed the results with their partner. This activity is in conjunction with a statistics unit we will soon start, as a whole class, called "Data About Us" that involves posing questions, collecting data, analyzing the data, and interpreting the results.

During Literacy, student partners have been working on their interview skills by compiling information about each other to create a classroom student dictionary. In addition, they wrote constructed responses about their favorite DCF book. Over the summer, students were asked to read at least 2 books from the DCF list. I then asked them to choose one of the two books and write a response as to why this book should win the DCF award. Using specific examples, details, and elaboration from the text, based their responses on favorite character, the plot, the genre, or descriptive language. Thorough out this school year, students and teachers will have the opportunity to enhance their writing skills from the help of Karen Kurzman, an independent writing consultant, who works in elementary schools all over the state. She visited our classroom Thursday to help kids with their constructed responses. In addition to writing, students will soon start a poetry unit as well as a weekly language/vocabulary usage book called "Wordly Wise." Sixth grade students remember "WW" fondly…..

So, that is a quick run down on what your child’s days have been spent doing since school started. I will try my best to keep you informed of what is happening in the classroom on an every other week basis. If you need a sooner update, please feel free to email me at priccardi@moretownschool.org or call the school to leave me a message.

One final word: Our first school-wide assembly is this Wednesday at 8:05 in the gym. Please join us for the first of our monthly assemblies to hear about what’s going in the classrooms and sing along with Mr. Close. Open House will be Thursday, September 27 from 6:30-7:30. Hope to see you at either or both events!

Sincerely,

Patty Riccardi

Collecting data on vehicles and solar cars