Glaciers & A Guest Speaker!Recently in the Fourth Grade Social Studies and Science Classes, students have been studying how glaciers, as well as the processes of erosion and deposition, impact the landforms we find in our everyday life. Students learned that snow gradually builds up into more and more levels until it begins to compress under its own weight, forming glaciers. As it just so happens, though, a parent in our class (Shad O'Neil) is a glaciologist that has studied glaciers around Alaska, and he was kind enough to come speak to our class about his experiences working for the state and federal governments to research glaciers. Shad brought a great presentation that taught the Fourth Grade all about how glaciers form and how they can change the surface of the landscape around them. He also explained global warming to students, emphasizing how quickly things can change and how important it is to plan and think ahead to the future! The Fourth Grade was very grateful that Shad took the time out of his busy schedule to share his knowledge of glaciers and nature with us! If there is something that you think would be worthwhile to share, please don't hesitate to contact Mr. Yancik about it. The Fourth Grade class would love to hear what you have to say! Math Fun!In Fourth Grade's Bridges Math Class this week, the Third and Fourth Graders built paper models to help them see the relationships between fractions. Each model had five layers -- a whole, two halves, four quarters, eight eighths, and sixteen sixteenths. The kids built these models to better visualize the relationships between equivalent fractions, as well as how one fraction might relate to another. Students also worked together, in pairs, to help each other solve some particularly difficult math problems. Watch Jackson and Kenny, below, whittle away at one their own problems... Storytelling, the Hero's Journey, & Roleplaying Games!Fourth Grade also presented a few of their storytelling adventures, running their own roleplaying game sessions with narratives based on Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. In the videos below, watch as Kenny and Nevaeh run games for their fellow students. Kenny is running an adventure story set in the Appalachian Mountains (a location we've been studying in Science and Social Studies), while Nevaeh has chosen a haunted house somewhere in Anchorage. (Uh, we haven't been studying haunted houses, except in relation to the Hero's Journey...) Now, the Fourth Grade has been working on their roleplaying stories for several weeks now, but the attention to detail that the Game Masters put into their Hero's Journey narratives was shockingly good. At the outset of the games, the Game Master gave each Player Character a certain amount of equipment and options to begin. From there, GMs led the PCs through their adventures, using material that they'd already prepared and making things up on the fly when necessary, to weave all new and unpredictable adventures. Students learned how to balance their time between multiple players, as well as how to build tension and drama. The level of acting and energy, as you can see in the video from an excerpt of Nevaeh's game, was on full display and extremely impressive. And Now For Something |
DRESS DOWN WEEK! As a reward for the amazing results of the green bean drive, all of next week will be a dress down week. Please be sure to send your children in their most casual clothing! | REPORT CARD INFORMATION SESSIONS! PNA's Report card format will be changing! Please be sure to attend one of our friendly information sessions, to bring you up to speed on all the improvements that we've made! Sessions will be on Monday, December 18 at 3:30 PM and Tuesday, December 19th at 5:00 PM. |
It's Time To Start The Music...
12/1/2017
Pacific Northern Academy's Fourth Grade class was very busy this week as they prepared for the big show this Friday. Fourth Grade, in particular, worked hard to memorize lines, hit their marks, and put a final polish on all of the songs they've been learning since the beginning of the year. Despite a few 'upset stomachs' making the rounds this week (or maybe pre-show jitters...) the Fourth Grade Teacher is happy to report that every member of the class did exceptionally well! In the video below, witness a special sneak peek at the Fourth Grade's performance in "I Don't Want To Grow Up!"
Pretty thrilling to watch, wouldn't you say?
In other news, Morning Meetings were spent working on mathematical puzzles and adverb games. In the photo below, students put their heads together as a team to work through a particularly difficult mathematical puzzle.
In other news, Morning Meetings were spent working on mathematical puzzles and adverb games. In the photo below, students put their heads together as a team to work through a particularly difficult mathematical puzzle.
Here are a few of the puzzles the Fourth Graders tackled... Can you solve all of them?
But, of course, it wasn't all show business and the Fourth Graders are currently working on the second drafts of their most recent stories. The year's theme is 'realistic fiction,' and Fourth Graders, using their plot structure diagrams, worked hard to rearrange, enhance and polish numerous aspects of their stories. In the photos below, you can see that they're hard at work crafting stories in the true spirit of Joseph Campbell!
Using a plot structure diagram helps Fourth Graders to visualize entire stories in their heads, which in turn gives the writer a better sense of character motivation, plot, and pacing. In the photos below, you can see the first draft plot structure diagrams and the second draft changes (if you squint really, really hard)...
Hush Hush & On The QT
From Monday of next week, Pacific Northern Academy will be a PEANUT-FREE ZONE. Please be cautious not to allow your child to bring peanuts or peanut butter to school! Other nuts, however, are a-okay! Thank you!
Martina Henke
Martina Henke has been a K-8 educator for 30+ years. A life-long learner, she loves working with kids of all ages, new technology, great books, fiber arts, and her wonderful family!
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