CELL-ebrating Science
10/10/2020
Developmentally, 5th and 6th graders are curious, talkative, and eager to learn. This age group cares a lot about fairness and the rationale behind decisions or events. Therefore, students at this age often enjoy science class in particular, because they love asking "why". Scientists are inquisitive, creative, and persistent. PNA students have those characteristics in spades. At PNA we assess students using the Next Generation Science Standards. "Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science. These dimensions are combined to form each standard—or performance expectation—and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time." Our students explore science through "big picture" phenomena and overarching concepts--the "why" behind the content. Our science curriculum is called STEMscopes, a curriculum created by teachers, used throughout the nation. Our first area of exploration deals with Systems and Subsystems in Earth and Life Science. We started at the most basic, foundational level: cells. Students explored the difference between living and nonliving things. They conducted experiments examining specimen under a microscope. A makeshift "field trip" around the school grounds, allowed students to observe the environment around through with a scientific lens. Students have been engaged with class discussions, research, informational texts, videos, games, and reflections. When it comes to assessing their learning, instead of having them memorize information to regurgitate on a test, we did a hands-on project where students demonstrated their learning through their own creations. Students designed and constructed cell models based on the organelle anatomy of a cell. Students learned the names and functions of the organelles and crafted their own personal models. What a variety of materials used: food, legos, tool parts, arts/crafts, and any random object around the house. This was an independent project done at home, but students had peer-group feedback sessions to track their progress and get advice along the way. At the conclusion, students gave a brief presentation, displaying their creation, and also wrote a short rationale and reflection about their efforts. In 2020, many students are learning from home. We had a short stint of distance learning this month and the students handled it wonderfully. We took advantage of the opportunity to be home with an array of their own materials, by doing an supplemental science experiment. We did the classic egg/liquid experiment to test the function of the "cell membrane" and osmosis. Every student did a control experiment: placing a raw egg in vinegar for two days. Students weighed and measured their eggs before and after. Students recorded their observations of the shell dissolving and the egg absorbing the vinegar, proving their hypothesis correct, as the membrane controls things "entering and exiting" the cell. Students then began choosing their own liquids to affect the egg. Water, salty water, chocolate milk, dish soap, wine, gatorade, soy sauce, and many other concoctions were created. Many students persevered as their eggs broke along the way. Students enjoyed waiting and watching what would happen next. Sometimes science is abstract and hard to wrap your head around; other times science can be right in front of you, in your hands, and make perfect sense. Watching kids' excitement about their learning is certainly something to CELL-ebrate. Project Based Learning
9/26/2020
The PNA community prides itself on our integration of Project Based Learning in our teaching. This summer I was able to go to a conference hosted by PBLworks. PBLworks defines PBL as, “A teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.” Meaningful projects are what kids remember about school. As I think back to my own school experience, the things that stand out are not the worksheets I did or the tests I took, rather the things I created through activities that were engaging and sustaining. The start of the year was unpredictable but I hoped a PBL project would spark curiosity and set the tone for our class. Our first project, “The Masks We Wear”, was multifaceted. It contained elements of these six subject areas:Art
Our driving questions were, "How do masks differ between cultures around the world?" and, "How can increased self-awareness help us better understand each other?" The goal in creating this project was to give kids a positive connotation for the word "mask", introduce them to cultural studies, and discuss the differences between physical and figurative masks. Art was especially important since we do not currently have art as its own "special". Students designed and created their own masks out of cardboard and other materials. Next, students conducted a brief research project, learning how to navigate trustworthy sources and differentiate between summarizing and plagiarizing. Students studied African, Greek, Native American, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Egyptian, and Aztec masks. They also wrote personal narratives describing the importance of creating an atmosphere where their classmates feel comfortable enough to "take off" their figurative masks. Each student then presented all their work in front of their peers. PNA values public speaking as a 21st century skill and students have begun to move out of their comfort zone with this common fear. All their hard work is now proudly displayed in the main stairwell next to our classroom. Students made signs to accompany the masks, in hopes to educate the rest of PNA about their takeaways from the project. Since finishing this project, we’ve seen younger students admire the exhibit in the stairwell and students have made personal connections to the cultures they studied. PBL projects are not “one and done” concepts. Hopefully years from now, when students reminisce about their 2020 school experience, their COVID face mask isn’t the only mask the remember.
We weren't in our classroom together to celebrate the close of our school year. It's been empty since February 28th, when we last were in that colorful, cozy space. We weren't together to take our spring trip, to have field day, or to do all the things we do each year to close out a school year of learning.
But as exceptional learners we found ways to be together each day: to laugh, share "good things," give each other ideas, and ask questions. Through Google Chat and Zoom, our little class of learners persevered through the strangest trimester of school any of us has ever experienced. We found a way to still work on our class auction art project: a colorful quilt that each student contributed to. We found ways to play games, do some mini workouts, use art to share learning, and read, write, and learn math. We finished our year long project of conducting school wide morning announcements with creativity and innovation, moving from PA announcements in the school to clever and unique videos that teachers could use each day with their students. And in our final 2 weeks, we explored our passions. For the final two weeks of school, PNA students of all ages worked on a project of some kind. We did not have formal math lessons or work on other separate subject assignments. Instead we embraced our belief that project-based learning is engaging and stimulating for learners of every age. Each class worked on some kind of project. In 5th grade, we did Passion projects, where students had the opportunity to explore a topic they are passionate or curious about. Our "driving question" was: How can my final project of the year show off my skills as a courageous, independent thinker and exceptional learner? Students were invited to explore, research, practice, and learn about their topic and share their learning or new skills with creativity and excellence. Choice, voice, authenticity, and ACTION took the front seat for this project. Students chose a rich topic to research and explore and developed a driving question, a purpose, and a plan. They worked on their project for two weeks, reflecting each day on their work and learning. They completed some sort of final product to document their skill and understanding and shared that project, along with the rest of the PNA student body, in a digital “book.” It was so delightful to watch these young learners and their supportive families take on this challenge. Their topics: Japanese samurai and mythology; planning and constructing a cat shelter; ocean pollution; and learning to understand, respect, and care for sharks all reflected the unique personalities and passions of our students. They learned new skills like website design, wooden sword-making, and how to use power tools. Our final class meeting of the year with parents and grandparents and each other was truly a celebration of perseverance and passion. You can learn about their projects at this link. We may not have been together physically in our classroom, but our exceptional PNA fifth graders were there for each other and were resilient and creative and engaged until the last day of school. They were learning in a different space, place, and mode, but they were learning: about themselves, the world, and each other. And I'm confident they will continue that learning path this summer in so many ways. Because they are learning all the time: no matter what "school" looks like. They are passionate, independent, and courageous. And they persevere! Still Learning Together...Apart
4/15/2020
The recent news that we will be finishing our 19-20 school year via distance learning was hard to hear. In a school community that strives for hands-on, face-to-face, multi-age, active learning, it’s sad to know we won’t get to be in the same space together until next school year. And yet we celebrate the learning that has continued to take place, even if it’s not in the most ideal circumstances.
We continued reading our novel, Fever 1793, learning about how that illness ravaged Philadelphia and realizing that our modern medicine and conveniences make us very lucky indeed. There are many new words to encounter in an historical novel such as this. We have a whole different idea of what the “necessary” is, and “dittany tea” is something none of us has tried! We are nearing the end of the novel and are eager to see what Mattie's life is like in the aftermath of the yellow fever epidemic. In science we have been watching some bean seeds in an enclosed plastic bag of water to see where plants get the material they need to grow. We weighed our bag at the beginning of our experiment on March 31 and have observed the changes for two and a half weeks. We were wondering: what will the weight of the bag be at the end? Will it decrease, increase, or stay the same? After a very slow and uneventful beginning, our ‘long distance” science experiment observations finally picked up the pace this week. And our question was answered: the weight of our baggie was the same at the end of our experiment. We are pondering what this means and what this teaches us about where our plants got the material they needed to grow... it certainly wasn't soil!! We also finished trying our hand at scientific illustrations. We've been learning about food webs, and students chose a habitat and created beautiful watercolor food web illustrations. Each day we connect with each other online using videoconferencing. We play games; share "good things;" discuss our assignments; use whiteboards, thumbs up, head nods, and our voices to show our learning and understanding; ask questions; and try on new personas. We value the chance to see and hear each other and to add to our shared experiences. We may be finishing our school year from a distance, but we are still learning together! From a Distance...
3/29/2020
What a busy two weeks we had launching distance learning for the foreseeable future! This new adventure brings unique challenges for teaching and learning. When regular classroom activities are grounded in a philosophy of collaboration, connection, and conversation, distance learning is significant shift. During these first days, we began to get routines established, figure out technology tools, and adjust to being at home and apart from each other. Our awesome fifth graders jumped into this new reality with smiles and good humor. Video conferencing via Zoom allowed us to connect each day to learn together, play a game, share family news, or clarify how things work. Students shared their pets, their creative creations, and their questions about our current situation. Though we had our fair share of tech glitches, what a blessing it was to be able to see each other every day to keep at least some of our classroom routines alive! Our “Morning Announcements” project continued without a hiccup as students transferred announcements to a video format using Adobe Spark. You can check them out here! Our class Auction project material is slowly becoming the beginnings of a beautiful quilt. We began a novel study of Fever, 1793, an historical novel about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia during the summer of 1793. It’s a challenging and interesting novel that provides an excellent chance to compare an historical event with our current situation. Students began keeping a Coronavirus Journal documenting their experiences during this pandemic. This journal will provide them a way to observe and reflect on their experiences as they create their own primary source documents of this historic event. Science, math lessons, Spanish class, and vocabulary lessons also kept us busy. Next week students will have the opportunity to connect with their Music and Art teachers as well. There is no way that we can replicate our everyday classroom learning experiences, but we are doing our best to give students the chance to stay academically and socially engaged, healthy, and happy. Though no solution will be ideal, we’ll continue to connect with each other each day, to show grace to each other as we try new things, and to adjust regularly based on our experiences and lessons learned. As exceptional, courageous, independent learners, that’s just business as usual…even from a distance. Thank you to all of the PNA community for the positive support and flexibility as we grow together! Science Sparks!
2/28/2020
PNA’s project-based learning environment seeks to develop creativity and communication skills in our young learners, who are growing up in a technology and media-rich environment. Unlike previous generations, our students have instant access to an abundance of information; experience rapid changes in technology tools; and have the potential to collaborate and make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. To be successful in the 21st century, they must be able to create, evaluate, and effectively use information, media, and technology. Some critical skills that they must develop include the ability to:
Access and Evaluate Information
Diving Deeper into Literature
2/15/2020
We read, read, read across the day in 5th grade. We read to prepare our Morning Announcements; we read to learn about our various units of study; we read novels and articles and short stories and directions and websites. We read to learn, laugh, cry, and wonder. Students work hard to comprehend the texts they read and to stretch themselves as readers. As we move into our next writing unit, the literary essay, students will challenge themselves to read more deeply and closely than ever, searching to develop deeper understanding of literary texts and express that thinking in an organized, thoughtful essay. Literary analysis asks learners to think critically about literature; to look beyond the words on the page; to analyze symbolism, theme, and literary devices. We’ve been doing this work regularly, in small doses, with small journal entries and class discussions, but our upcoming unit will push students to engage in this thinking process on their own as they carefully analyze a short story and write a literary essay about it. We started this work in small steps this week as we began reading some picture books and short stories that are rich with meaning. Our mentor text, Fox, by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks, will serve as a model throughout the process. This book is deceptively simple: the story is brief, but the characters’ motivations and the rich symbolism develop several universal themes that will resonate with readers for a long time. Watching our students as they listened to the story in utter silence and fascination was a delight, and hearing the stunned words from one of them, "That was such a good story…” foreshadowed the rich conversations we will have as we analyze this story in depth. Over the next few weeks students will read many short stories, choose one to read more closely, and learn to dive deep. They will push beyond their initial understanding and question the text to find topics they want to analyze: characters, theme, literary devices, setting. They will look to answer a "why" question. Instead of simply describing the text, "why" pushes them to analyze and even synthesize to identify a relevant thesis related to modern-day issues and concepts. The goal is to think critically at higher levels and to express that thinking in an organized way. Students will stretch their abilities to push beyond mere description into ideas that are convincing, argumentative, and defend a position. They will explore how literature challenges us, delights us, empowers us. We are diving deep! The Light Returns....
2/10/2020
As the sun starts to appear earlier each day and stays later each afternoon, our school year feels like it is speeding up and hurtling down the road at light speed! We’ve been busy here at PNA, as students are growing and stretching themselves in so many ways! Here are just a few of their accomplishments these past few weeks:
-To honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s contributions and vision, our class joined with the rest of PNA to show kindness to each other and to serve others. We worked with our 2nd grade buddies to learn to sew “bat wraps,” special soft pillow/blankets used to help orphan bats survive. Our bat wraps will be sent to areas in the world where extreme weather is causing loss of habitat and safety for animals. This activity held just the right amount of challenge for our learners, who now have the sewing machine skills needed to work on our upcoming Auction art project. Additionally, our students were able to see how they could be connected to something happening across the globe: an important concept as they study Earth’s systems and how they interact. - Brown Bag Week was a fun and important chance for students to practice living the PNA mission. It takes courage to stand up in front of the student body to share a skill or talent, and it takes integrity to be a good audience member: to listen patiently and politely; to clap and encourage classmates; to cheer for performers of all ages and skill. Our class chose to share a funny skit with the school, and we were gratified to get lots of laughs. Two of our fifth graders also participated in the city-wide battle of the Books, where they did a fabulous job representing PNA! - Last week the PNA's exceptional learners celebrated the 100th day of school! Fifth graders helped set up the many activities and then participated with gusto. They helped clean up afterwards as well. In fact, this group of young leaders can be counted on to lead the way and help cheerfully whenever they are needed! - Academically the class has been continuing to build an understanding of the text structures of non-fiction. We’ve embarked on some non-fiction reading about extreme weather events, moved into a study of our US Constitution, finalized our informational writing about the American Revolution, started learning about energy transfer in science, and continued our study of US geography. Our Morning Announcements Project continues to challenge each student to be a good writer and speaker, and students recently began taking even more ownership of this project as they made some of their own format changes to our daily program and began experimenting with GarageBand to change up our accompanying music. Yes, the light is returning, and it’s energizing us in wonderful ways! These next few months will fly by, and we are working to make every moment count! BRRRRRRR!
1/11/2020
As temperatures in Anchorage hit the negative single digits for a full week, PNA fifth graders headed back to school after a relaxing winter break! The best way to sum up our week is… BRRRRR! Being in school full time after two weeks of late nights and sleeping in proved to be challenging AND fun! Students were happy to see their friends, enjoyed drawing with charcoal in Art class, playing floor hockey in Gym class, and discovering “Apples to Apples Junior” during break time. By Wednesday everyone was dragging a bit, but they dug deep and finished the week strong! Reese from Australia joined us for a day to learn about PNA. We had fun getting to know her! Reading logs moved online. Students track their reading each morning in our online Google sheet. This allows them to see their progress and make decisions about their reading goals. We also started using an online form to report about finished books. Recess was indoors all but once this week. Many bodies packed the gym at recess time! Reading workshop took a backseat to writing workshop as everyone worked to bring their American Revolution informational books to a satisfying conclusion. Peer editors made suggestions for revision via “comments” in Google Docs, and then students used cool techniques in Google Slides to publish their books. Lots of new tech learning this week! Rug space opened up in our classroom. Our big screen was mounted on the wall over the break, and there is now more space in the classroom for circle time, game playing, and stretching out. Mrs. Henke is hunting the town’s stores for a nice rug for our new open space! Reading the Weather, Reading the World is the name of our next reading unit, which dovetails nicely with our continued science study of Earth’s systems. Students will turn their attention to the skills and strategies of reading informational books about weather and other natural disasters while exploring the interactions of Earth’s atmosphere with other systems. A trip to the NOAA Weather Station is in our future! The air was bracing, the landscape beautiful, and the students busy this week: a memorable beginning to a great new year! Cracking the Code...
12/16/2019
Though we often think of smart phones and laptops when we hear the word “technology,” that term is more broadly defined than that. In fact, technology is any application scientific knowledge for practical purposes. It includes machines, but it also includes techniques and processes; early human technology included the wheel and the hammer. In a school context, slates and chalk gave way to pencils, which became pen and ink. Throughout human history, technological advances have ushered in new eras, new industries, and both negative and positive impacts. When I was attending college to prepare for my teaching career, I was required to take a class on “instructional technology.” In this class, I learned how to effectively use tools such as an overhead projector, an opaque projector, and a 16 mm film projector to enhance my instruction. Then, as a new teacher, I learned how to use the technology of the mimeograph machine to create my own handouts and parent newsletters, and I spent many an evening removing purple mimeograph ink from my hands. In fact, if you are older (like me), you might find this image humorous and familiar at the same time: Throughout the ensuing years, new technologies constantly changed the way I taught and the things I asked my students to do. Overhead projectors became interactive whiteboards; typewriters were replaced with word processors; tape recorders became CDs and then MP3 players; TV shows evolved into video tapes, then DVDs, then video streamed on demand. In the last year or so, my use of the whiteboard and marker has reduced significantly as I learned to use my iPad and Apple Pencil. Every few years the technology changed, and there were new things to learn and new ways to enhance the educational experience. The biggest change of all was the introduction of personal computers. Computers have impacted our world in revolutionary ways. Computers can represent our physical reality as a virtual world, and they can follow instructions to manipulate that world. Ideas, images, and information are translated into bits of data and processed in infinitely creative ways. Computers are more than just a tool: they are a medium for creative personal expression and critical problem solving. As computers became more and more ubiquitous and user friendly, I enjoyed the challenge of helping students of all ages understand how to use them effectively and responsibly. We created music and video, made our own slide shows, created art and spreadsheets. And yet, there was a missing component to my curriculum: actual computer science. Computer science is the field of understanding why computers work and how to create those technologies., as well as the related rights, responsibilities, and applications. Instead of being passive consumers of computing technologies, students also needed to learn to be active producers and creators. Why? Well, learning to code is not just for coders. Computer science has driven innovation in every field, and is powering approaches to many of our world’s toughest challenges. Computer science in this century opens more doors than any other discipline. Learning the basics will help students in any career—from architecture to zoology. 71% of all US jobs require digital skills. And high-skilled computing occupations are the fastest-growing, and now the largest sector, of all new wages in the US. Just as they learn how to write an essay or how electricity works, it’s important for every 21st century student to have a chance to design an app and learn how the internet works. These are critical literacies in their world and the key to solving problems and creating things we can't even imagine. How exciting it is to help them crack the code of the future! |
Elizabeth FerryMs. Ferry's experiences include teaching with the Peace Corps in Tanzania, teaching high school English in Maine, and this is her second year at PNA. She loves moose, outdoor activities, and being with her students. Archives
April 2021
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