Finding the deeper learning

This week in Math we learned that math is all around us. We learned this when we read about hexagons and talked about how you use it all the time in your life to do simple things. 

In writing we learned that you need to describe how you feel to make a level 1 writing to a level 2 or 3. (Level 1,2,3 writing means how interesting is it) We learned this when we heard Ms. Lezlie's story about biting her tongue, as well we read Patricia Polacco books to help us.

In art we learned how to paint print. It's important because you can print with your hands instead of a machine. In P.E. we invented games.

Aleksandras tries the game he, Benas, Elena, Nora and Veronika have created

Sofija, Sofia, Antanas, Steven and Eva discuss what will be the next level of this game they're creating

Yelyzaveta explains her group's game to the audience while Yigit, Krista, Rojus and Migle demonstrate how it's played

In the park at first we did an exercise we had to choose a partner and when Ms.Alie and Ms.Lezlie 

said a number we had to do a different action with our bodies. Then we got to have free play.  

Grades 4A and 4L participate in a silly energiser to get moving on this cold, wet day at the park

Krista finds a creative method to capture a cattail near the pond for Polina as Eva and Basel look on

Basel feeling ready to wrangle some cattails!

Nora, Mante and Elena enjoy playing with umbrellas in the wind 

Everyone jumps right into their games and play, which is very different from our first visits to this park

by Benas and Eva

It's been a whole month together as a classroom community in 4L. This week, we spent time looking for the learning that is deeper than the surface. We tried to go beyond the facts to what will actually stay with us as learners and pinpoint the times we learned deeply this week. 

In unit, we looked inward to continue evaluating our own participation during teamwork. We built structures made of marshmallows and knives. Even if we were successful with our structure, we went back to our student-made rubric to decide what we could've done better as far as personal participation, and we tried two or three more times. We also practiced self-evaluation during PE where we created and presented team games. We're discovering the value of taking time to evaluate and reflect on learning as we note what sticks with us and why. 

Sofija, Eva, Aleksandras, Steven, Gerda and Benas showcase their solution to the challenge

Yigit, Migle, Antanas, Elena, Veronika and Krista proudly display their solution

Nora, Yelyzaveta, Sofia, Basel, Shourya and Rojus pose by their solution

Sometimes self-evaluation makes us realise we could have done better and that's not always easy to feel vulnerable

This team has gone through to decide what they could have done better collectively and built a new structure trying to implement their goals of making sure EVERY voice on their team is heard

This team is going through their rubric to decide what they could do better in the next round

In mathematics this week, we took a MAP test. We also created our own math games to help with subtraction, which is what we've been working on during class number talks. We're learning new and exciting ways to think about math when we hear our classmates share problem solving strategies we'd never thought of! We also continued our study of geometry as we reviewed how to describe polygons using mathematical properties. 

Krista and Elena create separate games for each other to play

Benas, Migle and Nora have created a game that is quite challenging- good thing they are so supportive of one another!

Sofija and Veronika play Subtraction Top-It 

One of our number talks this week was 24-9. We are beginning to get creative with our problem solving strategies

In language arts, we took another MAP test. We also spent time talking about how punctuation has a purpose in both reading and writing. We practiced reading together and using what we noticed during reading in our daily writing. We talked about fluency as we read aloud  The Junkyard Wonders and My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother both by Patricia Polacco and used them as mentor texts for personal narratives. We shared some of our own stories and took inspiration from these sources to add to our writing territories. We have also been reading from our class read aloud called The One and Only Ivan. There were two sad events in the book this week that opened up some fascinating discussions about empathy. We also began studying phonics through games this week.

MAP testing in 4L

We continue to work to grow as a community in 4L. It is a wonderful thing to witness the new friendships blossoming between classmates! We've also become more willing to take risks with each other and to share some of our more personal stories in order to know each other better. We spent time contemplating when it's hard to be a friend and realised that we've all been in similar situations, and that matters because it helps us to be more patient and empathetic when we're struggling with friendships. 

Finally, we got to celebrate our friend Gerda's 10th birthday!