Welcome to Patty's Class

June 15, 2008

I hope you are spending this summer doing everything that makes you happy, keeps you healthy, and recharges your batteries. I can't wait to share stories with you in the Fall.
Patty

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
-I. Ghandi
 

May 22, 2008

• Amidst all the end of the year hustle and bustle, the students, Catherine, Jodie and I all had the most incredible experience as participants in our Ellis Island simulation. Please ask your your child what it was like walking in the shoes of the immigrants that traveled to our country not so very many years ago.
• Thank you for coming to the cultural fair----there is no better acknowledgment for hard work than your family's praise.
• We visit Reed's tree farm on Thursday for "Farm Aid"---which is another great activity for these guys. I know they'll tell you all about it. Amazing how the harder the job, the prouder the kids always seem to be of themselves.
• Have a great long weekend and double check those packing lists for camp---it may be chilly! 

May 8, 2008

• This week has shown me one of the hardest working bunch of students any teacher could ask for----I am so pleased to see all the kids tackling their responsibilities and completing such beautiful work---the big smiles on their faces at the end of the day tell me they are pretty proud of themselves too.
• Our 6th levels are busily putting finishing touches on their Cosmic Papers and are working diligently to complete "Cosmic Work---The Movie." This piece of work will premiere on Tuesday, May 20 at our evening Culture Fair and will have an encore presentation the first week of the June for the whole student body.
• This week finds our 5th levels digging deep in the annals of American History as they develop their own immigrant narratives in order to be allowed entrance to the U.S., during our Ellis Island simulation, circa 1913. They have been researching the plight of the hundreds of thousands of people that traveled to this country in the early 1900s and are understanding, more clearly, what an incredible melting pot of cultures we are.
• The 4th levels are nearly through with their own creative stories about time travel to the early 1800s in northern Michigan. Thursday was a sharing (and inspiration) day for those that have taken their stories through the four step writing process: 1. explore and gather historic names, places and events to add credibility to the story; 2. map and plan the chain of events using a plot line; 3. draft and expand on the framework of the plot line in a first writing; 4. polish and publish with the aid of an editor(s).
• Have a great week. I won't be writing next week as I'll be in Lansing with the 6th levels. Make sure you ask your 4th and 5th level students what they accomplished. 

May 1, 2008

• A few of our students have been able to add mentoring assistance in the lower elementary classrooms as a new community service. In their 1/2 hour visits, they have helped younger students research, read (and listen to readers), assisted with a variety of shelf work and have also offered scribing for the youngest. Our volunteers are tackling this job with enthusiasm and return to the classroom feeling great about their contributions.
• All of our students met with Reed Zitting, the Artist of the Month, on Monday for his presentation on Photoshop techniques---they had fun discovering many photo manipulation techniques and ended the session by creating collages with Marcia.
• As the fourth level students finish up their creative writing endeavors to follow up on their Au Sable Institute outing, the fifth levels are beginning genealogical research for an upcoming Immigration Simulation. Ask them how they will prepare to experience what many of their ancestors did as they set foot on Ellis Island.
• I hope all of you got the opportunity to see the beautiful chest Lisa Schulte inspired the children to paint for the fundraiser----it was beautiful and everyone had so much fun working on it. Thank you for your generosity of time and patience and the guidance necessary to corral 29 very different artists in order for them create one incredible piece of art work.

April 17, 2008

• I would like to thank our volunteer drivers, Carl Ferguson, Mike Long, Sean Skarshaug and Doug Porter for transporting our 3rd and 4th level students to the AuSable Institute this past Monday. I hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did.
• The 6th levels and I would also like to thank Amy Ferguson for her recent help in dissecting a cow brain with us. There aren't many 6th graders that can say a pathologist guided them through a science dissection lab---what a great learning opportunity and chance to have so many questions answered.
• Our 5th level students are taking a break from their research on animal vital functions and are growing their own living organisms (bacteria they have collected at various locations around school). They are hypothesizing where they believe the most bacteria can be found, doing some experimentation with hand sanitizers, and are waiting for their cultures to become evident so further microscopic work can take place.
• 4th level students are following up on there "trip back in time" at the Au Sable Institute by writing historical fiction stories. They are starting this work by compiling lists of period language and activities to serve as prompts for their writing.
• Catherine provided the students with a wonderful opportunity to showcase their poetry at our second whole school "Poetry Jam" on Wednesday. Of the many poems that were presented, I was so pleased to see the large number of students that choose to share their own poetry. We even had several students read poems they selected from the book of poetry Catherine just got published---hurrah!
• Next Friday, April 25th, will find the entire school celebrating the onset of warm weather with our annual "Spring Fling." Your kids may bring in: frisbees, baseball mitts and balls, skateboards (with helmets and/or pads), roller skates, kites, etc. for our afternoon of fun. As always, labeling items is a great idea. 

April 10, 2008

• The students have begun rehearsals for their musical production. It will be presented at 7:00 P.M. April 22, in the Barn
• The Michigan History teams are finishing up their projects and have begun presenting work to the class.
• The Sixth level students are doing research on the Central Nervous System in preparation for a brain dissection next week, and experiments in class for a better understanding of the Peripheral Nervous System.
• A big thank you to all the fourth level families that participated in our Human Growth and Development Pizza Night----thanks for helping make it such a special event. 

March 27, 2008

• This week marks the end of our Human Growth and Development focus with the 4th level students. I am really looking forward to sharing with them all the wonderful letters you are sending at our evening get together, April 9th.
• All the students have begun Michigan History team projects. They have distributed the tasks of information gatherer, time line maker, map maker, illustrator, scribe and narrator amongst themselves and will be presenting the week of April 7th. The areas of study are:

Early Native American Tribes
Explorers and Missionaries
Michigan's involvement in the Civil War and Slavery
Michigan Government and Industry
Transportation and Inventions 

• As all the upper elementary students continue their study in Human Growth and Development (HG & D in planners), we have redirected our focus from the subtle internal changes they can come to expect to the outward and most visible signs of maturity. . ..manners. This week we have introduced and practiced phone etiquette, making proper introductions, table manners, writing thank you notes, and general common courtesies that demonstrate the growing awareness young adults have of their surroundings. The goal, now, is that once each has shown an understanding of our culture's manners, your children will begin to implement them more and more consistently as they move toward adolescence.
• The fifth levels have taken their first "real, graded test" in Reproduction within the animal kingdom. Here are some of the terms they studied: gametes, regeneration, gestation, spontaneous generation, oviparous, viviparous and cell differentiation.
• The sixth levels are continuing their study of genetics. Practice with Punnett squares is allowing them to see how probability figures into the passing on of traits. Terms they have learned: dominant vs. recessive, heterozygous, homozygous, alleles, mutations, phenotypes and genotypes.
• I'm looking forward to meeting with fourth graders and their parents at our "Human Growth and Development" evening Wednesday, April 9th. I hope you have all received your letter from Michele detailing this and are having fun writing your letters to the kids . . .I mean, young adults. 

February 28, 2008 

• Thank you for attending the Children's Theater performance. We all hope you enjoyed it.
• I'm looking forward to talking with all of you at conference time. Don't hesitate to send me an email with any questions I can address at the meeting. I'm also looking forward to the Sixth grade student led conferences with mom and dad.
• We have just finished our "History Quiz Bowl" and it was amazing to see how much your children learned in order to prepare themselves for this event. Have them ask you some of the questions to see how you would have done.
• This week marked the beginning of our student generated U.S. history projects---I have received almost all of the proposals and am excited about the topics and follow through they have chosen. 

February 21, 2008

The Children's House Upper Elementary Class
Cordially invites you to attend
The Fourth Annual

Children's Theater Production

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008
7:00 P.M.  The Barn

Starring: Your Amazing Children
Directed by: Reed Zitting

February 14, 2008

• Happy Valentine's Day. We have been having so much fun with our "Secret Valentines" this year. We have had three clue giving opportunities and all the students have put a great deal of time and effort into making that one "secret" classmate feel special.
• This week the students continue their rehearsals with Reed. The 5th levels all chose to audition for their roles in "The Sneetches," the cast is now memorizing lines and rehearsing every afternoon.
• On Thursday, we had the good fortune of hearing famed violinist Stass Pronin in a private performance in the Barn.
• The 4th and 5th levels are busily completing the research necessary to create maps depicting a variety of historic events that took place in our country between the 18th and 19th centuries.  

February 7, 2008

• This week the 4th level students began their annual Upper Elementary theater work with Reed Zitting. They were introduced to some technical aspects of acting---sub-text, "believability," and improvisation. Reed had as much fun with the group as they had with him and his first impression of these kids as a group was that "they're dynamite!" Reed is auditioning the 5th levels for their involvement with the production and will also be working with the 6th levels as they revive their nursery rhyme production from earlier this year. The production date is set for Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 7:00 p.m. in the Barn.
• All the students took the QUIC standardized test for math and communicative arts Monday and Tuesday. They all went into it feeling comfortable and took the atypical nature of it in stride.
• We need to give all our 2008 County Spelling Bee participants a huge round of applause---Erik Anton, Aaron Kostrzewa, Anela Oh, and Katie Deisler, who became one of the top seven finalists that are now eligible for the Regional Spelling Bee. Her final word was "pompadour." 

January 24, 2008

• After a grueling, tie-breaking match between Channing Bornschein and Erik Anton for the sixth position in the Spelling Bee, Erik has earned the chance to move on to the County Spelling Bee. Their match lasted many additional rounds and took us nearly through the end of the word list---congratulations to both for their additional and very hard work. The six finalists will be sharing the stage with many other students from Grand Traverse County on Feb. 4th, at 6:30 P.M., at Cornerstone Academy if you would like to be there to cheer them on.
• The students have been using a new "daily work log" to help keep them on task. Please talk to your child about how successful the day was and how well he/she adhered to the morning's plan.
• The 4th levels have had a lesson on the beautiful Biome material we received as gifts from our Wish List. They are excitedly learning about the flora, fauna, climates and cultures of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• 4th and 5th level students have chosen famous historic people to portray (in a visually creative manner) for their classmates. Many are choosing to "become" the person in dress, speech, and mannerisms as they present what their contributions were to the development of our country. 

January 17, 2008

• I would like to thank all the participants of our 5th Annual Whole School Spelling Bee. I am always amazed at how comfortably our kids tackle what appears to be such a nerve wracking event to those in the audience. I am, again, most impressed by the kindness and helpfulness the children extended to each other---as much as this was an incredible individual challenge for each-- there was also a strong community atmosphere throughout the practice sessions and final Bee.
• I hope those of you that came to watch saw the genuine congratulations that were given -- the pats on the back and the smiles on the faces of the courageous students that sat in those chairs in front of all of us. Aaron Kostrzewa, Katie Deisler, Anela Oh, Spencer Schulte, and Gabi Whaley are our 5th and 6th level students that are now able to go on to the county Spelling Bee, Feb. 4th. 

January 10, 2007

• Happy New Year!
• We have the pleasure of welcoming new student, Anela Oh, to our 5th grade group. She has moved here from Arizona and is a Montessori school transfer----each of the students has been very helpful toward making Anela feel welcome and comfortable in the classroom. I'm looking forward to having everyone meet mom and dad, soon.
• Many 5th level students incorporated a fish dissection into their taxonomy work this week. We were able to detect organs from the digestive, respiratory and nervous systems.
• The 6th levels have begun an investigation into the integumentary system----our skin is the largest organ in our body and could cover, on average, 22 sq. ft. Ask them about the many things something as simple sounding as our "skin" does for us.
• 4th level students have begun a section on chemistry and will be practicing the scientific method with weekly experiments. This week's experiment involved polymers and their ability to restructure their celluar formation.
• Recently, we discussed our "Bill of Rights" and discovered that there were many "but, what if's" that came up----I referred all the kids to their parents---hopefully, for some interesting conversations about the laws that form our constitution. 

December 13, 2007

• The sixth level students have been rehearsing a nursery rhyme themed presentation to perform for the student body on Friday, Dec. 14 at 1:00. Marc Alderman's drumming group will also give a short presentation to demonstrate some of the techniques they have practiced.
• The students have been given a spelling bee word list to prepare for the upcoming in-class spelling bee after the holiday break. We will also offer a whole school spelling bee in early January. The top 5th and 6th grade spellers from this event will have the opportunity to go on to the regional bee on January 16th. Practice for our class' bee will replace our typical spelling/vocabulary work. This is a wonderful opportunity for you moms and dads to brush up on your own spelling as you help your child prepare.
• Despite every attempt to persuade Marc to reconsider, this Friday will be his last day with us. Marc has been such a great addition to our classroom----we'll all be sorry to see him leave. The students and I all wish him the very best of luck as he sets off on his own path as an educator.
• Our 6th grade "Kids' Night Out" business is offering a one-time-only holiday matinee Saturday, Dec. 15th, "The Polar Express" from 12:00-3:00 in the barn. They want to offer your kids a fun place to be while you attend to your holiday preparations or shopping. The cost is $15.00 for one child, and $10.00 per each additional sibling. What a great way to support our 6th graders' fundraising business and take care of business yourself. 

December 6, 2007

• Thank you to the parents that attended the informational meeting last week. If any questions went unanswered, don't hesitate to call or e-mail. I would also like to thank Angela and Frank Petty for hosting the gathering----you two went way above and beyond the call of the homeroom parent's role.
• The sixth level students had their first meeting with Reed Zitting in preparation for their upcoming stage performance.
• We are beginning discussions about the U.S. Constitution and the separation of powers. Students will also attempt to translate the Bill of Rights into age appropriate vernacular.
• Please keep Sara Skarshaug in your thoughts and prayers as she travels to Ann Arbor next week for another reconstructive surgery.

November 29, 2007

• Fourth levels have been introduced to a new simple machine, the screw, an extension of the inclined plane. This is being added to their simple machine "trading cards" which are being created for each device they study.
• Fifth level students are steadily tackling the body systems of their chosen animals. Did you know tree kangaroos must process food in four stomachs in addition to regurgitating their food once (using reverse peristalsis) in order to completely digest what has been eaten? Did you know snails are both male and female? How about the fact that worms breathe through their skin? Ask your fifth level what respiration means---I'm sure you'll be surprised.
• Sixth levels are moving throughout H.A.P. (Human Anatomy & Physiology) and are currently focused on the skeletal system. In addition to creating poster sized displays from the research they are collecting, they are also enjoying the exploration of symmetry and proportion in their own skeletal systems (ala Michelangelo).
• It was a pleasure talking with everyone at conference time. Thank you for coming in. 

November 16, 2007

• I would like to extend many thanks and hugs to our incredibly generous families. It was like Christmas morning here when our Horizon books came in---the students loved the selections and have already signed many out for personal reading. Thank you, thank you, thank you -from all of us.
• Despite the condensed week, the students were busy trying to meet the weekly requirement challenges that they set for themselves. And no, math homework is not lost or forgotten, it has been N/A'd for Thanksgiving week. Make sure to ask them what their new homework is for the week.
• Lisa Johansson has been preparing the kids for a short musical presentation to be given after our harvest feast. I hope everyone remembers to bring in their contribution for the "Stone Soup" on Monday---I'll have a list of ingredients at our conferences. I'm looking forward to talking with you. 

November 8, 2007

• Ask your fourth grader what a simple machine can do for us. They areundertaking a variety of tasks to understand this concept----buildingmodels, doing research, designing problems and seeking solutions insmall groups.
• Fifth level students were given a general rubric to follow as theyresearch how the animals they've chosen meet their nutritional needs.These terms were introduced: ingestion, digestion, excretion andegestion.
• The 6th level students practiced diagramming sentences usingpredicate nominatives and have also begun further cell work with theintroduction of the four main cellular groups in the human body:nerve, muscle, connective and epitheleal.

November 1, 2007