Table talk questions of the day:

??? Who is your new big buddy?  What 3 things do you have in common? What did you do together?
(Watch for beautiful photos to be uploaded some time this weekend.)

??? What scenario did you have to consider related to volcanoes?
??? How did you use multiple perspectives?
??? How were ethics involved?
??? Which question did you rank as most important ? Was that the same as your group? the whole class?
??? Which question did you rank as least important (5)? Was that the same as your group? the whole class?
??? What did Madison's mom do with you? How did it relate to your scenario?

The discussions of igneous rocks were so filled with the language of geologists this week! It was so obvious who watched the videos. Since I pick them for particular purposes, it's fun to see who uses the information in discussions before any questions are posed. Once again, the children led the conversation about igneous rocks. They taught me about intrusive vs. extrusive rocks (in the video :) ), other websites they visited (awesome job families!), and are so enthusiastic about rocks.

As you know, this week we focused on igneous rocks. Next week will involve sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. As geologists, we are researching and collecting data about the three types of rocks right now. We will apply that knowledge to the rock museum they plan to create. :) You may have heard that they were not willing to part with their volcanoes, so they are currently displayed in a volcano museum.  It's a good thing we have such an amazing room! :0

Since my printer ran out of ink again, the homework had to be created and copied at school. Therefore, you'll notice that the site urls and inquiry question are missing on the homework pages. It was either this or not send homework home until Monday. Tim Gunn mode kicked in to "make it work" so the families that rely on the weekend can use the time together. The inquiry question and videos are on the "Flipped" page. :)

Spelling City turned out to have a few bonuses for us. They loved the games this week from what they've shared. Best of all, when they took their tests on the iPads they received instant feedback. Since it shows the words missed right away, they had the most maximized learning opportunities to compare their spelling with the correct spelling. Your child recorded his/her score on a sticky note which is in the folder. Just a reminder that the words stay the same through next week, so feel free to move onto the alternate list for game practice next week. The test next Friday will be the review dictation format. Bonus for them: instant feedback. Bonus for the designer of an entirely new school year and methodology to apply research: instant grading. :) Thank you!

FYI - For those of you reading this on a smartphone, please find the enrichment links that appear to the left of the main page when viewed on a tablet or computer. Each week a great deal of time is spent searching for useful and fun enrichment simulations or interactive sites to bring the learning alive. This will greatly enrich your child's learning. This week there is a Virtual Rock Lab that will directly prepare your child for our "What's My Rock?" rock identification activity while preparing our rock museum. It allows your child to examine, label, gather information, then identify different types of rocks. Enjoy!

FYI - Spelling City games can replace the Spelling Selections if you choose. The time might better be spent on family time, outdoor activities before the weather gets too cold, and/or the enrichment games attached to the left or in the "Interactive Learning" section of the site.   :)

Have you noticed? Our homework is applying all areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and mirrors our classroom activities. :) If that is not familiar as a worldwide goal, it will be very soon. :) Best of all - we are all having sooooooo much fun! A true love of learning and building upon natural curiosity at this age will give your children an advantage over peers in their future. (If your brain thought "change over time" - Congratulations!)

 STEM in our homework:
- science and technology - Inquiry and Flipped each week
- technology - Spelling City, interactive learning, true research for the inquiry question
- engineering - building volcanoes, creating earthquakes, virtual rock lab, designing, simulations
- math
** Add emphasis on reading nonfiction which we do in class but will not arrive home until Time for Kids arrives. :)