hero's journey..

During our third unit in Language Arts we work with the concept of "Hero's Now and Then" our writing is about fictional hero's and hero's in our life, and we read about real life hero's.  A new concept that is introduced in fifth grade is that of the hero's journey.  Where the main character goes out into the world, faces a challenge, resolves the challenge, and returns home changed.  Because it is new I start with a project using a picture book to detail a hero's journey.  To model I use the book "Where the Wild Things Are" this idea was given to me by our curriculum department, but do not know the resource they used.  I read the book to the students and then describe the five parts we will be working with, giving examples from the book.  Here is how I complete the Hero's Journey:

Main Character: Max

Goes Out Into the World: Max sails to the place where the wild things are

Faces Challenges:  1. The wild things roar their terrible roars, gnash their terrible teeth

                                       2.  Max starts missing home

Resolves Challenges: 1.  Max tells the wild things to "BE STILL" and becomes kings of all wild things

       2. Max sail back home

Returns Home Changed: Max realize that no matter how mad, angry, or upset he may get home is love and he is loved.

Students this year have done an amazing job with this project! A few examples below.

my day in history...

This is a social studies project that I created last year.  As with many concepts/ideas in content areas, curriculums seem to overlap from grade to grade...causing students to do many of the same projects throughout grade school.  Prime example the timeline.  My first two years teaching social studies I had students create a personal timeline of events that happened in their life, using pictures and graphics to display their events.  I thought they turned out great..so fun to see pictures of the students in events that impacted their life, until year 2 when I walked down the hallway and saw the same project next to the third grade doors.  Because timelines were in their curriculum as well and personal timelines seemed like a great project for them.  Knowing that I would be getting those students in two years I decided I needed to change up the project.  Timelines and chronology are a big part of the first unit in social studies so I didn't want to give up a project to extend the learning....and then this idea hit me. I had be in charge of producing the students news while I was the gifted support teacher and would give a day in history fact for each newscast, so I took this idea and correlated it to the chronological order study.  

Students research their birthday on the sites history.com and on-this-day.com.  I have them select four events which happened on their birthday that interest them to further research (to provide a detailed description of the event) and find a picture for that event.  As a model I created one myself and found it so interesting.  Students have to put the events in chronological order and they add their birthday as the fifth event, with a picture of them as a baby.  Still get the personal connection, still working with chronology, and now includes research skills and summarization skills.  Although, I do not always get the quality I expect, it lets me know that I need to do a little more on my part with a new rubric and some kind of graphic organizer to ensure my expectations are achieved.  This year I put their "Day's in History" in chronological order, which was neat to see who was the oldest to youngest in the class. (also helped with remembering birthdays!) 

                   

(A few examples of the more creative projects) 

microwhat....

since the fifth grade is one round I now teach ALL subjects...when I had a partner I taught social studies for my three years and she took science, and so I have entered the task teaching science.  I am finding it quite fun, but still getting used to the curriculum day by day.  The unit I am teaching now is on microscope use and care.  One of the first lessons is learning all the parts of a microscope and their functions.  I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the parts were named after human anatomy (eyepiece, body tube, arms, legs...) so while the students were studying for the microscope parts quiz I had them create characters out of a faint microscope outline, labeling the parts.  And I have to say my kids were pretty creative (the ones below are of a giraffe, school of fish, dancing turkey, anteater, and a squirrel) I love when new ideas work out better then planned!

it has expanded...

and the 'got book' graffiti wall has expanded! super cool to see that my kids have embraced it, along with reading all of these books.  down side is the new one is half way filled and the first quarter has just ended?? not sure where to do next...good problems though :)

first activity to share...

So I finally get to share an original activity that I created for our Multiplication chapter in math.  Not sure if any of you out there use the "ThinkMath!" program, but to say it's not the way of 'traditional' math, is an understatement.  This is my third year teaching it and my student this year were in 1st grade when it was introduced so they have basically gone through all years thus far with the program, which makes it easier for both of us.  But one thing that we've found ThinkMath! lacks is a foundation of basic math skills...(For that our district tech coordinator found a great FREE site named Xtra math.  Check it out if you are looking for a way to practice basic math facts on an individual level, thats NOT timed tests.)  Anyway, as I was driving home from a weekend to visit my sister in Pittsburgh I drove past 4 rainbows..and a thought occurred to me to create a 'multiples rainbow' to practice multiples!  I have attached the template I used, but feel free to take the idea and make it your own.  I focused on multiples of 6-12, since those seem to be the ones students struggle with most.  And it replaced my beginning of the year activity on my 'Mathtastic Board'.  My new goal is to create a way to illustrate each math chapter.  Already have an idea for our Factor chapter :) I'll share once I work on it a little more.

*ok still trying to get the hang of this, need to try and upload the template not on here yet*  :(

the fresh outdoors

First official field trip with 30 fifth graders by myself was a SUCCESS! not to mention it was a two day field trip! Sure we only rode less then five miles away from the school, but none the less we made it and the kids were great.  Each year we go to a local nature center, that I myself once went on a field trip to in elementary school, that spans over two days.  They provide great lessons that go along with our first unit of science, ecosystems, where the students participate in activities in a forest, field, and swamp environment...as well as, their favorite activity- orienteering their way through a path with compasses.  The only downfall of the whole experience were the chilly days. On Friday the high was only 50 degrees...but we go in the mornings and when you're under the cover of huge trees it seems like a frozen tundra (I tend to hyperbolize a little)...definitely had a few red cold hands by the time we came in.  But don't fret the sun appeared both days just as we were heading back to school :) 

A toad found (actually almost step on) in the woods, the class named him Stefano...have to admit the name immediately transferred me back to my days of watch "Days" :)

                                                       The walk back from the Swamp

Pictures of the 'Woods' from the field, the North sure is beautifully colored this time of year

LOL moment...

Just had to share a moment that gave me a good old fashion laugh today. So during social hour...i mean writing (it's an epidemic with fifth graders not wanting to write) anyway one of my boys was talking to another boy and here was the conversation the ensued:

Me: J stop talking to C

J: I wasn't talking to C, I was talking to Z

Me: Well then stop talking to Z

J: I mean I wasn't talking to Z, I was to M (said with a smirk)

to which M, who was working quietly and is a very introverted student replied, with a quick snap:
"No you were not"

Me: (after I recovered from laughing) Ohhhh snap, M just put you in your place

Probably a 'had to be there moment' but it made me laugh out and put a smile on my face...moment of joy today