This month, in English Language Arts we dove into our first novel, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan! Students are really enjoying following Percy Jackson’s epic quest, and have identified Percy’s strengths and weaknesses by close reading. They also have familiarized themselves “The Hero’s Journey” and have begun thinking about the ways their favorite movie, book, or TV show fall into “The Hero’s Journey” archetype.
In science, students have been investigating different properties of light, namely reflection and scattering. Through experimentation, readings, model building and classroom discussion, students have determined the conditions necessary to see and are now refining their ideas to answer more complex questions about how light interacts with matter. In the next few weeks, students will explore concepts of refraction, transmission, and absorption before we dive into studies of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In math, students are reconstructing word problems to make sense of them in the context of LCM (least common multiple) and GCF (greatest common factor). Templates like factor trees and factor rainbows are being used to aid in these activities. We are also reviewing comparing whole numbers on a number line and connecting it to the real world. Finally, we are continuing the conversation around the question “does my answer make sense?”
Lastly in Social Studies, we are wrapping up our geography unit. We will be completing our virtual brochures this month. Students will pick a country to research and create a travel guide to that country for residents of Cambridge. In completing this project, students will learn research strategies as well as discuss our essential question: why does where matter?