October 7 - 11, 2019

After wrapping up our investigation and final presentations on Volcano Farming, we are now ready to move on to a new investigation!  What causes climates to be so different across the Earth? Over the course of the next 6 weeks, students will be investigating weather, climate, winds, air masses, and ocean currents in order to determine how our global climate is affected by these things.  In Math we will continue to expand on our understanding of scale and proportion. Remember that practice can be found on KhanAcademy in the Illustrative Math section!

Monday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Thought Exercise: Analyzing Algorithms

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scale Drawings and Maps (Illustrative Math) (KhanAcademy)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Tuesday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Thought Exercise: Translating Expressions and Equations

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scales Without Units (Illustrative Math) (Khan Academy)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Wandering Wednesday

Science Block

Today we will wander outside to the Howard building where we will sit with our partners and contemplate our new question “What causes climates to be so different across the Earth?”  We will use our previous brainstorm of our current understanding and the smaller questions we created to plan our groups’ specific approach. Students will see an example product based on the current rubric.  Please note that on Wandering Wednesdays, as with every school outing, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices! Unless severe weather is in the area, we will do our excursions, rain or shine.

Thursday

Science Block

Students will begin researching their project with their peers.  Their research project will culminate in a product that will demonstrate their understanding of the new project Rubric. There are so many different products to choose from! Here are 72 Creative Ways to Show What You Know! Finally, we will be setting up our projects for the Exhibition Night, including our super secret fundraising project!

FriYAY!

Students continue to work on their FriYAY projects! 

September 30 - October 4, 2019

UPDATE: Because of our project extension, we did not get to our math topics last week.  Therefore, I have adjusted the info below to reflect the changes! Additionally, Fri-Yay info has been updated as well.

After wrapping up our investigation and final presentations on Volcano Farming, we are now ready to move on to a new investigation!  What causes climates to be so different across the Earth? Over the course of the next 6 weeks, students will be investigating weather, climate, winds, air masses, and ocean currents in order to determine how our global climate is affected by these things.  In Math we will continue to expand on our understanding of scale and proportion. Remember that practice can be found on KhanAcademy in the Illustrative Math section!

Monday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Thought Exercise: Translating Expressions and Equations

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scaling Factors (Illustrative Math) (KhanAcademy) and Scaling Area (Illustrative Math) (KhanAcademy)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Tuesday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scale Drawings (Illustrative Math)(Khan Academy) and Creating Scale Drawings (Illustrative Math) (KhanAcademy)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Wandering Wednesday

Science Block

Today we will wander to a coffee shop to begin discussing our new question “What causes climates to be so different across the Earth?”  We will brainstorm our current understanding and direct our investigation by creating smaller questions. We will also review the rubric for our next project.  Please note that on Wandering Wednesdays, as with every school outing, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices! Unless severe weather is in the area, we will do our excursions, rain or shine.

Thursday

Science Block

Students will be presenting their project to their peers for peer feedback.  While watching, students will be required to complete a grading rubric. Once they are done receiving feedback, students will journal about their project and group experience.

FriYAY!

Students will finalize their photojournalism projects.  Then they will begin creating their reused resources they got at Turnip Green last week to create their artwork.

September 23 - 27, 2019

Because of a brief delay, we are extending the project deadline!  This week we are presenting our rough
drafts to each other and provide feedback in Science!  Next Tuesday we will present all of our learning in
their final formats! In Math we will continue to expand on our understanding of scale and proportion.  

Monday (Shortened because of Bus Experience)

Math Block

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Thought Exercise: Translating Expressions and Equations

Tuesday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scale Factors (Illustrative Math Lesson) (Khan Academy)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Wandering Wednesday

Science Block

Today we will be wandering outside for a quick walk and then back inside as we will be in final
preparation for our Science Presentations!

Thursday

Science Block

Students will be finishing up their final Science project reflecting changes based upon peer feedback. 
The presentations next Tuesday are going to be so exciting!  

FriYAY!

Students will begin working on a new Fri-yay project!  More details to come.

September 16 - 20, 2019

Building on our understanding of equivalencies, we will explore ratios, proportion and scale.  Learning Targets and Family Support Materials for this topic are available via Illustrative Mathematics.  We will also continue to develop our understanding of interdependence and how our environments affect us and how we affect our environments.  

Monday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Analyzing Algorithms

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Size of Scale Factor (Illustrative Math Lesson 5)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Tuesday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scaling and area (Illustrative Math Lesson 6)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Wandering Wednesday

Science Block

As we begin to understand our learnings about our driving question, it is now time to share with the class! Students will be preparing today to present their learnings to their peers.  Their peers will provide feedback that will be phrased as Glows, the strong aspect, and the Grows, areas for improvement. After receiving feedback, students will have one additional week to refine their project!   Class will take place in conference room at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. Please note that on Wandering Wednesdays, as with every school outing, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices!  Unless severe weather is in the area, we will do our excursions, rain or shine.

Thursday

Science Block

Students will be presenting their project to their peers for peer feedback.  Once they are done receiving feedback, students will have the opportunity to reflect and make any desired changes in preparation for final presentations next week!

FriYAY!

Students continue to work on their FriYAY Photojournalism projects!  This week, we will be organizing our photos and finalizing our essays in preparation for submission!

September 9 - 13, 2019

Building on our understanding of equivalencies, we will explore ratios, proportion and scale.  Learning Targets and Family Support Materials for this topic are available via Illustrative Mathematics.  We will also continue to develop our understanding of interdependence and how our environments affect us and how we affect our environments.  

Monday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Thought Exercise: Translating Expressions and Equations

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scale and Proportion (Illustrative Math Lesson #1)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Tuesday

Math Block

Thought Exercise: Number Line

Concept Study: Proportional Thinking - Scale and Proportion (Illustrative Math Lesson #2)

Studio: Proportional Thinking

Thought Exercise: 100s Chart

Wandering Wednesday

Science Block

We will continue to discuss the question “Why would people risk the danger of eruption and live and farm near volcanoes?”  We will be taking the bus to the Farmer’s Market to explore our topic and learn about the benefits and pitfalls of urban gardening.  Using the information from Brainstorms 1-3, we will be finalizing our remaining questions to understand how photosynthesis, the water cycle, the life cycle, and the carbon cycle are all affected. We will use this information to further our understanding of our question.  Please note that on Wandering Wednesdays, as with every school outing, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices! Unless severe weather is in the area, we will do our excursions, rain or shine.

Thursday

Science Block

Using our technology, we will continue to formulate our hypothesis of why people would live and farm on a volcano.  We will work together to create a full understanding and begin working on a presentation of the information we have discovered!  Students may also begin to develop ideas of improvements to the current situation which will also be explored!

FriYAY!

Students continue to work on their FriYAY projects! This week, we will learn about what makes a photo more visually interesting as well as how to how to storyboard our photo essay.