Those bright, light shades of green bursting forward in the springtime get me every time. It got me thinking about the power of environments. I remember living in Los Angeles years ago and feeling an ache in my chest when the rolling California hills were bare and brown. I was spoiled by a lush and green childhood in the upstate of South Carolina, and those neutral shades of dirt and dust had the same impact on me that many associate with winter grays or cities who live under constant rain and cloud cover. The presence of one color, the right flora and fauna, and I’m a new girl.
Though I can’t always find the perfect environment, being aware of what my environment needs leads to productive problem solving. I’ve learned to walk my dogs to escape writer’s block, put a record on to get house cleaning done in a flash, and only visit Southern California during super blooms 🙂
So what is that magic environment adjustment for our kids? I’ve seen the wonders of playing a low hum of jazz on class speakers, adjusting the lighting in my room, offering a bean bag chair for reading time, or learning outdoors. The Cooper School is a school that has always taken ‘environment’ seriously, and I think the thoughtful choices we make in every classroom are often the foundations of productivity and fun. I encourage everyone to think outside the box about what sparks safety, comfort, joy, or focus for your kiddo! Is it a shade of green, a genre of music, or just tidying up so they can feel clear? Do they need a change of scenery or do they need to see the same sights and sounds each day? It might be a fun creative exercise for your family to experiment with your environment and see what it does for you.
-MK
Math:
This week, 5th graders learned how to classify and sort quadrilaterals and triangles. Next week, we’ll begin wrapping up this SHORT unit and take a test on Thursday, March 27th. They received a study guide on Wednesday, which is due next Wednesday!
ELA:
5th grade Shakespeareans finished their unit this week – we wrote sonnets carefully in cursive on hand pressed paper and completed our reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We began practicing our performances of these sonnets, looking forward to our Spread the Word event on April 9th at Highfalutin Coffee! Students also tested their vocabulary on Wednesday, so be sure to ask for those grades.
Next week, 5th grade will begin a novel study of the classic, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We will begin with historical context for the Jim Crow south and a close reading of character and setting in the exposition. They will also transition back to a two week grammar study with a test planned for April 11th.
Social Studies:
Fifth grade has done well with its work on Latin and South America. Once we complete this unit, students will be able to work on their first research paper in social studies. This paper will be on a subject that relates to the United States from a list of over one hundred topics I have shared with them. These range from people, to events and places. This will be a great introduction to historical papers for them and will be done mainly in class.
Science:
Fifth graders dove right into chemistry this week! They learned about the difference between physical and chemical reactions by exploring oobleck! They also learned about how to make glue and witness a chemical reaction! They also finished up their first element slide on the interactive periodic table. Next week, they will continue to learn about the elements around us!
Important Dates:
March 31st-April 4th – Spring Break
April 9th- Spread the Word (11:30 Dismissal)
Upcoming Assessments and Deadlines:
Sonnet due date 3/21
Math Test 3/27
