While the cooler weather hasn’t arrived quite yet, we are getting into the Fall spirit at The Cooper School. This week, the students have begun to brainstorm ideas for the Halloween Carnival. The committees have been set and the excitement is building. Students have chosen which booths they will run for the elementary school, decorations for the carnival, and costume awards for grades Kindergarten through 4th. 

In addition to carnival prep, the middle school took a trip to Fort Sumter this week. The students thoroughly enjoyed visiting and exploring a National Park while they are currently in the midst of creating one of their own! They were part of a special flag raising ceremony and they received many compliments from bystanders!

Here’s a look at what is happening in each of the classes: 

What’s happening in Science:

The trip to Fort Sumter fostered lots of ideas for projects! Things that were a hit, such as the fun gift shop, useful plaques, and preserved areas will be incorporated into some of the developer’s National Parks. However, some of the things Fort Sumter was lacking, such as the need for more interpretation, more descriptive maps, and the lack of friendly rangers brought about interesting conversations about the importance of small details while they are finishing up their models and moving onto their presentations. 

These maps and models look so good! I am very proud of the level of professionalism, effort, and creativity that everyone is bringing every day to class!

What’s up in Math?

This week, mathematicians began to explore the area of rectangles with fractional side lengths. I am seeing great mastery of multiplying whole numbers by fractions. We are now moving into multiplying mixed numbers by whole numbers. The students are curious and inquisitive about the process and are engaged with the lesson. It excites me to see them motivated to learn. We are starting to wrap up Unit 2, the students have a Unit 2 Assessment next Friday. 

What’s happening in ELA:

This week fifth grade students have been perfecting their “narrative craft.” At the beginning of this week, students completed an assessment of their writing. Parents, you’ve got writers! I needed to know their writing ability so that I could measure their growth at the end of this writing unit. They’ve also explored how to generate story ideas by thinking of places and people that matter to them. Students have 10 minutes of writing and 15 minutes of reading for homework assignments. Next week, they will start their two weeks rotation of grammar skills.

Important Dates:

October 18th & 19th: Fall Break NO SCHOOL

October 29th: Halloween Carnival  11:30 Dismissal