Seidman's Sensations!

2012 is already the best!

What can we do to challenge ourselves until Target resumes in a few weeks? Read, read, read! Continue the discussion about Middle Age royalty, or research the Renaissance! Do you want to learn more about mythology? Me, too! My space enthusiasts will be amazed at all the recent discoveries astronomers are researching! So read, and learn, and come back ready to share all your news! I miss you!

 

HAPPY 2012 to you, wonderful students, and your families :-) Wishing you love, luck, joy, creativity and inspiration :-) throughout the new year! At the end of January, when testing is completed, new Target classes will be formed! Tentatively, fifth graders will meet on Tuesdays, and first graders will meet on Fridays. More to be announced! Our new standards-based units of study will inspire us to learn more about our past! My challenges for you until we meet again...
*Can you think of courageous heroes from history?
*Can you create your own math puzzle or game?
To divergent thinking in the new year, and always!

MONK DAYS!

Monks from the Middle Ages took vows of silence, and devoted their lives to prayer. Can you wear a simple belted robe or hooded shirt to represent the dress of those long ago days? Congratulations to the fifth graders who BECAME the historic figures they researched! In one classroom we had Joan of Arc, Henry I, and Queen Elizabeth! The oral and written reports shared last week were informative, and compelling! How many of us are going to want to delve deeper into the lessons of history?

Medieval Times a hit!!

Ask a fourth or fifth grader what they liked most about Medieval Times, and you may hear about dancing horses, battling knights, utensil-free feasts, or gallant nobility! Thanks to J and J, our special parent volunteers, for helping to make the day so special! I am especially proud of our Bells Ferry Target students' behavior, and enthusiasm! We learned first hand about the time beyond the Dark Ages...the Middle Ages!

2/3 EXTRATERRESTRIAL DAY, Wed., Nov 17th!

What is outside of our galaxy? Bring a dish to share with fourteen and a simple costume persuading us why your make-believe planet is better than most? Tell about the dark matter, dark energy, comets asteroids, etc. you researched! We can't wait to learn what you have created, described, and learned...!

Pre-Algebra

Congratulations, mathematicians! You made connections by solving for "x," our unknown quantity, balancing our scales, and discovering magic numbers! Yes, math IS fun!!!

CHARACTER DAY for 4th Grade changed to Dec 1st!

December 1st is the new Character Day for fourth grade! Please don't spend any money. What recyclables do you have around the house that would work for your costume? Creativity counts!

Middle Age Excursions & Diversions /Divergents!)

Thank you, Parents, for all of your wonderful support! What terrific advocates you are for your child's research and wonder! Some upcoming projects that your children will be doing as independently as possible....

November 1 and 3...CHARACTER DAYS! Dress up as your character, and become him/her! Tell us verbally all of the interesting, historical and anecdotal facts about your life! A two page report will accompany this verbal presentation. Research was started in school, and will be completed at home.

November 4th...MEDIEVAl TIMES, an additional Target day, in Lawrenceville!

November 13 and 17...MONK DAYS! We will not speak for a small part of our morning :-)

November 29, Dec 1...FEAST DAYS! We will each bring a food indicative of the Middle Ages, and will have a buffet!

Medieval Times Field Trip

Thank you, 4th and 5th grade parents, for signing permission slips for our November 4th field trip to Lawrenceville's Medieval Times. History will unfold from horseback as the hired Middle Age presenters will unfold the tale of feudalism. Lunch will be served without utensils, much as the custom was back in the 1066 time period. We are looking forward to learning more about knights and nobility, castles, and wars! Our "Medieval Times" magazines are gearing us up to inform us of these topics, and more!

Out of this WORLD, 2nd and 3rd graders!

Was Galileo wrong in thinking the universe is heliocentric? Why couldn't astronomers be satisfied with refracting, or reflecting, telescopes? What have been some of the challenges of the Hubble endeavor? What can space research teach us that will improve the quality of our life on our planet?

Students who REFLECT on their discoveries, and are able to tell their peers what they learned, and why, take more responsibility for their learning. Today's class discussion demonstrated that each second and third grader was able to show his/her classmates, how thoughts ensue!