GETTING YOUR KIDS TO TALK

The other day I was visiting a friend’s house whose child was notorious for being tight lipped about school. Her mother had just told me the other day how impossible it was to get her child to divulge the well guarded secrets of her day. Well in five minutes of talking to the kid I had her telling me everything from who she had crushes on, to who and why she had failed her math test. She was a fountain of information.

Her mother was shocked she’d never heard so much about her child’s daily school life. She asked me passionately how I made it happened.  Every day millions parents ask, “What’d you do at school today?”

“Nothing,” recites the choir of children in cars driving home all across the world.

It’s a common problem so here are a few reminders of how to get your kids talking:

1. Keep asking Questions

After your initial question even if you get that tell tail “nothing.” Keep asking “That must have been pretty boring?” or “It sound like you’re not liking school” are two great starts. You want clarity so keep probing for more information.

2. Stay Informed

Whatever communication is coming home from the teacher is an easy source of information into your child’s daily life. How are they feeling about the upcoming field trip or school event? How are they enjoying the read aloud book?

3. Change it up

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How are all questions words. Make sure you try to use all of them. Why was school so boring? Where did you play on the playground? Who made you angry today?

4. Follow up

If you child told you something in the car in the morning if you know there having a problem with another kid, make sure you keep updated. If they talked about it once they want to talk about it again.

Writers Workshop

Over the last few days, we have been working on putting our thinking into writing. It's been really interesting. When you talk to kids about what there thinking, they often give one word answers. During this unit, the kids are really expressing themselves. There ideas are pretty epic.

This is a piece done by Cardiff on the Problem of Barnes and Noble

When I walked into Barnes and Noble, all the books were expensive. I went there to buy the Hunger Games. Right when I walked in, there was a shelf that had a whole entire series of the Hunger Games tied up to a Nook Tablet.

I thought that was stupid. If a kid bought the Hunger Games series that came with the Nook, the kid would probably throw the book in the back seat. He would start downloading a bunch of games and start playing with it. I think that Barnes and Noble is tricking people into buying this stuff. They want more money so they can get more money.

I also noticed that Barnes and Noble has toys in the back of the store. I think the toys in the back of the store are distracting kids from buying books. The reason I think Barnes and Noble is doing this is because they don’t want to go out of business like the other book stores. 

It makes me wonder if I should go there anymore. I think I still will because there are no other book stores by my house.   

GOLD RUSH DAYS

HEADS UP ON AN OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP

We both wanted to just give you a quick heads up about an upcoming field trip. It’s our big send off for an amazing year in fourth grade. We will be attending a California history overnight program. Students will participate in mining for gold, be sleeping in covered wagons and teepees. The overnight will be a full program complete with counselors and planned and structured activities with some time for free time. We will be leaving on Wednesday at about 2:00 and returning the following day at 2:30 in the afternoon. The cost is $55 dollars per person and includes dinner, breakfast and lunch the following day. If the cost seems too much for your family please email Patrick or Elizabeth (Patrick@innovationsacademy.org or Elizabeth@innovationsacademy.org) ASAP. We’ll be doing everything to make sure everyone who wants to can attend.

The big need for this field trip will be committed chaperones. Since the field trip is overnight you will need to be finger printed and have a current TB test. TB tests are pretty easy to get at a CVS minute clinic and for fingerprinting stop by Donna at the office. We are especially in need of male chaperones because we have a lot of boys. We will need two males to attend. ID you can chaperone please email Patrick and Elizabeth.

We also need people to volunteer to drive to the camp and pick us u the next afternoon.

There is also a little bit of paperwork that needs to be completed for the students attending. We will be sending home information about the paperwork next week. It can be competed online. For more information go to indianshillscamp.org, click outdoor education and click Gold Rush Days.

A CLIFF NOTES VERSION

Location: Indian Hills

Chaperones and drivers needed.

Date: Wednesday 3:00 pm on May 16^th until 2:45 on Thursday May 17^tth

Cost: $55:00 and paperwork will come home next week.

Writers Workshop

Over the next three weeks students will be writing essays on topics of there choosing. We have been continuing seeing the world as writers. We look for details or moments in the world that inspire and are worth are attention. Cardiff noticed the book The Hunger Games attached to a Kindle. He found it strange and commented that it was Barnes and Nobles way of tricking kids/parents. What’s the point of buying a them Cardiff thought. The kid will get to the car and than throw the book in the back seat and play with the Kindle. He also noticed that Barnes and Noble is increasingly being taken over by toys. His thought on the subject was that Barnes and Nobles is scared of going out of buissnes. It needs to sell toys in order to keep its doors open. What a interesting topic of study for a nine year old.

The class is filled with exciting topics to explore just like these. Take a moment to ask your child some of the possible essay topics they have chosen.

Possible Essay Ideas

In Writer's Workshop we are starting a unit on essays. We've been discussing how writer's see the world in small moments and details. They find inspiration tucked in corners of the world. They take these moments and craft interesting pieces. Today we used our observations to find possible story ideas. Here are some of the examples of student. ideas.

One time I saw my uncle's dog tapped his paws on the ground. He would trick the lizards to come out so he could he eat them.

It made me wonder if my dog could do that. It also made me wonder how dogs and other animals.

-Fallon

I watched a video about an 11 year old and the things that people put into food. He talked about genetically modified food.

It made me think about why people are using GMO's and what they do to us.

-Kai

When I went to Arizona, I was walking out in the dessert. I wanted to find a cactus. Than I saw two black scorpions.

It made me think about researching about Arachnids.

-Johny

One day I found a small egg.

It made me wonder about bugs and eggs.

-Juliet

I watched a video on the big bang. It was interesting.

It made me wonder about the origin of universe and the big bang theory.

-Jack

I was researching Ancient Civilizations. I have always been interested in these cultures.

I wonder what it was like to live back than

I was looking up at stars. The sky was filled with them.

-It made me wonder about parrel universes and the limits of space.

-Aiden

I always play Lego ninjas at my house.

It made me wonder what their training is like and how they came into the world.

-Brecken

At night I come home from dance.

I wonder what is made up of a black hold and is there something on the other side.

Rachel

Once I saw a rainbow train

It makes me wonder where they go and how they work.

-James

I was in the back yard and I saw a rock and there were two slugs under it.

It made me wonder where snails and slugs come from and what they need to live.

-Hafeeza

Whenever I come home from school. I always go to my back yard and find other animals

It makes me want to research more animals.

I went to a museum and I saw art.

It made me wonder about art history.

-Ella

Construction is making and building something and destruction is destroying something or taking something down.

Guns are weapons meant to launch metal pieces into people.

It made me think about how awesome came from.

-Ishaq

I found a lady bug and it was eating some small bugs that I couldn't see.

It made me wonder if there are things we could not see.

Julius

-Brecken

I have always been curious about origami

I wonder where origami come from.

I have had fast food.

I wonder what is in fast food and how it effects you.

-I what to lean about state because i what to help

- Tahtiana

This Week in Fourth Grade

This week we have been doing Spirit Week. Spirit Week was fun because most people participated. This week in Writers Workshop we were preparing for the STAR writing test. The test will be next Tuesday. In book club we continued to work on our Virtual Reality Book Clubs. Some of us continued our work on blogs and others worked on our living museums. Jack is working on turning the book Tiger Rising into a graphic novel. Check out the class blogs, the alchemist@blogspot.com, thetigerisrising@blogspot.com and thetigerrising@blogspot.com. We have been exploring a new animation site called xtranormal.com and creating movies on animal activism. Yesterday we had the Golden Monkey awards. Every student got an award.

PS. Mateo would like you to check out his blog helpthebigcats@blogspot.com

This Week in Fourth Grade

This week we have been doing Spirit Week. Spirit Week was fun because most people participated. This week in Writers Workshop we were preparing for the STAR writing test. The test will be next Tuesday. In book club we continued to work on our Virtual Reality Book Clubs. Some of us continued our work on blogs and others worked on our living museums. Jack is working on turning the book Tiger Rising into a graphic novel. Check out the class blogs, the alchemist@blogspot.com, thetigerisrising@blogspot.com and thetigerrising@blogspot.com. We have been exploring a new animation site called xtranormal.com and creating movies on animal activism. Yesterday we had the Golden Monkey awards. Every student got an award.

PS. Mateo would like you to check out his blog helpthebigcats@blogspot.com