This week we are finishing up an amazing third term that was full of fun activities and lots of learning too. Some major highlights included our school tour to Smuggler’s Cove, a national runner-up prize in our “Different Families, Same Love” competition, lots of student gardening, and a very fun active schools week. In maths, we have most recently focused on working with 3D shapes–naming them, classifying them and defining their features. We also worked on identifying and extending patterns with both numbers and images (a kind of pre-algebra work!). We also extended our work on decimals, fractions, and percentages and worked through units on chance and data too. We linked maths to science when we created a classroom bar graph to record the approximate amounts of salt water, ice water, and frozen fresh water; and the students made a special request to go on a data collection project around the school where we chose a question, identified a population, and completed a survey. After that, we made circle graphs, or pie charts, to display our results. The students had fun learning how to input data into Google Sheets to make computerized versions of their graphs too!
We finished up our literacy units in the Starlight curriculum, but the real fun began with our novel read as we have spent the last few weeks doing some close and detailed chapter reads and some written analysis of Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The book is a wonderful story about a boy who starts 5th grade in a new school in New York city, and it is rich with mid-2000’s cultural references, a good-bit of humor, but some sad and difficult parts too. We have been enjoying the work of investigating how the novel’s changing perspective and non-linear timeline affects our ability to relate with the characters and their experiences. When writing about the novel, we have taken on the challenge of supporting our answers with textual evidence and citing page numbers in the process. In science and SESE, we studied fresh water as a resource and how this has affected society throughout history, and how it is linked to the geography of the lands where people settle. We did important work in SPHE and Gaeilge and PE throughout the term as well. Some of those highlights included our active schools week and Sports Day, and our group projects on “Different Families, Same Love”. For these group projects, we split the class into three groups and the students worked within their groups to produce projects that represented the theme described for the competition. One group created and recorded a short podcast episode where they discussed what makes their families unique and how those differences can be celebrated. Another group created a stop-motion animated video with Lego showing diverse family members living under the same roof. And the other group scripted, recorded, directed, and edited a short film about a new student with two moms. I was so proud of their efforts, and the vast majority of the technical and creative work was done all by them. I was only really there for encouragement! Their efforts were recognized with a national Runner Up award in the senior category of the “Different Families Same Love” competition. They will be receiving a new collection of classroom books as a prize!
Finally, we got outdoors a lot! We spent a wet morning at Smugglers Cove, but the weather only added to the fun, and we braved the heat this week for a walk to Fitzgerald Park and the Cork Public Museum. We spent a few days out in the school garden weeding and prepping the beds and planting a few seeds, and we made trips to the local community gardens at Clashduv Park twice and Tory Top Park once. We also had a brilliant day out walking to Bishopstown Library to celebrate a writing prize for one of our fabulous students–well done on your short story, Stav!
Once again, I could go on and on; but I will leave it with that. It has been a memory-filled year, and this group has certainly impressed their teacher in many ways! Have a fantastic summer everyone, and looking forward to seeing you return from your break as 6th class students!!
Term 3 in 5th Class
This week we are finishing up an amazing third term that was full of fun activities and lots of
learning too. Some major highlights included our school tour to Smuggler’s Cove, a national
runner-up prize in our “Different Families, Same Love” competition, lots of student gardening,
and a very fun active schools week.
In maths, we have most recently focused on working with 3D shapes–naming them, classifying
them and defining their features. We also worked on identifying and extending patterns with
both numbers and images (a kind of pre-algebra work!). We also extended our work on
decimals, fractions, and percentages and worked through units on chance and data too. We
linked maths to science when we created a classroom bar graph to record the approximate
amounts of salt water, ice water, and frozen fresh water; and the students made a special
request to go on a data collection project around the school where we chose a question,
identified a population, and completed a survey. After that, we made circle graphs, or pie charts,
to display our results. The students had fun learning how to input data into Google Sheets to
make computerized versions of their graphs too!
We finished up our literacy units in the Starlight curriculum, but the real fun began with our novel
read as we have spent the last few weeks doing some close and detailed chapter reads and
some written analysis of Wonder by R.J. Palacio. The book is a wonderful story about a boy
who starts 5th grade in a new school in New York city, and it is rich with mid-2000’s cultural
references, a good-bit of humor, but some sad and difficult parts too. We have been enjoying
the work of investigating how the novel’s changing perspective and non-linear timeline affects
our ability to relate with the characters and their experiences. When writing about the novel, we
have taken on the challenge of supporting our answers with textual evidence and citing page
numbers in the process.
In science and SESE, we studied fresh water as a resource and how this has affected society
throughout history, and how it is linked to the geography of the lands where people settle. We
did important work in SPHE and Gaeilge and PE throughout the term as well. Some of those
highlights included our active schools week and Sports Day, and our group projects on “Different
Families, Same Love”.
For these group projects, we split the class into three groups and the students worked within
their groups to produce projects that represented the theme described for the competition. One
group created and recorded a short podcast episode where they discussed what makes their
families unique and how those differences can be celebrated. Another group created a
stop-motion animated video with Lego showing diverse family members living under the same
roof. And the other group scripted, recorded, directed, and edited a short film about a new
student with two moms. I was so proud of their efforts, and the vast majority of the technical and
creative work was done all by them. I was only really there for encouragement! Their efforts
were recognized with a national Runner Up award in the senior category of the “Different
Families Same Love” competition. They will be receiving a new collection of classroom books as
a prize!
Finally, we got outdoors a lot! We spent a wet morning at Smugglers Cove, but the weather
only added to the fun, and we braved the heat this week for a walk to Fitzgerald Park and the
Cork Public Museum. We spent a few days out in the school garden weeding and prepping the
beds and planting a few seeds, and we made trips to the local community gardens at Clashduv
Park twice and Tory Top Park once. We also had a brilliant day out walking to Bishopstown
Library to celebrate a writing prize for one of our fabulous students–well done on your short
story, Stav!
Once again, I could go on and on; but I will leave it with that. It has been a memory-filled year,
and this group has certainly impressed their teacher in many ways! Have a fantastic summer
everyone, and looking forward to seeing you return from your break as 6th class students!!