Monday in review

Lately, we've been using our math period to collect and examine different sets of data. Last week, each student chose a different question, polled the class, and then graphed their data. Today, the data we collected was the height of everyone in our class. Students used rulers, meter sticks, and measuring tape to find heights, then they were asked to find the range, mean, median, and the mode of their data. We'll continue this project tomorrow, and we'll discuss our results.

Henry K's graph of our favorite video games

Discussion ideas for home: 
Ask your student to explain what range, mean, median, and mode are.

Ask your student how they measured each student (what tools did they use), and if they had any problems doing so.

After recess, art, and lunch, we had free writing time. I gave three different writing prompts as possibilities for those in need of inspiration, but most people chose to begin their own projects. We'll be using these projects for a number of things, including identifying student interests, targeting areas in need of development, generating spelling lists, and entertaining and educating one another.

Ask your student what they chose to write about today. 

Our final block of homeroom time was devoted to research for their Farm to Table projects. These projects are works in progress, so there's plenty of opportunity for parents and families to help discuss them as they take shape!

Ask your student what their project is. 

Ask your student who they're working with (not everyone is working in a group, but many are), and talk about how their group dynamic is functioning.

Ask your student what they've learned about their topic thus far. 

Ask your student what form they imagine their final project will take (a presentation, a model, a film, something else?)