Science

It has been a week! Students have done their best to stay on task in light of these ever changing and nerve-wracking times. I've included some pictures of the completed Cell Projects here. We are planning to have a celebration of learning in a few weeks (social distancing plans dependent).

Language Arts

In Language Arts we have been working to complete our final projects. Hopefully these will also be a part of our celebration of learning. We have also been preparing portfolios to share at our spring conferences.

Science

Project time, project time and more project time! Students have been using the amazing resources of the CEMS Maker-space to build their cell models. The classroom has been transformed into a workshop with everything from pipe cleaners, and cardboard, to old ping pong balls, legos and k'nex. We are planning on a celebration of learning in order to show off the great student work! (Dates to come soon.)

Language Arts

In Language Arts students are working on drafting their final project plans. Some are illustrating the plot, some are writing from a different character's perspective and others are comparing their own family's immigration story to the main characters in the book.

Science

In the past 2 weeks students have gotten to see unicellular protists like amoeba, paramecium and euglena under the microscopes. We are also learning about the organelles that make up cells and what they do to contribute to cell function. Next week we will begin working on a project to build a model cell.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we working on some strategies to improve sentence fluency in our writing. We are writing from the perspective of one of the characters in the novel we are currently reading. We are continuing to add to our class vocabulary wall and discuss the important issues around immigration brought up in the book.

Science

This week was all about microscopes and learning how to use them. Students looked at prepared "mystery slides" in order to practice focusing technique. Then they made their own slides of animal (human cheek) cells and plant (onion) cells.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we are diving into The Only Road with some out of class reading and vocabulary assignments. We are looking at the way an author develops the setting and the characters in the first part of a novel.

Science

In science we wrapped up our study of ecology by writing about the genetic and environmental factors that make the Lionfish a "successful" invasive species. Students also created their own genetic monster-mash creatures by imagining creatures with genetic features of different animals. They presented these to the class. We are moving on to learn about cells starting by learning how to use microscopes so we can conduct our own cellular investigations.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we have continued reading the book The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz. We have finished our theme essays after extensive writing, revising, and peer editing. I'm very proud of all the work students put into their essays.

Science

In science this week we set up experiments using plant seeds and controlled variables like water, the amount of fertilizer, and access to sunlight. Students will record and analyze the results of their experiments.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we began reading the book The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz. This book tells the powerful story of two children who are forced to flee their home in Guatemala to escape gang violence and try to make their way to the United States. We are also learning about the concept of theme and will be working on an essay about the theme of the book we just finished.

Science

In science this week we're looking closely at how ecosystem resources affect living things. We're using a computer model of a coral reef which allows us to manipulate variables like ph and water temperature to observe the effects on living things. We will apply this learning to studying how our own local ecosystems can be affected by limited resources.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we are reviewing the parts of the plot and creating plot diagrams about our class novel, The Schwa Was Here. by Neal Shusterman. We also created a slide presentation about our field trip to the Maine Historical Society. Each student contributed a slide highlighting his or her favorite moments from the trip. Please scroll through to enjoy.

Language Arts Period 1 Slideshow

Language Arts Period 6 Slideshow

Science

We were busy this week in science modeling ecosystems online and through games. Students took two assessments and we even had a wonderful presentation from two local doctors about biomedicine. In one of the presentations students were able to try endoscopes by looking at the insides of a pumpkin and a pepper.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we read and analyzed two short stories. We turned our observations from our time at Kettle Cove into short creative writing pieces. We also finished our read aloud book The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman. After the holiday we will be writing a theme essay about the book.

Science

We entered our data into the Gulf of Maine Research Institute database where it will be used by scientists throughout New England. The invasive crabs were brought by the bucketload to Wolfe's Neck Farm where they will be composted into fertilizer -part of a new program they're doing. Students this week are working with a computer model of a forest ecosystem to determine the effects of various changes to the ecosystem on the populations of organisms.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we shared our conflict slideshows and related writing pieces. We are finishing up our whole class novel The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman and will be working to determine the theme in order to write a theme essay using text-based evidence. In our Reading Response Journals this week we reflected on a personal connection between ourselves and a character in an independent reading book.

Science

Our field trip to Kettle Cove this week was a great success! Students searched their 1 meter quadrats for invasive crabs, recorded their data and will be submitting on the Gulf of Maine Research Institute website. See the photos for more!

Language Arts

In Language Arts we worked on our conflict slideshows and related writing pieces. Students will be presenting these in class next week. We also tied a writing piece into our field trip at Kettle Cove, taking notes on the setting which we will turn into a poem or short story.

Science

This week in science we participated in an ecosystem modeling activity where we observed the effects of introducing invasive species on native species. Students are graphing the results of the game and will be writing claim/evidence/reasoning reflections. We also prepared for next week's field trip to Kettle Cove to look in the field for invasive species and contribute to the Gulf of Maine Research laboratory's research on intertidal crabs.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we are read and analyzed the short story The Dinner Party. Students got their first crack at the costume box, creating original images to represent different types of conflict.

Science

We were all about the crabs this week! We are studying invasive species and the impacts they can have on native populations. Our focus is on intertidal crab species and students learned how to identify them as well as how to complete the field work they will be doing during our November 6th field trip to Kettle Cove. We even had some live visitors to our classroom so students could get a good look before heading into the field.

Language Arts

In Language Arts we did some goal setting and conference preparation activities. We talked about the importance of creating goals that are meaningful and realistic. Students shared their goals at parent conferences and we will be following up on those later this fall.

Science

Science this week is all about the lego models. We are using a lego kit to model the chemical reaction as water and carbon dioxide combine to make glucose and oxygen. We are learning a little bit about chemistry; pure substances and mixtures to supplement our understanding.

Social Studies

In Social Studies we are outlining and drafting our persuasive essay debating the similarities and differences between the samurai of Japan and the knights of medieval Europe.

Science

In science class this week students took an assessment on the first part of our cells unit. We are moving ahead, and looking more closely at cells; learning about the parts of cells and their functions. Students pictured took part in an activity where we built a cell using sound and motion to represent the different parts of the cell.

Social Studies

In Social Studies we continued our study of the Middle Ages learning about the geography of Medieval Europe and the history of the Crusades. Students are wrapping up work on their youtube-style videos which will be turned in on Monday.

Science

In addition to looking at onion cells under the microscope we conducted an extensive online lab looking at everything from worm neurons to frog blood cells. We also set up live slides with amoeba and paramecia on them. Next we are moving into a more in depth look at the parts and functions of different kinds of cells.

Social Studies

In Social Studies we have been researching and writing scripts for a youtube-style video told by a character from the middle ages. Students selected what role they wanted to take on; serf, peasant, tradesperson or noble and are writing about daily life from that person's perspective. I will try and post these on classroom so they can be shared at home.

Science

This week students conducted two investigations using our class microscopes. They practiced focusing using a series of mystery slides that contained everything from a bee's stinger to coffee grounds. Then we made our own slides using our very own cheek cells scraped from the inside of our mouths.

Social Studies

In Social Studies we read about Feudalism and the rise of the cities and role of the church in Medieval Europe. Students will be creating an original video of themselves taking on the role of an actual person in the Middle Ages.

Science

In science we've moved on to our unit on cells. Students are learning the difference between different types of cells and basic cell theory. We are also learning the correct way to use and handle microscopes as part of conducting our investigations.

Social Studies

Students completed an activity where they designed political borders for an unknown piece of land considering natural resources, language and religious differences. We have begun reading about the Feudal system in Europe and the various social roles within that system.

Science

It's been tough to get back into the learning flow, what with interruptions from testing and snow days/delays. In spite of that we've been working on a computerized simulation of energy flow in an ecosystem. Next week we will hopefully be moving on to our study of cells!

Social Studies

Students shared their finished current events posters and are ready to move on. Our next social studies unit is a history unit. We will be comparing life in the Middle Ages in Europe and Japan.

Science

Students are working on script writing and video production for an episode of American's Most Unwanted Invasive Species. For this task, students had to research the ecological impacts of an invasive species as well as possible solutions to the problems created by the invasive species. Filming will take place next week!

Social Studies

We are working on a current events mini project. Each student has drafted and revised an individualized research question, ranging from climate change, to concussions in the NFL, to immigration. Students are finding articles using school databases and working on the skills of identifying main ideas and key details. We are going to add summarizing and paraphrasing to our skill set next week.

Science

Despite the disruptions from snow days?! We have been continuing our work on analyzing patterns in ecosystems related to biological changes like the introduction of invasive species. Students participated in a simulation activity where some of them played the role of invasive crabs and some were native crabs. The two groups competed for resources. Students will be working this week to create graphs and analysis of the data.

Social Studies

The successive snow days put a damper on our Celebration of Learning plans. Stay tuned for a new date. In the mean time students reflected on their goal setting from conference time and made motivator signs to remind them of the steps toward their goals. We are also beginning a new mini research unit on current events.

Science

In science class this week we continued our study of invasive species like the kudzu vine and the Asian carp, and the disruptive roles they play in ecosystems. Students went outside to do diversity counts and reflected on the impacts of humans and our effect on biodiversity.

Social Studies

Students put the finishing touches on their place-based research projects. Students used the peer revision process to give each other feedback to improve their writing. Next Friday we will be presenting these projects at a celebration of learning.

Science

This week students worked on uploading their data from last week's field trip to the Vital Signs website. This data will be used by scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research laboratory and University of Southern Maine. Students also worked on a performance assessment to demonstrate their understanding of different types of ecological relationships. They had to create cartoons that demonstrated predation, symbiosis and competition between species.

Social Studies

Our work in social studies this week revolved around our Cape Elizabeth structure projects. Some students studying the CEMS 1930's building and Town Hall met with James Rowe from the Cape Elizabeth Historical Society. Students submitted their research outlines for formative feedback and are working on their visuals and written research.

Science

The highlight of the week was our field trip to Kettle Cove. The weather was sunny and beautiful even with a little wind that picked up in the second hour. Students were on the hunt for Green crabs, Chinese mitten crabs, Sea Potato and Dead Man's Fingers (that's a seaweed). Students were focused and on task collecting their data to share online with the Vital Signs program at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Click here for more photos.

Social Studies

In social studies we did some goal setting to prepare for parent conferences. We also began work in earnest on researching historic structures in Cape Elizabeth.

Science

In science we are learning about different types of ecological relationships and how ecosystems can be impacted by the introduction of new species. This is preparation for next week's field trip to Kettle Cove to look for invasive species.

Social Studies

In social studies we began researching historic structures in preparation for our first research project. Kathleen Neuman from the Maine Historical Society came to introduce the students to the resources on the Maine Memory Network.

Language Arts

We finished Tangerine! We're working on final projects based on important turning points in the plot. We created a plot diagram and learned about the different parts of a novel.

Language Arts

Vrrrrrrooooom! That's the sound of our writers' engines revving. This week in Language Arts we did some fast drafting on our personal narrative writing pieces. Students have selected a topic which they are going to take through the writing process -revision, editing and polishing to a shine. This picture shows students working intently on getting their words out on to the page!

Language Arts

This week in Writer's Workshop we worked on writing and correctly punctuating dialogue. Using dialogue, internal thinking, and shifts in time are all tools to use in our personal narrative writing. After the break we will be selecting one of our personal narrative drafts to polish into a final draft.

Science

In Science class we learned about experimental design and used the principles of experimental design to create our own experiments. Students are testing different types of soil, seeds, and watering techniques to see how these variables will affect plant growth.

Students sharing a "Blood and Guts" story!