Antonio Perez Penguins The penguins exhibit was closed, sadly. But then when we went to the dolphin show, there were two trained penguins walking around. The first penguin did not walk as far as the more trained and older penguin. Go catch the show at the Shedd! You’ll get to see dolphins AND penguins. | Nickolas Ortega Dolphins The dolphin section was located next to the Deep Ocean Cafe, so if you find a seat by the glass, you might see the dolphins and catch an underwater show. You can go above the pool to see the actual show that the dolphins perform. The dolphins are peaceful and active. The new 4-month-old dolphin loves to play. This dolphin was dashing around the tank. She also wasn't doing what the older dolphins were trained to do. | Gemma Garcia Beluga whales According to “Science at the Aquarium” by Kate Jerome, “The Shedd Aquarium has a massive tank for the Beluga whales. The tank can hold more than 11 million liters of saltwater.“ The Belugas are located where the dolphins and penguins are. One interesting fact I learned about belugas is that they are one of the smallest whales within the whale species. |
48 Comments
During Digital Citizenship this week, Peck 5th graders explored what it means to be responsible and respectful online, taking one step toward becoming better digital citizens. They created digital superheroes that help solve digital dilemmas in a responsible way. Thanks to Common Sense Media for the wonderful resources and engaging lesson plans! Our 5th graders really enjoyed creating their digital superheroes and reflecting in writing on how to help others become better digital citizens. Cassandra 110 Here is some great student work from this week, including Word Clouds and Cross-Word Puzzles. Students did a fantastic job with their Word Study homework activities. Keep up the good work, 5th graders! This August, I presented at CPS's Googlepalooza event for 2,000+ teachers across Chicago. What an amazing collaboration between Google for Education and CPS! In addition to two fabulous keynote speakers, we got to choose from smaller breakout sessions. Finally, some differentiated and meaningful PD for teachers to apply right away. Googlepalooza is a truly unique event. It is the only event of its kind in the world and represents an unparalleled partnership between Google and CPS. It is also the only Google Apps For Education (GAFE) event in the world jointly held between Google and a major school District. Googlepalooza is an excellent opportunity for educators to come together, collaborate, connect and share ideas around a powerful tool like GAFE. As one of the Session Presenters. I presented for an hour to 25+ CPS teachers on Engaging Students through Technology in Writing, showcasing the awesome work of Peck 5th graders during our Argumentative Writing Unit last Spring. This served as a valuable discussion point and led to some inspiring conversations on implementing Google Apps (including Docs, Forms, and Sheets) within the writing classroom, as well as how to adapt for other content areas. I'm so proud of the work our Peck 5th graders (now, 6th graders) did last quarter, and Googlepalooza was a great opportunity to share this work and discover new ideas after collaborating with all of the other amazing presenters and participants.
As we wrap up a successful year together, I look back on all of our memories together. It's a bittersweet time today, to say the least. I'm so proud of all my 5th graders and of all the "lollipop moments" we have shared this year. I hope this short video reminds you that every single one of you is a leader in your own way. You may not even realize it yet, but everything you do, and everything you stand for, has an effect on the people around you. Here's to your next "lollipop moment!" Good luck in 6th grade, my leaders!
It's hard to believe it's the last week of school! The 5th graders each created a Google Slideshow to give advice to the 4th graders at Peck and tell them some very crucial information about each of their new teachers. They also described some of the activities and homework for each class. Each 5th grader will be paired up with a 4th grader and email the slideshow to them before school ends, so the 4th grader can better prepare this summer for the new and exciting challenges of 5th grade.
Also, this week, fifth grade representatives from each homeroom will be presenting their Google Slideshow in each of the 4th grade homerooms to share their learnings, organization tips, and answer any questions. Here is a sample Google Slideshow from Abel Coronel in Room 110.
This quarter, students created short documentary films on their debate topics. They started out by researching and collecting facts/images. Following a week of planning out their movies using a Storyboard, students drafted their scripts, interviewed teachers and parents, and acted out rehearsed scenes.
We used WeVideo on the Chromebooks to edit the videos, add captions, transitions and special effects, like music and backgrounds. Students stayed focused on their claim, audience, and purpose. They reflected weekly on their journey as filmmakers by drawing and writing in their Production Journals. Representatives from each homeroom will be showing their documentaries at Peck's Garden Gala, Wednesday, June 10 from 5-7pm. The 5th graders worked really hard the last few weeks preparing and presenting their projects for Science Showcase. As a means to reflect on their overall experience and as a tribute to April as poetry month, we used Google Drawing to create these fantastically creative poems. I love how they used descriptive adjectives and imaginative similes to convey their understandings of these different biomes. |
Archives
November 2015
Authors"We are young and wild and free." We represent Peck's 5th grade class of 2014-2015. Here's what we think about life, school, soccer, and One Direction. Leave us some constructive comments please. Categories |