Fifth Grade Update - January 26

Video Update - Super Humans - Two weeks ago your children did a fabulous job with their Super Human newscasts.  I promised the students I would burn the videos onto dvds for them.  When I went to do this last weekend, the files were too large for the basic dvds.  So, this week I gave the children three options.
1. Have just their own newscast burned.
2. Choose which groups they'd like to have burned
or 3. If you have the capability at home, I can have the files zipped smaller, but that requires the students to have the ability to "unzip" the files. IF you choose this options I am pretty sure I can get all six videos on one disc.

I asked the students to check with you, the parents, and then let me know next week what they would like.  I will then burn the disks and bring them the following week.

Thursday was another day of inventions.  For their group problem solving activity the children built towers with ONE piece of paper and 3ft of scotch tape.  Remember, last week is was 10 pieces of paper and 1 ft. of masking tape.  The winning tower was built by Amit and Rowan, with a tower that stood at 26.5 inches tall.  This is the second week in a row that Amit was in the winning group.

Next, we learned about Rube Goldberg. Some of the children had seen this before, so it was a chance for them to expand on that learning with their new invention.  We have some very interesting ideas on ways to accomplish simple tasks. Also, some of the tasks chosen were very creative.  If you'd like to see all the inventions, stop by room 213, they are all on display outside the classroom.

In reviewing the Most Important Invention in History we learned about toilets, computers, plumbing, light bulbs, electricity, pencils, books and more. I really enjoy these short research activities to see where the student's interests direct them when choosing important people or things.

HOMEWORK: This week's assignment is to research a famous inventor. This can be anybody your child chooses.  Below are the guidelines as given to the students yesterday.

Also, next week is our first transaction day for the Stock Market Game.  Students should be ready for their first purchase. They have had lots of time to research stocks, they need to know which stocks they will want to recommend to their teammates. 

Research Assignment: Inventors and their Inventions

Your homework is to research an inventor.

Include the following things in your ONE page report.

1.      Name the inventor.

2.      Diagram of an invention developed by this inventor

3.      Background information on the inventor

4.      How and why the invention illustrated in #2 came about.

5.      Did any earlier inventions influence the inventor in this invention?

6.      What difference did this invention make in the world?

7.      What is the source you used to find your information?

You are limited to one page.  You may type or handwrite your report. Be sure your final report is error free.

Example: 

Alexander Graham Bell

Invention: The Telephone – 1876

By Suzy Student

Alexander Graham Bell was a teacher of the deaf.   He became very interested in the source of sound.  Soon he….etc.

 INSERT A DIAGRAM HERE

Source: My two main sources were the website www.britannica.com and the World Book Encyclopedia in the Flynn Park Library.