Mrs Denton would like you to check out…

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Lana

http://portal.saschina.org/video/media/2642/Beauty_and_the_Beast_-_John_Kinyon/

I hope you have had a good day so far 5KP, not long to go now til the weekend, hooray!

We are learning lots of things over in the big library with Mr Power, my brain is hurting! Thanks to James who has posted a couple of comments to me so far about my post below, I know he has also posted once too. Just a reminder to everyone that I want you to make your own posts about the Bill Nye movie, not just comment to me. Thanks to Kieran, Adrian, Jackie, Keaton and Kyle who I know have also posted this morning.

Please check out these questions about the Bill Nye video and post answers to at least 5 of them also.Thanks to Mrs Canar for making these up for us.

Answer the following questions based on information learned from the video.

1) List two benefits to having to having a home built in a factory.

2) How is paint today different from when it was first developed?

3) What did people do before the invention of the toilet? How has the toilet been modified since it was first invented?

4) Who invented one of the first air cooling systems?

5) Do you have a dishwasher in your home?

6) What is one way people washed their clothes before the invention of the washing machine?

7) What is “Cliff”, the student inventor, inventing?

8) How much money do people spend worldwide a year on beauty care/products?

9) What is Tupperware?

10) Who is George Washington Carver and what did he do?

Work for Friday

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Lana

Hello there, missing me yet???

Here is what you are to do now on your blog seeing as you have finished watching the Bill Nye video.

Task 1:

Scenario: You signed up for the latest reality television show where you are brought to an
unpopulated area to live for one year. A small house will be built for you to stay in for the
year, and you have a choice in some of the design. You have a list of common household
items that can go in your house, but you can ONLY select three. The items are a refrigerator,
an oven, a microwave, a dishwasher, a washing machine, an air conditioner, a television, and
an indoor toilet. Which items would you pick and why? Before you pick, consider these
things about your location:
· It is very hot and humid all year round
· You are alone without access to other people
· There is a portable toilet already set up a half-mile from the house
· Clothes, sheets, dishes, and food will be supplied
Write down the items you would choose and explain your reasons. Share your items with the
class.

Task 2:

List ten appliances and gadgets found in a home. Use the Internet or books to find out when
these items were invented. Create a time-line using these dates. Have any of these items been
invented since you were born? How many of these items were around when your parents or
grandparents were young?

When you have finished that these are the following tasks to complete in the morning and also after lunch in order of importance please, (therefore skip a task if you have done it already)…

1. Upload your invention convention speech to your blog from the portal (try again from a different computer IF you had trouble yesterday) and write a post ON THE SAME POST AS YOUR VIDEO SAYING HOW YOU THINK YOU WENT…at least 150 words please.

2. Continue and finish writing about this post and add a couple of pictures to your page.

3. Write a post about the black box experiment and how it is going so far, have a look on the internet and see if you can find some other information about black boxes and write about that.

4. Read this post and start googling some different invention conventions out there to see what yours might be like.

5. Free blogging time until it is time to pack up for reading buddies.

Enjoy your day, have a great weekend and make me proud.

Mrs P

Invention Convention Phase One Speeches

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Lana

Well done to most of the class who have now completed their speeches for Phase One of the Invention Convention, we look forward to hearing yours on your return this week Samantha. Most of the students have also posted their speech on their blog, or if they haven’t they will have a chance to do so before the end of the week. Here are some pictures of the kids presenting their speeches as well as just a few of them goofing around. What a great class!

Invention Convention Phase Two

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Lana

This is what I expect you to do for the Invention Convention Phase Two that begins when you return to school on February 4th. You may copy and paste this to your own blog, e mail or word document if you wish and refer back to it as a time-line whenever you need to.

The actual Invention Convention will be held here at school on Wednesday March 18th, more accurate venue and times to follow.

1. You will identify a problem in people’s lives today, and imagine an invention that could help solve this problem.

2. You will develop a working prototype of the invention.

Due: Friday March 18, 2009

3. You will keep an Inventor’s Log on your blog tagged as ‘Inventor’s Log’ to record your progress as you are inventing.

o Brainstorming and Diagrams on provided paper Due Friday, February 20, 2009

o Make a Plan a Construction Log 1 Due Friday, February 28, 2009

o Construction Log 2,3,4,5 and Test 1 Friday, March 7, 2009

o Test 2, 3 and all recommendations in log book Friday, March 14, 2009

o Poster, sales pitch and prototype Due Wednesday, March 18, 2009

4. You will create a brochure or poster which explains your invention, names it, and tries to encourage people to buy one. This will be completed at school.

Due in Wednesday March 18, 2009

5. You will be able to explain and talk fluently and clearly about your invention. You will express the advantages of your invention and be able to market it at that convention.

What do YOU think school is for?

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Lana

One of the blogs I read regulary is Seth Godin’s blog where I read about topics such as creativity, goal-setting and marketing among other things educational and informative. So tonight after I wasted a fair amount of time on skype and facebook I set about clearing out my google reader and enjoyed reading this post from Mr. Godin.

The question recently raised and discussed on the blog was ‘What is school for?’ and here is ‘a starter’ list that was posted.

The purpose of school is to:

Become an informed citizen
Be able to read for pleasure
Be trained in the rudimentary skills necessary for employment
Do well on standardized tests
Homogenize society, at least a bit
Pasteurize out the dangerous ideas
Give kids something to do while parents work
Teach future citizens how to conform
Teach future consumers how to desire
Build a social fabric
Create leaders who help us compete on a world stage
Generate future scientists who will advance medicine and technology
Learn for the sake of learning
Help people become interesting and productive
Defang the proletariat
Establish a floor below which a typical person is unlikely to fall
Find and celebrate prodigies, geniuses and the gifted
Make sure kids learn to exercise, eat right and avoid common health problems
Teach future citizens to obey authority
Teach future employees to do the same
Increase appreciation for art and culture
Teach creativity and problem solving
Minimize public spelling mistakes
Increase emotional intelligence
Decrease crime by teaching civics and ethics
Increase understanding of a life well lived
Make sure the sports teams have enough players

So my students of 2009 and ‘grown-ups’ of the future…let’s get a little clever and have a think about this list.

What would you add, change or remove? I don’t want you to obsess about some of the ones that you don’t understand or don’t ‘speak’ to you but something must jump out at you as right, wrong or crazy.

Post on your own blog by Friday the 6th of June under the heading “I think school is for…”

Invention Convention

Posted on January 23, 2009 by Lana

I was very impressed with the quality of my students’ presentations today for phase one of the invention convention. All of the students will be putting their speech on their blog for your viewing pleasure and we would of course love it if you would take a look and please please leave a comment for them. Here is one example for you.

Have a very happy Chinese New Year.

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Math Test Unit 6

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Lana

As the Students have known since last Friday, there will be a unit 6 math test tomorrow morning.

Skills covered on the unit six test include:

*construct stem-and-leaf plots

*read and interpret stem-and-leaf plots

*add and subtract fractions with like denominators

*add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators

*understand how sample size affects results

*find common denominators

*convert between fractions, decimals and percents

*identify and use data landmarks

Good Luck students and continue the revision we started in class on Monday.

We also have our Invention Convention Oral Presentations on this Thursday and Friday. Mr Toa has written a useful and inspiring post here.

Wednesday and Thursday are busy days with the students performing at the Chinese New Year Concert. Don’t forget to send your child in with any necessary costumes required. I hope to see you at the presentation for the parents this Thursday.

I hope you all have a wonderful Chinese New Year and I know the students are ready for a well earned rest after a busy three week period.

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Book Report

Posted on January 19, 2009 by Lana

Gathering your thoughts…

When you finish reading your book, complete these questions.

1. What award has this book won? Do some research on this award and write a paragraph telling us about it.

2. Where does the story take place?

3. When does the story take place?

4. Who are the main characters and what are they like? Write a paragraph on each of the characters you consider important to the story.

5. What is the main problem in the book? Does it get resolved and if so how?

6. What is the theme or message of the book? Is there a moral to the story or a lesson to be learned?

7. What do I like best about this book?

8. What would I change about the book if I was the author?

9. Would I recommend this book to my classmates or friends? Why or why not?

News of the Moment in 5KP

Posted on January 14, 2009 by Lana

Welcome to the Second Semester of 5th Grade and welcome to our three new students, Jin Woo, Ada and Sonny. We also have Jocelyn back in the class after a quick change of heart last week and we are delighted she will be spending the rest of the year with us.

Students are working hard in class and at home to finalize their Invention Convention Phase 1 Speech so that it is ready to be presented to the class next Thursday and Friday. Next week is also a busy week in regards to the Chinese New Year as we get ready to celebrate Spring Festival with our Chinese New Year concerts. Parents are invited to attend the concert next Thursday the 22nd of January at 1 pm in the auditorium, be there early as the best seats fill up fast.

So the focus over the next couple of weeks will be on finishing our Unit 6 in Math and being tested before the vacation; probably on Thursday or Friday, getting ready for the Chinese New Year concert and preparing for the Invention Convention Speech. In language arts we are studying what makes a book a Newbery Medal winner and reading some books to do some in-class book reports.

Thanks to Mrs Speece for taking these great photos of last Friday’s reading buddies session where 5KP helped 2JS with their research on China.

the barefoot librarian

Kimbra Power