The Scale of the Universe

In science, we have been discussing the basics of chemistry and physics. Students have been building atomic models, creating comic book representations of the story of the Big Bang, and developing trading card games for the periodic table of the elements. The links below offer food for thought on some of the very big--and very small--types of matter encountered in this study. The first is a classic video from Charles and Ray Eames, Powers of Ten.

A more recent version of the same exercise, by Cary and Michael Huang, is a web-based interactive that shows the relative scale of different things in the universe. The website itself also contains numerous related scientific representations of our cosmic neighborhood.

More Minnesota Studies Links

5th and 6th year students are working together this year to study the geography and history of the land now called Minnesota and the peoples whose lives are intertwined with it. The links below provide resources for students and families to extend their learning about topics we discuss in class.

• Minnesota Historical Society Student Portal: http://education.mnhs.org/students
• PBS Series on Ojibwe history Resource Site: http://www.ojibwe.org/home/about_anish.html
• Climate Change Impacts on Ojibwe Lifeways, Wild Rice: http://www.g-wow.org/en-us/wildrice/default.aspx
• InterTribal Buffalo Council: http://itbcbuffalo.com/

Geography of Minnesota and Beyond - Links

Students have been studying Minnesota and North American geography for the past few weeks. Today, we discussed prehistoric Minnesota and what we can learn from satellite photographs.

Here are some great online resources that students can explore:

• NASA Earth Observatory. See how the world has changed over time! 
• Google Earth. Explore the world.
• Trailer for Minnesota: A History of the Land, a series created by the Bell Museum
• Bdote Memory Map: A resource for learning about Dakota place-names and memories of Bdote, what is now called the Twin Cities.
• Minnesota Historical Society Link to the Jeffers Petroglyphs page.

Happy Fall! Homework Update and Volunteer Request

Dear Shingobee Families,

The leaves are turning, and fall is in full swing! Here in Shingobee, students are working on their Widji research, learning about prehistoric Minnesota, and conducting experiments to explore physical and chemical changes as our study of matter continues.

Homework Update:

We will be adding a mathematics component to our homework starting next week. Besides nightly fact practice, you and your child might want to check out the following sites for interactive math games:

• Interactive games for 4th-6th grade: http://pbskids.org/games/math/
• Interactive games for 4th-6th grade:http://www.mathplayground.com/
• Brain teasers: https://illuminations.nctm.org/Games-Puzzles.aspx
• Challenging open-ended problems; also try secondary level: https://nrich.maths.org/primary-upper

We are seeking volunteers to support student "Going Out" adventures.  This is a great option for adults with flexible schedules who would like to support student interest projects.  Students organize small field trips connected to their work and need a background-checked volunteer to accompany them on walking trips. If you would like to help out, please respond with your available times for the year.  

Check out our Blog! We will be posting our parent updates, as well as fun links and homework assignments, to our classroom blog. Students can check our blog if they've lost their homework or want to learn more about class topics. https://shingobeeriverclass.blogspot.com/

Historical Figures Day (October 31) is fast approaching.  Students can dress like anyone they feel contributed positively to history.  Costumes may not include props, make up, spray on hair coloring, masks, or be violent in nature.  Students should be prepared to give a short oral presentation about their historical figure for their classmates.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Amanda and Alaina

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Here is an update on snack from our elementary coordinator, Jean Peters: 

Dear Elementary Families,

We have a historical practice at Great River to provide snack for lower and upper elementary students.The goal of classroom snack is to bind the community together through shared responsibility for practical life. Generosity of families has been essential to sustaining this practice over the years. This year, we have a grant that is supporting the elementary program expansion, and we have recently been informed that a classroom snack cannot be funded by our grant. 

Due to this adjustment in funding, we will have to adjust the scope of the snack we can fund in our classrooms. Budget for maximum reimbursement will be set at $30 per week. If you are able to donate your snack contribution, that is sincerely appreciated by the school.

• Examples of snack are simple items: sliced oranges, crackers, string cheese, etc. (This is an adjustment from earlier communicated examples.)