Learning about LANDFORMS

The 4th graders have begun learning about Landforms.  As part of this unit, they will design and build islands out of clay.  Each island will contain 12-15 different landforms that the students are learning about.  Here are some pictures from the first stages of island building.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Long Composition

The students are working hard writing their long compositions. Be sure to praise them when they come home.

Living Person Museum

We are very proud of the 4th graders. They did a fantastic job yesterday. The students were excited and nervous about sharing all that they learned about the person they had become.

The costumes were fantastic!!

Great job to everyone and have a wonderful vacation.

What is Bullying and how is it handled in Open Circle?

What Is Bullying?

Most kids have been teased by a sibling or a friend at some point. And it’s not usually harmful when done in a playful, friendly, and mutual way, and both kids find it funny. But when teasing becomes hurtful, unkind, and constant, it crosses the line into bullying and needs to stop.

Bullying is intentional tormenting in physical, verbal, or psychological ways. It can range from hitting, shoving, name-calling, threats, and mocking to extorting money and treasured possessions. Some kids bully by shunning others and spreading rumors about them. Others use email, chat rooms, instant messages, social networking websites, and text messages to taunt others or hurt their feelings.

It’s important to take bullying seriously and not just brush it off as something that kids have to “tough out.” The effects can be serious and affect kids’ sense of self-worth and future relationships.

Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying involves:

• Imbalance of Power: people who bully use their power to control or harm and the people being bullied may have a hard time defending themselves

 

• Intent to Cause Harm: actions done by accident are not bullying; the person bullying has a goal to cause harm

 

 

• Repetition: incidents of bullying happen to the same the person over and over by the same person or group

 

***Check out this pdf from Open Circle.  It specifies how the Open Circle curriculum handles issues like bullying in schools.

http://www.open-circle.org/files/OC_Bullying_Prevention.pdf

Steps for long division

http://hojosteacherstore.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-division-just-little-easier-part.html

Black Out Bullying

Menotomy Rocks Park

The students had a fantastic time creating Andy Goldsworthy like installations.  Thank you to our fabulous parent leaders for making it happen.  Here are a few pictures from the trip.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.