Week 13 - Painting the Oregon Map and Tree Climbing
/The Sea Lions worked hard to paint their entire Oregon topographic map this week. They worked in small groups and took turns to ensure everyone had a chance to contribute to the painting process. They planned out which colors to use to make it look realistic and match the actual landscape and elevations of different areas of the state. They also practiced mixing paint colors to create different hues.
We also continued researching the different geographic regions of Oregon that each student was assigned. While some students painted on the topographic map, other students began creating slide presentations about their geographic region. The Sea Lions have enjoyed learning how to use different computer and iPad programs as they work on these presentations (including PowerPoint and Keynote). Once our slide presentations are finished, we will each take a turn sharing the information we learned with the rest of the class.
The cedar tree in our outdoor classroom has grown large and strong enough to allow for climbing in it! The Sea Lions were so excited to get permission and start climbing the tree at the end of the week. Mr. Mark joined us outside to teach a little about this particular species of tree and to discuss the importance of treating it with respect as another living entity. He went over the expectations and safety rules and then demonstrated how to climb it. Students have been good about taking turns and have really been enjoying themselves. They love grabbing the cloth tied to the top to show that they climbed the whole way up the tree!
Our math lessons have been focused on multiplication strategies. We practiced using mental math to multiply large numbers by breaking them into simpler parts. We also practiced using the standard algorithm to multiply up to 4-digit numbers by a single-digit number. The Sea Lions are getting better at remembering the basic multiplication facts, but could still use some additional practice each day to allow for quicker, immediate recall.
The Sea Lions are about half-way through reading our book club novel. We continue to hold book club discussions each week, and the students are becoming more confident at running these discussions independently (with only minimal teacher guidance).
Our week had quite a few irregular events: a fire drill, visits with students from the university’s Speech/Language program, a substitute teacher while Ms. Susan was out sick, visits with students from the university’s Occupational Therapy program, and a library field trip. The Sea Lions continue to show that they can be flexible and understanding as we navigate changes in our daily routines.
