First Week of May

This week, 5th graders watched the upper school musical dress rehearsals and began to rehearse Romeo and Juliet in earnest.  The upper school students are an inspiration!  Our classroom vibrates with a constant whistling and singing of the musical  numbers.  

This week, we continued our work investigating systems in the human body.  We discussed the skin and the peripheral nervous system.  Students built models of neurons and tested skin for sensitivity. Check out the picture of Steve Lorenz being tested.

In math, we've been using pattern blocks to derive a fraction division algorithm and geo-boards to explore the area of rectangles, parallelograms, and triangles.  This afternoon, we used prisms to investigate the relationship between area and volume.

Our examination of Greek history is picking up momentum.  Students are reading about the early roots of Athenian democracy and learning about how some of the Greek ideas were adopted by the architects of the American democracy.  As the weeks progress, we'll discuss the rise and fall of the Athenian empire. 

The attached pictures show students engaged in numerous activities.  You'll see fifth graders working the concession stand at the musical (The proceeds to benefit students at a school in Longido, Tanzania).  An initial count suggests that 5th graders raised close to $600.  That's two year's tuition for a student who might not, otherwise, attend school. A special thank you to Nancy Brooks for organizing our students.  In the pictures, you'll also see students conducting experiments and completing heart dissections.  There is a group picture of the class bowling on a rainy Thursday - a celebration of ERB tests having been completed.  A few pictures show students beginning a Greek myth-inspired mosaic project.  While difficult to capture with an IPhone, I've included a picture of our play in rehearsal.

Please remember that we'll be taking a rafting trip on Friday, May, 25th.  If you would like to join us, please contact the reservation office at Zoar Outdoor and arrange to join The Grammar School party. 800 532-7483 http://www.zoaroutdoor.com/

We'll be traveling to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Thursday, May 31.  For now, anticipate an early departure and a late return.  I'll send trip details ASAP.

Finally, please remember that we have a very regimented rehearsal schedule for Romeo and Juliet. Please make every effort to have your child at school no later than 8:30.  If you know your child will be absent for some reason, please let me know, in advance, so that I can adjust the schedule.