Team Promises

Take a look at this picture. I posted some of your "team promise" ideas on stickies on the computer. I grouped them by color. For example, yellow post-its are promises the yellow team came up with. Look at the ideas your classmates came up with. Think about which promises are most important for your group. Be prepared to talk about this with your teams in class tomorrow.

Possible presentation?

This Columbus video looks like it was made by a student using iMovie. What do you think about the student's ideas? What do you think about the presentation itself?  Perhaps you'd like to create an iMovie about your explorer.

More explorer videos

Here are 2 more videos about exploration in general.  Watch them and make comments. What did you learn? Why do people explore?

Dec. 4 HOMEWORK

Boys and girls,

Take a look at all the comments your classmates have left after each video. Then think about the bold questions that I asked you about each video. Can you add to an idea another student has left? Do you have a new idea to add to our discussion? Try to focus on our 4 inquiry questions:
1. Why do people explore?
2. How does exploration cause change?
3. Why do people have different points of view about exploration?
4. What are the characteristics of explorers?

I can't wait to read your comments!

Sincerely,
Ms. Gallagher

Christopher Columbus #1

Check out this old cartoon about Christopher Columbus. What do you think about it? Is it accurate? Is it fair? What perspective does it show?

Columbus #2

Take a look at this video after you've watched Columbus #1. Look for differences between them. As historians, it's important to consider the perspectives of the people telling the story and think about what their opinions are.

How is the story told in this video different than in the first? Which one do you think is correct? Whose perspective is this showing?

Columbus #3

Whatever his perspective, it seems like this was probably a difficult journey. 

Why did Christopher Columbus want to explore? What are the characteristics of explorers?

Columbus #4

This video clip from the Biography Channel, shows an interesting perspective about Christopher Columbus. What do you think about him now?  Whose perspective is right? Is it OK that he captured and sold people as slaves? What motivated him to do this?

Wow! I am so proud of all the interesting ideas and comments you've posted.  Remember how, in reading, we've been talking about one person putting an idea out to the group and the rest of us commenting on/adding on/asking for explanation/ or disagreeing with that idea? Let's try that here on the blog. Read other children's comments and reply to them. What do you think about what your classmates are saying? Try to take their ideas further and learn new things from each other.

Another thought: lots of you are commenting on this page, but no one has looked at the other pages: "book buddies", "multiplication", and "book talks".  Check them out!!

Shashank's 2nd Video

Another video found by Shashank. Thanks for sharing. 

Shashank's Video!

Thanks, Shashank, for finding this video and sharing it with us!

Exploring Antarctica

Take a look at this video about exploring Antarctica. I want to go and explore there!  How does this video change the way you see the world?

Exploring Space

I found this video about new ways scientists are planning to explore space. People are so creative!  How does this video change the way you see the world?

Exploring the Oceans!

Wow! I just found this video about exploring the oceans. There are so many interesting plants and animals down there!  How does this video change the way you see the world?

Water Riot in Nepal

Wow! I just found this video. I didn't know there were such things as water trucks. I didn't know people in Kathmandu needed water so desperately.

Think about the questions the narrator asks at the end. What do you think about this?

Water: A Limited Resource

Take a look at this video. 

What do you think? 

What is our responsibility?   

What can you do?

Mystery Reader

Mrs. Varma was our first Mystery Reader. She read the book Three Questions. Check out the pictures of her reading to us.

Why do you enjoy when we have Mystery Reader?

Safe Water for All

We just started our unit on Water. We are learning that Our planet has limited usable water that we need to share with other living things.  Watch this video. Then write your comments below:

What did you learn from watching this video?

Why is there limited usable water on our planet?