Building a Mission and...

Fourth grade means California history. And if there is one thing that more people ask me as a fourth grade history teacher, it is, “Do you students still have to build a mission?” The short answer is yes. The long answer is much more interesting. I am now in my 9th year of teaching fourth grade and have yet to go the traditional route of simply building a mission. The concept is even mocked about in the fourth grade mini-musical number “Gotta Build a Mission (Sugar cubes).” I have had students build a mission of their own volition, sometimes with kits and sometimes by free hand, using the aforementioned sugar cubes or tongue depressors (popsicle sticks). However, it was last year, my first at Star, that I was lucky enough to be a part of a new paradigm of building a mission. Minecraft.

It actually went a step further. Rather than each student creating a mission or even pair of students, larger groups of students would brainstorm what a person would expect to see at a mission, not any mission in particular. Additionally, as we study how California was colonized by Spain, it was not only missions, but presidios, pueblos, and eventually ranchos. With this thought, groups of students similarly discussed, planned out, and blueprinted what they would create in Minecraft to represent their respective sites. This being the second year, I decided to add a fifth site, a Spanish Galleon. Take a look at some of the pics below for the incredible work that students put in that allowed them to connect to what those places may have looked like, be made out of, and what life may have been like for people at that time.

NOTE: Need to add pictures of presidio.

The fountain and central plaza of the mission grounds.

Sleeping quarters on a mission.

A bunk area.

Inside the chapel.

An aerial view of a pueblo.

Can't say this is historically accurate, but still necessary.

Inside a home in a pueblo.

Aerial view of the rancho tract of land.

Plenty of hay for the rancho animals.

Far view of the Spanish galleon.

Inside of the Spanish galleon.

Rear view of the galleon.

Snow Day with Second Grade Buddies

       Living in California, particularly the Central Valley, it is a rare opportunity to spend some time in the snow so Mrs. Evans and I decided to play with that notion and have an impromptu snow day. We started by meeting together and creating poems about winter related topics. Second graders shared what they had been working on including "Here, There" chants, cinquains, diamantes, and acrostics.
       Later in the day, we met together in the gym and had two ongoing activities. Some students used sheets to toss and catch foam balls in small groups much like many of us may have experienced with parachutes growing up in elementary school. The titular activity though was a snowball fight arena with three designated areas for students to stay behind and toss imaginary "snowballs" made from crumpled up scratch paper. Fourth graders and second graders did a great job both helping each other, following the instructions, and helping clean up afterwards. Take a look at some of the pics below.

Native Californians Projects Video

Teacher Blog - Sports and Stage

After a teacher inservice where we examined strategies of mindfulness and recognizing opportunities to provide a classroom for introverts as well as extroverts, one article struck a personal chord about things that an introverted teacher can do to help maintain some comfort, stability, and enthusiasm. Now anyone who knows me, would not claim I am an introvert, nor would I, but there has been a discussion of ambiverts, the idea that (shockingly!) people don’t fit into neat this or that categories. I think this fits me perfectly. I not only am just as happy in large groups as I am in one-on-one situations, but I am just as likely to not want to be in those situations. I need some alone time as often as I enjoy playing board games or sports with groups of friends. I am just as likely to WANT to go to the movies or eat a meal by myself as I am to catch a flick with some buds.  In reading the article that approached the need to highlight things that introverted teachers can do since the school setting seems primarily set up for extroverts, one task is both doing and sharing about hobbies and I would like to do that now.

Growing up, my family was into sports. I mean WAY into sports, and in particular, baseball. My mom was a scorekeeper, my dad was an umpire, and my older brother played and was an umpire. It was inevitable that I would play too, and I did. I played sports year round from baseball to football, from soccer to basketball. It wasn’t until sixth grade that I had the opportunity to be a part of a school play that I gained an interest in theater. My first part was the prince in Bee Bop Cinderella. The next year I played Ebeneezer Humbug in a melodrama production of A Christmas Carol. I continued to pursue theater in high school and even competed in speech and debate. Acting was my passion at that point of my life, but I knew I had no desire to continue with it professionally going into college.

It wasn’t until this summer that I happened to see a note about auditions for a production at the church I was attending that I put any thought into doing acting again. I decided to audition since the whole show would be finished by the end of summer and the start of a new school year. I got a role and surprisingly, a large one at that. The old familiar feelings of excitement in playing a part, memorizing lines, meeting new people, and eventually performing for a live audience ignited a passion for something I thought I had long moved past.

Cast photo from summer play, A Scheme By Any Other Name.

With this acknowledgement, I found out about another audition at a local university for a larger production and again decided to audition. Butterflies were in my stomach throughout the audition process and waiting to hear back. Regardless, it had been rewarding to take a risk and try something new. Still, I got a part! I have now been rehearsing at William Jessup University about four times a week at night and most Saturdays and loving it. It is energizing, rejuvenating, and helps me to see that as much I like to support my students in their passions, it is still vital as an educator to pursue my own.

Cast photo from first read through at William Jessup.

As the dates of our official performances near at the end of this month, I am both completely in the moment to finishing this performance and giving it my best, while also aware of being a little forlorn that it comes to a close; and I'm a little anxious about the impending decision to take a break or continue to pursue this renewed diversion that has brought me great joy. For performance information go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-crucible-tickets-18521840323.

A scale model of the set for William Jessup's The Crucible.

Class Blog - I want to be remembered for...

Teachers are notorious for taking good ideas from others and running with it. That happened this week as Mrs. Rohrbacker found a wonderful lesson online and then shared results on facebook which in turn were borrowed by fourth grade.

The lesson came down to reflecting on our actions, their effects, how we are, and how we want to be remembered. For a look at that lesson, feel free to click HERE.

Below are pics from most of the students that were able to finish and below some a the photos are captions from a few students that wanted and were willing to share a bit of insight into the because of their legacy wishes.

...because I like baseball and I want to be a good player in MLB and I wanna have… I want to take care of my mom because everything she did I want to pay back.

...because I was good at computer and typing.

...because I hope that people think that I’m nice and that I’m willing to stand up for my friends.

...because it is kind and being kind to kids is a special thing for me because I like helping other students.

...because I like helping other people and encouraging them to do things that they think they can’t do.

...because I used to play soccer for two years.

...because my mom thinks I’m really funny and I do too.

...because I’m really good at reading books.

...because I do love books and I want everyone to know that and I do love having fun.

...because I really, really like writing.

...because my mom played soccer and I want to play soccer.

...because almost all of my family also plays baseball or softball and my family is encouraging me to keep playing and get better.

...because I am a good basketball player on my team and I score a lot of points and we are undefeated, 4 and 0.

...because I enjoy doing it.

Teacher Blog - Start of Genius Hour, Star of the Week link, and Martial Arts Dress

This week we started our genius hour projects which are student selected investigations of topics ranging from creating cardboard robots and Minecraft items to creating nail polish colors, from studying sound to origami, and from jewelry making to claymation movie making.

We ended the week with some fun as our star of the week, James, shared a bit about himself and chose martial arts as the theme for free dress Friday. Take a look at his presentation and pics from the week below.

Link to Star of the Week Presentation