Mrs. Dawkins' Classroom

Bonneville Dam, Beacon Rock, and an ice cream

2011-06-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day! We began our trip at Bonneville Dam at the visitor's center on the Washington side. We learned about how the dam had been added onto back in the 80s and we had to figure out the steps it takes to go from water to lighting up a light bulb. We then took a very long stairway down to a catwalk over a hydro-electrical turbine. It was clear on top so that you could see it working...very cool! We then walked over to where the fish ladder was and talked salmon.

We ate lunch at Fort Cascade and then drove to Beacon Rock for our ascent! We had just a little rain on the way up. The kids did a great job being safe and making their way to the top. We then rewarded ourselves with some ice cream at the East Wind Drive-in in Cascade Locks. Enjoy the pictures!

Field Trip

2011-05-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, May 18, we will be loading up a school bus and heading to downtown Portland to see A Wrinkle in Time. Thanks to Ticia Evans, a Corbett parent, we are able to watch this Oregon Children's Theater production with free tickets. Permission slips went home on Thursday and should be returned by Tuesday, 5/10. Students will need to bring a lunch (we will leave school at 10:30 and return about 2:00). We have room for three chaperones. Please let me know if you are able to attend.

Aboriginal Art

2011-05-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

This week we took a trip down under to Australia to learn about Aboriginal art. We first found the word "original" in Aboriginal. That was a huge clue that "aboriginal" people were the first people of Australia. Australia Aborigines created stories to teach each other about the Dreamtime, these stories taught about life, including birth, love, food gathering, hunting, warfare, marriage and death. Aboriginal people reminded many of use of the Native Americans that we have learned about in our own exploration of the Gorge.

Here are a few pictures taken while we were painting while listening to Aboriginal music.

Area of Study - April 7th

2011-04-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Another amazing celebration of learning! I am always so impressed by these researchers and their variety of interests. We had monkeys, polar bears, deer, koala bears, bearded dragons, and giraffes to learn about. There were clarinets, Bermuda Triangles, Vikings, teeth, Origami, renewable energy, and many more subjects. Many books were written, interviews conducted, posters made, pictures painted, and models built. My favorite part is watching the pride and pure joy of children that love to learn about things that are special and interesting to them. Our celebration is a great time to share their new found knowledge with so many people. Thanks for coming!

I am attaching a slide show of the event!

A Visit with Craigmore Creations

2011-01-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, January 26th, we had the pleasure of hosting some wonderful people from Craigmore Creations. These folks were responsible for researching, writing, illustrating, and coloring the graphic novel that we just read called: Terra Tempo: Ice Age Cataclysm!. The story begins in Portland, Oregon and then travels back in time to the Missoula Floods.

Christopher Herndon showing us how he illustrates a graphic novel.

Erica Melville explaining how she uses a computer to color the illustrations that Chris draws.

David Shapiro explains how good writers develop a story filled with characters, a great setting, and an interesting plot.

David takes time to sign a few autographs...Faith just happened to a cast that needed signing!

Simple Machines and Rube Goldberg Challenge!

2011-01-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

During the past few weeks we have been exploring simple machines. We have learned about levers, incline planes, pulleys, screws, wheels/axles, and a wedge. Each student had to figure out how force multiplied by distance equals work (W = F X D). This required putting our math skills to work!

We are also putting finishing touches on our Rube Goldberg Art Challenge. We had to take a simple task and make it complicated. The completed art will be displayed in the hallways. Each machine to have 10-12 steps that were drawn to show exactly how the machine would work. Each step also had to be written out and labeled.

For the next two weeks we will be working in teams of four to take on the Rube Goldberg Science Challenge. Each team will be given a bag of supplies to build a machine that is capable of moving a ping pong ball through at least ten steps and three simple machines to land into a Dixie cup. Each team will have a limited amount of time to plan and build (two 45 planning sessions and six 45 minute building sessions). The machine will be scored in four areas: Does the ball land in the cup? How long did the ball stay moving? How many simple machines were used? Was it appealing to look at? The winner of our classroom competition will represent our class in the school challenge on Monday, February 14th.

Upcoming Events and Happenings:
Jan. 31st - Feb. 3rd Fourth Grade State Writing Assessment
Jan. 31st - Feb. 9th Planning and building Rube Goldberg Machines
Feb. 9th Field Trip to Tears of Joy Theater (Bridge of the Gods)
Feb. 10th Classroom Rube Goldberg Challenge
Feb. 14th Winner of the Classroom Challenge competes
Feb. 21st Monday - No school President's Day
Feb. 25th Friday - School

Welcome Back!

2011-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

Our first week back was very busy! We have been working on updating our Artist's Profile books, completing our own stories about what we LOVE about winter, and beginning a new science unit on simple machines.

For the next few weeks we be learning about simple machines and a man named Rube Goldberg. We will be exploring the six simple machines and how they will help us with a science challenge - to make a Rube Goldberg device!

Rube Goldberg devices are, in the words of the inventor, “symbol of man’s capacity for exerting maximum effort to achieve minimal results.” Generally, machines are used to exert a minimum effort for maximum results. Goldberg’s inventions became so widely known that Webster Dictionary added the term “Rube Goldberg” to its listings, defining it as “accomplishing by extremely complex, roundabout means what seemingly could be done simply.”

You can check out some examples on the web - http://www.rube-goldberg.com.

To help with the challenge we are asking for donations of the following:
toilet paper rolls
paper towel rolls
wrapping paper rolls
Dixie cups
pipe cleaners
ping-pong balls
rubber bands
3 x 5 index cards
old game pieces that might be helpful
other items - use your imagination!

In addition to all of this - we will be meeting with our buddies from Mrs. Wold's class to learn about the Lunar New Year.

While I enjoyed my time with my own family - I really missed the kids!! It is nice to be back.

Mix, Roll, Bake, and then DECORATE!

2010-12-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Jan Brett would be very proud of the Corbett Grade School kids. We love Jan Brett books because her stories are fun and her illustrations are beautiful. We were inspired to follow in the steps of a character in one of her books, Gingerbread Baby. In the story, Matti tries baking a gingerbread baby, when he becomes inpatient and doesn't follow the recipe exactly, the fun begins! To help solve his problem he bakes a gingerbread house. So with the help of the generous folks at Multnomah Falls Lodge, our own Erica Pace from our amazing food service program, and some amazing parents, the kids were able to make their very own. Our school was able to roll, bake, cut out, assemble, and finally decorate almost 300 gingerbread houses.

Houses will be sent home on Tuesday!

Shapes...

2010-11-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

Ms. Hume presented a few lessons on shapes. First we explored 2-D shapes like triangles, quadrilaterals, equilaterals, hexagons, pentagons, and many more. We played a bingo game to review each shape. Today we moved to 3-D shapes. These shapes are not flat, like 2-D. They really "pop" out. They have length, width, and depth!

We talked about some good ways of remembering shapes and then we made a few ourselves using spice drops, toothpicks and some soapy water. We will remember that the spice drops are the vertices, the toothpicks the edges, and we made faces using the soapy water.

Area of Study Celebration

2010-11-20T16:56:00.000-08:00

Amazing! It was so wonderful to see everyone so excited about sharing their topics with our buddies, parents, grandparents, and friends! I am surrounded by a bunch of curious kids that absolutely love to learn. The variety of topics and how each was presented was delightful! Just click on the picture to enjoy a slide show of our celebration!

Nov 18, 2010

Reminders

2010-11-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Picture retakes are Wednesday, November 17th.

Area of Study projects are due Wednesday, November 17th at 8 am!

Area of Study Celebration will be Thursday, November 18th at 2:30 pm! Family and friends are invited to come.

Reading Buddy Class

2010-10-11T10:22:00.001-07:00

Here are a few snapshots of our class enjoying an afternoon of reading with Mrs. Wold's class.

Room 12 Happenings!

2010-10-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

October always means a visit from our amazing Corbett Volunteer Fire Department. The firemen presented a film on the importance of designating a meeting area for the family and checking smoke detectors.

The past five weeks Ms. Hume has been presenting a new artist each Monday. So far we have learned a bit about Frida Kahlo, Frank Gehry, Alexander Caulder, Faith Ringgold, and Leonardo DaVinci. I have posted a few pictures of the art that has been inspired by these artists.

We have now met with our buddies from Mrs. Wold's class twice! Each time the kids have enjoy sharing stories with each other. This is a great time for each child to enjoy a wonderful story and share their love of literature.

We Are Back!

2010-09-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have just flown by. During the our first eight days we have been working on getting the basic routines down. In addition, we have been very busy beginning our exploration of elements of design, learning about geography, brushing up on our math, sharing books with one another, improving our writing and learning about two of our featured artists. Next week we will be adding geology to our classroom too!

Our first artist was Frida Kahlo, an artist from Mexico. We learned a bit about her life, looked at the paintings she created, and thought a bit about why she painted what she did. We then created are own self-portraits that are now hanging in our classroom.

Our next artist is actually an architect. His name is Frank Gehry. Mr. Gehry is famous for his buildings that are very much out of the ordinary. It was so exciting to watch Ms. Hume present this artist and the reaction that each child had. They are very excited to begin their own buildings, but we will need your help!

Children were asked to sketch and then create their building much like Frank Gehry does. We have some supplies to make this happen, but the future architects decided that they would like to bring more materials.

Our list included: paper or plastic bowls, wooden skewers, pipe cleaners, aluminum foil, wax paper, heavy cloth, special papers (the heavier the better). Wire that is flexible and easy to cut, cardboard (like cereal boxes are made of), natural materials (rocks, wood, etc.). We are also hoping to borrow low temperature glue guns (I have a couple).

State Projects...

2010-06-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

After a lot of research and preparation our projects were complete. The books were filled with lots of interesting information. The tri-fold boards gave a quick look at the motto, state bird, flower, tree, animal, and a state map. The speeches were well crafted and packed full of history, politics, and fun facts. There were a wide variety of 3-D models representing each state that really captured a lot of our attention.

Rowena Spring Trip May 2010

2010-05-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

Rowena Spring Trip 2010

Our class visited Rowena Plateau to observe the changes from fall to spring and to view the differences between the west and east.

The LIberty Project

2010-05-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

As a wonderful way to conclude our study of early U.S. history and government we had two special visitors. Sara Grigsby and Joe Schneider came into ur classroom to share The Liberty Project. Joe is making a float for the Corbett Fourth of July parade that will feature the head of the Statue of Liberty. Surrounding the head will be flags created created by Mrs. Handy's, Ms. Steichen's, and our classroom.

Each classroom discussed what liberty and freedom meant to each of us and then we took those thoughts and ideas and design flag. The creativity and ideas they came up with were amazing. Be sure to look for the float in the Fourth of July parade and it will also be displayed in Portland at the Waterfront Park sometime in September.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Columbia River Gorge

2010-05-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Lose yourself in nature and find peace...

The final five weeks of our time together will be doing just that! We will be exploring the beauty of the Gorge. Comparing how it changes from fall to spring, looking at the beauty of the wildflowers that grow, helping to paint a mural in the grade school, and doing our part to help it remain the amazing place that it is.

To begin our classroom has been asked to paint important places and things found in the Gorge from Wahkeena Falls to Cascade Locks. From the historic stonework to the many falls and parks, our paintings have been done with lots of thought and care.

On May 10th and 11th we will be traveling up the Gorge to revisit Rowena Plateau and Larch Mountain to experience the changes that have taking place. We will also have the opportunity to see the beautiful wildflowers that are so abundant.

We recently joined with all of the members of the intermediate pod to help in the fight against garlic mustard. This very invasive plant is endangering many areas in the western part of the Gorge. Together we were able to pull over 80 bags of this plant near Guy Talbot State Park.

Mixtures and Solutions

2010-04-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

Our new science exploration has our classroom busy with mixtures and solutions. Last week we learned the difference between a mixture and solution and how to separate them. Mixtures could be separated using screens and filters, but solutions required a bit more time. We quickly learned that evaporation was the way to find salt that was in our solution of salt and water. We loved looking closely at the result. We discovered that the salt was now small square crystals that all had little "x"s on them. We learned that salt's scientific name is sodium chloride.

This week we used what we learned about mixtures and solutions and how to separate them with screens, filters, and evaporation. We worked in teams that had to design a way to separate a dry mixture of gravel, salt, and a powder. Each team came up with a unique was to solve the problem. We learned that there can be more than one way to complete this, but some might work a bit better than others!

Revolution Wrap up

2010-03-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

We are wrapping up our studies of the Revolutionary War. We have read about the events and researched important people. We learned how to sew like the colonists and made a pillow of our own. We listened to a historical fictional story and discussed how hard it would have been to have a dad on one side and our brother on the other. To finish up we are writing a story of our own. We will complete our stories when we return from spring break.

Enjoy the break because our spring will be a filled with learning more about the U.S. Constitution and exploring the three branches of our government. Each student will also be assigned a U.S. state to study and make a presentation on. During April we will also be creating the hallway mural of the Columbia River Gorge, investigating chemicals and solutions in science, and writing poetry.

Take care!

Area of Study Celebration - Round 2

2010-02-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

Today was such an amazing experience watching and listening to all of the conversations! The celebration was a wonderful way of wrapping up a lot of hard work by many.

Valentine's Celebration

2010-02-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

World Forestry Center

2010-01-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

We had a great time exploring at the World Forestry Center on Friday, January 22nd. After reading about the four types of forests, who lives in forests, and how we can preserve our forests, we then became fire jumpers, white water rafters, explorers of the forest canopy, and we even planted a few trees. Thanks to our wonderful parent chaperones. We also received a compliment from other visitors that happened to be there. They were very impressed with the kids from Corbett and how well mannered and hard working they were!

Glad to be Back!

2010-01-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful break. I know that I did! It was nice to see all of my family, eat a lot of great food, watch some movies, and relax with a good book or two.

I must admit that I missed seeing the kids of Room 12 and I am excited to get back. We were very busy today calculating some math, reading, writing, and beginning our new studies on the 13 colonies.

We started our studies on the 13 colonies with a bit of historical background. We are reading a book from Joy Hakim and she introduces the colonies with a trip back a few thousand years. She tells the story about how in the city of Ur there lived a boy named Abraham. We now know Ur as Iraq. She goes on to tell of Abraham's travels. She tells of what Israel, Egypt, Canaan, Greece was like thousands of years ago. Her story also tells of the Romans and what life was like in Spain.

Her main point is that each of these cultures had many different ideas (both good and bad). It is through all of these different civilizations and their ideas that America was built upon. The European newcomers learned from each group and from the Native Americans that were already here in America.

Out of all of this mixture a new nation developed - the United States.

During the next few weeks students will work with a partner to become a bit of an expert on a specific colony. Kids are busy reading about their colony and later they are going to be responsible to tell a story (through writing) about how their colony began. They will also make of map of what it looked like back in the 1600s. They will then create a poster that they will use during their presentation to the class.

Students will have at least one hour each day to work on this project. This week will be researching, next week writing and drawing the maps. During the week of January 19th they will polish up their presentations.

More to follow...Michelle

Zoo Lights

2009-12-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Salmon Release with Mrs. Lilly's Class

2009-12-03T18:04:00.000-08:00

We packed up the salmon, loaded up a bus with Mrs. Lilly's class, and then made our way to Dabney State Park to release our salmon into the Sandy River. The kids did a wonderful job of working with each other to help the salmon adjust to the water temperature and then slowly release them into the river. It was sad to see them go...but maybe we will meet again in four or five years!

Progress Reports, salmon, and state testing...

2009-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

Students have their first trimester progress reports in their mailboxes. They will bring them home tonight (Monday, November 30th) for your viewing. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your child and their progress.

On Tuesday, December 1st we will begin our first round of state testing. The test usually takes two or three testing periods to complete for each section (reading and math). Students are being encouraged to get plenty of rest, eat a good breakfast, take their time, and do their best.

We will be releasing our salmon on Thursday, December 3rd in the afternoon with Mrs. Lilly's class. Our trip will be to Dabney State Park. A permission slip went home last Wednesday.

Hard to believe that we only have three weeks of school until our Winter Break!

Take care,
Michelle

We Are Thankful Video

2009-11-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

Area of Study November 19, 2009

2009-11-21T05:22:00.000-08:00

We had an amazing afternoon of sharing our Area of Study projects. It was so fun to watch the kids from Room 12 shine as they shared their topics with others. I enjoyed how much work many of the kids put into their project and the creativity they possess. This was a great start and I can't wait until the next one! Thank you to those that were able to join us. For those unable to be with us, please be sure to ask your child about the event. I have posted a few photos to help them tell the story.

Buck Creek pictures 11/09

2009-11-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

Rowena Slide Show

2009-11-17T12:49:00.001-08:00

The Incredible East End of the Gorge

2009-11-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

After a long ride the bus and a visit to Mosier Community School, we arrived at Rowena Crest. It was such an amazing place. The contrast from our "end" of the Gorge to the east end was very evident. The kids all noted that that there were fewer trees, the soil contained a lot more rocks, and that the vegetation was quite different then what we are used to seeing. We had many questions like: Why did they paint the grass pink? What makes the climate so much drier compared to where we live? What kinds of animals live in the area? We do know that deer are around. We saw tracks, scat, and two of them jumping over a fence! Here are just a few pictures of our trip.

Salmon Homecoming at Oxbow Park

2009-10-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

What an incredible day we all had together. We were so fortunate to have such gracious hosts provided by Metro. Dan, along with the other volunteers, told us many stories that involved Native Americans, salmon, and many other animals. We learned how to hear like a deer, walk like a fox, and see like an owl. These new skills allowed us to discover many things that we might have normally passed by. We viewed spawning salmon, saw a bald eagle (he was also looking at the salmon), examined a salmon that was dead along the river bank, and we found deer tracks along the banks of the Sandy River.

We learned the importance that the salmon have in the growth of the trees and in the nourishment of other animals. As a way to show our appreciation we gathered sticks to represent the bones of the salmon, leaves to signify the fins that help the salmon move through the water, lichens to protect the fish from the cold water, and we used rocks to show the strong teeth and jaws, and another for the eyes. We ended with giving our salmon a heart. We then all said a huge "thank you" to the salmon as we ended our day with our new friends from the park. A day well spent.

Buck Creek pictures (a few more)

2009-10-22T04:41:00.001-07:00

Buck Creek pictures

2009-10-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

Field Trip to Buck Creek

2009-10-22T04:16:00.000-07:00

We took a trip up to Buck Creek on Larch Mountain to continue our investigations of the characteristics of watersheds, how they work, and who and what inhabits them. Ms. Steichen's class and our class, joined forces to explore the depth, width, and temperature of the stream. We also tested the dissolved oxygen level, collected some macroinvertebrates, and observed the weather. We tried our hand at making a few observations and sketches (our papers were a bit damp, so this was hard). We also thought about the questions we had about the stream and the forest surrounding it. We wrote down questions that we had about this magnificent area. Some examples were: What types of wildflowers would grow in such a dark place? How long had the really tall trees been there? What were the numbered tags on the trees? How do trees grow inside of other trees?...and many more!

Here are a few pictures of our trip!

Writing Salmon Stories with our Buddies from Mrs. Wold's Class

2009-10-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

We have been busy writing stories with our buddies from Mrs. Wold's class. We were all selected to write a story about the journey of salmon as it goes through its different stages from egg to a spawning adult. Today we used the information we have been gathering the past few weeks about a salmon's life cycle to begin writing our draft.

Fire Safety

2009-10-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated volunteer fire department in our community. Each year they take time to visit our school and provide important fire safety information for our entire grade school. This year is no exception. Be sure to ask your child what ingredients are needed for a fire to exist. They should also be able to tell you the four different types of fires and what is needed to extinguish the flame.

More of our completed watershed murals...

2009-10-06T10:35:00.001-07:00

Our completed watershed murals...

2009-10-06T10:33:00.001-07:00

Our Watershed Murals

2009-10-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

So that's what that computer is for...

2009-09-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

Our thanks to Mark Nelson for coming into our classroom today. During his visit he explained what it is like to report on the weather and a bit about the computer that now located in our classroom. We learned that it is busy gathering about the weather from a station up on our roof. We then snapped a picture with the huge pile of hail that we had left over from a hail storm from night before!

Corbett's Color Paper Factory

2009-09-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our first Corbett Color Paper Factory. Corbett's amazing 4/5/6 students all worked together to mix paint by using yellow, magenta, and turquoise to create a variety of colors. The paper created will be used for our future cut and torn paper creations (like murals and props for Reader's Theater).

Stream Table Investigations

2009-09-17T18:17:00.001-07:00

This week we continued using stream tables to help us investigate how rivers, canyons, gorges, and deltas form. We looked at what types of variables impact their size and their depth. During our guided investigations we focused on the amount of water (standard to flood) and the slope of the land. After we completed the guided investigations, it was time for us to design a few of our own. We looked at how structures, the amount of water, and the geography of the land can affect the flow of the water.

Another quick week!

2009-09-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

The saying "time flies when you're having fun" really hits home for me! I can't believe how quickly the past two weeks have come and gone.

This week we continued our investigation of erosion and deposition with our stream tables. We created a plateau and then used a water source to create our own rivers, deltas, canyons, and more. Our science kit used the Grand Canyon as their example but we quickly saw the connection to our own Columbia River Gorge.

We have also been busy during our Writers' Workshop making a Corbett Grade School Guidebook. We determined that our audience would be new students, new teachers, substitute teachers, parents, and visitors to our school. Our book will include how things operate within our classroom and our school. This book will be filled with useful information for our audience.

Looking forward to next week,
Mrs. Dawkins

Stream Tables

2009-09-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

Making Models of Our School

2009-09-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Struggling Artists...

2009-09-11T22:45:00.001-07:00

Our First Week Together

2009-09-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing (and exhausting) first week together. We explored maps and models, completed a lot of math, played a few math games, became struggling artists, created three spectacular masterpieces, went on a treasure hunt, read some great books, wrote in our journals, walked the trail (twice), picked blackberries while on one of our walks, made two blackberry crisps, ate them, began designing the "perfect school," and met our two buddy classes (Mrs. Lilly's and Mrs. Wold's).

One item left off our supply list was colored pencils. I will be ordering a few boxes, but if you find yourself out shopping this weekend, picking up a box for your child would be very helpful!

Items needed for our classroom
-10 or 20 gallon fish tank, air pump (bubbler), chiller (we would just borrow this)

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences will be Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28. Sign-ups will be during Back to School night on Tuesday, September 15th.

We have a field trip scheduled to visit Oxbow Park with Mrs. Wold's class on Thursday, October 29th. We will learn about salmon on this trip.

Have a safe, relaxing, and long weekend.
Remember no school Monday means school on Friday!

Take care,
Mrs. Dawkins

Our First Day...

2009-08-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

I must be the luckiest teacher in the world to be surrounded by such kind, caring, and wonderful kids. We had a terrific first day together. They endured a lot of talking from me (hopefully that won't happen much) and then some went to Funky Monkeys and some to band. We combined our PE and Science to make models of our school. We shared our models and then wrote about our experience. After lunch we had listening time, Writers' Workshop, and then we read in our independent reading books. The day just seemed to fly by!

Each student brought home a green folder that will be used to transport important papers to and from school. Please look over the papers inside and return any forms necessary. Also, please feel free to email or call me with any questions or concerns that you might have.

Looking forward to another day...Mrs. Dawkins

Getting Ready for the First Day in Room 12!

2009-08-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

The start of school is quickly approaching and the school has been bustling with everyone preparing for the new year. Teachers are busy planning, organizing, and shuffling things about. The biggest change that our class will notice is that our sixth graders have moved into the middle school...along with Mr. Lutes and Mr. Leone! They all will combine with our already amazing middle school team to provide a 6/7/8 learning experience for all. While I am very sad to lose them, I am sure that they are going to have a great year.

With such change, our classroom will now be a 4/5 classroom which means that while we have lost nine kids, we have added five new kids to our classroom for a total of 25. We will also have Miss Steichen next door as our new neighbor. We will now focus our year around the study of the United States (geography, explorers, colonization, the Revolutionary War, and government), along with plants and animals of the Gorge, and so much more! We have lots of great things planned and I can't wait to get started.

Looking forward to Monday!
Mrs. Dawkins

Flexibility!

2009-08-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

That is our first word on our Words in Our World (W.O.W.) bulletin board! We are currently experiencing a few last minute changes that will help make the rest of the school year go a bit more smoothly. Stand-by for more information...Michelle

Welcome to Room 12!

2009-08-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

During the 2009-10 school year our class will focus on Ancient Civilizations, plants and animals of The Columbia River Gorge, and many other areas of interest. We will continue to partner with other classrooms around us – both intermediate and primary. Developing a community of learners will help us understand how the world works together to solve problems and overcome obstacles.

Our multiage classroom relies on strong parent involvement. Parents that are supportive both at home and at school really make a huge impact on their child’s education. Many parents volunteer on a regular basis while others help out on special projects or occasions. Grandparents are also welcomed volunteers.

While what happens in each class varies with the topic, the time of day, and students’ needs, here are some things we expect you’ll see during the school year - whole group instruction, small group lessons, peer collaboration, class meetings, team teaching, independent work on projects, students exploring, teachers planning together, and students reading and writing a lot!

I have been busy this summer taking classes, traveling the country, and thinking about all of the possibilities for the coming school year. I am looking forward to the year and all of the things we will be learning and exploring. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you have. My email is mdawkins@corbett.k12.or.us.

Take care,

Michelle Dawkins

Multi-age Classrooms

2009-08-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Multi-age classroom are filled with students with differing ability levels and ages. Students are taught in the same classroom using the same curriculum, without grade level designations. Each student progresses at their own pace through continuous progress. They will begin at a level that is right for them and then move on to the next level, as they are ready. Students have the advantage of having the same teacher for 2, 3, or even four years. Building and developing relationships between peers, teachers, and others in our school is an important part of the learning process.

My goal is to provide a safe and an inviting environment where children feel free to explore and grow in their learning. I will be a resource to students as they become more independent in their learning during the school year. Self direction will be an important goal for each child. Moving the responsibility from being told information to having the ability to locate it through research skills will be another goal this year for each child. A main focus for our classroom will be on becoming avid readers, accomplished writers, experienced mathematicians, and knowledgeable about the world around us.