2011.3.7

1. Bonnie edited and saved the notebook rubric. Saved in the document page. Claudia and Karen shared their rubric. 4th grade was already saved.

2. We shared a lot about technology and our uses in the class. - Putting information in a public space opens conversations between home and school. Activities can be extended and discussions can be continued at home. - No excuses for missing homework if documents are saved in a public space. Nicola shared the inventions mini-unit that links in with social studies and piggy backs on the 3rd grade study of simple machines. All signed on.

3. Notebook discussion: -Everything is added to our notebooks. Each teacher uses it slightly differently, but we tend to have vocabulary, activities, and more.The use is evolving. Most grade levels try to focus on prelab, lab, and post-lab entries. - Notebooks are used for students to reflect from year to year. These are similar to portfolio assessments that say even more than report cards, so a teacher can preview incoming student work. - Some philosophical discussion on what changes are in the future if we have tablets rather than pencil-paper notebooks.

4. Next week Karen will share the resurrection plant lessons they are hoping to add to first grade. We will discuss the lesson plan and outcomes from the grade's pilot. During discussion we will determine whether we should add this permanently to the curriculum. - Making predictions - Drawing connections between seasonal dormancy and living qualities - Observing and explaining observations