4.16.15 Crew News

Announcements:

VOYAGE NEXT WEEK: 

-Our voyage is April 20-22. Drop off students at regular time on Monday morning. Pick up students on Wednesday at 4:00 by the Early Childhood Parking Lot. If we arrive early, the office will send an email out. 

-Day of rest is April 23th. (And there is no school on Friday! What a lucky week!)

-Keystone Gear List is here.

-STUDENTS PACK THEIR GEAR and YOU double check! (This really helps them know what they have, where it is, and learn the preparation skills for later).

-Pocket warmers are optional, but highly recommended for each day. 

-Pack 1 LUNCH and 1 SNACK for the first day. Pack it in their reusable lunch bag, so that we don't have to use paper sacks when we pack our lunches for the following days.

-HYDRATE early- encourage drinking lots of water over the weekend.
As of today (Thursday), the weather is calling for snow for the weekend and possible rain early next week. Make sure students are prepared for all kinds weather. :)
  

Portfolio Information

Hello Families,

I realize that I have not fully explained this whole “portfolio presentation.” :)

At Renaissance, students have digital or binder-style portfolios to store artifacts, final products of expeditions, and reflections of their learning throughout the grades. At third grade and sixth grade, students present their portfolios to share their learning and reflect on their growth as learners.

After we get back from voyage we will begin the preparation process. Students will choose what they want to share and have multiple opportunities to practice.

On the day of the presentation, please have students arrive on-time and “dressed for success.” We will tell them to treat this like an interview, where you dress up in more formal clothes for the occasion.

Students share for 20 minutes to a panel of community members. The panel usually consists of a REMS teacher, a parent from the school, and sometimes we have other guests from the community such as school board members. UNFORTUNATELY, parents do not get to sit in on the presentation. Since we recently had student-led conferences, you have already had the opportunity to hear a more informal version of this learning. Parents and siblings are asked to wait in the hallway during the presentation.

Following the presentation, all third graders and families are invited to celebrate in the cafeteria with cake. Students are tremendously proud of this feeling of accomplishment and it truly is a Renaissance ‘rite of passage.’

Please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know. I highly recommend you sitting in on the 6th grade portfolio panels, so that you can experience this unique and powerful event.

Thanks,

~Lauren

Portfolio Panel Sign-ups

Third grade is a showcase portfolio year, and we will need panelists! Unfortunately, third grade parents cannot be on the third grade panels. However, you can sign up to be on the sixth grade panels. Please consider signing up! This is an experience that is unique to REMS and is a wonderful growth opportunity for our students. Particularly for sixth graders, as it is their last year at Renaissance, it is a very meaningful ritual. Sign up to be on a 6th grade portfolio panel here.

Construct and Deconstruct:

I'm looking for old items that can be donated to the class for a construct and deconstruct center. I'd like to have different items that can be taken apart and put back together (for this reason, don't plan on getting these items back). The idea is that kids can unscrew, pry, and investigate how things work. I'd love to have anything around the size of a toaster or smaller. Email me about larger items. :) Thanks in advance for sending in any old items. Also if you have any tools that you would like to donate, that would be great! 

Calendar Updates:

Apr 20-22 NEW Voyage Date

Apr 23: Day of Rest- No School for 3rd Grade

Apr 24: No School; Teacher Comp Day
Apr 27, 28, 30: Round 2 of PARCC testing

May 1: Fieldwork to Bent's Fort *EXTENDED DAY* Drop off at 8:15am/ pick-up at 7pm
May 13: 3rd Grade Portfolio Presentations 

Reminder: 3rd Grade Portfolio Showcase on May 13th from 1:30-4 pm

Please ensure your child will be available and at our third grade portfolio reviews in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 13th. We will give your specific half hour time slot soon. It is a momentous occasion for students, and they are already very excited about it!

Learning about Viewpoints This week, our crew learned about multiple perspectives. They were given the following picture and tried to figure out what thoughts and questions people in the picture might have.  Then we took some time to become experts and learn about some of the people who were at Bent's Fort, such as the Mountain Men, Traders, Native Americans, and Craftsman.  This gave students some important background knowledge to inform their thoughts of what people in the picture might be thinking or wondering. We did the viewpoints protocol again, and this time, students had some insightful ideas that helped our crew understand multiple perspectives.  Sharing thoughts and ideas from someone in the picture. Zoom in so you can take a look at this great thinking! Music with Ms. Chelsea Be sure to ask your child about what is going on in music this week!  Community Art At The Beat, the ambassadors wanted to have our school do a community art project. They asked each crew to decorate a square in front of the school with chalk. The theme was "hand turkeys in spring." What a blast!