GRADE LEVEL MINUTES – FIFTH GRADE

Oct. 4, 2002

Bellingham School District

OUTCOME:

Teachers will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with peers in order to incorporate the elements of the District Social Studies, Health, and Literacy Curriculum and strategies for good instruction into their lessons and units of study.

AGENDA TOPICS:

I. Our Vision of Learning and Implications for Good Teaching

(Handout From Meeting: Article: How People Learn)

What is our theory of learning?

v Learners actively reflect and ask questions about their world

v Learners construct conceptual frameworks by making connections, seeing relationships, considering other perspectives, and

v Learners have preconceived ideas about their world and continually confirm and correct these ideas

What are the implications for teaching?

v Teachers need to provide demonstrations of active inquiry by asking questions that expert performers/learners ask about specific disciplines. (What questions do mathematicians ask? What questions do readers ask? What questions do writers ask? )

v Teachers provide opportunities for students to learn about a subject or topic in depth. Ample time is allowed for students to grasp the big ideas, to reflect, to investigate, to question, to see relationships, and to construct new meaning.

v Teachers expect students to perform the new learning in authentic situations demonstrating the skills and knowledge as outlined in district and state standards.

This theory of learning connects with the Conditions For Learning found in our Elementary Literacy Support Guide.

Further information about How People Learn can be found at www.nap.edu

II. Challenges with the District Health Curriculum – In Depth

There is only one required unit to be taught this year. It is the Bellingham School District version of “Growing Up”.

Teachers provided feedback on their questions and needs regarding the implementation of Great Body Shop (see attached Q&A for Health).

III. Elementary Literacy Support Guide: Active Inquiry

v Questions that readers ask are related to the Reading Process

v Explicitly teaching questioning can include helping students understand that some questions are literal and answers are found in the text. Some questions are interpretive and answers are found in a conversation between the readers and the author. Other questions are evaluative and ask for a reader’s opinion.

(Handout From Meeting: QAR: Question Answer Response from September 2002, Reading Teacher, p. 20-27)

IV. Backwards Design – Starting with the big ideas to be learned and describing the

Performance expected from the students.

Sample units for social studies were developed and shared by the participants. These drafts will be sent to each teacher and may be further developed at future grade level meetings. The template will be sent electronically to each grade level teacher.

(Handout: Curriculum and Resources for Fifth Grade)

V. Questions

Teachers posted questions throughout the day. See attached for Q/A sheet.

1. Will there be a 5^th grade WASL Science pilot this year?

2. Are 5^th grade teachers required to have specific interventions for student that did not meet standards on the WASL?

3. What do we leave out to go in depth?

4. How are the atlases allocated to buildings? What was the decision about the number of atlases to be sent to 4^th and 5^th grade teachers at each building?

5. How are field trip monies allocated to buildings? How do we go to the track meet? Who pays for the water treatment field trip?

6. How can we make the 5^th/6^th grade Service Learning Project meaningful?

7. Are we passing on portfolios to 6^th grade teachers? Do they use them?

8. Is Second Step necessary to be taught or can it be supplemental and integrated into class activities?

VI. Next Steps

Teachers posted suggestions and topics for future grade level meetings.

Topics:

v Year long unit planning for social studies

v Integration across the curriculum focused on EALRs

v TERC vs. Textbook approach and alignment with 6^th grade approach

v WASL – What’s coming to 5^th grade & Goal Setting

v Transition to 6^th

v Use of Technology

v Sharing of good read alouds

v Science unit planning

v Portfolios

v Classroom Assessment Strategies

v Electronic Grade Book and Reporting

Volunteers to host:

Jaylani Battle/Carolyn Hinshaw - Birchwood

Volunteer teachers will develop a plan for the next meeting in March.

Leslie Rogers – Lowell

Beth Kealy – Lowell

Todd Hausmann – Sunnyland

John Livesey – Northern Heights

Tracy Beel – Parkview

Heather Caruso – Parkview

Becky Candini - Northern Heights

Jaylani Battle – Birchwood

Carolyn Hinshaw – Birchwood

Elise Mueller – Alderwood

ATTENDEES

Alderwood: Elise Meuller Birchwood: Tami Chock, Jaylani Battle, Carolyn Hinshaw, Tony Seman Carl Cozier: Tom Pollino, Linda Pollino Geneva: Heather Gabrielson, Kelly Eret Kristin Gresham Happy Valley: Mike D”Hond, Eric Sellereit, Kelli Miles, Peggy Taylor Larrabee: Kara Kisena Lowell: Leslie Rogers, Beth Kealy Northern Heights: John Livezey, Becky Candini, Heide Hawley Parkview: Tracy Bell, Heather Caruso Roosevelt: Vicky Niles, Russ Nuckolls, Petei Rasmussen Silver Beach: Gerry Alford Sunnyland: Todd Hausman, Kiersten Barr