IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

We had a blast today with Mr. Thornburgh in his science lab! Check out our pictures and ask your child what their favorite part of the trip was!

As a part of our perspectives unit, Mrs. Clark and Miss Cegielski’s classes are having a Literacy Celebration during Reader’s Workshop on Wednesday at 11.  We have been impressed by the depth of the students’ understanding through our discussions, so each of them will share one insight at the celebration.  It will give our two classes a chance to collaborate further and hear their peers’ ideas.  Parents are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served by volunteers from First Book, a local organization that promotes giving books to children!

In Story Workshop the students are engaged in their first drafts of their author’s study books.  We have started to talk about critique and making improvements to our work.  Chairo went back to the Grouchy Lady Bug by Eric Carle and found more ideas for his story.  He began working on his second draft.  I have been impressed by their stamina for writing these stories and focusing on critique and revision.

In Math Workshop we explored the question “What is an octagon?”  The students worked in partners and used geoboards to create octagons.  We have agreed that octagons have eight sides just like an octopus has eight legs.  We are still debating the other properties of octagons.  The conversations happening between partners and during share were rich with the students’ theories.  We will continue to build on our understanding of these geometry concepts next week.

I’m sure that you have heard about Abraham Lincoln, slavery, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks.  We have been exploring different perspectives of characters by reading books rich in history from the time of slavery and the civil rights movement.  We have had discussions about the perspectives of the North and the South during the time of the civil war.  The students have been making applications while they are reading on their own during Reader’s Workshop.  They have been very interested in these influential people and many students are choosing to read and learn more during free choice.

On Monday, December 3^rd, the Block A students shared their final Teacher Research Projects. The teacher research project was a hands-on way for the Block A students to experience classroom life.  Butler professors, Lab School faculty, friends, and family were all invited to attend this event. This event was the culmination of a semester’s work of research. Each student had the opportunity to showcase his/her accomplishments from the semester. We spent ten weeks in the classrooms collecting data and observing our students to try to answer our questions.

Throughout the course of the semester, we had to complete a variety of tasks as teachers in the classroom. These included: read alouds, conferencing, small group instruction, and a math/literature lesson. When we first started administering these tasks, questions started to form. Each Block A student came up with a different and thought-provoking question. These questions were unique to individual classrooms and focused on our own educational philosophies.

A lot of time and effort was put into the Teacher Research Projects, and the end results really showed it. We are very proud of our fellow classmates and friends. These projects were completed with professionalism and presented with confidence. We can not wait to see what Block B has in store!

Written by: Kara Saks, Sam Karmia, and Sara McDonald

Monday and Tuesday of this week we began exploring geometry concepts in math.  The students were challenged to use materials to build a shape with more than four sides.  I was impressed with their creativity while they were building shapes.  Friends made shapes that had up to twenty-two sides.  The shapes that were built led to deep conversations about what a side is, how can we count sides, and what makes a shape a shape.  We will continue exploring geometry this week.

We are going on our field trip next Tuesday! Please remember to send in the permission trip.  The students are excited to see the science lab as well as do an experiment with high school friends.  Our interest in science continues.  Some friends have been working on pages for a book about science tools during our free choice times!