Mt. Mitchell Expedition, 2012

Mt. Mitchell Odyssey 2012

Dear 4^th-5^th Grade World Class Explorers:

We are going to end up the year, literally, at the highest point east of the Mississippi River:  Mt. Mitchell.  Our final expedition revisits our first semester mega-theme:  Points, Lines, Intersections, and Angles, as well as our content focus on North Carolina: Past, Present, and Future. This adventure affords us the opportunity to learn in the real world, using tools (magnetic compass, night sky, and maps) to practice navigation.  It also gives us a great opportunity to review these sub-themes and subjects:  biodiversity, botanical illustration, astronomy, environmental awareness, geology, ornithology, geography (longitude, latitude, and altitude), history, and folklore. 

As always, we rely on parents transportation, camping gear, and strategic logistical suppot.  Pat Feehan has generously volunteered to head up the parent crew.  Jim Colie has secured our campsites.  For this adventure, we’ll need drivers for 15 students, 2 teachers, and our gear.  Please read over the itinerary below and RSVP ASAP if you are able to participate.  We will have a brief meeting of all drivers on Monday, April 30 at 3:30.  Please bring your tag numbers so that we can register per campsite.

MT. MITCHELL ODYSSEY ITINERARY

We will leave OCS on Wednesday, May 16th at 7:00 a.m. and return to OCS by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 17th. 

Students will need a packed snack, a lunch, and a filled water bottle for Wednesday.  We will set up our tents and get settled by noon.

Wednesday, May 16th

12:00-1:00 lunch and orientation at Mt. Mitchell State Park Campground

1:00-3:00 Compass orientation and hike with Edie and Daniel (2.5 miles)

3:00-3:45 Trust Fall at the Pinnacle

3:45-4:00 Trail Mix

4:00-6:00 Wilderness Lessons (botany, ornithology, geology, climate, natural history)

6:00-7:00 Dinner

7:00-8:30 Campfire and Songs & Stories

8:30 Trust Walk for 5^th graders

9:00 Reflection Circle and Good Nights

9:30 Tent time

10:00 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Thursday, May 17th

8:00 Stone Circle and Fire Building

9:00 Breakfast, Cleanup, and Morning Meeting

10:00-10:45 Elisha Mitchell Story, Lesson, and Sharing

10:45-11:00 Pack /Clean Up & Drive to Carolina Hemlocks Swimming Hole

12:00 Lunch at Carolina Hemlocks Campground/Picnic Area

12:45-3:00 Swimming, sketching, reflecting, nature hike for species field journals

3:00 Head back to OCS

5:00 Parents Pick Up Explorers at OCS

The trip has been largely funded by the PIZZA CREW!!! (Special thanks to Jim Colie for this endeavor.)

READ CAREFULLY: packing list for Explorers

Sleeping bag, tarp or ground cover/pad, warm clothes, hiking boots or sturdy shoes, fleece jacket, socks, hat, sunscreen, backpack, flashlight, toothbrush, undies, warm p.j.’s, water bottle, unbreakable plate, bowl, cup, silverware, large plastic garbage bag, swimsuit, towel, water shoes (optional), field journal, sketchbook, bandana, pencils, snack and lunch for Wednesday.

Please let us know if you can join our expedition, offer transportation, or if you have a tent/camping gear to loan.  The following information includes Mt. Mitchell facts and directions.

Thanks for helping us take our explorations into the real world!

Edie & Daniel

http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momi/main.php

Mount Mitchell State Park »  Welcome!

Help NC Plant Free Trees ... details ±

Odwalla, a producer of outdoor-oriented snacks and drinks, is sponsoring a 50-state competition to give away trees specifically for state parks. Each person visiting www.odwalla.com/plantatree/_NC.jsp can vote for North Carolina and each vote = $1 for purchasing trees for planting.

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Black Bear Awareness ... details ±

Severe storms above 6,000 feet are unpredictable and can be life-threatening. Fog and winds can impede search-and-rescue crew and helicopter access. Hike and camp in the back country at your own risk.

NEVER rely on GPS, cell-phone, or rescue beacon devices to prevent/survive emergency situations.

ALWAYS be prepared for the worst weather. Closure of the Blue Ridge Parkway occurs frequently when snow & ice accumulate. Be prepared to stay extra days or pack up and leave upon request by a park ranger at any time.


Black bears have been active in and around the park, inflicting damage to vehicles and camping equipment. All of these incidents have resulted from the improper storage of food, toiletries, and trash.

NEVER feed bears. They can lose their fear of people and may have to be destroyed.

NEVER leave food unattended, even if in coolers. Secure ONLY in bear-proof container or car trunk with windows completely rolled up.


Campground Safety
You MUST secure all food, garbage, and any items that might smell like food to a bear (toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, cosmetics, pet food, cooking and cleaning supplies, stove fuel, etc.) in the bear-proof storage container available at each campground site.

Backcountry Camping and Hiking Safety
Foraging bears have been active and sometimes aggressive at the Commissary Ridge area. Bear-resistant food canisters or storage sacks are highly advised, otherwise food MUST be hung correctly at least 150 feet away from tent. Food bags should hang 5- feet below the branch, 5-feet from the tree trunk, and be at least 10-feet off the ground. Bears can and will climb trees and can easily reach food bags suspended at heights under 10 feet.

Failing to behave properly places you and your fellow visitors at risk for property damage and severe personal injury.

Updated: 2010-07-03 08:07:19

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Firewood Transportation Endangers Plants ... details ±

For those parks that allow campfires, serious plant pests can be introduced into our parks by campers who bring in firewood. To prevent this, many of our parks sell firewood. For campers who choose to bring in their own firewood, please use wood harvested from a source local to the park. Campers should not bring firewood from outside of North Carolina. More infor from the NC Division of Forest Resources

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Address: 2388 State Highway 128, Burnsville, NC 28714
GPS coordinates: 35.7528, -82.2737
Office Phone: (828) 675-4611

Email: mount.mitchell@ncmail.net

There are a few places in the world that still stand apart from the ordinary. Rising more than a mile high, surrounded by the gentle mist of low-hanging clouds, Mount Mitchell State Park is one of these extraordinary places.

In the crest of the timeworn Black Mountains lies the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. For those who ascend this mighty peak, what looms in the horizon is a feast for the eyes—breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling ridges and fertile valleys. Forested and forever misty, 1,946-acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil moments you'll ever experience.

 Park Map - pdf      

Campground Map - pdf

Directions

Mount Mitchell State Park is located in Yancey County, 33 miles north of Asheville off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker #355.
From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to mile marker #355 and turn left onto NC 128, which leads to the park. Winter conditions may cause delays or closures on the parkway.
From I-40, east of Asheville, take exit 86, NC 226 to Marion/Shelby. NC 226 merges with US 221 and US 70 in Marion. Veer left on US 70. After about two miles, turn north on NC 80. Follow NC 80 north/northeast for 16 miles. Turn left onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway to mile marker #355 and turn right onto NC 128, which leads to the park.
From Highway 19, travel south on Highway 80 and turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Follow the parkway south to mile marker #355 and turn onto NC 128, which leads to the park.

EARTH WEEK LESSON PLANS (see also page with Earth Week afternoon studies and activities)

4^th-5^th Grade Explorers 2011-2012

Teachers: Edie McDowell and Daniel Manget

Fall Semester Theme:  GETTING ORIENTED: Exploring Points, Lines, Intersections, & Angles

Spring Semester Theme: NAVIGATING: Exploring Systems, Cycles, Spirals, Perspectives & Connections

Monday 4.23.2012

9:00	Weather Data Collection and Class Centering/Job chart announcements Students will create a weather station for measuring temperature, rainfall, etc. and record daily on calendar grid. Results used in science/math.	April Weather Data Calendars.  Create April calendars.  Introduce OZONE http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120331/NEWS/303310026/Ozone-forecast-season-kicks-off?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage Complete weather data collection and analysis; Asheville, NC, Portland, Oregon, and Helena, Montana.  Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations.  Time Zone differences and hours of daylight added to our data collection.
9:15	Centering/Class Meeting Class Meeting Agenda: Review World Class Explorers Positive Discipline Plan for Individual and Collective Space and Respect Expectations Environment Questions Quests Ideas Itinerary Self-organization: Homework folder, math and writing journal, field notebook for science and social studies notes; Explorer Book Club reading log and literary analysis; sketchbook	Circle of Stones Overview of WEEK Introduction to George Catlin: American History through Art : Part 2  THE ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/video/index.shtm http://bcove.me/kwe18r1l (Program of study borrowed through NGA) Students will discuss works of art that illustrate ancient Greco-Roman myths and various symbols used in them. So students do not judge the "truthfulness" of another culture's belief systems, they should understand that myth is not something imaginary, unfounded, or false, but rather something that illustrates the world view of a people.   Students will learn about how early American art portrayed ideals from Greek and Roman cultures and examine the hero motif in American paintings of that era.  Students will also look at environmental history and views of ecology, geography, land ownership, etc. in early American art of the west.
9:30	Daily Journal, Language Arts & Explorer Publishing LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, & SCIENCE (Writing in content/context area) Reflections:  GOAL SETTING Students respond to writing prompt/morning discussion in daily personal journal. Risk-taking; cooperation; literacy, communication, trust  Goal 4 The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts. OBJECTIVE 4.01 Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace, audience, and purpose. OBJECTIVE 4.02 Use oral and written language to: formulate hypotheses. evaluate information and ideas. present and support arguments. influence the thinking of others.	PART TWO ENVIRONMENTAL ESSAY AND ART (Return student essays and ask students to read corrections and comments on grammar, mechanics, and content.  5th Graders will anticipate 6th grade with “a taste of middle school” assessment standards.  Essay questions included:  What is your environment?  What does it include?  How do its characteristics affect you?  How do you manage, change, or use the resources in your environment?  How do you and others interact with your environment? Draw a picture of yourself in the environment in which you live.  Include details of the habitat, flora, fauna, and climate/geography.  Your environmental portrait or landscape design can be represented in the colors, textures, lines, and tones.  You may use impressionistic or realistic styles and techniques to create your work of art. Design a sketch of your idea for homework.
10:00	Whole Class Math	GEOMETRY GAME version two:  Equivalent Fraction Quilts Students will use fraction quilts for a game reviewing operations with fractions
10:30	Math Groups  PROMETHEAN BOARD Students grouped according to achievement in math with vertical lift Assessment ·         Observation of small group activities ·         Data Collection Charts ·         Large group discussion ·         Assessment worksheet	GRADE LEVEL MATH (differentiated levels) 5th grade: see p. 474-475 in SF text Review Assessment of operations with fractions (- + x)  Intro to POLYGONS  p. 340 Homework:  p. 341 4th Grade:  Review Geometry scavenger hunt.  Homework:  Create a geometric representational design of a favorite species of flora, fauna and a mineral.  Label design elements.
11:00-11:55	Language Arts: Literature and Composition Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using Spanish language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics)	Literature Circles Introduce George Catlin with story Both grades will examine the life and times of George Catlin, who followed the trail of Lewis and Clark to document native Americans in their habitat:  See lessons attached for resources and specific assignments. CENTERS:  Continued work on Wildflower (flora, fauna, mineral books) THE STORY OF GEORGE CATLIN http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/index.html http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/lessonplans/al-cplan.html
12:00-1:00	Lunch & Recess
1:00-1:30	Multi-sensory Language Arts: Explorer Book Club Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics)	EARTH WEEK PREP  Plant Day
	Or Back Porch Time (individual research, math, and reading projects) Math/logic/kinesthetic/collaborative problem-solving ACTIVITY (Explorers will demonstrate, through short answer, logic, math and problem-solving, basic factual recall, higher level analysis, multiple perspectives, and decision-making skills, by solving various physical and mathematical problems in groups.)
1:30	Theme-based Multimedia Support Shared origin stories, myths, legends, modern literature, poetry, non-fiction, and drama from the region of the world we are studying. Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually.  Students will work in groups to design fact cards with illustrations, artifacts, (2D and 3D) for each major era, period, epoch for our hall wall timeline of NC History. SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES The learner will acquire strategies for reading Social Studies and Science materials and for increasing social studies and science vocabulary. Objectives 1.01 Read for literal meaning. 1.02 Summarize to select main ideas. 1.03 Draw inferences. 1.04 Detect cause and effect. 1.05 Recognize bias and propaganda. 1.06 Recognize and use social studies terms in written and oral reports. 1.07 Distinguish fact and fiction. 1.08 Use context clues and appropriate sources such as glossaries, texts, and dictionaries to gain meaning.	SCIENCE EARTH DAY 1: plants
2:00-2:25	MATHLETE TRAINING	OLYMPIC MATHLETE TRAINING Biceps (multiples of two) and Triceps (multiples of three) and squats (quadriceps) multiples of four (abdominals) multiples of six (deltoids) squares and square roots)
2:25-3:15	PE
3:15-3:30	Clean up/Pack up and Circle Closing (jobs for week assigned) Afterschool	aquaponics Vocabulary words for the week: Prologue, inscription, cemetery, dormitory, decipher, scribe, epitaph, autograph, hieroglyphics, archaeology, pedigree, weird, eccentric, surprise, *poignant

Geography Education Standards Project

• Standard 6 (grades 5-8): By the end of the eighth grade the student knows and understands:
  1. How personal characteristics affect our perception of places and regions
  2. How culture and technology affect perception of places and regions
  3. How places and regions serve as cultural symbols

TUESDAY 4.24.2012

9:00	Weather Data Collection & Class Centering/Meeting Students will create a weather station for measuring temperature, rainfall, etc. and record daily on calendar grid. Results used in science/math.	Continue April Weather Data Calendars.  Complete weather data collection and analysis; Asheville, NC, Portland, Oregon, and Helena, Montana.  Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations.  Time Zone differences and hours of daylight added to our data collection. Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations. 5th graders use this data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean temperature and precipitation for each location.
9:30-10:00	Estimation Station Make Reasonable Estimates Computational Estimation Goal 6: Make reasonable estimates for whole number and decimal addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems and fraction and mixed number addition and subtraction problems; explain how the estimates were obtained.	OLYMPIC MATHLETE TRAINING Biceps (multiples of two) and Triceps (multiples of three) and squats (quadriceps) multiples of four (abdominals) multiples of six (deltoids) squares and square roots) WHOLE GROUP MATH Fraction Practice with quilts
9:45	Daily Journals, Goals and Reflections & Explorer Publications Students respond to writing prompt/morning discussion in daily personal journal. Multi-sensory Language Arts Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics) Risk-taking; cooperation; literacy, communication, trust Students will work in teams and independently to conduct qualitative and quantitative research	powerpoint_lesson_student_handout.pdf 114K   View   Download
10:00	MATH GROUPS or Whole Class Math Projects  Estimation station results ·         Goal 1: Number and Operations - The learner will understand and compute with rational numbers. o    Objective 1.03: Compare and order rational numbers. o    Objective 1.04: Develop fluency in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of non-negative rational numbers. Analyze computational strategies. Describe the effect of operations on size. Estimate the results of computations. Judge the reasonableness of solutions. Advanced Learners: Grade 6  The Number System 6.NS.4Find the greatest common factor of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100 and the least common multiple of two whole numbers less than or equal to 12. Use the distributive property to express a sum of two whole numbers 1–100 with a common factor... Understand informally that every number has a decimal expansion; for rational numbers show that the decimal expansion repeats eventually, and convert a decimal expansion which repeats eventually...	5th grade: (REVIEW math assessment) Lesson 3.4 Using a Protractor  Lesson 3.5 Using a Compass  Review key pages and introduce: Lesson 3.7 Properties of Polygons  Homework:  SL 3.4 and 3.5 (p. 56-57) Design gallery:  geometric representational designs of mineral, flora, and fauna
10:30	Spanish Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using Spanish language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics)
11:30	LITERATURE CIRCLES 5th Grade: New Found Land, by Allan Wolf 4th Grade:  self-selected texts related to thematic unit of study	5th Graders:  New Found Land Essay Tests returned for review and discussion (Reading comprehension discussion and literary analysis.) Reading Comprehension Essay Assessment DUE on New Found Land; Introduce George Catlin http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/index.html http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/lessonplans/al-cplan.html 4th Graders:  Discuss books and upcoming literature projects.
12:00-1:00	Outside Play & Lunch
1:00-2:00	Around-the-World Adventures (Multi-sensory centers which include: Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies & Science, Cultural Arts & Humanities, Visual Arts, Games and Logic, History, Language, Diversity of Life Exploration) Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually.	BEGIN HERE LIES LINC Character identification, description, plot, setting, and reading comprehension questions per chapter. Sentences with words for homework. (4th-5th grade)
2:00-3:15	Science Lab	EARTH DAY 2
3:15-3:30	Clean/Pack Up & Circle Closing	Homework check
	HOMEWORK:	Geometric Designs using polygons, 3D shapes, and angles; label per shape and measure 10 angles accurately in design of mineral, flora and fauna; work on flower books
3:30	Afterschool

RESOURCES:

WEDNESDAY 4.25.2012 

9:00	Weather Data Collection & Class Centering Students will create a weather station for measuring temperature, rainfall, etc. and record daily on calendar grid. Results used in science/math.	Complete April Weather Data Calendars.  Complete weather data collection and analysis; Asheville, NC, Portland, Oregon, and Helena, Montana.  Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations.  Time Zone differences and hours of daylight added to our data collection. Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations. 5th graders use this data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean temperature and precipitation for each location.
9:15	Circle of Stones Wednesday Word Day Multi-sensory Language Arts Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics)	Circle of Stones Wednesday Word Day Use syllable snipping and double consonant rules to study words for this week; examine in the context of Delia Ray’s book; Write a reflection about Earth Week activities; how did you help plan and prepare for this event?  What do you hope the OCS students and teachers will learn from our focus on planet Earth?
9:30	Daily Journal & Explorer Publishing Students respond to writing prompt/morning discussion in daily personal journal. Risk-taking; cooperation; literacy, communication, trust Math Journal:  Explorers use math to count, number, name, measure, order, document, analyze, locate, time, compare, predict, etc.  Time and Place: Measurement notes on units of time (millennium to millisecond); Place:  Circle Facts for creating compass rose with cardinal directions Students will use word wall to write a paragraph about how Explorers Use math.	Students will complete geometry and geology field notebooks for city center expedition on Thursday.
10:00-11:00	Promethean Board (Technology-supported literacy instruction in core subjects: math and language arts)	MATH (Whole Class or Math Group Instruction with Promethean Board tools/resources) 5th Grade Math Groups: GEOMETRY Check p. 346 and complete select prob. On p. 348;  Homework:  enrichment, p. 349 Lesson 3.6 Congruent Triangles  Lesson 3.7 Properties of Polygons  4th-5th Math:  Present homework designs and discuss the different types of Polygons.
11:00-12:00	MUSIC (River’s Studio)
12:00-1:00	Lunch & Recess
1:00-1:30	Multi-sensory Language Arts Students will explore different ways of learning, practicing, using language, reading, listening, writing, and speaking (includes vocabulary, spelling, phonics, phonemics)	HERE LIES LINC  (listen to author interview with Delia Ray Who shares how her environment inspired her writing) See links for this lesson below; Students will be able to: 1.  Discuss the origins of mapping. 2.  Recognize the importance of mapping. 3.  Use cooperative learning skills. Start with chart paper and markers
	Or Back Porch Time (individual research, math, and reading projects)
1:30	Theme-based Multimedia Support Shared origin stories, myths, legends, modern literature, poetry, non-fiction, and drama from the region of the world we are studying. Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually. Students will work in groups to design fact cards with illustrations, artifacts, (2D and 3D) for each major era, period, epoch for our hall wall timeline of NC History.	EARTH DAY 3  Stream Ecology
2:25-3:15	PE
3:15-3:30	Pack up and clean up (jobs for week assigned & Circle Closing
3:30	Afterschool

THURSDAY 4.26.2012 

9:00	Weather Data Collection Students will create a weather station for measuring temperature, rainfall, etc. and record daily on calendar grid. Results used in science/math.	Continue April Weather Data Calendars.  Complete weather data collection and analysis; Asheville, NC, Portland, Oregon, and Helena, Montana.  Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations.  Time Zone differences and hours of daylight added to our data collection. Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations. 5th graders use this data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean temperature and precipitation for each location. “MEAN” Thursday
9:30	Field Journal Focus (Natural and Cultural History)	HERE LIES LINC
10:00	Math Groups Students grouped according to achievement in math with vertical lift How do Explorers use math?  (Students will brainstorm collective list of ways that explorers use math.  Discussion will include specific Operations, Processes, Purpose:  Measurement, Counting, Naming, Locating, Describing, Numbering, Estimating, including Time, Temperature, Cost, Space….)	MATH Groups: 5th grade: 139,140,141 vertical, adjacent, and supplementary angles  Homework: p. 140-141 Lesson 3.8 Regular Tessellations  Lesson 3.9 Angles of Polygons  Lesson 3.10 Solving Problems Using the Geometry Template Unit 3 Review Unit Review 4th Grade:  Present homework designs Search for different types of Polygons around the school.
10:30	LITERATURE CIRCLES Reading Comprehension Assessment and Literary Element analysis	Whole Group MATH:  Complete review of Lewis and Clark word problems
11:00	Computer Lab/Smartboard Debating for Land Lesson Plan Content Introduction European Americans have been having land disputes with Native Americans almost since they arrived in the Americas. Throughout the years, many treaties have been signed involving land rights, but in many cases these treaties have been misleading and sometimes even disregarded. There continue to be court cases addressing Native American rights to land, problematic treaties, and unreceived compensation. In preparation for this lesson, you may choose to read more about these issues by following links on the Land Debate–For Students page. Guided Practice Begin by drawing the following chart on the board. Ask students to volunteer possible answers. The purpose of this activity is not for students to know all of the correct answers for the chart, just for them to begin thinking about the subjects. For more chart ideas, you may wish to see Table 1 at the bottom of the American Indian Policy Center's Comparison with U. S. Governance page.	http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/index.html http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/lessonplans/al-cplan.html
12:00-12:55	Outside Play & Lunch
12:55-1:30	Back Porch Time (Explorer Broadcast)  Sharing Stories (class feature readers daily) Vocabulary practice
1:30-2:30	Scientific Inquiry Diversity of Life Exploration	Scientific Inquiry: STREAM ECOLOGY
2:30-3:20	(Multi-sensory centers which include: Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies & Science, Cultural Arts & Humanities, Visual Arts, Games and Logic, History, Language, Diversity of Life Exploration) Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually. Natural diversity North Carolina has within its borders the highest mountains east of the Mississippi River, a broad, low-lying coastal area, and all the land in between. That variety of landforms, elevations, and climates has produced as diverse a range of ecosystems as any state in the United States. It has also influenced the way people have lived in North Carolina for thousands of years. Objectives 1.01 Read for literal meaning. 1.02 Summarize to select main ideas. 1.03 Draw inferences. 1.04 Detect cause and effect. 1.05 Recognize bias and propaganda. 1.06 Recognize and use social studies terms in written and oral reports. 1.07 Distinguish fact and fiction. 1.08 Use context clues and appropriate sources such as glossaries, texts, and dictionaries to gain meaning. Students will use Field Journals to: 1.        observe and write about their observations in a science field journal. pay attention to detail in all types of observations. formulate questions that could be researched or that could lead to investigations. seek out answers to those questions through observation, exploration, and research. record and share information learned.	Botanical Illustrations
3:15-3:30	Pack/Clean Up and Whole Class Collective Reflections/Goals Centering/Class Meeting Class Meeting Agenda: Review World Class Explorers Positive Discipline Plan for Individual and Collective Space and Respect Expectations Environment Questions Quests Ideas Itinerary Self-organization: Homework folder, math and writing journal, field notebook for science and social studies notes; Explorer Book Club reading log and literary analysis; sketchbook
3:30	Afterschool
					1. How does the cartographer get across the point that the landscape Lewis and Clark "discovered" was already someone's home at the time, and would later be named and settled in new ways?
					2. Does it make a difference to imagine Indians as "explorers?"
					3. Are women’s journeys different from men’s? If so, how?
					4. Can you imagine re-mapping another historical event in a way that would change your understanding of the event?
					5. Does it make a difference to imagine this territory as already well explored by the time Lewis and Clark arrived?

FRIDAY 4.27.2012 

9:00	Weather Data Collection & Class Centering Students will create a weather station for measuring temperature, rainfall, etc. and record daily on calendar grid. Results used in science/math.	Continue April Weather Data Calendars.  Complete weather data collection and analysis; Asheville, NC, Portland, Oregon, and Helena, Montana.  Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations.  Time Zone differences and hours of daylight added to our data collection. Students will use data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean for monthly records for these locations. 5th graders use this data to find range, median, maximum, minimum, and mean temperature and precipitation for each location.
9:30	Spelling Quiz	Sight words Math vocabulary Geography
10:00	MATH QUIZ
10:45	Independent Reading	Self-selected texts or literature circle texts (silent reading)
11:00	Computer Lab/Smartboard (Technology-supported instruction across the curriculum, projects, reflections & goals, portfolios, and blog articles.) The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) has established eighteen learning standards for the creation of "geographically informed" students. Elements of the United States History Map support half of these standards, including:  THE WORLD IN SPATIAL TERMS How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information. How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on the earth's surface. PLACES AND REGIONS The physical and human characteristics of places. That people create regions to interpret the earth's complexity. HUMAN SYSTEMS The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on the earth's surface.  The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement. How forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of the earth's surface. THE USES OF GEOGRAPHY How to apply geography to interptret the past.  To apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.	EARTH DAY GEOMETRY
12:00-12:55	Outside Play & Lunch PIZZA DAY
12:55-1:30	Back Porch Time	Bead reward day
1:30-2:30	PROMETHEAN BOARD (Multi-sensory centers which include: Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies & Science, Cultural Arts & Humanities, Visual Arts, Games and Logic, History, Language, Diversity of Life Exploration) Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually.
2:30-3:20	(Multi-sensory centers which include: Scientific Inquiry, Social Studies & Science, Cultural Arts & Humanities, Visual Arts, Games and Logic, History, Language, Diversity of Life Exploration) Students will practice Essential Learning Skills as they complete a set of Explorer challenges pertaining to the context of the geographical region they are “visiting,” virtually. Natural diversity North Carolina has within its borders the highest mountains east of the Mississippi River, a broad, low-lying coastal area, and all the land in between. That variety of landforms, elevations, and climates has produced as diverse a range of ecosystems as any state in the United States. It has also influenced the way people have lived in North Carolina for thousands of years. STUDENT OBJECTIVES Students will: observe and write about their observations in a science field journal.        pay attention to detail in all types of observations.        formulate questions that could be researched or that could lead to investigations.        seek out answers to those questions through observation, exploration, and research.        record and share information learned.	Field Botany Students will use a Dichotomous Key to identify 5 plants down to their Species, Genus, Order, or Family. Scientific Research for Experiments.  Discussions about proposals that are due on Monday.
3:20-3:30	Clean-up and Whole Class Collective Reflections/Goals
3:30	Afterschool

Reflections:  GOAL SETTING

Weekly assessment and measurement of progress:

Reflect upon your experiences as an Explorer this year so far.  What projects or assignments have you liked best?  Which have been the most challenging for you?  Which rules, policies, or procedures do you find easy to follow?  Which are the most difficult? Why?  What have you learned about yourself?  What things can you do on your own?  What things do you need help with?  What are you most proud of having accomplished?  What MEASURABLE GOAL are you going to set for yourself this month? 

Be prepared to share this writing with your teachers, but not with the other students.  Be honest and open with yourself in setting a goal that will help you be a better learner.

Class Meeting for Goals and Reflections

Accountability Bead Chart Ceremony

National Science Content Standards: K-4

1.     Science as Inquiry:

1.     Ask a question about objects, organisms and events in the environment.

2.     Plan and conduct a simple investigation

3.     Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses

4.     Use data to construct a reasonable explanation.

5.     Communicate investigations and explanation

2.     Physical Sciences:

1.     Properties of objects and materials

2.     Position and motion of objects

3.     Light

3.     Earth and Space Science:

1.     Properties of earth Materials

2.     Objects in the sky

3.     Changes in the earth and sky

Excerpts from National Science Education Standards by National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment, National Research Council found at http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/6c.html#ps

For next week: US HISTORY website exploration:

http://www.learner.org/interactives/historymap/

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3691?ref=search

The National Council of Teachers of English

• Standard 1: Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• Standard 2: Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
• Standard 3: Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
• Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• Standard 9: Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
• Standard 11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Relevant lessons on this website

• Leadership–Past and Present; Preliminary Activity (Chiefs and Leaders)
• Symbols of Power in Native American Clothing (Chiefs and Leaders)
• Cracking Catlin's Code (Chiefs and Leaders)
• QUIZ SHOW! What were you thinking? What did you say? (Chiefs and Leaders)
• Inside Catlin's Head (Catlin's Quest)
• Letters from the Frontier: Reading and Writing Primary Documents (Catlin's Quest)
• Creating the Past: Artifacts and Memory Boxes (Catlin's Quest)
• Debating for Land (Ancestral Lands)
• Pipestone Quarry and Westward Expansion: Whose Rock is this Anyway? (Ancestral Lands)
• Native American Folklore (Western Landscape)
• The Mandan Buffalo Dance and You (Western Landscape)

Wrap-Up Activity

Students should write a journal entry on one of the following subjects:

• Prior to doing this lesson, what were your views on western land expansion? Did you empathize more with Native or European Americans concerning land issues? After hearing both sides of the debate, do you still feel this way? Why? (Try to include specific examples from the debate that influenced your feelings.)
• Define the term sacred land as it applies to Native Americans and as it applies to your life. Give several examples of land or buildings that you find to be sacred vs. land that Native Americans consider to be sacred. Why do you consider the example you gave from your life to be sacred? How would you react if other people did not understand the significance of your specified place and they told you never to return there? How would you feel?
• Imagine that you are a pioneer and that you sold all of your belongings in order to move out West to collect the 160 acres of land promised to you by the Homestead Act (1862). On your journey West, you meet a traveling artist, George Catlin, who explains to you that the land you intend to build on originally belonged to Native Americans and that the land is sacred to many tribes. He warns you that several of the tribes are still arguing with the U.S. government over the land, and that you and your family will be in danger. At this point you do not have the money or resources to return East. What will you do? (Write a first-person narrative describing your fears and hopes, your decision of what to do, why you chose this course of action, how you implement it, and what the results are.)
• Imagine that you are a Native American chief who used to live on the Plains, but was relocated to the Northwest against your will. You and several other chiefs from your tribe signed a treaty with the US government to sell your lands, but at the time, because the idea of land ownership was unknown to you, you had no idea how adversely this treaty would affect your tribe. Most of the compensation you were to receive, including food and supplies, never arrived at your new settlement. Because the land and climate are so different from that where you used to live, your people are having a difficult time finding food and many of them have died from illness. You learn from George Catlin, a visiting artist, that the land your people lived on is now being given away 'for free' to European Americans due to the Homestead Act. You know that your people will not be able to survive much longer if they stay where they are. What will you do? (Write a first-person narrative describing your fears and hopes, your decision of what to do, why you chose this course of action, how you implement it, and what the results are.)

Vocabulary

Dawes Act, Homestead Act, Indian Removal, Sacred Land.

Standards

National Center for History in the Schools—Historical Thinking (5–12):

• Standard 2: Historical Comprehension
  A. Students should be able to identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative and assess its credibility.
  B. Students should be able to reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage by identifying who was involved, what happened, where it happened, what events led to these developments, and what consequences or outcomes followed.
  C. Students should be able to identify the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses and the purpose, perspective, or point of view from which it has been constructed.
  F. Students should be able to appreciate historical perspectives—(a) describing the past on its own terms, through the eyes and experiences of those who were there, as revealed through their literature, diaries, letters, debates, arts, artifacts, and the like; (b) considering the historical context in which the event unfolded—the values, outlook, options, and contingencies of that time and place; and (c) avoiding "present-mindedness," judging the past solely in terms of present-day norms and values.
• Standard 3: Historical Analysis and Interpretation
  B. Students should be able to consider multiple perspectives of various peoples in the past by demonstrating their differing motives, beliefs, interests, hopes, and fears. 
  C. Students should be able to analyze cause-and-effect relationships bearing in mind multiple causation, including: (a) the importance of the individual in history; (b) the influence of ideas, human interests, and beliefs; and (c) the role of chance, the accidental and the irrational.
  E. Students should be able to distinguish between unsupported expressions of opinion and informed hypotheses grounded in historical evidence.
  G. Students should be able to challenge arguments of historical inevitability by formulating examples of historical contingency, of how different choices could have led to different consequences.
  J. Students should be able to hypothesize the influence of the past, including both the limitations and the opportunities made possible by past decisions.
• Standard 4: Historical Research Capabilities
  A. Students should be able to formulate historical questions from encounters with historical documents, eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, artifacts, photos, historical sites, art, architecture, and other records from the past.
  B. Students should be able to obtain historical data from a variety of sources, including: library and museum collections, historic sites, historical photos, journals, diaries, eyewitness accounts, newspapers, and the like; documentary films, oral testimony from living witnesses, censuses, tax records, city directories, statistical compilations, and economic indicators.
  D. Students should be able to identify the gaps in the available records and marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and place in order to elaborate imaginatively upon the evidence, fill in the gaps deductively, and construct a sound historical interpretation. 
  F. Students should be able to support interpretations with historical evidence in order to construct closely reasoned arguments rather than facile opinions.
• Standard 5: Historical Issues—Analysis and Decision-Making
  A. Students should be able to identify issues and problems in the past and analyze the interests, values, perspectives, and points of view of those involved in the situation.
  B. Students should be able to marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances and current factors contributing to contemporary problems and alternative courses of action.
  E. Students should be able to formulate a position or course of action on an issue by identifying the nature of the problem, analyzing the underlying factors contributing to the problem, and choosing a plausible solution from a choice of carefully evaluated options.

United States History Standards:

• Era 4: Expansion and Reform (1801–1861)
  Standard 1 (5–12): The student understands United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861, and how it affected relations with external powers and Native Americans.

5^th grade NEXT WEEK: http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/lessonplans/al-cplan.html

http://yateslab.com/Fifth%20Grade.html

Computer Lab:  http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/startingblock_play.cfm?mode=begin&block_id=4