Flying Into February!
5S Completed our Gettysburg Address! Go to our Photo-Video page to see it!
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Secret Amigos was a heartfelt success!
So many clues and compliments done with care and sneakiness.
See more photos here!
5S dove into a windmill design challenge! See more photos here!
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5S had
our own
State of the Union!
click here on photo page to see more
CHINESE NEW YEAR ASSEMBLY: On Thursday, 2/6/20- Driscoll had our amazing Chinese Lunar New Year assembly. It's the year of the rat! 5S and 5H performed two songs together. Our performance started at 9:15.
5Z and 5R performed from 8:30-9:15. I will post a little video of 5S rehearsing on our photo video page.
5S STATE of the UNION ADDRESS: On Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, President Trump will give the annual state of the union address. It is happening as the political world swirls around the up and coming primaries and the wrapping up of the Senate impeachment trial. I (Ms. Stark) will be giving a State of the Union Address to 5S. As you may remember, we have our own system of checks and balances in 5S. I am the president (executive branch), Dr. Talukdar and Mr. Youkilis are our supreme court and 5S students are the congress. Evens are the senate and odds are the House of Reps. The Alpha Executive Director acts as the Vice President (as both a member of the senate and the executive branch). Here is some information we will examine in order to understand the history of the State of the Union and the proper protocol for it. 5S will then write their own state of the union response. Students are welcome to read them in class and we will hang them up for others to think about.
ITEMS FOR OUR RIVER TABLE: Now that 5S has completed research about their real life revolutionary relatives, they are now creating stories and backgrounds for their historical fiction families. They are planning their New England Village: houses, barns, trades, political beliefs, and other important information about how they ended up living along the Charles River at the time of the Revolutionary War. If you happen to be at a place that sells wooden coffee stirrers or mini glue guns, we could always use extras.
SECRET AMIGO'S. In lieu of commercial Valentine's Day, 5S will have a grand time participating in a 5S tradition called Secret Amigos. It will begin on Monday, February 10 and finish on the 14th. Please help us to make sure all 5S Secret Amigos get their clues, compliments and the tchotchkes. Here are the Secret Amigo guidelines and information.
LINCOLN AND GETTYSBURG:
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT: The Great Backyard Bird Count will begin February 14th and end on February 17th. It happens throughout the world! I am hoping that everyone or almost everyone will be able to participate as we focus on birds throughout the year. I realize many of you will be away, but you can still join in.
CCC DAY- Friday, 2/14/20: CCC day stands for Cozy, Completions and Choice. On all Fridays, before a week-long vacation, if 5S students want to wear something cozy to school (like pajamas) that is allowed.
On Friday we will also be going to community meeting (hosted by 5Z) and watching our Gettysburg Address.
5Z and 5R performed from 8:30-9:15. I will post a little video of 5S rehearsing on our photo video page.
5S STATE of the UNION ADDRESS: On Tuesday, February 4th, 2020, President Trump will give the annual state of the union address. It is happening as the political world swirls around the up and coming primaries and the wrapping up of the Senate impeachment trial. I (Ms. Stark) will be giving a State of the Union Address to 5S. As you may remember, we have our own system of checks and balances in 5S. I am the president (executive branch), Dr. Talukdar and Mr. Youkilis are our supreme court and 5S students are the congress. Evens are the senate and odds are the House of Reps. The Alpha Executive Director acts as the Vice President (as both a member of the senate and the executive branch). Here is some information we will examine in order to understand the history of the State of the Union and the proper protocol for it. 5S will then write their own state of the union response. Students are welcome to read them in class and we will hang them up for others to think about.
ITEMS FOR OUR RIVER TABLE: Now that 5S has completed research about their real life revolutionary relatives, they are now creating stories and backgrounds for their historical fiction families. They are planning their New England Village: houses, barns, trades, political beliefs, and other important information about how they ended up living along the Charles River at the time of the Revolutionary War. If you happen to be at a place that sells wooden coffee stirrers or mini glue guns, we could always use extras.
SECRET AMIGO'S. In lieu of commercial Valentine's Day, 5S will have a grand time participating in a 5S tradition called Secret Amigos. It will begin on Monday, February 10 and finish on the 14th. Please help us to make sure all 5S Secret Amigos get their clues, compliments and the tchotchkes. Here are the Secret Amigo guidelines and information.
LINCOLN AND GETTYSBURG:
- Wednesday, February 12th is President Lincoln's Birthday. 5S will be learning about Lincoln's most famous speech called 'The Gettysburg Address' Unlike the State of the Union- it is short and considered one of the greatest speeches of all time.
- Here are some well known people giving the address
- Stephen Colbert giving the address
- The 5S video mashup of the Gettysburg Address will be shown on Friday, February 14th when 5Z hosts community Meeting. After that, I will post it on our video/photos page.
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT: The Great Backyard Bird Count will begin February 14th and end on February 17th. It happens throughout the world! I am hoping that everyone or almost everyone will be able to participate as we focus on birds throughout the year. I realize many of you will be away, but you can still join in.
CCC DAY- Friday, 2/14/20: CCC day stands for Cozy, Completions and Choice. On all Fridays, before a week-long vacation, if 5S students want to wear something cozy to school (like pajamas) that is allowed.
On Friday we will also be going to community meeting (hosted by 5Z) and watching our Gettysburg Address.
There are new photos up on our photo page! Please click here
and put in the password to have a better sense of what 5S has been up to.
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Jumping Into January
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Up and Coming January Events- Coming Soon!
It's December!
Slanted light casts longer shadows,
early darkness turns lamps on sooner,
robins gather in larger crowds and crows remind us.. do not grow dull.
- Bird of the month is the creative and cunning crow
- Theme of the month is gifts you cannot buy
- We will be thinking more about light & dark, and hope & kindness as we ease into the shortest days of the year. It is the perfect time to sip warm drinks, write poetry, read with a blanket and pay attention to what else and who else might need attention. Below are some highLIGHTS of the next few weeks: Make sure to scroll down FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR 5S Cup of Kindness FAMILY GATHERING! *** Click for our 5S calendar
DECEMBER EVENTS!
Friday, 12.6.19- Driscoll Science Solstice!
Very exciting. Every grade in the whole school will be focused on matters of science. 5th grade will focus on birds of prey, circuits, optics and sound! We will also be joining into the U.S. Climate Strike day by wearing green and striking a bell 4 times at 1:00. (We become one 4 the earth)
Monday, 12.9.19 to 12.13.19- Driscoll Book Fair: One World, Many Stories!
Tuesday, 12.10.19: 5H and 5S will head to the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts)
On Tuesday, December 10th, 5H and 5S will go the Museum of Fine Arts to look at Colonial Art from the 18th century- we will be able to see paintings, furniture, silver and famous prints from Colonial Boston and other New England towns. This includes well known paintings such as this one of Paul Revere by John Singleton Copley.. Everyone needs a snack, lunch, water bottle and clothes for lots of walking inside and out.
Tuesday- 12.10.19: It is also the birthday of the poet Emily Dickinson:
She was born on this day in 1870. One of the poems she wrote is called, HOPE-Click here to read it. It's a poem about an abstract noun that is important to us all.
Wednesday, 12.11.19: 5S goes to the book fair & Early dismissal
12:40 dismissal for parent conferences- Lunch is served
Thursday, 12.19.19: 5S Families are invited to: Tak a Cup of Kindness poetry event
(adapted from Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne)
Thursday, 12.12.19: KEEP CLUB in room 302:
We have a large group of highly focused and productive activists who are making a difference in our school and beyond! We are going to be having some special events and guests inside the KEEP club and out in the community. Stay tuned.
Friday, 12.13.19 - Third grade (3S) hosts community meeting
Friday, 12.20.19: 5S will celebrate Winter Solstice & CCC DAY
Wednesday, 1.2.20: We reunite!
We will happily return to school and launch 2020 together on Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
Friday, 12.6.19- Driscoll Science Solstice!
Very exciting. Every grade in the whole school will be focused on matters of science. 5th grade will focus on birds of prey, circuits, optics and sound! We will also be joining into the U.S. Climate Strike day by wearing green and striking a bell 4 times at 1:00. (We become one 4 the earth)
Monday, 12.9.19 to 12.13.19- Driscoll Book Fair: One World, Many Stories!
- The Driscoll Book Fair runs from Dec. 9 – 13 in the library.
- It will be open before, during, and after school each day!
- 5S will go as a class on Wednesday, 12/11 at 9:00 a.m.
- On Thursday, 12.12, there is a special evening event from 5-7. Dr. Talukdar will be reading a story.
Tuesday, 12.10.19: 5H and 5S will head to the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts)
On Tuesday, December 10th, 5H and 5S will go the Museum of Fine Arts to look at Colonial Art from the 18th century- we will be able to see paintings, furniture, silver and famous prints from Colonial Boston and other New England towns. This includes well known paintings such as this one of Paul Revere by John Singleton Copley.. Everyone needs a snack, lunch, water bottle and clothes for lots of walking inside and out.
Tuesday- 12.10.19: It is also the birthday of the poet Emily Dickinson:
She was born on this day in 1870. One of the poems she wrote is called, HOPE-Click here to read it. It's a poem about an abstract noun that is important to us all.
Wednesday, 12.11.19: 5S goes to the book fair & Early dismissal
12:40 dismissal for parent conferences- Lunch is served
Thursday, 12.19.19: 5S Families are invited to: Tak a Cup of Kindness poetry event
(adapted from Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne)
- Why? Because, sometimes nothing can warm your spirits faster than coming together to hear poetry and other words of appreciation and wonder. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, December 19th, at 7:50 a.m. More details about the gathering will be sent out next week
Thursday, 12.12.19: KEEP CLUB in room 302:
We have a large group of highly focused and productive activists who are making a difference in our school and beyond! We are going to be having some special events and guests inside the KEEP club and out in the community. Stay tuned.
Friday, 12.13.19 - Third grade (3S) hosts community meeting
Friday, 12.20.19: 5S will celebrate Winter Solstice & CCC DAY
- Winter Solstice officially occurs on Saturday, December 21st at 11:10 p.m. We will head out on a sunny day during the week before to once again measure our shadows!
- CCC DAY stands for Cozy Completions and Choice. 5S will have our pre-vacation CCC day on the Friday before vacation. There is no early dismissal, but there will be time to complete work and projects and see our buddies before we head out for December vacation and our entrance into the New Year and new decade!
Wednesday, 1.2.20: We reunite!
We will happily return to school and launch 2020 together on Thursday, January 2nd, 2020
It's November: warmer clothes, colder days, less light, more blankets, families gather, stories matter, time and birds fly on...
The bird of the month is the wild turkey! Based on how much humans and wild turkeys are now occupying some of the same space, it is increasingly important to understand these intelligent birds. Yes, it's true, they are intelligent. We will learn more about ourselves and the whole animal kingdom by learning about these surprising fowl. One way we will learn about turkeys is from the amazing documentary- My Life As A Turkey. Stay tuned.
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The verb of the month is listening! 
We will listen to each other and learn a bit about the art of podcasting - click here to see more- and we will participate in the Great Thanksgiving Listen
CLOCKS FALL BACK:
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UP AND COMING IN NOVEMBER:
Click here for calendar
Click here for calendar
- Friday, 11/1/19: First day of November!
- Friday, 11/1/19: The KEEP club found out it got "Honorable Mention" in a worldwide Bow Seat Marine Debris competition! More about this soon.
- Wed. 11/6/19 -5S will see their 1S buddies again!
- Wed., 11/6/19: Game Night! 6:15pm – 7:30pm
- Thursday, 11/7 KEEP Club - 2:35-3:40
- Friday, 11/8 - Teacher Professional Day. No school for students
- Monday, 11/11/19: No School- Veteran's Day
- Thursday, 11/14: 12:40 Early Dismissal for conferences. No KEEP club. Lunch is served
- Tuesday, 11/19, Gettysburg Address Anniversary!
- Tuesday, 11/19: We (5S & KEEP club) were invited to view a showing of Paris to Pittsburgh- National Geographic Film in Dedham!
- Wednesday, 11/20: 12:40- Early Dismissal and Evening Conferences
- GET READY! Monday, 11/25: Get ready for Great Thanksgiving Listen
- Wednesday 11/27--5S Giving Thought Harvest Feast, Noon Dismissal
- Thursday & Friday 11/28--11/29- NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving
Oh! It's October? October Updates In 5S!
acorns at night on Westbourne Terrace!
This Month...
- Bird of the month in 5S: September was the European starling and its amazing murmurations. October's bird of the month is the BARN OWL
- Flora of the month: This month's flora focus will be on the oak tree and it's acorns - learn more about trees, nuts and seeds on our science links
- FABS Focus: This month's FABS focus is balance: As light and dark find balance at this time of year, we are aiming for that too. Students should be practicing all the FABS (flexibility, aerobics, balance and strength) at home and school with a special focus on balance at home. Please have them share with you the balance poses they are trying and perhaps you can join in. Balance can be the hardest to overcome mentally. There is a kind of bravery that comes from 'going out on a limb', even if that limb is your left foot.
- Picture Day - Thursday, October 3rd. Forms were home in Friday Folder, but you can also go online.
- 5th GRADE RECYCLING STARTED! 5th graders at Driscoll are responsible for collecting, emptying and learning and teaching others about what can and can't be recycled. Each Friday, students go to different rooms to collect ad empty their recycle bins. They should arrive by 7:50 at the latest to make sure they collect bins before school starts.
- KEEP Club for grades 5-8. The first meeting was on Thursday, September 26th. It's amazing how many students are gung-ho and ready to help the environment. See our KEEP Club page! The 2nd meeting is Thursday, October 3rd. We meet every Thursday from 2:35-3:40.
- No School, Wednesday, October 9th for low attendance day - Yom Kippur.
- Other events in October? Click here for the 5S Calendar!
SEPTEMBER SCOOP!
Launching our year!
OPEN HOUSE: If you could not make it in to our Open House, click here for the link or go here to the OPEN HOUSE page to learn more.
Soon, we will have a photo page just to help you get to know the inanimate objects in 5S.
But for now, below are some photos of 5S before the Open House.
Soon, we will have a photo page just to help you get to know the inanimate objects in 5S.
But for now, below are some photos of 5S before the Open House.
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We did it! We launched our year!
We explored our new nest ROOM 302
We played FIBS & F.A.B.S
We watched starling MURMURATIONS & did room 302 ESTIMATIONS!
Photos can be seen IF YOU CLICK HERE!
All of this will be better understood and explained in the near future.
Ms. Stark
We explored our new nest ROOM 302
We played FIBS & F.A.B.S
We watched starling MURMURATIONS & did room 302 ESTIMATIONS!
Photos can be seen IF YOU CLICK HERE!
All of this will be better understood and explained in the near future.
- One of the ways to better understand life in 5S, is to head on in to the Driscoll K-5 Open House on Thursday, September 19th from 6-7:30 p.m. I hope you will be able to join us so you can explore our room and have a better perspective of what your child experiences each day.
- LISTENING CONFERENCES: You should have received an email from me with a way to sign up for an informal 20 minute listening conference. I hope at least one of the times will work for you.
- PHOTOS: I have uploaded a few photos from our first two days of school. I will email you the password so you can see them. My hope is the photos will help you have a better sense of the growing connections and learning inside and around room 302.
- BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC: Wednesday, 9/11/19 is the annual Driscoll Back to School Picnic. It's a great way for Driscoll families to gather, eat and learn about each other in an informal and convivial setting.
- KEEP CLUB: The one and only KEEP Club will get going once again on Thursday, September 26th.
Ms. Stark
One Starling
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Two Starlings
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millions of starlings in murmurations!
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Click here to see a little video
of a mind boggling
starling murmuration.
We borrow what these birds can teach us to start our year
because these plentiful birds, who are often seen as pests,
can teach the wonder and power of working together
better than any speech or written rules ever could
of a mind boggling
starling murmuration.
We borrow what these birds can teach us to start our year
because these plentiful birds, who are often seen as pests,
can teach the wonder and power of working together
better than any speech or written rules ever could
