Borden Bulletin
PEN News
Butler Elementary Grade 4
Our Invention Convention will be held on May 5, 2014 at Gayman Elementary School. Students will be bussed to and from Butler. I will forward more details and permission slips as they are finalized. In February, students used their survey results to list possible problems facing our everyday lives and brainstormed solutions to those problems. They considered the pros and cons of each solution and worked together to generate one unique problem to solve. Once they agreed on a possible solution, they created another survey to determine if their product would be useful to others. Students' invention ideas are complete... we have Salt Shooz, The Cleaninator, The Double Sponge Cleaner, and The Stable Stool. We are in the process of building our inventions and writing paragraphs describing the invention process. We have discussed logos and slogans of various companies and each group created ones for their product. Students have also graphed their survey results. All of our final work products will be displayed on a trifold for all to view at the Convention.
Groveland Elementary Grades 5 & 6
During the month of February, we played the role of archaeologists in the fictional land of Fugawiland. Using a computer software program, students carefully chose sites to explore and excavate displaying numerous artifacts discovered there. Using the information they found, students were able to draw conclusions about the way of life for these people. We discussed the housing, tools, food, pottery, and weather of this area. In March, we moved onto future studies. We began our unit by listening to some embarrassing predictions made by people in power. Afterwards, students created their own visions for the future. We discussed popular movies, books, and television shows that portray the future. We viewed clips from movies and shows such as Meet the Robinsons, The Jetsons, and Back to the Future II. Students discussed the futuristic elements that were shown as well as which ideas came true. Students are currently individually researching a category, such as computers, medicine, transportation, etc., and tracking the changes that have been made to these areas. They are creating a timeline with 7-8 past/present events and 2-3 future prediction events of their own. Next, we will be learning about different types of Futurists and their thought processes. As a group, we will discuss problem solving scenarios of possible issues or concerns for the future. Next stop...Robotics and LEGO Mindstorms!
***Law Day for 6th Graders will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2014. We will be visiting the Bucks County Courthouse. More information and permission slips will be coming home shortly! Please return them promptly.
Checking our Sources
Choosing Major Changes
Creating the Timeline
PEN Classroom
I am at Groveland Elementary Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings. I am at Butler Elementary Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons. Email is the best way to contact me.
Email: kborden@cbsd.org