| Mrs. Cummins works hard to combine different areas of
the curriculum into each activity.
For example, although our student government activity is primarily social studies we practice language arts when writing bills, and we use a little mathematics when completing transactions with our 'classroom dollars'. |
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| Description of Chippewa
Valley District Curriculum
Click on the subject names below to jump to the detailed descriptions posted on the District's web site |
Special activities our class does to support the curriculum You can click on
underlined words for additional information, |
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Pop-up Government Reports.
Students research different parts of our system of government, and prepare a three dimensional display to display facts and pictures. Click Here to see an example of a finished report. |
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Spelling words are collected throughout the week on each and every assignment students turn in. If words are misspelled, they are highlighted to call them to the student's attention, and they will see them on the next weeks 'personalized' spelling list. | ||||
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Students in Mrs. Cummins' class are
expected to read books on their own time as well as during the school
day (during silent reading time and other free time). A total of 30 Accelerated Reader points are required for each marking period. Approximately half of those points are available through books that we read in class. |
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| Daily language (more info posted here soon) | |||||
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Everyone knows that March 14th (3.14) is
Pi day.
We have some special activities that help us understand this very special ratio.
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For practice making and interpreting
different types of graphs the class graphs the proportions of the
different pieces in a box of Lucky Charms cereal, or the different
colors on a bag of Valentine candies.
We also observe the changing length of daylight through the school year, and generate a sunrise/sunset bar graph (is this math, or science, or both?) Click Here to see a short video. In our GRAPHitti activity we plot a series of x/y coordinates that create a 'connect the dot' image. |
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In our Classroom Government activity we get experience handling money when using our own special class dollars. | ||||
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Our study of American
History includes a field trip to Greenfield
Village.
Students explore the village in small groups, completing a short 'written assignment' as they go to help keep them focused. |
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At our Veteran Day
activity the class creates and sends cards to specially
selected Veterans.
If you have friends or family that are veterans please consider including their names for this activity. |
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Wax Museum at Cherokee
Students research a figure in American history, and pose as a 'Disney'- style wax figure that explains their plaice in history when you 'press their button'. This activity is repeated in the evening for family and friends. |
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The class makes a field trip to District Court
We study the three branches of government, and our student government activity gives some experience with the Executive and Legislative branches. This trip gives the students a glimpse of the Judicial branch, and they have an opportunity to see the inside of a court room. |
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As part of our study of the three branches of
government, students conduct a 'simulated congressional hearing'.
In past years we were fortunate to have celebrity judges volunteer to participate. |
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We run our own Classroom
Government .
We elect class officers, and we write and vote on bills. Bills that pass the House and Senate move on for approval (or veto) by our President. Signed bills are reviewed by the Judicial Branch (that's Mrs. Cummins) to verify that they are 'constitutional', meaning they don't conflict with school rules or interfere with our education objectives. |
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Science
Specialist
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The class builds miniature
astronauts.
This activity is part of a lesson on why an astronaut's space suit is designed the way it is, and how it works. The students build a miniature astronaut that is theirs to keep. Past students have kept them for many years. Read about John Flick on the alumni page. He works at NASA, and has his astronaut hanging in his office. Students then try to solve the different problems you
might have designing spacesuits for their pets. Click
here to see some ideas for dogs, cats, gerbils and bird. |
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Our class experiments with
Vandegraph generator.
You may have seen this amazing device demonstrated in a museum. Mrs. Cummins has her own generator, so her entire class can experience it "shockingly" close-up. Any student (that wants to) will get a chance to try it. Watch the web site for some great pictures that day. |
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The Starlab Planetarium is a great way to visualize constellations and planetary movements . Starlab is a portable inflatable planetarium that can be moved from school to school. She bought her own personal Starlab to insure it's always available for her class. Watch the classroom newsletter for an evening for students to bring their family into Starlab to see the Christmas constellations. |
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| Mrs. Cummins has special 'race tracks'
with magnetic strips on the bottom and guide rails along their sides.
Students design and build a 'magnetic levitation car' that floats above the track. The designs are tested against each other in a class wide competition. |
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