Greetings!

            Welcome to the Class 105 E2 Web Page.  My name is Marjie Carroll.  I’d like to introduce you to some of the exciting and challenging work that we do.

            Reading and Literature are an important part of upper elementary. Following the district model of Reader’s Workshop we are committed to reading every day.  Each year, 4th grade students are introduced to a literature discussion group format named Book Club.  They learn different ways to respond to literature and later may choose to form their own Book clubs throughout their years in E2.  In addition, for the past two years my class has joined with many metro area students in reading two serial stories in the Star Tribune newspaper that includes discussion and vocabulary development.  All E2 students will participate this spring in Junior Great Books Literature analysis at their reading level.   Students also read books of their own choosing for pleasure, as well as reading textbooks for history, science, and personal research.  Some children also participate in Read Naturally to improve their fluency and comprehension skills.

            The Montessori math curriculum introduces the fundamentals of algebra and geometry, along with principles of arithmetic.  One way we teach is by providing hands-on concrete materials that show a mathematical process at work. This allows a child to internalize new concepts and provides deeper understanding as they move to abstraction. E2 classrooms also use a district math curriculum called CMP (Connected Math Project) that adds real-life problem solving application to mathematical instruction.  Some of those units include “Data About Us” (focuses on tables, graphs, data collection) and “How Likely Is It?” (focuses on probability and statistics.)

            The Montessori cultural curriculum is also broad and deep.  One of the key principles of Montessori is to begin with the idea of the whole and delve deeper into the particulars of a subject.  In history this means that we begin at the beginning with the Big Bang, followed by instruction and research on the Time-Line of Life (from Archaeozoic to Neozoic), the Time-Line of Early Humans, the Time-Line of Ancient Civilizations, the Middle-Ages, the Renaissance, and U.S. History.  At each stop along the way children apply their understanding of the needs of humans and show how that has influenced the story of our human ancestors.

            On these pages you will see photos and video clips that show children at work and at play in and outside our school and classroom.  Montessori believed that children at this age need to step out into the community to experience the world beyond their home and school.  She called it “going out.” We regularly participate in science activities, art enjoyment, and, once every three years, we attend an overnight Environmental Learning Center beyond our doors.  This year we went to Long Lake Conservation Center in Macgregor, Minnesota where we learned about outdoor survival, orienteering, and animal habitats. We take yearly field trips to Valley Branch Environmental Learning Center, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and the Mpls. Institute of Arts.  In May we will participate in a writing effort called “Artful Writing” at the University of Minnesota Weisman Art Center, and combine these visits with tours of the Humphrey Institute and the Bell Museum of Natural History.  It seems we have always just been to or are just about to go somewhere to enrich our experience.    

            I have been a teacher at J. J. Hill for eight years, five years at the E1 level and three years at E2.  This year we are a class of 27 students – (6) 6th graders, (13) 5th graders, and (8) 4th graders.  This winter and spring we welcomed two student teachers, Ben Halley from Augsburg College and Pang Thao from the University of Minnesota.  Together they are here from mid-January until mid-May offering energy, time, and enthusiasm to your students.

            I hope this has provided a little window into what goes on in classroom 105.  Feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.  See you at school!

-Marjie