Measuring Physical Properties of Matter

Today we had a lot of fun measuring some physical properties of different objects!  Students used rulers and tape measures to find the length, width, and height in centimeters and a balance scale to find the mass in grams.  We compared our results and discussed why we didn't all get the exact same measurements.  Ask your child to describe the experiment and tell you what he/she learned.  We'll continue to work on matter and mass for a couple more weeks, then take an assessment of the knowledge we've gained.

Here are a few photos of our experiment.

We Made It Half Way!

Today was the last day of the first semester.  We've made it half way through the year!  Time is just flying by, but we still have so much more to learn. 

Just a few reminders as we head into the second semester:
* There is no school on Monday, January 16 as the teachers have a work day.
* The Family Fun Night is Tuesday, January 17 from 5:30-7:30 PM.  Thanks to everyone who donated items for our Iowa Hawkeye basket.  I hope to see you all there!
* The snow has finally arrived.  Make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the cold weather as we go outside unless the temperature is below 0.
* Please encourage your child to continue reading at least 20 minutes 5 days a week.  Reading more builds our "reading muscles"!

Thanks for a great first semester!  

Family Fun Night

Our Washington Parent Group is sponsoring a family night January 17.  I will send home more details as I receive them.  I received the following forward from the parent group:

Dear Teachers,

On Tuesday, January 17th we are having our first Family Fun Night.  As part of this event we are having a silent auction.  We have sent letters home with students seeking silent auction donations and the Parent Teacher Group has been soliciting donations from local businesses as well.  In planning this event we sought advice from Pence Pals members as they have a successful event like this each year.  One suggestion they gave us was to have each class come up with a basket for the silent auction.  They indicated these were big hits and did well at the auction.  So we are asking you to brainstorm with your students and come up with a theme for a classroom silent auction basket and then seek donations from parents for the items.  Some ideas are:  movie basket, pet basket, and nail care/pampering basket.

The Parent Teacher Group will award the classroom with the best idea for the silent auction basket.  So have fun with this and please encourage your students and their families to attend this event.

Sincerely,

Amy Miller

I'm wondering if any of you would like to help head up this project?  I would need a letter to go home with ideas for the basket.  We can make copies of the letter for the class.  Any volunteers?

Thanks so much for all you do for your child.  It makes a huge impact in the classroom!

Gingerbread Houses!

On Monday, December 19, we had a great time creating gingerbread houses!  Thanks to Paula Angstead, Elisa Kretz, Summer Lisk, and Lori Schaefer-Weaton for helping.  It still smells like frosting in here!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!  For those who are traveling,  I wish for good weather and a safe trip.  Enjoy the holidays with your children, family and friends!

Exploring Science Through Fun and Games!

Over the past few days we have learned a lot of new concepts in science.  To help in our exploration of this new information, we've had a lot of fun with an experiment and a game.

We explored the effects of wind and water erosion on sand, soil, and rocks.  The students discovered that sand was the most impacted by wind and water erosion.  Ask your child to explain our experiment.

We went on an "Incredible Journey" to discover how a water molecule moves on Earth.  The students began at a station such as "lake", then rolled a dice to see where the water molecule would travel to next.  Some found that they were trapped in the same place for a long time, just like water in real life.  Ask your child about this fun game.

We've been exploring, playing, and moving to make science more accessible, interesting, and fun!

Congratulations Skylar!

At an assembly held on December 5, Skylar Halley received a character award for Habit 3 "Put First Things First" from the 7 Habits of Happy Kids.  Skylar's certificate read,

Skylar Halley is a great example of Habit 3 “Put First Things First”.  He is focused during class, puts forth his best effort on all assignments, and participates in class discussions.  I can count on Skylar to have his homework completed and returned in a timely manner.  He works well with his peers helping them stay on task during partner and group work.  Skylar understands the value of “work first, then play”.

Congratulations Skylar!

Multiplication!

Practice makes perfect!  It's an old cliche, but when it comes to memorization of multiplication facts - it's true!  A couple weeks ago, students brought home fact triangles.  I hope you are still using those on a regular basis.  A little practice every day aids in memory.  You wouldn't let your child show up for the recital or ball game without attending the practices.  The same holds true for math class.  If you want to get better at math, you have to put in the time practicing.  Encourage your child to work on memorizing the basic facts of multiplication.  Practice makes perfect!