Students will be dissecting owl pellets today--an opportunity to think about and discuss the food web, animal adaptations, and vertebrate skeletal systems. Students will learn a lot from the activity. We will, once again, have parent volunteers coming in to help keep the activity going smoothly, and I thank them for their time and support!
We have been spending extra time with the last 2 math chapters, discussing and practicing word problem strategies. The pace will go back to normal with the next math chapter. It is vitally important that students practice at home by doing their math homework carefully (and without the use of a calculator), making sure that if they don't understand a particular problem or concept that they ask questions and get clarification in class (or after school or during recess).
Our class won the latest boxtops collection contest and got to pick the charity to which the money earned would be donated ($203). Each student brought in their suggested charity and told the class why they thought that charity was the one the class should pick. What a wonderful, thoughtful variety of worthy causes! The class had an interesting discussion, and after a few votes, the decision was made to donate half to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the other half to the Delta (Stockton area) Humane Society. These students demonstrated what truly thoughtful, caring individuals they are. I was very proud of them.
Just in case you want to set your calendars...our class will be going on a field trip to the Tiburon Audubon Center on Wed., March 4. We will need drivers, so please let Marianne Hill know if you are interested. Also, although students will not be going to Walker Creek until the end of May, the parent meeting about Walker Creek (to answer all your questions and give parents an idea about what students will be doing while at Walker Creek) is scheduled for Thursday, March 26, at 6 P.M., in the multi-use room. Also of possible interest: our Valentine's Day party will be on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 1:05-2:05 (students have PE from 2:05-2:50, and there is no school on Friday, Feb. 13). Contact Lorena Garbarino if you are interested in helping.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Students had a great morning last Friday, participating in Native American activities. It was wonderful to have so many parent helpers; thank you! Students were able to make their own staves game to take home, as well as a cornhusk birdie (used like a hackysack); they got to play lacrosse, have popcorn (yes, Native Americans ate popcorn, although not prepared in a microwave), create sandpaintings, and winter counts. A morning well spent.
Just a reminder: For parents interested in having their child take the upcoming (March) GATE test, you must complete the district form (available on the NUSD website) and return it to me no later than January 29. If you have any questions, or if you need help getting the form, please let me know.
The Scholastic book order is in this week's Friday folder and is due back to me by Friday, Jan. 30.
We are busy preparing for the upcoming science test. The test will be given on Monday, Feb. 2, and will cover almost half of this FOSS module: cells, their structures and the function of those structures, and cellular respiration; and the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary (excretory), and skeletal systems. Students need to understand the purpose of each system and be able to identify the major organs in each system (they do NOT need to learn specific names of the bones of the skeletal system--just the main purposes of the skeletal system). They have many resources to study: the science book, their science journal, various worksheets completed, and study guides (I-Checks and vocabulary/concept lists).
Students will be dissecting owl pellets next Friday, Jan. 30. A few parents have already volunteered to help out (Thank you!), but we could use a couple more. Very interesting activity!
And speaking of parents, it was fun to have some stay on Tuesday to watch the inaugural ceremony with us. Truly an amazing event--and a healthy reminder that everyone can get nervous, make a mistake, and then correct it later!
Remember, there is no school for students on Monday. I'll see everyone back on Tuesday!
Just a reminder: For parents interested in having their child take the upcoming (March) GATE test, you must complete the district form (available on the NUSD website) and return it to me no later than January 29. If you have any questions, or if you need help getting the form, please let me know.
The Scholastic book order is in this week's Friday folder and is due back to me by Friday, Jan. 30.
We are busy preparing for the upcoming science test. The test will be given on Monday, Feb. 2, and will cover almost half of this FOSS module: cells, their structures and the function of those structures, and cellular respiration; and the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary (excretory), and skeletal systems. Students need to understand the purpose of each system and be able to identify the major organs in each system (they do NOT need to learn specific names of the bones of the skeletal system--just the main purposes of the skeletal system). They have many resources to study: the science book, their science journal, various worksheets completed, and study guides (I-Checks and vocabulary/concept lists).
Students will be dissecting owl pellets next Friday, Jan. 30. A few parents have already volunteered to help out (Thank you!), but we could use a couple more. Very interesting activity!
And speaking of parents, it was fun to have some stay on Tuesday to watch the inaugural ceremony with us. Truly an amazing event--and a healthy reminder that everyone can get nervous, make a mistake, and then correct it later!
Remember, there is no school for students on Monday. I'll see everyone back on Tuesday!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful break. And now it is back to work! To finish our study of Native Americans, we'll be having a "Native American Day" next Thursday, Jan. 15. We'll spend the morning playing Native American games, making "birdies" and cornhusk dolls, trying sandpainting and creating winter counts. The morning will go more smoothly with parent helpers (I'd love to have 3 or 4 helpers), so if you are available Thurs., Jan. 15, from 9am until lunch (or any part of that time), please let me know.
And speaking of days when I could use parent helpers...as part of our study of body systems, the class will be dissecting owl pellets (skeleton). The activity always goes more smoothly with extra helpers! I'm planning to do the activity in the morning (8:45 - 10:35) on Friday, January 30. Students will work with a partner and dissect sterilized owl pellets. They will use charts to try to identify the various bones they find. It is a great activity and a lot of fun. If you can help, please let me know.
Today is the first day of our Youth in Arts class, Mixed Media (Thank you PTA!). Students will get 1 hour of art--painting, clay, watercolor, drawing--each Friday afternoon (1:05 - 2:05) for 6 weeks. It should be great!
The cold season is definitely upon us. If you have an interest in donating to the classroom, I would love to have a few more boxes of tissues--we have emptied 2 boxes this week already! Thanks!
As of the end of 2008, I am taking a new approach with missing homework. At the beginning of the year, students who forgot their homework were benched and had to complete their homework at school. The result has been that there are some students who are not unwilling to give up a recess to do homework--not the desired effect. From now on, I will be giving students who don't turn in their homework a homework alert, which will need to be signed by a parent and returned the next day. The student will still be benched, but they will have to complete the homework at home. Students who receive more than three homework alerts in one calendar month will face greater consequences. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Happy 2009! Have a great weekend.
And speaking of days when I could use parent helpers...as part of our study of body systems, the class will be dissecting owl pellets (skeleton). The activity always goes more smoothly with extra helpers! I'm planning to do the activity in the morning (8:45 - 10:35) on Friday, January 30. Students will work with a partner and dissect sterilized owl pellets. They will use charts to try to identify the various bones they find. It is a great activity and a lot of fun. If you can help, please let me know.
Today is the first day of our Youth in Arts class, Mixed Media (Thank you PTA!). Students will get 1 hour of art--painting, clay, watercolor, drawing--each Friday afternoon (1:05 - 2:05) for 6 weeks. It should be great!
The cold season is definitely upon us. If you have an interest in donating to the classroom, I would love to have a few more boxes of tissues--we have emptied 2 boxes this week already! Thanks!
As of the end of 2008, I am taking a new approach with missing homework. At the beginning of the year, students who forgot their homework were benched and had to complete their homework at school. The result has been that there are some students who are not unwilling to give up a recess to do homework--not the desired effect. From now on, I will be giving students who don't turn in their homework a homework alert, which will need to be signed by a parent and returned the next day. The student will still be benched, but they will have to complete the homework at home. Students who receive more than three homework alerts in one calendar month will face greater consequences. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Happy 2009! Have a great weekend.
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