Wednesday, January 12, 2011

January 10-14th

This week I am excited to say that we have started our science project "What's the matter?" I have sent the project syllabus home with each student. Please look over the assignment and sign and return it so you can be aware of what we are doing for this particular project. Yesterday we started talking about what matter is comprised of and how to classify it. We completed yesterday's class with an experiment on density. We also reviewed the six stages of the scientific method. Ask your child if they can recall any of the steps. The final product will be in February. I am not setting an official due date because I want to see if the students will want to expand on any of the concepts covered. I will give you at least a couple of week heads up before it is due.

In math this week we are continuing to simplify fractions, average numbers, and divide. Tomorrow we are going to log on to a wonderful website called Khan academy and watch math instructional videos. Afterwards, each student will form a group and create their own instructional video of their own.

Our language arts program is doing excellent. The students have been very focused during our writing time. We have established new writing norms such as only talk when absolutely necessary. The class is really taking it on. I even had one student Landon exclaim, "Can I keep writing instead of going to lunch?"

Also, don't forget that next Monday we have no school due to the observation of Martin Luther King day. We have started doing brain gyms to get our bodies ready for learning. One of the key components to this program is drinking enough water so every child needs to have a water bottle that they remember to bring every day.

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