Reminders for Upcoming Week

We have a lot of really exciting things happening this week - so a few reminders about the week.

• Permission Slips for the November 14th field trip are due on Friday!  Remember to send them in ASAP so that they're not late!  
• We still need a few more pumpkins for our special science/math investigation - The Great Pumpkin Caper - on Thursday.  Send your pumpkin in by Wednesday if you can help out! 
• Character Dress Up Parade is on Thursday!  Students should come to school in costume.  Parents are welcomed to come and watch between 9:00 and 10:00 that morning!
• Children will also need to bring a change of clothes (with gym shoes) on Thursday, as it is our PE day.  
• We will be having a pizza luncheon for students and parents on Thursday at 11:45.  Parents please RSVP to let me know if you will be able to join us.  
• The Great Pumpkin Caper will be moved to the afternoon, right after lunch, at 12:40.  I could use the help of at least one or two parents with this.  If you can help out, please let me know ASAP.  

Roller Coaster Physics

This week we learned about potential and kinetic energy by building roller coasters out of pipe insulation. The children were challenged to find a way to make either a hill or a loop somewhere in their roller coaster. Two groups discovered that to make it work, they needed to start the roller coaster as high as possible to give it enough potential energy and to place the hill close to the start so that the marble has enough kinetic energy to go over the hill or loop.

Halloween Rap

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Halloween Fun!

We have a lot of fun events coming up in a couple of weeks, on October 31st, and I'll need some help from parents!

Literary Pumpkins!

On the week of October 31, all of the classes will be making our own pumpkin, made to look like a character from a book we've read. Ours will be a certain "Humble" and "Radiant" pig...


Book Character Parade!

9:00-10:00 - October 31

Students are encouraged to come to school dressed as a character from a book. It can be a book we've read in class or some other book. If they already have a Halloween costume and there's a book about that character, they can wear that costume. Or you may decide to make a costume at home. Parents are also invited to come, watch, and take lots of pictures (but you have to send Mr. Sofferin copies for the blog!).


Pumpkin Science!

10:00-11:30 - October 31

After the parade, we'll be doing a super-fun investigation, involving math, science, and PUMPKINS! For this activity, I am asking for some parents to bring in a pumpkin. We'll need about six pumpkins - some big and some small (not pie pumpkin size). If you can help supply a pumpkin for the activity, please send one in with your child either next week or the following (October 21-28). The pumpkin will be returned with your child (unless they don't want it) on October 31st, all cleaned out and ready for carving!






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Diamond D Field Trip

Permission slips went home today for our first field trip of the year.  Since our current novel takes place on a farm and we will be learning about animals later in the year in science, we will be taking a trip to the Diamond D Ranch.  Some of the things we'll get to do on our field trip include:

• A wagon ride
• Pony rides
• Petting zoo
• Animal orientation
• Dixie cartwheel
• Bounce house
• And more!  

We'll also be eating lunch at the ranch, so all students need to bring a bagged or boxed lunch to school that day.  The cost of the field trip is $14 for students and $10 for parent chaperones.  Below are some pictures from Diamond D's website.

Superstars New and Old!

This week, I had an unexpected visit from one of my favorite former Superstars - Amber! Amber is doing phenomenally well in her first year of middle school, taking advanced math classes! Amber's growth over the past three years has been greater than possibly any other student I've ever had. She should be an inspiration to everyone!





And speaking of improvement, this week's Star Student was Aliya, who hopes to follow in Amber's footsteps!


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Science Test on Friday

This Friday we will have an end-of-unit test on Matter.  Instead of practicing weekly vocabulary words as we normally do, we will instead be focusing on the science vocabulary the children have learned thus far in science.

matter

physical properties

atom

mass

volume

temperature

balance scale

graduated cylinder

thermometer

solid

liquid

gas

melting

freezing

evaporation

condensation

Take the practice quiz!