Science

Currently our class is learning all about pumpkins. We read a great non-fiction book by Wendy Pfeffer, from Seed to Pumpkin. While we learned so many thing and even made a connection between the needs of people and the needs of a pumpkin, there was one thing that really grabbed our attention. We learned that each pumpkin stem had many sets of tubes and that one set of tubes takes water up from the soil to the leaves for making sugar. Then the other tube in each set sends food back down so the pumpkin can grow. We found this extremely interesting! To give the scholars an idea of water traveling up, we did a little science experiment with colored water and celery.

Red Ribbon Week

Today the scholars wore their PJ's ......dreaming of what they will be when they grow up drug free!

Red Ribbon Week

Today scholars were to dress in their sport or hobby attire because we choose healthy options over drugs!

Reading @ Home....Tips From Mrs. Anderson

This is a video showing some suggestions on how you can read with your child at home.

Celebrating Our Writing

So very proud of these five scholars for sharing their teaching book today! Way to go: Eleanor, Aariz, Ashaz, Carter and Tate!

Candy Bag Challenge

We started our next engineering mini unit today. The scholars began by reviewing the Engineering Process and may I say, they are really grasping each part of the process! Next, I presented the challenge which is pictured below. After this, each table group was given 4 different types of bags to investigate. They were given the task of identifying the material used, how the bag was put together, what were the handles made of and how were they attached and finally the strength/durability of each bag. Once the groups had some time to investigate and discuss, they were then asked to order their bags from the most durable to the least. After the groups ordered their bags, we took a gallery walk to see how each group had ordered their bag taking notice of any differences. We finished up with a class discussion sharing our gallery walk observations. We found a couple differences and gave those groups an opportunity to share their reasoning behind the order. Giving these groups time to express their thinking also caused them to want to change their order! This was a powerful day of learning!

This group originally had the more durable paper bag before the cloth bag, however after discussion, they switched them.

This group originally had the brown paper bag as more durable than the other paper bag, however after discussion, they switched the two bags. 

Plant The Promise

Today was the 1st day of Red Ribbon Week and to start things off, we planted tulips for Plant the Promise.

Red Ribbon Week 2015

Next week is Red Ribbon Week, October 26th - 30th.

Monday:  Plant the Promise students wear RED and sunglasses

Tuesday:  Grow Healthy.... Don't Let Drugs Mix You Up wear mixed up clothes

Wednesday:  Growing My Healthy Drug-Free Selfie wear healthy hobby/extra curricular activity 

Thursday: My Drug - Free Dream....When I Grow Up I will Be....wear pajamas

Friday: BEE Drug Free....So Friendships Grow dress like your friend

GT LEAD Parent Information Night

Daily 5: Read with a Partner

We have done such a great job with read to self by building our reading stamina to 10 minutes that we are ready to read with a partner!

UNITY DAY

Today the scholars wore orange to join the nation in celebrating UNITY DAY. This is a day that schools and communities across the nation send a large ORANGE message of support, hope and unity showing we are united against bullying and united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

20 Questions

We began Science with the scholars being able to ask me 20 questions to determine what was in my bag. After asking 19 questions, the scholars were absolutely sure they knew what was in my bag! Can you figure out what is in my bag using our questions?

     1. Can you open it?  Yes

     2. Is it smooth? Yes

     3. Is it sweet? No

     4. Is it light? No

     5. Is it black? No

     6. Is there something inside the thing? Yes

     7. Is it medium sized? Yes

     8. Is it heavy? Yes

     9. Is it white? No

    10. Is it shaped like a sphere? Yes

    11. Is it candy? No

    12. Are there seeds on the top? No

    13. Can we eat it? Yes

    14. Does it have seeds on the inside? Yes

     15. Does it have a stem? Yes

    16. Is it orange? Yes

    17. Is it tan? No

    18. Is there a bottle inside? No

    19. Can we make a guess now? Yes

The entire class......"Is it a pumpkin?"    YES!!!

Weather Observations

Now that we have our own Outdoor Learning Center thanks to Real School Gardens, our class was able to go outside to make their first of many weather observations. Each scholar recorded both qualitative and quantitative information. While the scholars are still making meaning of these two new terms, they could tell you that they recorded the date, time, temperature, wind speed, rain fall, whether it was a sunny day, cloudy or not and the season. 

I was so very impressed with the amount of knowledge my scholars already own! I was equally pleased to see them apply what we have learned in the classroom. We had a wonderful conversation as to why the temperature gauge read differently in the sun and shade. I had a scholar who knew what an anemometer was and how to 'use' it. Many scholars were familiar with a wind sock and its purpose. I think that by the years end, I will have some little weather people!