Classroom: Family

This past week we learned that we are all part of a family and that families are configured in different ways with many factors affecting them like marriage, divorce, adoption, remarriage, grandparents as primary care givers, single parents, foster care, etc. We read many books and the student’s shared a lot about their families. Through this they discovered that there are different kinds of families, but most importantly all types of families love and care for each other!

A peek into next week: Feelings and Emotions

Kindergarten: Equator and Hemispheres

This past week the kindergartners learned what hemispheres are and how to identify  where each continent is located Northern/Southern/Eastern or Western hemisphere. The students also learned where the equator and prime meridian are located on a globe.

This week we customized a special table for the kids to make their science and chemical projects, learn more about it. Finding quality metal finishing services can make or break your project.

A peek into next week: North America

Reminders:

9/2o Ramseyer Farms Field Trip

9/27 Bring Your Parent to Work Time

10/17 Picture Day

Enrichment Highlight:

Work Time:

Classroom: Community Helpers

This past week we focused on community helpers in honor of Labor Day. The students not only  learned about firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, veterinarians, construction workers, paramedics, farmers, mail carriers, chefs etc. They also had the opportunity to meet and get to know some of them.

The students and I greatly appreciate those that volunteered their time to come in and speak to us about their careers!

A peek into next week: Family

Kindergarten: Cardinal Directions

This past week the kindergartners learned that the cardinal directions (North, South, East and West) are the most commonly used form of directions. They discovered how to use a compass to find their way and learned that their are also primary inter-cardinal directions (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest).

A peek into next week: Equator and Hemispheres

Reminders:

9/2o Ramseyer Farms Field Trip

9/27 Bring Your Parent to Work Time

10/17 Picture Day

Work Time:

Trinomial Cube: This child is learning how to build the trinomial cube, while also getting an introduction into algebra and preparation for the formula a3+3a2b+3a2c+6abc+b3+3ab2+3b2c+3ac2+3bc2+c3.

Classroom: Ground Rules

The first week of school we focused on the ground rules. These are the rules by which the children are able to have the freedom of movement and choice in the classroom. Some examples are: Learning to speak to others. Learning to listen to others. Learning to respectfully interrupt.

A peek into next week: Community Helpers

Kindergarten: Continents

The first week of school the kindergartners learned that there are seven continents (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia). They also learned where they are located on a globe/map and a fun fact about each one. For example Australia is often referred to as “the land down under.”

A peek into next week: Directions

Reminders:

9/2 Labor Day | NO SCHOOL

9/3 Enrichments begin

9/2o Ramseyer Farms Field Trip

Work Time:

Burning in Pure Oxygen: First we combined manganese dioxide MnO₂ and hydrogen peroxide H₂O₂ solution to produce oxygen O₂. Then we lit a splint on fire and blew it out creating a smoldering splint. We took that smoldering splint and put in in the beaker with the pure oxygen to see what would happen. When we placed the splint in the beaker we surrounded the splint with a much higher concentration of oxygen molecules than can be found in air. This, along with the increase in temperature, dramatically sped up the reaction rate, so the splint ignited with a bright flame.

Blue bottle: First we made a solution containing a reductant (glucose) and methylene blue. Then we added some NaOH to make the solution basic. The oxygen dissolved in the water  accepts the electrons but doesn’t interact with glucose. Adding the methylene blue helped by acting as a carrier taking electrons from glucose and passing them to oxygen.

Dinosaurs: We learned that dinosaurs roamed Earth for about 165 million years and that there were hundreds of species. Then about 65 million years ago a huge meteorite or comet hit the Earth, making dinosaurs become extinct. Some dinosaurs we studied were diplodocus, tyrannosaurus, stegosaurus, brachiosaurus and triceratops.

Work Time

Guest Reader

Reminders

May 27th | Memorial Day | NO SCHOOL

May 30th | Field Day | Last Day for Students

Magnetizing magnesium: We made a solution with magnesium and iron (ferrous sulfate FeSO₄). When we placed a magnet underneath the particles became magnetic because the Fe²⁺ from the FeSO₄ solution turns into metallic iron Fe on the surface of the magnesium particles, while the Mg turns into Mg²⁺ and ventures out into the solution.We basically ended up with magnesium shavings covered with a thin layer of iron which will stick to a magnet.

Metal contest: First we prepared a copper sulfate CuSO₄ solution and a tin chloride SnCl₂ solution. Then we put pieces of zinc into both vials. When we put a piece of zinc wire into the solution of copper sulfate we watched a deposit of metallic copper form on the piece of zinc. The zinc forced copper out of its salt composition. The same happened in the vial with the zinc wire and the tin chloride solution. However, we noticed that the vial with the tin wire in the copper sulfate solution reacted slower than the tin chloride solution.

Australia is the smallest of the seven continents. It is just one country surrounded by water. Australia is called the land “down under” because it is located under the equator. It has two big cities Sydney and Melbourne. The central part of Australia is called the “outback.” Australia produces more wool than any other country.

Asia is the biggest of the seven continents. It has more people living on it than all of the other continents combined. Asia has many different kinds of land such as: tundra, evergreen forest, wide grasslands, sandy deserts and tropical rain forest. The highest and lowest places on Earth are found in Asia which are Mount Everest and the Dead Sea.

Antarctica is an icy continent with no countries or people. Most people who do visit are scientist or visitors who are observing all the amazing animals and the climate. Antarctica has tall mountains that are covered by snow and ice. It also has thick sheets of ice and giant ice chunks known as icebergs.

Work Time

Guest Reader

Reminders:

May 8th | Grandparents Day & Book Fair

May 10th | Moms-N-Muffins | 7am to 7:45am

May 17th | Bring Your Parent to Work Time

A peek into next week: Solar System

North America: Is the third largest continent in the world. There are four big countries: Canada, Greenland, the United States and Mexico. It has high mountains and flat grasslands. It has swamps, forest, deserts and even volcanoes. Most people speak English, Spanish or French.

South America: Is the fourth largest continent in the world. It has tall mountains and flat grasslands. The worlds largest rain forest is in South American and is called the Amazon rain forest. There are may unusual plants and animals.

Work Time:

Guest Reader:

Reminders:

April 22 | Easter Monday | No School

April 26 | Bring Your Parent to Work Time

Recycle, Reduce and Reuse: The past week the students learned how they can help the environment. They learned about different ways to practice the three R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Work Time:

Guest Readers:

Reminders:

April 22 | Easter Monday | No School

April 26 | Bring Your Parent to Work Time

Butterflies and Caterpillars: The students learned that butterflies are insects. They also discovered that a butterfly’s life cycle is made up of four parts, egg, larva (caterpillars), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. We talked about how an adult butterfly will eventually emerge from the chrysalis where it will wait a few hours for its wings to fill with blood and dry, before flying for the first time. The students learned that butterflies often have brightly colored wings with unique patterns (symmetric). We read about how most butterflies feed on nectar from flowers and have taste receptors on their feet.

Work Time:

Reminders:

April 22 | Easter Monday | No School

April 26 | Bring Your Parent to Work Time