Week of December 3rd

I still cannot believe it is December. We had a great week last week. The kids have done a wonderful job getting back into the routine of things. Despite what they may say, the enjoy when our schedule is predictable and not too busy :).  There are some upcoming events that I would like you to jot down!

Monday, December 10th: We will be presenting at Town Hall! Town Hall begins right around 8:10.
Wednesday, December 12th: We will be going on our first field trip! We will be going to First Fruits Hydroponics Farm (3215 46th Avenue North). You are welcome to meet us there at 10:00. Please email me if you are joining us, so I can have an idea of who is attending. This is a fun field trip! It will last about 1 hour and is free for parents. Feel free to visit their website: http://ffhydro.com
Monday, December 3rd - December 14th: Holiday Gift Drive - you should have received an email regarding the families we will be supporting this year that allows you to sign up for what you are going to bring. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Schnitt.
Wednesday, December 19th: International Festival - This will take place after lunch. If you would like to help out with planning or assisting on that day, please contact Gina White or Kristen Leary who coordinating this event. 

Science:

Last week we did two science experiments! In a previous experiment, the students dissolved kosher salt in water. This created a salt-and-water solution. The salt seemed to disappear. The water was then placed in a petri dish and left out. Once the water had evaporated the students noticed that the salt remained in the water, even though it was not visible. The kids were fascinated by the salt crystals. They came in all shapes and sizes. 

The second experiment was called the Dissolving Race. You can only imagine the excitement on the kids faces when they heard the word "race". The students first observed two forms of sugar - a sugar cube and granulated sugar. They observed how both forms are sugar and differ only in the overall size of their pieces. They then made a prediction as to which form of sugar would dissolve faster in water. After the experiment, the students had discovered that sugar dissolves faster when it is in smaller pieces and when it is stirred.  This experiment prepares them for this weeks experiment in which they will examine another factor that affects the dissolving of sugar - the temperature of the water.

Math:

The students took their math assessment for Chapter 3 on Monday. They will be working to make corrections to the assessment. When they are done, the assessment will come home. Please sign it and send back to school.

This week we will be beginning Unit 4. We will be learning about Change-to-More Number Stories and Parts-and-Total Number Stories.

Language Arts: 

We are working so very hard on strategies that GOOD READERS do. We have been using our Reading Journals to talk about and reflect on the books we are reading. I am very proud of the progress your kids have been making as readers. Please continue to make sure that they are reading books at their "just right" level at home. Reading books that have too many unknown words does not adequately support them as them. We want them to be able to read books fluently with comprehension. 

Social Studies:

We are learning about Europe. The students are having a blast this week doing a mini map study of Europe. They are working with partners to find all of the countries and bodies of water that are in Europe. 

We harvested from the garden last week. The students tried green beans, cucumber, peppers, and we even stir fried cabbage. Yum! We also sampled kale chips and may even make some friend green tomatoes if they ripen in time!

Have a wonderful week!