Friday

We had a busy day today. We let our praying mantis go and then someone else found another. We will keep him for a little while and observe his habits. We did Language Arts and Math pre-assessments today. We also did a science experiment, what would happen to a plant if you poured boiling water on it. The students wrote a hypothesis and we will write our conclusion on Monday when we check the plant. Finally we did computers, made book-marks and did show and tell.

Thursday Wear Maroon and White on Friday!

Today we read our stories about what makes us unique. The students did a good job on them. Some were a little afraid to stand up and read, but all did a great job. In math we reviewed division. Right now I am trying to find where they all are and what they need to work on. We watched an interesting video on the Aurora Borealis, a couple on measuring with metrics, and a silly one on the elements. Then the students went to music. We ended the day cleaning the room and then I read to the students until the end of the day. Homework: There is none today except for students who want to be in Honor Choir. They should have a bright pink paper for parents to sign. Honor choir practice is held on Thursday during lunch recess.

Wednesday

Hi! Today in school students wrote two paragraphs telling what is unique about them. Then, they had 150 math problems! Really, but these are just to find out what they know. They are not timed and will not be due for a few more days. We also did a fluency test for all of the children. These assignments will allow me to know where everyone is at the start of the year so I have a benchmark of what to expect in reading, writing and math. We also created our own name tags for the hallway wall and are learning a couple of songs, America (My Country Tis of Thee, and our month's theme song, the first verse of We are different. We are tired and warm, but the day has gone well. Homework: Students have a homework folder that has three papers for parents to sign. Please help your student remember to get them back tomorrow.

Welcome to 4th Grade

Hi, I am so glad to have you as part of the 4th grade class at Harold B. Lee Elementary school. This is the place you can come to see what is going on. Feel free to get in touch with me either through this blog or at the school. Have a great day!

Thursday and Class Trips

6th and 7th grades: These last few days we will learn about rocks and the geologic timeline. Incentive/Reward End of year trip. 6th grade trip: Downata - We will be leaving the middle school at 8 a.m. (good day to show up on time. $6.50 needs to be paid to Mrs. Winward, preferably by Tuesday morning. Students can bring their own food or bring additional money to buy snacks or lunch at Downata. We will be back to school by the time buses leave in the afternoon. 7th grade trip: Lava Hot Springs - leaving at 8:00 a.m. cost $5.50 for admission $3.00 for grilled hamburgers paid to Mrs. Braun by May 29th. Students will be back in time to take the bus home. Students can bring snacks or bring money for the snack bar as they will likely be pretty hungry before lunch at 1:30.

Wednesday

6th and 7th graders took their tests Wednesday. I got them corrected and most students did quite well. The grades are posted.

Tuesday

6th & 7th grade: We finished our review for the final. Students were allowed to write down any information that they needed to study for the test. The test will be worth 100 points. Students have been given the test concepts as notes for the entire year. These should be concepts that they know and understand.

Monday

6th grade students: We reviewed for Wednesday's test. 7th grade students: We reviewed for Wednesday's test.

Thursday

6th grade: We started looking at the rocks today. Students learned about the properties of rocks. Wednesday is the final exam. We will prepare for it Monday and Tuesday. 7th grade: Students learned about vertebrates today by doing ten minute reports. Each team read about a different vertebrate, created a report and gave it during class.

Wednesday

6th grade: We are learning about different types of rock, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. After the students reviewed yesterday's information, and did a short review for the final. We watched a video on how each type of rock is created. Tomorrow we will discuss the Mohs scale of hardness and determine which type of rock we are working with. 7th grade; Students learned about echinoderms today. We talked about sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sea stars (star fish) and sand dollars. After determining their characteristics, type of body, movement and how they eat, we watched two short clips showing how they eat and move. Late work must be in tomorrow or it will revert to a zero. All students have been reminded regularly for two weeks about any missing assignments.

Tuesday

6th grade: We have been studying about the land and soil. Today we learned about glaciers and the different land-forms they cause. We learned about the words till, moraine and drumlin. We made our own little glacier and were able to easily see how glaciers affect the landscape. 7th grade; Reports were turned in today by nearly every student. We saw some very interesting arthropods today. Students saw four videos of bees and ants. Most of the videos showed how they live. But one showed a group of researchers that were able to see a real ant colony. They found a deserted colony and poured cement down in the hole. It took a lot of cement. Then, they let it dry for one month. Finally, when all the cement was dry, they dug around the cement and found a huge system of tunnels and rooms that the ants had lived in. It was 8 meters deep and about 50 x 50 meters square. It was something. Please remember, all late papers must by in by the 17th or there will be no credit given.

Wednesday

6th grade: We took the test today, most students did quite well, at least better than the last one. We began studying about the different layers of soil. 7th grade; We corrected an in-class worksheet and watched a couple of videos with the animals we were studying.

Monday

6th Grade: It has been determined that we should retake the planets and moons tests. It did not go well. We will retake it on Wednesday - study, this is the last chance on this test. Today we studied the three types of mountains and used clay to make them. 7th Grade: We began reviewing for the final exam. Students were given a problem and asked to think of creative ways to solve it. We also are finishing invertebrates. It is the jump-rope assembly tomorrow. If you want to attend a workshop about jump-roping, bring $7 to the office tomorrow.

Thursday

6th grade: We took our planets and moon test today. We also, in most of the classes, graded last night's homework. 7th Grade: Students went to the computer lab to find information for their reports. The reports will be due on May 15th. The main idea of the report is: Scientific Ideas That Changed the World. We are having a jump rope assembly next week. Anyone who wants to take a class from these very talented people needs to sign up and pay $7

Wednesday 6th test and homework

6th grade: We studied for our moon and planet test for tomorrow and then students did D40-41. 7th grade: We had 6 students today. We are studying animals, so we watched videos on porifera, cnidarians, platyhelmintheses, nematoda, segmented worms, and mollusks. It was kind of fun.

Tuesday 6th test Thursday

6th grade: Students finished their posters today. They also demonstrated their knowledge about volcanoes. Many students will be gone on the music festival trip tomorrow. The homework due on Thursday is D40-41 1-20. Those in school tomorrow will work on it then. 7th grade: Students read and filled in a chart dealing with invertebrates. We hope to finish it on Friday.

Monday 6th test Thursday - 7th paper May 15

6th Grade: We are learning a little more about volcanoes. We covered the types of volcanoes and then watched some short clips about them Students will have a test on planets and moon phases on Thursday. They must spell correctly. 7th Grade: Students fixed their body systems packet. They also were given a rubric on their last science project. They will be writing a paper on scientific discoveries that changed the world. It is due May 15th and should be 2-3 pages long double spaced.

Thursday ISATs are done!

6th grade: We finished our movie on the volcano Krakatoa. It is a good movie, showing the effects of volcanic eruptions, but it also shows the bravery and kindnesses of the people that were involved. This is a true and heart-wrenching story. 7th grade: The Science ISATs were given today. During class we discussed the questions we could remember and why they had the answers they did. This gave the students the opportunity to learn from the test. Monday is the start of spirit week. It is Mis-mathch day. Tuesday is Blast from the past - dressing in a style from the past. Wednesday is PJs and sweats and Thursday is spirit day, dressed in school colors of blue, white and black.

Tuesday & Wednesday ISATs

I will have a substitute tomorrow so I thought I would put up two days at a time Tuesday 6th grade: We are finishing, or starting, depending on the ISAT the movie Krakatoa. We are learning about the different causes of tsunamis. 7th grade: They were at ISAT testing today and did not have Science. Wednesday 6th grade: Students that are not in ISATs will finish working on earthquakes and volcanos. They will be drawing the different types of faults and boundaries and finishing their locating of earthquakes and volcanoes. 7th grade: We found some jeopardy type quizzes to help students study for their Science ISAT on Thursday. Student, please remember to take care of my substitute. She does have choice and consequences assignments if there are any issues.

Monday ISATS

6th grade: We began a movie about the volcano, Krakatoa, its eruption and the damage it caused. This movie will take about two days to finish. 7th grade: We raced through a science book asking questions, looking at pictures etc. to help students prepare for their Science ISAT. Tomorrow they will have a math ISAT during science class. Wednesday we will have a jeopardy game to help them with their final preparation.