Farewell

I am sitting here in the now empty classroom and I have to say, I am feeling a little melancholy. I would like you all to know that I have REALLY enjoyed this year. This is a special class, and I had a blast teaching you and learning along with you. You are funny, smart and eager. It is a treat to spend a year with a group like this. Please keep learning. Please stop in and say hi from time to time. Be as great a group with your next teacher as you were for me. And finally, have a great, safe, exciting, joyful summer vacation.

Tracy Pearson

Today's Journal: Myths

Myths are legends or some people call them folk tales . I just made up a new myth called Russell . Once upon a time there was a boy . He was a really weird boy . He had two siblings Roberto and Maggieto . They were very nice . Russell was so mean and annoying . He annoys everyone . They were walking down the street . Russell was on the road, then Maggieto and Roberto tried to stop him . He was running and then Roberto and Maggieto got Russell ! Then Russell went to jail . Then Roberto and Maggieto were heroes again .



Margaret

Today's Journal: The mysterious bottle

The mysterious bottle holds a spear. The spears tip would have a special hook. The spear is used for spearing fish in the bay. I would like to do that. Me and my dad would do that together. Me and my dad love to fish. I have never spear fished before.





Rudd

Today's Journal: This weekend I.....

This weekend I made a zip line. Then I tried it out . It slipped and I fell. It hurt really bad. Then I found a snake skin. I got chased by three snakes . Then I watched the movie Titanic . It was good. Thats what I did on my weekend.



Damian

Today's Journal: Look out!

Look out! walruses are falling out of the sky. Each one weighs one ton. If they land on you , you will die. So move out of the way......... This just in , 18 people just died. Those people were crushed by walruses SO look out!

Darien

Today's Journal: The Weather

The weather today so far is sunny. I like it in the 80s or 70s. The 90s or 100s are too hot. I hate pouring rain. There are lots of clouds. People can tell the weather by clouds. Snow is okay but not blizzards. Tornadoes and hurricanes are scary to a lot of people.




Herbert

Today's Journal: What if everyone looked alike?

If everyone looked alike I would be freaked out. It would look like mirrors everywhere. Everyone would be twins. I would be so scared I would faint 10 times a day. It would be weird to be in a room full of people,it would look like a fun house. It would be weird to see someone walk up behind you when you are looking in a mirror. That would be really creepy.




Oliver

Today's Journal: If I didn't go to school...

If I did not go to school I would not know as much as I do. I would know a lot about horses and riding because that is were I would be all day. Josy would be groomed all day. I might get Odey some toys to play with. I might go to the barn to ride her and I would train Patch. Patch would get as many Jolly Balls as he wants. I would get all of this because I had time to go and get it. If I did not go to school I would go to a lot of horse shows with Josy. Josy would not like that because she would have to work. I might go on trail rides on Josy she enjoys trail rides.
THAT is what I would do if I was not in school.


Molly

Field Trip

Please remember we have our last field trip on Tuesday, June 9th. We are going on the Spirit of Ethan Allen III and then to the Jazz festival. Please turn in permission slips by this Friday. Thanks!

Weather: Our last theme unit!

For our last them unit we will be studying weather - blizzards, floods, climate, pressure! Please make sure you ask your student what new things they learned each day. We still have 10 days of learning left in this school year and we intend to make the most of them!

Thanks so much!

today's journal: The best pizza

The best pizza is at Jr.'s Italian restaurant. We usually buy the kind you put in the freezer. My grandma said she doesn't like that kind. I like cheese pizza better than pepperoni, I usually take off the pepperoni and eat it like that. Some people like ranch dressing on it. I also like Domino's pizza. Saturday I went to a place where you could get creamies and pizza. I had a creamie, than we went to the grocery store, than I got pizza. The pizza was pretty good. Most people like pizza, even though it's not healthy. I don't like tomatoes but I like tomato sauce, just like I don't like raisins but I like grapes.


Tatum

I like being a girl because...

I am glad that I am not a boy i'd rather be a girl for now.Boys say that girls are disgusting.And girls say that boys are disgusting.We are all disgusting in are own way. I wonder what it would be like being a boy . I would not want to be a boy. Some girls act like boys they're tomboys!Some boys act like girls and they're tomgirls!

Today's Journal: Chicken eggs.....

My cousin has chickens. One time the chicken layed chicken eggs. Two chickens had three little babies. I got to hold one and name one too . I named it Fuzzball because he was all fuzzy . My sister named hers Nikol and Anna named hers Joe Jonas. One of the chickens I named Elvis.







courtney

Today's Journnal: My father....

My Father is fun. He might take me to a dirt track this weekend. That will be fun. My father is awesome! His name is Kenny. I love him. We have lots of fun together.


Caleb

Volume! Volume! Volume!

I knew that half of the shape (OF) was 64 so 64 x 2 was 128.

Today's Journal: Zeus

Zeus called Super Walrus to his temple. ''Destroy Shark Man'' said Zeus. ''He is being a nusence to Posiden''. There was a boom. Shark Man appeared! '' I have you now'' said
shark man!



Sullivan

Today's Journal: It was hot!

When it is hot I like to go walk around my pond. When it is hot I also like to eat chocolate and carrots, or go swimming. What if the pool was made of carrots , and the water was made of chocolate - cool! When it is really hot , what if you could go somewhere it is not as hot. I do not like it when it is 95 out it is way to hot for me .

Kayla

Today's Journal: Soda Pop

Soda pop. Soda is a waste of time. Soda has to much sugar. My doctor said, " NO MORE SODA!'' So no more soda. It's so hard not to have soda. My doctor said no more candy. I just wish that I can have soda and candy. So I don't like my doctor. but I still get candy. The doctor said that i can't have candy and soda.
Maygan

Today's Journal: On the playground....

On the play ground we should play soccer and play any game that does not have shooting or punching kids. We should not let the 5th,6th,7th and 8th graders play with us. The 5th,6th,7th and 8th graders won't have fun at all. We should have more kid things for younger kids. For us the big kids we should have football,soccer balls. We should not be around any farms that smell for recess. The kids should play any thing that we got banned from. That is what our playground should be like.Do you have a better idea?


Jenny

Today's Journal: Under the sea.....

Walruses go in and under the sea. Walruses go under the sea to get food. Walruses fight dolphins under the sea. A lot of animals live under the sea but walruses are better! Most animals that live under the sea just can go in water. Walruses can go on land and in the sea. Walruses are the best sea animal!

ZACH

The Human Body

Our class has been studying the human body. It is amazing! This is some of what we learned.

Cells
There are white blood cells and red blood cells.
Plant cells have a cell wall.
Plant cells have chloroplasts that make the food for the plant.
Animal cells have a membrane.
Plant cells walls are like cardboard and animal cell membranes are like plastic bags.


Eyeballs (Senses)
The iris controls the amount of light that comes into the eye.
The pupil is the part of the eye you see out of.
When your eye sees things it sees them upside down and the brain turns it back.
The color of the eye is something you inherit from your parents.
The eye is attached to the brain by the optic nerve.
Your pupil is clear, kind of like a cave...
When you squint it is how your eye focuses.
Everyone has a blind spot that their brain fills in for you.

Blood and Circulation
There are red and white blood cells.
White blood cells fight bacteria and germs.
Red blood cells carry oxygen.
Blood can be red or blue.
Blood is blue, then it gets oxygen from your lungs and turns red.
Red blood cells can live up to 4 months and white blood cells live up to two weeks.
The right side of your heart brings blood to the lungs and the left side pumps it to the rest of your body.
Your blood can rush out of your brain.

More about digestion tomorrow!!!!

Today's Journal: Sometimes I worry about...

Sometimes I worry about aliens. Because if they take me away they could do something to me. Aliens are creepy!Not every one believes in aliens. Aliens are really cool sometimes. Mrs. Pearson even likes aliens. If you don't like aliens, then you're weird!


EMMA

Today's Journal: When school is out....

I would play with Molly. I would also play with friends .There is one thing , I would really like to do is to, swim . At my dad's house we have a pool , the lake, and my grand parents place . I like to swim. I took five different swimming lessons .



Margaret

Today's Journal: Blood and Circulation

Blood and circulation. I think its pretty cool that they compare blood cells to homes. When you stand up blood flows down. There are 2 sides of your heart. There are four tubes attached to your heart.


Damian

Alone in the house.

Alone in the house. When I am alone in the house I don't do anything. I just watch tv. It is boring in my house. I don't do anything in my house. Sometimes I eat. I don't like my house. It is boring.



MEGHAN

Today's Journal: What if money grew on trees?

If money grew on trees that would be awesome. I would climb more trees. I would buy a lot of things. Like a new four-wheeler. My mom and dad would be happy. I would be rich. I would have a big house.


Caleb

Today's Journal: The Griblix

The griblix are a kind of candy. They are sweet and sour. They are hot and minty. They must be very good. I wish I could try one. I know they are all these flavors because I saw them on t.v. Darn! They are out of them already.



Rudd

Today's Journal: My Home

My home would have a big room that is always 10 below 0 and had a food dish that said ''wally''. Wally would be a walrus that lived in that room. I would have 100 tons of food. I would have a big house. My room would be big. In Wally's room he would have a water dish and snow all over the place. I would also have a bathroom, a livingroom, a kitchen and an arcade.


DARIEN.

Today's Journal: Cells

Cells are the building blocks of life. If part of it stops they replace it quickly.Plant cells have an outer wall. Animal cells have an outer shell called the cell membrane. Cells are really really puny. You need a microscope to see them. Cells keep you alive.


Oliver

Today's Journal: The Greatest Invention

The greatest invention would be a Xbox. It has lots of games. They should make a big TV. They should make more colors for smartboards. I want to make stuff that is fun. Xboxes are fun to play.


HERBERT

Today's Journal: Why did the American Colonists go to war against England?

The American colonists went to war with England because of the british tea taxes. So the American colonists threw the tea into the ocean and made sure that no one left with tea. They threw the tea over the ship so the British would stop sending the tea. The king of England thought that the tax was good because he got more money when he did it. Americans thought that no taxation with out representation was bad. The king was mad at the Americans.


Molly

Today's Journal: If I were the President of the USA

If I were the President of the U.S.A it would be really cool. You would get Secret Service guys that follow you around so you don't get hurt. There would be a lot of room to put things. The only thing is you would get in trouble if you ran around and started screaming. When you give speeches you get to stand on the really tall thing over looking every one. You would be able to pass laws and veto laws. The other thing about being President is you might have to go to a lot of meetings, some of them would be very boring. I would like to be a kid and have one of my parents be President. You could be on T.V. a lot, everyone would know when you go on vacation. I know some people who, if their parent was President, would get kicked out for doing pranks and playing loud games. After exploring the whole White House I would get very bored if I couldn't find anything to do( I would be taking a lot of vacations.)

Tatum

Next Theme of the Week!

This week we are finishing up our unit on the American Revolutionary War. We mainly studied the reasons we declared independence from England.

For the next two weeks we will be studying the human body. We will be learning about the human brain, cells, skeleton, systems, nutrition, and senses. If you have any resources you would like to share, please send them in!

Thanks!
Tracy and the Kids

I would like to meet ...

I would like to meet the Jonas Brothers and Robert of Twilight that will be cool. Sometimes I have dreams about the Jonas Brothers. I went to the Jonas Brothers concert. I have the movie Twilight, and my mom has a t-shirt of Twilight. I want one too. I want a Twilight backpack.







courtney

Today's Journal: It's raining cats and dogs...

It's raining cats and dogs. It might not be a good day to drive because there might be dead cats and dogs on the road. The dogs will form one team the dogbones ,and the cats will be the catnip. Then the dogs will throw dogbones and the cats will throw catnip. The thing the dogs don't know is the cat nip explodes when it hits the ground. There were some dead dogs flying but most of them gave up so the catnip won!

Hannah

Today's Journal: A visitor from outer space

This is new. There is lots of foliage. I will move the tram foward. Humans, animals, and plant life. I did not think it was possible. Now I will know for sure.


Sullivan scott

Today's Journal: Write a letter to King Georg III about what happened to the tea in Boston.

Dear King George III,
We have bad news. Colonists have disguised them selves as Indians and have boarded the ship. The worst part all the tea has been dumped off the ship! Not even one little speck of tea is left,but they also stuffed their pockets with tea.What should we do? Write back as soon as possible.

Kayla

My Favorite Toy

My favorite toy is a cool doll named Maygan. Her head like exploded. So well now my gramma said'' stop fooling aroud and said''that i'm not doing anytheing. So I have an knew toy it is a mummy. Is't to scary for me. I JUST DON'T LIKE IT.p.s I really have a mummy.


maygan

The Stamp Act

Today we started watching a documentary on the Revoltionary War and we learned about the Stamp Act. Ask your child to tell you about what the Stamp Act was.

Ms. Oakley will be making banana oatmeal muffins!

Ms. Oakley will be bringing in her prize winning muffins for math and muffins next Friday! Since we have math and muffins on the last Friday of each month, this month's date will be April 17!

Please come in and join us for a fun and exciting math lesson. Kids will be starting a whole new unit on geometry next week, so it should be fun.

Today's Journal: Fog.....

In the fog I go bike riding it is hard to see in fog. We have alot of fog in the summer. I don't like it when it is foggy, I don't like it when I am bike riding I can't see. I don't go outside alot when it is foggy for some reason I don't like foggy days. Some times my dad makes me go outside. When I have to go outside I go in my woods with my dogs so I don't have to clean. In the summer there is alot of foggy days we have alot of foggy days when I go to school.


Jenny

Today's Journal: A windy day...

It was a very windy day. It was so windy little dogs were blown away by the wind. There was a person flying a kite, then the wind picked up and he was flying. The wind was at 100 miles per hour. The little kids liked the wind because they could fly. The parents hated it because they had to chase down there kids. Then the wind stopped and the little kids fell from the sky. Their parents caught them.



ZACH

Theme Unit Update

We are learning about the American Revolutionary War through our study of Kate Messner's book, Spitfire. We will continue this unit throught the month of April. You may see some homework assignments reflecting this.

Homework tonight will be practicing either multiplication or division facts. As it gets later in the year children really need to show fluency with these facts. Please encourage your kids to work with flashcards at home until they are memorized. Practicing a few minutes a day will really help them later on!

Today's Journal: Ooops....

One day Sullavin, Molly and I made an oops machine. That can erase your oops. Molly wanted horses on the machine. All of a sudden the evil oops lady showed up. I personally hate the oops lady. Molly said "Theres no way to stop her". " Duh" I said . " We can use the erasing machine" said Sullavin. And Sullivan was right. It really worked. She was nothing. P.S. Mrs. Pearson was the oops lady.

EMMA

Today's Journal: 100 years from now...

In 100 years from now I would be pretty old . I would be 110 .My grandmother would be 166 . My grandfather would be 165 years old .We would all be pretty old . I do not know anyone that is over 113 . We would be in the 22 century. There would be really cool stuff . Maybe one of those weird scientists made some living potion .


Margaret

Today's Journal: Some things I know about the Revolutionary War are...

I don't know anything about the Revolutionary War. I don't like anything about the Revolutionary War. People want to go in the war because they want to fight for our country. But I don't want to go in the war. I don't want to die.



Meghan

Today's Journal: I wonder about....

I wonder about what it was like to be an immigrant. On the boat the weather must have been harsh. I would hope that I would not be on one of the boats that capsized. That would not be fun. I also would like to see what it was like on the Titanic. I would like to be a first class passenger. I would hope I would make it onto a life boat. I would hope none of my family would go down with the boat.


Rudd

As promised! The Titanic Interviews!

Here are some sample questions and answers from today's Titanic interviews...

q: Do you know the reason why the Titanic crashed into the icebergs?

a: Captain Smith thought there were no icebergs.

q: What was the first thing that you did when you found out the Titanic was sinking?

a: I jumped into one of the lifeboats.

q: How did you know where to go on the lifeboats?

a: We didn't. We follwed the others then the SS Carpathia found us.

Iditarod Powerpoints

Yesterday the children presented powerpoint presentations on the Iditarod they had been working on in Library class. Here are a few. They look great!

Next Theme Unit

Local Author, Kate Messner, has written a book about the Revolutionary War Battle of Valcour Island called, Spitfire. Our class will be doing a unit on this book for the rest of the month of April. This is a very rich and historically correct account with many interdisciplinary connections. We will kick off our study with an author visit! The author will be coming to our school on Monday.

I am posting a link to her website so that you may become involved as well. I am also considering a possible field trip to the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. I know we have taken many trips already and am wondering if you think another trip is a good idea or not. Let me know if you are interested ( I would need drivers again...) and I can look into it.

Thanks! Hopefully, it will be fun and we will learn a lot!

http://www.katemessner.net/

Today's Journal: Write about your experience in Words Come Alive yesterday

I was a third class passenger. I felt like A hag sack! It was weird and strange really. Darien brought a pistol .I thought he was crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damian

The Titanic Sinks!

Today the survivors will be met at the dock by a group of reporters and interviewed about their experiences of the disaster. Stay tuned to see some published accounts!

Today's Journal: What is happiness

Happiness is like joy. Its a feeling. For example if you won 100 million dollars you would probably be happy. If I won I know I would be happy. On birthdays I'm happy. Some people aren't happy. If you're mad you're not happy.




Darien

What Happens Next? (Titanic)

You are asleep in your cabin on the Titanic. You wake up to a scraping sound outside your porthole. What happens next?

I looked out my porthole and saw a whale and it's friend throwing ice at the boat. I said "stop"!Then I threw a ball at him. He swam off. Then I went to sleep. The next day I got some fresh air. The whale came back. I threw another ball and it died.



Herbert
Durfee

Today's Journal: Out my window

1. Out my window is a pool.
2. Out my window there are 2 barns.
3. Out my window is the sky.
4. Out my window is the ground.
5. Out my window is the basketball hoop.
6. Out my window is the driveway.
7. Out my window there are trees.


Oliver
DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today's Journal: Lost

One day my friend got lost in Disney. We were scared that we would never see her again. We finally found her. Then we went back to the hotel. I don't know if she got in trouble. It was a good thing we found her. If it was me I would be really scared.





Caleb

Math and Muffins!

A quick reminder....Math and Muffins will be held as usual on the last Friday of the month. That is this Friday! Come and join us from 7:45 - 8:45 in our regular calendar and math lesson. I know some of you are going crazy just wondering what the calendar patterns are this month! Come and see for yourself!

Tracy

Today's Journal: An Amazing Machine

I would have machine that would get rid of my brother. I would put him in it and take him out when I felt like it. I would not let him out. Josy wants a machine that she could take cookies out when she wants. I would get it for Josy. She thinks she is the queen. But she is my slave. I would think Tyler is also a slave, Tyler and Josy are my slaves and they will build me all the machines I want.

Molly

The soda bread was great!

The children really enjoyed tasting the bread they made. Thanks go out to Mrs. Davis, Ms. Oakley, Mrs. Birmingham and Mrs. Blow and Mrs. Paradis for helping with baking! Thanks also to Molly, Maggie and Caleb for helping to clean up afterwards!

Today we went to Ireland!

First we made loaves of Irish soda bread and then we got to eat them while we saw a movie all about Ireland! This week we continued to study Irish Immigration and stories of Ireland.

Are you a history buff?

In early April we are studying the Revolutionary War - at least Vermont's role in the war. We have an author visit scheduled for Monday. She wrote a book on the Battle of Valcour Island. We would also be interested in having another speaker who is interested in history and would like to come in and share their knowledge. Let me know if you are, or if you know someone who is and we can set up a day to come in and share!

Thanks!

Tracy

Next Week's Theme: Ireland

We had a great time studying the Iditarod and Alaska. Next we travel to Ireland to celebrate the land of St. Patrick. In order to align our unit of study the Vermont's Grade Expectations, we will be looking at Irelend through the lens of immigration. We will learn about the geography of Ireland as an Island and compare that to the county of Grand Isle.

If you have books, videos, pictures of Ireland, please send them in. We will also be doing some traditional Irish cooking with Mrs. Blow in the school kitchen!

For homework next week, children will be working on a report to show what they learned about Ireland. I am sending the Vermont benchmark showing the report standard for the 4th grade, the report rubric, and some information about Ireland to help kids get started. Clean copies will be due on Friday. I will be teaching the format of a good report on Monday so the kids will have some time in class to work on it.

Thanks!

Tracy Pearson

Today's Journal: What a kite sees and hears

I would see peoples heads.I would hear birds flying into a window.I would see another kite coming at me so I would kill it.I ripped the rope and I flew.Right into a plane engine. but kites cant see hear so this would never happen.the end

Zach

Today's Journal: My favorite video game

My favorite video game is mariokart for the wii. In mariokart you race against the computer or people. You have to race against the computer if you want to unlock characters. Wario is the evil version of mario. Wario sometimes says take that loser.

Emma

The Iditarod Display

The Iditarod Begins!

Today Ms. Oakley taught a lesson on the geography of Alaska using a large floor map. The kids were given cards that had various landforms and resoures in the state of Alaska and children created symbols to use on the map. Each child read their card, and then placed the symbol on the map.

Today's Journal: It bothers me when

It bothers me when my brother annoys me.I hate my brother.It bothers me when I don't get my way.I hate It



meghan

Today's Journal: If trees had no leaves...

If trees had no leaves I would not be happy. One I would not be happy because there would be no maple syrup. Two there would be no pretty color leaves. Three there would be no leavs to jump in. There would be not be work for the parents to rake up the leaves. They would look dead and carpenters would cut them all down there would be no air.



Margaret

Be nice to your kids tonight...they had to take the NAEP today!

The National Assessment of Educational Progress was administered to the 4th grade today. We don't get any results back, but it is a national test we have to have them take. They were real troopers about it!

Great Job 4th Graders!

From the Thank You letters to Mr. Farley

"They were a lot smaller than I expected!" -Molly

"I learned a lot about Togo, like he saved his owner and the other dogs. I never knew they dog raced 100+ years ago!" -Oliver

"When the dogs bark, do they ever wake you up?" - Darien

"It is funny how the eskimos race with their dogs in a horizontal line and the lead dog unhooked." -Herbert

"It looked like fun when you and Miss Oakley went dog sledding." - Meghan

Parent Conferences

I sent a parent conference sign up sheet home yesterday. Please let me know if you would like to schedule a conference. Report cards will be sent home Wednesday.

Thanks!

Tracy

Today's Journal: Eating vegetables

Eating vegetables? Well it depends. Eating cucumbers? No way. I don't like cucumbers at all. I like broccoli, carrots and celery. Those are some of the vegetables I like.

Rudd

Yesterday's Journal: Dogsledding

Dog sledding is strange. I never thought they would do dog sledding In Vermont. I never saw a siberian husky. The Iditarod mostly takes place Alaska. I never thought of poodles would race or chihuahua.

Damian

Journaling

Ten Friendly Words
1. Terrific
2. Outstanding
3. Great
4. Thanks
5. Nice
6. Good
7. #1
8. Fantastic
9. Wow
10. Welcome

Tatum


If Bees were as big as elephants

If bees were that big bears would all be dead. The stinger would hurt. I don't like bees. How come it can't be if pies were as big as elephants? Dang, that made me hungry. Bees are evil. If only they turned into apple pie.

Oliver

The telephone rang

The telephone rang yesterday. It always rings. My sister left her voice on the answering machine. My mom and dad have cell phones. There are two types of phones a cell phone and a telephone. We own both kinds. Phones are weird.

Herbert


Junk

I have lots of junk in my desk. I have trash in my desk. I don't want Maggie to help me. She will get points. I will keep my mess. I have lots of junk in my room. A whole box full.

Darien

2009 Iditarod Ceremonial Start: Grand Isle School

Rob Farley a musher working his team of sled dogs came in and taught us about dogsledding, its rich history, and its honorable dogs.

We got to pet and harness the dogs...and watch them run!

Two More Experiments

Tatum using CO2 to blow up a balloon!

Hannah and floating raisins with CO2!

Volcano

Three phases of matter...solid rock, liquid magma and CO2 gas!

Sullivan

Science Fair

We held our Science Fair on Matter yesterday. Check our our video and pictures!

Math and Muffins!

Don't forget, math and muffins is on this Friday the 20th! We are studying fractions all this month, so come in and check out what we are learning. If you want to donate donuts, muffins, or juice please let me know!

Tracy

Today's Journal: If I were a pencil

If I were a pencil I would write all over the walls. I would write in people's journals. I would draw all over the tests. I'd write notes to people. Then I would pass them in class. I'd draw all over my desk. Then I would get in trouble.

Caleb

Today's Journal: Purple

I love purple it is my favorite color.josy likes it also.pink is ok.i hate some colors.Ponies can see some colors. Blue is not cool. Patchs favorite color is green. He has a green blanket.

Molly

Today's Journal: Ten friendly words

Ten Friendly Words

Ten friendly words are:
1. Terrific 2. outstanding 3. great 4. thanks 5. nice 6. good 7.1# 8. fantastic 9. wow 10. welcome!

tatum

New Theme: Maniac Magee

Instead of continuing with matter all next week we will have a mini theme on a book titled Maniac Magee. It is a wonderful book by Jerry Spinelli about a boy who became a legend in his own time!

Science Fair

We are still studying matter and now we are gearing up for our scienc fair on Tuesday afternoon. Kids should be planning an experiment to demonstrate something they learned about matter. Don't forget, you should be able to answer questions on your experiment. We will set the desks up in a horseshoe shape and kids will take turns demonstrating. I can't wait to see all the experiments!

Today's Journal: Funny Places

I don't know any funny places. How am I supposed to make one up? Oh no! It's the end of the world. Anyways thats one story. Now you might find this story a bit more interesting. The sky is falling!

Rudd

Student Journals

When I get nervous

It makes me nervous when people talk about the Taliban. I am scared of them. Someday they will come here. I know because back in the 70's or 80's, people in Burlington manufactured tanks and other military things. If they are to attack the Eastern seaboard, one of the first strikes will be us. So now you all know what makes me nervous.

Sullivan


Friendship

I have alot of friends. Everyone in this class are my friends. I have three favorite friends are Kayla, Tatum, Hannah they are good friends. Kayla is really funny Tatum is really nice and Hannah is really funny too.

Courtney


Hearts

I think hearts are weird and ugly. They are pink and I hate pink, why can't they be orange? Heart remind me of Valentine's Day. Hearts are in weard shapes not like thehearts we draw. One time Isaw this person with a shirt with a big heart on it. It lit up but it was red not pink. I have a poster with a big heart cake with a cat saying it's all mine.

Kayla

Chemistry

We are continuing our study of matter this week, focusing on liquids. The students are working on science projects for next Tuesday's science fair. That is their only homework this week. We visited some of these websites in the lab today. Check them out!

http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_intro.html

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/gases.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/J001539/

http://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/SolidsandLiquids/index.html

http://kids.discovery.com/games/pompeii/pompeii.html


Have Fun!

Student Teacher

Please let me introduce our student teacher, Joanna Oakley. She has been working with us since January! She comes to us through Johnson State College where she is just finishing her senior year. She is very interested in teaching and loves teaching science! She led the kids through a great investigation on erosion last week. The kids made land and then packed snow to form a glacier, then observed what the glacier did to the land forms. It was very dramatic!

Theme: Matter

This week we have been studying the phases of matter and also been learning about atoms. We made atoms of different elements using a periodic table and some candy. We used peanut m and m s for the protons, plain m and m s for the neutrons, and cinnamon hearts for the electrons.

Yesterday we had Words Come Alive and we used our bodies to build atoms. The children really showed a good understanding of the atom when Karen asked about them.

This week they have also made great connections to the ELF lesson on air. The ELF curriculum has been a great supplement to our classroom science curriculum! Thanks to Missy, Michele and Tracy for all they do!

Homework

Sorry I haven't updated the blog in a while. I will try to get back on track!

For homework I would like students to write a report to show what they know about matter. It should be neat and edited, but can be a first draft. We will share these in class.

We will also play spelling baseball with the theme words from last week and this week. The words from the mountain unit and the matter unit will be used. There will be no other spelling test this week.

Today's Journal: Birthday Cake

I hate chocolate birthday cake. I love angel food cake. I love it even more with maple frosting. On each person's birthday we get it. My Mimi makes it. My mom makes other good cakes. Every time we eat cake I eat the frosting last.

Margaret

Today's Journal: If I had a camera

I have a camera. It used to be my mom's. I have this one picture that looks like a ghost sunset. I would take pictures of my brother doing something embarrassing. I would show it to his friens. My mom hates getting her pictures taken. I take pictures of my garden.

Emma

Field Trip to the Statehouse

We had a wonderful field trip on Friday to the Vermont State House. We had been studying the branches of government, and how laws are made. We sat in on a session in the House of Representatives. We were introduced by our Rep. Ira Trombley. We met and spoke with our Senator Dick Mazza, our Reps. Mitzi Johnson and Ira Trombley and Lt. Governor Brian Dubie.

The children were very respectful, inquisitive and knowledgeable. Thanks so much to Michele, Audrey, Missy, Tracy, Justin, and Kenny for driving and chaperoning!

Once I had a bad cold.I could not go to school for like 1 week.I loved when I stayed home.It was fun.But when I had that bad cold I was in kindergarten.I loved kindergarten because we used to have naptime. I love naptime. It was nice and quiet.

Meghan

Next week's theme: Mountains

Next week's theme is Mountains. We are going to learn about glacial erosion, the 7 highest peaks, and watch the Planet Earth DVD on mountains. We are also going to read a book called Everest. It is by Gordon Korman. It is a story about a 13 year old boy who wants to be the youngest person to summit Everest.

If you want to do some research ahead of time or along with your student please feel free!

Tracy

Student Journals

If I Found $50.00
If I found $50.00 I would save it for a vacation. Then I start getting more and more money. Then one day more green $50.00 bills turned into $500.00 dollar bills. I was the first one to get it, but then it started raining $50.00 bills and everybody came to get them. Then I was so rich. I became the President and bought the world.

Darien


The Best Taste in the World
The best taste in the world is pizza because it is so good. But blueberries are better than pizza. Why do they call blueberries blueberries, when they call raspberries, redberries? I don't know why...
The End

Damian


Before I Go to School
Before I go to school I eat breakfast. I also take a shower. then I go out and visit the workers in my barn for my dad. I like throwing snowballs at them. It is fun. Then they try to lock me outside. They are just devils.


Rudd

Field Trip

Packets with information about our field trip went home yesterday. Included in the packet are some details on rules and expectations and our itinerary. Please ask your student for it at home.

T

Government

This week in honor of the Inaguration, we are studying how our governement works. We learned that there are three branches of government in both our state and our nation. There are checks and balances so no one person has too much power.

We are visiting the Statehouse on Friday to see Vermont's legislature in action. Mitzi Johnson has agreed to meet with us over lunch and we will have a tour of the Statehouse.

Thanks to parents for sending in permission slips and driving us there!

Leonardo da Vinci

This week we are studying things related to Leonardo da Vinci. We will be doing a web quest on him tomorrow. We will be visiting this website.

http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeoHomePage.html

Kids should be working on their project for Friday. As we are learning, da Vinci was an incredibly creative person, so the projects are an opportunity to show your own creativity as well as what you learned about as you were studying. Project sheets went home last Friday, but I will resend them home today as well.

Have fun! I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Student Journaling

Sorry, we have gotten behind a little in publishing journal entries. Here are a bunch!

I am curious when...
I am curious when I find Josy's cookies on the floor of the barn. It makes me think she might be eating it. I am not curious when Josy's nose is in the bag. I do not let her near the bag. She tried to eat an apple when I was not looking. Patch ate carrots out of my back pocket. He could not get a full carrot. He got half.

Molly


Nicknames
My nickname is KK. I do not know why people call me KK. But is must be because my name starts with a K. My best friend Jame in my old school called me la it took me a long time to figure out why she called me that. But one day I was spelling my name and I notesed the last to letters in my name are la. I do not know why people give other people nick names it is really weird. I called my friend Jame J dog because her name starts with a J.

Kayla


Trees
Trees help us breathe. They give us oxygen and we need oxygen. People keep on cutting down trees to build houses. At home I have a necklace that says hug a tree. In California there are trees that are called red trees. You can drive through them.

Hannah


Waffles
Some waffles are round and others are square. I like the kind that you pour the mix into a waffle presser. If I have a choice between pancakes and waffles I would pick pancakes usually, I put syrup and whip cream, and butter on them, but I don't like strawberries on them. I have a very old waffle presser at home. Waffles are yellow and taste eggy.

Tatum

Themes Glorious Themes!

In order to create a little spice and focus, I have developed (and am still developing) some themes of instruction for the remainder of the year. If you want to do some research, preteaching, or have some resources to share, here are my plans for the future....

Week of January
5 Green Mountain Hero (Green Mountain Boys, VT history, Catamounts)
12 Leonardo da Vinci (Art, science, inventions)
19 3 branches of government ( a trip to the Vermont State House is in the planning stages)
26 Mountains (erosion, 7 highest peaks...)

Week of February
2 Solids
9 Liquids
16 Gases (states of matter, atoms, molecules)

Week of March
2 Iditarod
9 Iditarod (Alaska, resources, winter, time)
16 Ireland (Land, people, history)
23 Maple sugaring (hopefully visit to a sugar house)

That's what we have in the wings so far. Please let me know if you have any other ideas or resources!

Tracy