Thank You For Coming to Our School's STEAM Expo

Expo!

EXPO
Thank you for coming to Expo!  The students were excited to have you there to see their work.  I hope you had a chance to visit some of the other classrooms too, every room I went to had some really interesting projects to showcase.

Spirit Week
Next week is a school-wide Spirit Week.  Here is the theme for each day:

Monday: Pajama Day (students in my class can also bring in a small stuffed animal, one that can fit into a paper grocery bag) 

Tuesday: Crazy Hair or Hat Day
 
Wednesday:  Fashion Disaster/Mismatch Day
   
Thursday: Twins or Decades Day
  
Friday: Funky Sweater Day

Snowflakes
Last week we took some time to learn about how snow and snowflakes form from water vapor that freezes.  We watched some videos of snowflakes forming and another where a scientist explained the process to a group of kids.  In the new year we will begin a unit on weather officially but the lesson on snow seemed apt to cover now.  We also have been tracking the temperature each Friday on a huge line graph.

Winter Clothes
Unless the temperature or windchill is below zero degrees Fahrenheit, we go out for recess at least twice.  Please send in a full compliment of winter clothes with your child.  Gloves, hats, snow pants, boots, and winter jackets.  If you need help let me know.  I have a few things that have been donated by one of our teachers' aides.  If you would prefer to leave certain items in the classroom that is fine too.  In addition to the winter gear students also need a pair of regular shoes in their backpack that they can wear in the classroom.  They need the regular shoes to give their boots a chance to dry out and so they can participate in gym class.  I know as a parent that this is a lot, but all of these things really help your students stay happy, dry, and ready to learn all day long.

Curriculum Overview

Science - Today we started our first Project Lead The Way (PLTW) module on structure and function.  Structure refers to the way something is built, including shape, size, and the way the different parts work together (for example, a chair has four legs, a seat, and a back).  Function is what something does or is intended to do (the function of a chair is to give people a place to sit).  More information to come as this module gets going.

Reading - This week we will begin reading books and stories, both fiction and non-fiction, to support our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function.  This week students will read Jack and Beanstalk, examine the structure of a beanstalk, and see if we can make a model of a beanstalk that can hold up a golden egg.

Writing - We are writing and reflecting about our experience at Expo, what parts of our work we were happy about, and what aspects need more attention next time.

Math - We are comparing numbers and playing more than and less than games, including more than and less than poker.

Word Study - We are learning how to read and write simple words.  This week we will look at the -ing word family.

Last week we took some time to learn about how snow and snowflakes form from water vapor that freezes.