Dry Ice, Sounds and More...

Today students finished up the last missing problems on their benchmarks. They also had a lot of fun, new learning experiences. In math students were introduced to a sound measurement device with the assistance of Dr. Stroup. We measured decibels and watched as graphs were generated. Students will be designing a lunchroom measurement plan using the lesson learned in the cafeteria. Students were able to apply their knowledge of factors, multiples and factor pairs as they made decisions about the interval of time that sound would be measured. In science today students explored with dry ice. Students observed what would happen to dry ice when bubbles were in the middle of the dry ice air and normal air. They also dropped it into beakers of water and observed a change. In History Alive students watched a video about active listening in their study of social skills. They then practice the skills in a role play scenario.

Today marked the end of a long week of benchmark tests. We have been able to break up the testing enough to keep the students engaged in lessons in between tests, but everyone will be happy to get this assessment week behind us. Several students have a few problems left on a test or two, or have been absent and missed a test. All completion and make-up testing will take place tommorow and the schedule will resume. In History Alive the students have been busy working on a presentation for our morning assembly tomorrow. The entire fifth grade will participate in an informational production about our US Constitution, it is sure to be memorable. The students should practice thier song tonight in preparation. In science the students had to make scientific predictions about a wooden dial that was given to each group. Tomorrow in math Dr. Stroup from the University of Texas will be joining us as we apply our learned knowledge of factor pairs to a real world sound measurement activity. The students will be introduced to the TI-84 graphing calculator that they will use throughout this year in both math and science. Thursday folders are going to be going home today and will need to be signed and returned tomorrow along with the weekly parent required signature will also be checked in the morning.

Benchmarking Day Two

This week students will be taking beginning of the year benchmark tests. They do not count as a grade, but allow for teachers to develop lessons around the student needs. Yesterday students took the science portion, today the student completed math and finshed some of the science. We will move on to reading tomorrow and finsh up with writing on Thursday. We are all looking forward to returning to our regular class lessons. In History Alive today we studied and reviewed for our geography test tomorrow. In Science several students presented their space craft designed to land on a planet made of a substance students explored last week called Oobleck. We also started a handwriting and grammar practice program and the students are quite talented with cursive writing! Homework tonight is to read for the reading log and study for the geography test.