Glen’s Ditch and our Class Blog
We had a great trip to Glen’s Ditch last week. We looked for macroinvertebrates and found some to bring back to the classroom to look at closer. The students have been posting field reports and photos from our trips on our class blog. Be sure to look at it! http://gustavus345.blogspot.com/ Please leave a comment for us! (Additionally, this newsletter is posted on our blog too. I will begin to post paragraph assignments on that blog next week.)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
We finished this book (a class read aloud) last week! Today we did a short Reader’s Theater of one of the chapters. There is a quiz for this book on the website: http://www.bookadventure.com/ that your child can take and earn points to trade in for Bear Bucks. I have student usernames and passwords for this website if your child has forgotten or lost theirs.
After School Tutoring and Homework Help
Emma Johnson has offered to help students will homework after school. I have talked to several of the students about this and many are interested. Hopefully, this will start next week. I will let everyone know soon what day and time this will be.
There isn’t a spelling test this week!
Paragraph a Week
There isn’t a paragraph assignment this week. Next week’s assignment will be a letter to an author of your child’s choice. The author that they write to should be an author of a book that they recently finished.
Word of the Week: benthic
Have a great holiday!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
3rd-5th Field Report from Glen's Ditch 11-18-09
On 11-18-09 we went to Glen’s Ditch to collect data. It was the first trip with snow. (It was very slippery!) We found a caddisfly on the south side of Glen’s Ditch caught in a trap and an amphipod on the north side caught in a net. Jordan spotted a fish on the north side in our net too. Jordan also caught a caddisfly in the net on the north side. When we went it was lightly snowing and cold. The caddisfly and the amphipods that we have been finding are macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are animals that do not have a backbone and you can see with your own eye.
Monday, November 16, 2009
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Newsletter
Bartlett River Field Trip
We had a fantastic field trip last week to the Bartlett River. Kimber Owen came with us and we would like to thank her for her time and all of her knowledge that she shared. The class worked on a field report today and posted it to our blog: http://gustavus345.blogspot.com/ Check it out!
Glen’s Ditch
We will be taking a trip to Glen’s Ditch on Wednesday! Students must have appropriate clothing (rubber boots, jacket, rain/snow pants, gloves, hat) in order to go.
Butterflies in the Classroom
Our butterflies have emerged! The first one came out of its chrysalis last Wednesday during our Morning Meeting! The second one came out on Thursday. We are hoping that they will lay eggs so that we can watch the entire process again.
Book Orders
Book orders were in last week’s Red Folder. Orders are due tomorrow and this is the last order before Christmas! Don’t forget that you can place orders online! Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. If you haven’t set up an account you will need to one-time activation code: 1DY35
Paragraph a Week
The paragraph assignment this week is, “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.” The assignment is based on a book that I am reading aloud the class. I recommended to all of the students that they get an early start on this assignment in case they have questions that they need to ask at school. I will be checking in with them each day to see if they have questions.
Word of the Week: inanimate (this word is from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane)
We had a fantastic field trip last week to the Bartlett River. Kimber Owen came with us and we would like to thank her for her time and all of her knowledge that she shared. The class worked on a field report today and posted it to our blog: http://gustavus345.blogspot.com/ Check it out!
Glen’s Ditch
We will be taking a trip to Glen’s Ditch on Wednesday! Students must have appropriate clothing (rubber boots, jacket, rain/snow pants, gloves, hat) in order to go.
Butterflies in the Classroom
Our butterflies have emerged! The first one came out of its chrysalis last Wednesday during our Morning Meeting! The second one came out on Thursday. We are hoping that they will lay eggs so that we can watch the entire process again.
Book Orders
Book orders were in last week’s Red Folder. Orders are due tomorrow and this is the last order before Christmas! Don’t forget that you can place orders online! Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. If you haven’t set up an account you will need to one-time activation code: 1DY35
Paragraph a Week
The paragraph assignment this week is, “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.” The assignment is based on a book that I am reading aloud the class. I recommended to all of the students that they get an early start on this assignment in case they have questions that they need to ask at school. I will be checking in with them each day to see if they have questions.
Word of the Week: inanimate (this word is from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane)
Bartlett River: Data
On 11/11/09 we went to Bartlett River to collect data. Our data collection went well. It’s surprising that the air Temp was the same as the water Temp. They were both 5`c. We need to discuss if we should measure the depth of the water at all sites. In the middle of the trail we saw a tree marked by a bear!
Bartlett River Trail: What We Learned!
On Wednesday November 11th the 3-5 grade class went to the Bartlett River and collected data. We learned that club moss looks like small spruce trees. The Tlingit use to use sphagnum moss as diapers! When trees get hurt black fungus grows on them. We learned that bears mark trees by scratching them with there claws. It was exciting to get back
Questions from our Bartlett River Trip
1. Why was this land so special to the Tlingit?
2. Why are seals in the Bartlett River?
3. Why do western hemlock trees have straight bark and Sitka Spruce trees have bark that looks like a puzzle?
4. How far apart do bears make their marked trees?
5. How long is the Bartlett River?
If you know answers to any of these questions please leave a comment with the answer!
Thanks,
The 3-5 grade class
2. Why are seals in the Bartlett River?
3. Why do western hemlock trees have straight bark and Sitka Spruce trees have bark that looks like a puzzle?
4. How far apart do bears make their marked trees?
5. How long is the Bartlett River?
If you know answers to any of these questions please leave a comment with the answer!
Thanks,
The 3-5 grade class
Monday, November 9, 2009
Glen’s Ditch Field Report from 11-4-09
Hi from the 3-5th grade class! On the 4th of November we walked down to Glen’s Ditch with all of our gear to collect data. First, we had to pack up the backpacks with all of our gear. Then we set off on our trip. When we arrived at Glen’s Ditch we separated into our two groups and went to the different sides of the road. When we separated we took different tools so we could share the data later.One of the jobs we have down at Glen’s Ditch is the trapper. Since Jessie didn’t set the traps we used a fish net and a bucket instead. While we were trapping we caught 4 arthropods and after school Alyssa found a leach on her boot! We have a fish tank we are going to put the arthropods, the leech and anything else we catch in Glen’s Ditch into.
Our next trip will be at the Bartlett River Trail on Wednesday, the 11th. Parents are encouraged to come!
P.S. We have some questions! If you know the answers to any of them please feel free to leave a comment for us. Thanks!
Here are the questions: Why are there leeches in Glen’s Ditch? What do they eat in Glen’s Ditch?
From,
The 3-5th grade class
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Newsletter
November 9, 2009
Welcome Back Emily!
Bartlett River Field Trip
On Wednesday we are going to the Bartlett River as part of our year-long study on watersheds and water quality. We will be leaving the school at 9:00am and will be hiking to the river mouth on the Bartlett River trail. All children must have rubber boots and a good jacket. Rain pants, a hat and gloves are a good idea too. Please send a lunch (and a water bottle) with your child that can be carried easily in a backpack. We will be back by dismissal at 2:15. Parents are encouraged to come on any of these trips!
Butterflies in the Classroom
We have painted lady butterflies in our classroom that are still in their chrysalises! We are hoping they will emerge this week while we are at school. We have been studying insects. Ask your child what an insect is!
Book Orders
Book orders are in this week’s Red Folder. Orders are due next Tuesday, November 17. This is the last order before Christmas! Don’t forget that you can place orders online! Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. If you haven’t set up an account you will need to one-time activation code: 1DY35
November 9, 2009
Welcome Back Emily!
Bartlett River Field Trip
On Wednesday we are going to the Bartlett River as part of our year-long study on watersheds and water quality. We will be leaving the school at 9:00am and will be hiking to the river mouth on the Bartlett River trail. All children must have rubber boots and a good jacket. Rain pants, a hat and gloves are a good idea too. Please send a lunch (and a water bottle) with your child that can be carried easily in a backpack. We will be back by dismissal at 2:15. Parents are encouraged to come on any of these trips!
Butterflies in the Classroom
We have painted lady butterflies in our classroom that are still in their chrysalises! We are hoping they will emerge this week while we are at school. We have been studying insects. Ask your child what an insect is!
Book Orders
Book orders are in this week’s Red Folder. Orders are due next Tuesday, November 17. This is the last order before Christmas! Don’t forget that you can place orders online! Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. If you haven’t set up an account you will need to one-time activation code: 1DY35
Monday, November 2, 2009
3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Newsletter
November 2, 2009
November 2, 2009
Bartlett Cove Field Trip
We had a great trip to Bartlett Cove last week. Craig taught us a lot about watersheds, water quality, and different ways to collect data. Our year-long study is officially launched!
The students have decided that the topic for their year-long study is watersheds and that they are going to focus on water quality. Every other week we will be going to Glen’s Ditch to measure the temperature, depth, salinity, dissolved oxygen, the velocity, and the ph. On alternating weeks we will go to different river, stream or ditch in the Gustavus area and take the same measurements. By the end of the year we will have year-long data from Glen’s Ditch and as well as data from other streams and rivers to compare it to. We are still working on the details of the project and will keep you updated.
This week, on Wednesday, we will be going to Glen’s Ditch to collect data. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to come on any of our trips—we would love to show you what we are doing!
Book Adventure
Today we learned how to use the website, Book Adventure. It is a website that children can go to take quizzes on books that they have read. They can receive points to earn prizes if they get a certain number of questions correct. Occasionally, students will have time in class to use this website. I encourage them to visit the website on their own and take quizzes on the books that they read at home. They wrote their usernames and passwords for this website in their
planners today. The web address is: www.bookadventure.com
Donor Choose
There is a permission slip in some Red Folders today for permission to use photographs for Donors Choose. This is to send thank-you letters with photographs for the bass that Ellie received through this website. Our class wrote thank-you letters today. Please sign this
and return it soon so that we can get the letters and photos sent.
Paragraph a Week
The paragraph assignment this week is “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.” Included with the assignment is a description of the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. I will start grading writing using a
6 + 1 Traits Rubric.
Word of the Week: metamorphosis (We have two painted lady caterpillars that are in their chrysalises in our classroom! We are eagerly awaiting their emergence from their chrysalises!)
We had a great trip to Bartlett Cove last week. Craig taught us a lot about watersheds, water quality, and different ways to collect data. Our year-long study is officially launched!
The students have decided that the topic for their year-long study is watersheds and that they are going to focus on water quality. Every other week we will be going to Glen’s Ditch to measure the temperature, depth, salinity, dissolved oxygen, the velocity, and the ph. On alternating weeks we will go to different river, stream or ditch in the Gustavus area and take the same measurements. By the end of the year we will have year-long data from Glen’s Ditch and as well as data from other streams and rivers to compare it to. We are still working on the details of the project and will keep you updated.
This week, on Wednesday, we will be going to Glen’s Ditch to collect data. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to come on any of our trips—we would love to show you what we are doing!
Book Adventure
Today we learned how to use the website, Book Adventure. It is a website that children can go to take quizzes on books that they have read. They can receive points to earn prizes if they get a certain number of questions correct. Occasionally, students will have time in class to use this website. I encourage them to visit the website on their own and take quizzes on the books that they read at home. They wrote their usernames and passwords for this website in their
planners today. The web address is: www.bookadventure.com
Donor Choose
There is a permission slip in some Red Folders today for permission to use photographs for Donors Choose. This is to send thank-you letters with photographs for the bass that Ellie received through this website. Our class wrote thank-you letters today. Please sign this
and return it soon so that we can get the letters and photos sent.
Paragraph a Week
The paragraph assignment this week is “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.” Included with the assignment is a description of the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. I will start grading writing using a
6 + 1 Traits Rubric.
Word of the Week: metamorphosis (We have two painted lady caterpillars that are in their chrysalises in our classroom! We are eagerly awaiting their emergence from their chrysalises!)
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