Field Trip Next Week

The 4th Grade is planning a field trip to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park on Thursday, June 7. Room 7 is looking for two parent volunteers who will help chaperone the students during our visit. Please contact Miss Cong if you are interested. Since we have used our wish list money to pay for the field trip, no additional payment is required from Room 7 students. The bus will depart in the morning from Washington School and return before the end of classes.

Check out the website below for more information about the museum.

http://www.nhm.org/

Students are allowed to bring their own lunch, or will be provided a sack lunch by the cafeteria. Please do not bring money for lunch or souvenirs, we will not be visiting the gift shop or concessions. Also, soft drinks and large bags of chips (or Cheetos) are not permitted, I will be checking lunches and such items will be left behind. Healthy snacks, like fruits and veggies, are encouraged!

Students are not to bring their backpacks on the trip, all of their lunches will be stored until lunchtime. They may bring a small bag or purse to hold inexpensive cameras, notebooks, and pencils for note-taking. Though photos are not allowed inside the museum exhibits, the gardens are a beautiful setting for photographs. Of course, I will have photos up on my website for everyone to enjoy.

Permission slips have already been sent home. Please return these by Wednesday the 6th. See me if you need a new copy.

Thank You!!

Thanks again to everyone who turned out for Open House on Thursday night! I think the kids really loved showing you all the different things they've learned about this year, including electric currents, probability, and California history. We were also glad to welcome the rest of the school as well as grandparents and other VSPs on Friday morning.

If you didn't get to try it, we got a lot of nice comments about the 10 Veggie Pasta Salad the kids made, so here is the recipe:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Bell Pepper
Mushrooms
Cucumber
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Carrotts
Olives
Green Onions
Thyme
Pasta
Italian Dressing

Cut all the veggies into small pieces (I gave the kids butter knives and let them do it!). Toss with cooked pasta, thyme, and italian dressing. Serve cold. You can also add grilled chicken or shredded cheese.

Check out more pictures in the "Open House" folder of the Room 7 PhotoSite.

Open House

Welcome to Open House in Room 7! We are delighted to have you tour our room, we have worked hard to get ready for your visit. From the Writing Wall to the Electrical Current Projects, we hope you enjoy looking at our work!

Light it Up!

Today we experimented with electricity. Two sets of D-cell batteries, wire, and tape were passed around the room. Using only these tools, students had to figure out how to light a small lightbulb (closed circuit). Once they lit the bulb, students passed the items on to the next person until everyone had a chance to try it. Check out more pictures in the Science album of my PhotoSite!

Updates (Open House, etc.)

Next Thursday is Open House! Class will be dismissed at 1:30PM that day. Families are welcome to join in at the International Feast at 5:30PM. Cost of admission is one dish to feed about fifteen people. Immediately following the feast is a brief PTA meeting and then at 7:00PM, guests are invited to tour the classrooms. Come and see our students' hard work! Since we only have one hour to talk with all of our visitors, it is requested that parents schedule a separate meeting if they wish to discuss their student's progress.

The following Friday will be Grandparents/VSP (Very Special Persons) Day. Tickets for the breakfast are $3 for adults and are available now. Visit the office for more details.

If you haven't yet purchased your yearbooks, they are still available for $10 until May 25. After that, they will be $15. Pick up a form at the office today.

The Lost and Found is overflowing with unclaimed jackets and sweatshirts! There are also 6 pairs of glasses in the Health Office which need to be returned to their owners. Please take a moment to check and see if any of these items might be yours.

Finally, in case you haven't heard, Washington School receives credit from Office Depot every time you shop there. You must tell them the School ID number, which is: 70014204. These credits are used to purchase school supplies and other necessary items to help students be successful at school.

Science Fair

STAR testing is finally complete, with all makeups being taken this Monday. Yay!!

As part of their homework, students should be working on their Science Projects in anticipation of the Science Fair this June. Topics and partners have been chosen, and information packets have been distributed. Each project centers on a question and the students' hypothesis (theory) on the answer. Students will devise experiments or investigations which will prove or disprove their hypothesis and hopefully answer their question.

Each project should have a tri-fold presentation board (see picture at left) for display in Bennett Hall on the day of the fair. These are readily available at office and art supply stores such as Staples or Michaels for about $5. I will have a limited number available for purchase in June.

Mission Platters

Each student is creating a mosaic Mission Platter art project. Check out more pictures in the Social Studies section of our PhotoSite. You can see the finished projects at Open House in two weeks!

In other news...

Please remember to sign and return all forms, including Weekly Reports. It is important that we get these in a timely manner.

Students have started the 5-a-Day/Steps to Healthy Living program for fitness and nutrition. Each student is encouraged to take 4,000 steps during school hours every day. Pedometers have been provided, and will be checked in and out for the next few days. After the completion of the program, students will get to keep the pedometers so they can continue their fitness regimen on their own. In addition, we are tracking the amount of fruits and vegetables being eaten every day. Students should eat about five servings per day to maintain good nutrition.

We are beginning to work on projects for this June's Science Fair. Many projects will take considerable time, so get started early (parents, look for the packet)! Some supplies, like construction paper, may be requested if needed and available. Most of the work on these projects will be done at home, so be sure to set aside some time and space to work on it. Some students may be working in pairs or small groups, so make sure you exchange phone numbers and meet after school or on the weekend to to work on it.

Finally, we resume STAR testing on Wednesday and Thursday. The next two sections will be on math, so make sure you practice your math skills. Get a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast so you can be sharp for the test. Make up exams will be given next week.

Science Camp

Join Mr. Perry for an informational meeting regarding 5th Grade Science Camp for 2008! Stop by Room 9 at 7PM on Thursday, May 3 (after the Parent Academy) to find out more about this great opportunity.

Static Electricity

In Science, we are learning about Static Electricity. We did an investigation in which we rubbed these balloons with different materials and observed their behaviors. See more pictures by clicking my PhotoSite link to the left.

Paper Shortage!

As you can see, we are running low on lined paper! We have ordered some from the District Warehouse, but it has not yet arrived. So, I am asking that students supply their own paper until our order comes in. Thanks for your understanding!

Testing

California State Testing has begun! 4th Grade will be taking the Language Arts test on Wednesday and Thursday mornings this week and Math the same time next week. Please come to school ready to ace the CST!!!