Dear Parents,
We are having a busy spring semester! My progress reports will be coming out soon. I will send them in the red folders within the next couple of weeks. Please let me know if you have any questions. Here is what we've been doing:
1st Grade
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Our simple machines planner is coming to an end. We had a great time dissecting complex machines and were amazed to find out how many simple machines were inside! We also had fun learning to use screw drivers and hammers to take things apart - "rightie tightie, leftie loosie" became our motto. I know we have lots of future mechanical engineers in first grade! We will be extending this planner for the rest of the year by doing a focus study on Rube Goldberg and his wonderful contraptions. Our study will start next week.
We are exploring a little algebra in math. We have been using "x" to represent missing numbers and solving riddles and 9-square puzzles with missing numbers. Jackson Speets in Mrs. Phillips' class thought of this riddle: I'm thinking of a number that if you add 15 to it, subtract 10 then add 12, you will get 32. What is the number? Have fun solving the riddle. I'm not telling the answer! :)
2nd Grade
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We are moving along in the Medieval Ages. We have learned about the process of becoming a knight (it was not so easy) and thought about the pros and cons of each stage. Ask your child what they think about each stage. We are currently using heraldry to design shields. Our shields will be a reflection of ourselves shown through the colors and symbols we chose to use. I can't wait to display them in the hall! Learning more about Leonardo de Vinci at the museum was a wonderful experience. The docents were very impressed with the questions and observations made by our students!
Fractions have been our focus in math the last few weeks. The children have learned about fractions in their classrooms but we will be gaining a deeper understanding of how fractions work and how we can use them.
3rd Grade
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Third graders continue on their expedition with Lewis and Clark. We have "experienced" what the size of the keelboat feels like and made lists of what we thought would be important to take on the expedition. We also took a tree sample and learned that a tree's height can be calculated using shadows and our own height. Jefferson used ciphers to communicate many times so we are in the process of making a simplified wheel cipher and we deciphered sentences using a different cipher Thomas Jefferson made with multiple alphabets. We are also researching information about Native American tribes that contributed to the success of the expedition. Your child is in a small group learning about one of three tribes or about Sacagawea's role. After researching, the groups will choose from a list of projects that will give them the opportunity to share what they have learned.
In math we have been using mode, median, mean and range to analyze raw data. Ask your child about the MMMR Rap! We collected data and have been thinking about when to use the mode, median, mean or range depending on the type of information we are trying to find out. For example, if we want to know how much the average student gets for allowance per week, would we use the mean or median? Ask your child, which one would be better to use if one child in the class got $25 for their allowance and everyone else got between $2 and $3.
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I will send a final newsletter out at the end of the year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Norris
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