Here we are with one week left before Winter Break! Hurrah! Let' work hard and have fun this last week. I wanted to let you know that instead of me sending progress reports home last week, the entire team has decided to send these progress reports to you in the mail on Friday of this week. The gradebook is posted in the classroom each week so your child can always check to see what work they need to turn in. Please be sure to check in the earlier blogs (just after Thanksgiving Break) about the late work policy.

Students have been working on things that they can do to help reduce their emission of CO2. I hope that you are hearing about this at home. Classes are trying to find ways to spread the word and to take action.

Have a safe and joyful Winter Break!
Dawn Kahler

Monday, December 18th

Science

Students will watch "Biomes: The Threat of the Sea". It focuses on how global warming is making the Arctic vulnerable to rising sea levels. They will participate in a class discussion throughout the video.

Locker Clean Out!

Tuesday, December 19th

Science

We will finish the video from yesterday and the discussion. Students will also present their project they created on Friday.

Creation Station

Dream Journals- students should bring their journal with them and we will discuss what experts say your dreams mean.

Wednesday, December 20th

Science

We will have a classroom lab to briefly explore the Chemistry Unit we will be starting after the break. We will be creating crystal snowflakes. This activity should be ready to go home on Friday.

Thursday, December 21st

Science

We will make observations on our snowflake crystals or finish any crystals that have not been made. There will be another short lab activity.

Creation Station

We will look at "What is in a Name". Students will create an art project with their name. Progress Reports will go home today for Creation Station students.

Friday, December 22nd

Science

We will take our snow flake crystals out to dry and take them home. We will have a fun science class with a bingo game and prepare the room for leaving for two weeks.

Click here to view the Jeopardy review game for this Wednesday's big test over our E.E.K. transportation/energy/global warming unit. If you do not have Microsoft's PowerPoint program on your computer, you can still view the Jeopardy review game by first downloading this Microsoft PowerPoint viewer program. Click here to download the viewer. Study your notes, your self created study guide, your vocabulary words and this Jeopardy game so that you can do well on the test. Good luck !!

The temperature looks like its going up slightly for this week. It sure was a cold one last week. Imagine that- you'd think that we were in Michigan in December or something. :) Because of the snow day on December 1st, everything has gotten pushed back one day and the lesson on hybrid vehicles has taken more than the one day that I had planned for it so please check this week's blog to see what the week is looking like.

This is also Mr. Burtis' last week with us. We have truly enjoyed having him here and have benefited from his knowledge and help. Good luck! We'll miss you.

Remember, we are collecting canned goods until December 14th in our advisory classes. Also, each Advisory class will receive doughnuts on Wednesdays if all late library books are returned, paid for or worked off with community service. Please encourage your child to return their library books so others can read them too. Thanks.

Progress Reports will be going home from our team on Friday, but since I will not be here on Friday, expect to see the science progress reports on Thursday. The substitute will collect them on Friday and I will ask for them again on Monday. Remember that the progress reports are to be returned for a homework grade. Please also note the late assignment procedure for science class listed on the November 26th blog, discussed in class and posted in the classroom. Thanks.

Monday, December 11

Science

Students will be going outside to check out Mrs. Riker's Hybrid car. We will also finish the reading on Making Good Choices and Hybrids. On Friday of last week, we used the math classes Navigator calculators to figure out some large numbers for gas use in the US. These calculators cannot go home. If your child needs to use one to finish the assigment, they must come in at lunch time or stay after on Tuesday-Thursday for Homework Hub in the library. The statistics must be turned in by Wednesday. Study for the test on Wednesday!!!!!

Creation Station

Students should continue to work on their Dream Journals at home for Friday. These journals will be kept personal and we will discuss what experts are telling us about our dreams on Friday. Today we will look at "Put Yourself on the Ceiling" lesson. Students will work to be able to see the world from other people's perspectives. They will go through a guided imagery script and discuss seeing things through other's eyes perceptually, spacially, and socially. Students will discuss what they saw and then create a fan fold picture to depict two differing views of the same thing.

Tuesday, December 12th

Science

Students will be sure to have studied for their test and to get into teams to play Jeopardy to review for tomorrow's test.


Wednesday, December 13th

Science

Students will take their test on the Transportation and Alternative Energy Unit.


Creation Station

Students will show their Fan- fold pictures and discuss how their journals have been going. Then our lesson will be "Sign In and Be Counted". Students will capitalize on the power of their own names by making art out of it. We will use different mediums such as yarn, markers and paper, or pipe cleaners.

Thursday, December 14th

Science

Students will begin to use the lap tops to research ways that they can help reduce the impact of carbon dioxide on their world. Students were quite concerned with the issue of global warning, but felt helpless. This is a way to empower them to make changes. Their job will be to create a presentation however they would like to for Monday that they can do now to help with the problem. All research should be done today.

Friday, December 15th

Science

Students will continue to create their presentation for Monday in class. Research was completed yesterday. Creating their presentation will be today.


Creation Station

Since I will not be here today, we will hold onto the Dream Journals until Tuesday when we meet again. Today, students will continue to look at the power of their names by researching inventors who had things named for them. They will then try to find as many eponyms from their own life as possible.