Students Are Drafting Their Wax Museum Reports!

Students are using their new Google accounts to begin drafting their wax museum reports.  Students have learned how to log into their accounts, create a document, share the document with their teacher and begin typing using their research notes.  Check the newsletter in this week's Friday folder to learn more about student Google accounts.

Council Member Donna Bell Visits Carrboro

Council Member Donna Bell visited as a guest reader today for the African American Read In at CES. She shared three great books with us today.

by Kenneth Cole

She inspired students to not only look for the good news in their neighborhoods, but to be the good news in their neighborhoods by taking care of the environment and sharing kind words and actions with others.

by Walter Dean Myers

This book helped students realize all the roles they play and all the ways they can identify themselves in the community - sister, brother, son, daughter, neighbor, teammate, student, friend, singer, athlete, dancer, the list goes on and on!

by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Stroud

The final selection is based on the true story of a mule that played an important role during the Civil Rights Movement.  Ask your child to tell you the story!

This week in Room 207...

Reading Objectives:

• Readers will identify and define barriers that heroes often overcome to make an impact.
• Readers will examine how their hero made an impact in the world today.

Math Objectives:

• Mathematicians will discuss how area relates to perimeter.
• Mathematician will explore how the perimeter of a shape can change while the area remains the same.
• Mathematicians will explore how the perimeter can stay fixed, while the area changes.
• Mathematicians will take a common assessment to assess their understanding of area and perimeter.

Project Objectives:

• Researchers will explore how objects move.
• Researchers will learn about push and pull.   

Writing Objectives:

• Writers will finish reading from various resources and conclude their note taking.
• Writers will  begin drafting paragraphs for their hero report using their organized notes.

KidBiz Contest

KidBiz 3000 is hosting a contest for the next few weeks.  There will be one winning class per school, so our chances of winning are excellent!  Here are the details:

• The contest runs from Monday, February 24th through March 21st.
• At least 75% of the students in the homeroom need to complete at least eight multiple choice news activities in that time frame.
• To encourage students to put forth their best effort, KidBiz is giving out extra points for high scores. 
• Every time a student does an activity your class earns a point.  
• For every score of 75%, the class earns two points.  
• For every score of 88% or higher, the class earns three points!  

The winning class is the qualifying class with the most points on average per student. 

So - here's what we have to do -  Each person has to read at least 8 articles and complete at least 8 multiple choice activities. Remember, the higher you score the more points you earn for yourself and our class.  You can work on KidBiz in school (check the schedule to see which day you have an ipad) or at home as your 30 minutes of reading homework.  We can do this!

Wax Museum Costuming Information

In order to help students look the part, we start to think about costuming ideas once they have selected the hero they will research.  Costumes are not elaborate, but we try to put items together to make them resemble their hero and help them “feel” the part.  Creative thinking and items from the closet usually do the trick.  (See Amelia Earhart, Thomas Edison, and Neil Armstrong below.)

Typically, a student will work with their family to create their costume.   As teachers, we try to support students who need to complete their look with our small classroom collection of clothing and props along with some creative thrift shop purchases.  

If you have some extra costuming items cluttering up a closet, you can send those in and help us build our collection.  Check the list below for some ideas!

Possible Costume & Prop Items

• Old fashioned looking dresses, blouses, & skirts
• Sport jackets
• Handkerchiefs, scarves, shawls, & ties
• Wigs or hats

Shh...

We are making Balloon Cars!

We will be beginning a unit on force and motion over the next few weeks.  Part of the unit involves making balloon cars. The students don't know this yet, so help to keep it a surprise!  We will be needing various supplies for this project. Over the coming week, please send in anything you may have at home. Here is a list of the types of things we will need:

Jet:
Balloon
Flexible straw
Rubber band or tape

Body:
Water bottle
Toilet-paper tube
Juice box
Disposable cup (paper or plastic)
Fast-food or deli “clamshell” container (where the top and bottom connect with a seam in the back)
Ice cream container (pint or quart)
Milk carton (individual size)
Cardboard sheet
Orange-juice can

Axles:
Straws
BBQ skewers
Chopsticks

Wheels :
Plastic bottle caps
CDs
Cardboard circles

Connector for attaching wheels to an axle:
Dry sponge
Foam
Clay
Marshmallows

Here is a website about it if you're interested:

http://www.instructables.com/id/4-Wheel-Balloon-Car/

Stuffed Animal Day for Room 207!

The students filled their giant pom pom jar!  The reward they earned was a Stuffed Animal Day.  Students may bring one stuffed animal on Friday, February 21st - same day as Crazy Hair Day!