Ms. Daniel's Page

I am Moving

2011-06-11T18:36:00.000-04:00

I am in the process of creating a new "Google Sites" version of this webpage. It is a learning experience, and I'll be experimenting with it throughout the summer. If you are looking to keep up with me, check out the new space here --

https://sites.google.com/a/nativity-cincinnati.org/msdanielspage/

International Fair -- 2011

2011-05-28T19:40:00.000-04:00

The International Fair for this year was wonderful. The presentations were fun and interesting. The food was yummy. We had lots of guests, and it seemed everyone had a good time. Here are some of the pictures --

Email from Janie about Egypt and Palestine

2011-05-28T19:26:00.000-04:00

Today in my email was this message from Janie -- this is the sort of thing that makes a teacher smile. Thank you, Janie!

Ms. Daniel,
I saw this on the internet today and thought it was so cool that we just learned a little bit about Palestine during International Fair. I thought you might like to read the article, too.
Janie M. :)

Egypt permanently opens Gaza border crossing - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110528/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_gaza_border

Caftans

2011-05-23T20:24:00.002-04:00

It is the week before the International Fair, so today, we donned our caftans and took some pictures. It is fun to see the product of all that hard work.

Sewing Caftans

2011-05-18T11:38:00.000-04:00

It takes a small army of volunteers to help students sew their caftans. Here we are, as on the appointed day, our moms and grandmas appeared with their portable sewing machines to turn the classroom into a caftan "factory."

Reconciliation Goals for 6th Grade -- 2011

2011-05-18T08:29:00.000-04:00

KINDNESS GOAL -- I will not gossip, and I won't listen to those who spread gossip.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION GOAL -- I will stop choosing sides.
HELPFULNESS GOAL -- I will be a better student, a better friend, and more helpful to others.
INCLUSION GOAL -- I will work to eliminate drama, exclusion, and gossip.

Making Caftans

2011-05-15T21:48:00.000-04:00

As part of the preparations for the annual International Fair, students make their own caftans to wear for the event. The caftan pattern can be found here. The first step is to measure and cut the fabric. So here are some pictures of students cutting their caftans, pinning them, and getting them ready to sew:

Studying Fractions

2011-04-06T20:16:00.001-04:00

It is so crucial to really understand fractions before going on into the more abstract areas of mathematics. Here students work together to model mixed numbers, using fraction pieces:

Genetics and Probability

2011-04-05T20:15:00.000-04:00

Students are learning about genetics, and that means understanding some basic ideas about the mathematics of probability. Here are photos of a lab activity meant to demonstrate the probabilities involved in hybrid crosses:

Meiosis Modeling

2011-04-04T19:48:00.001-04:00

Students modeled the process of meiosis (the formation of gametes) using lengths of ribbon. Them moved, themselves, through the various stages, on a pleasant sunny day in the old gym.

Understanding Genetics: Human Health and the Genome

2011-03-27T16:39:00.001-04:00

Read this discussion of dominant and recessive genes and then answer the questions that follow. Your written work should be neatly done, using good grammar, spelling and punctuation. Understanding Genetics: Human Health and the Genome Questions -- 1. Describe how dominant and recessive alleles work to create the trait for red hair. 2. What is a dominant negative allele? 3. Click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the article for a list of some dominant and recessive alleles. Make a table and list 5 traits that are influenced by dominant/recessive alleles.

Ancient Africa Murals

2011-02-24T21:57:00.001-05:00

Students have spent a few days learning about and discussing the ancient African civilizations of Ghana and the Nok cultures that gave rise to the Bantu language. Working in groups, they created "murals" based on what they learned. Today, we hung their art work in the school cafeteria. They are unique, beautiful, full of meaning and symbolism. Take a look.

Guayquil, Ecuador

2011-02-13T21:28:00.001-05:00

As we welcome the delegation from Jefferson School in Guyaquil, Ecuador, I thought it would be fun for students to see a video of the city of Guyaquil. It is a very pretty place...

Phases of Mitosis

2011-02-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

Several students were absent last week when we watched the youtube video on the Phases of Mitosis. I have excused the work, but I encourage you to watch the video as it contains a very good and detailed explanation of Mitosis. The best way to watch this is to try and duplicate his diagrams/illustrations as he talks...

Hands On Equations

2011-01-15T16:37:00.000-05:00

As we move into solving more complex algebraic equations, one of the tools students will use is a product called "Hands on Equations." If you are curious about how this might work, here's a quick Youtube video of a young student (age 8) solving an equation using the method

Merry Christmas to All the World

2010-12-24T13:41:00.002-05:00

In keeping with our focus on global awareness and education, here's a list of Christmas greetings from around the world. Enjoy!

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees

Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees

African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats

Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden

Arabic: Milad Majid

Argentine: Feliz Navidad

Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand

Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun

Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal

Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!

Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce

Brazilian: Feliz Natal

Bengali: Shubho borodin

Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat

Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo

Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!

Chile: Feliz Navidad

Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun

Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun

Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito

Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth

Corsian: Pace e salute

Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo

Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi

Croatian: Sretan Bozic

Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok

Danish: Glædelig Jul

Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak

Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast

English: Merry Christmas

Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon

Estonian: Ruumsaid juulup|hi

Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal

Eritfean/ Tigrinja: Rehus- Beal- Ledeats

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad

Finnish: Hyvaa joulua

Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar

French: Joyeux Noel

Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!

Fyrom: Sreken Bozhik

Galician: Bo Nada

Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

German: Froehliche Weihnachten

Greek: Kala Christouyenna!

Greenlandic: Juullimi Pilluaritsi!

German: Froehliche Weihnachten

Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka

Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova

Hindi: Baradin ki shubh kamnaaye

Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!

Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket

Icelandic: Gledileg Jol

Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal

Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.

Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie

Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags

Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Lao: souksan van Christmas

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!

Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!

Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto

Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus

Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu

Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar

Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb

Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa

Maori: Meri Kirihimete

Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh

Navajo: Merry Keshmish

Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul

Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado

Papiamento: Bon Pasco

Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu

Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!

Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo

Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!

Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

Portuguese:Feliz Natal

Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha

Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua

Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn

Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!

Romanian: Craciun Fericit

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Sami: Buorrit Juovllat

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou

Serbian: Hristos se rodi

Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce

Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou

Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh

Serbian: Hristos se rodi.

Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa

Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok

Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto

Spanish: Feliz Navidad

Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År

Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon

Tami: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal

Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!

Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas

Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM

Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho

Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Yugoslavian: Cestitamo Bozic

South America Adventure

2010-10-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome to South America. This is a continent full of beautiful and interesting places and people. Go to the website:

http://www.fluid7.demon.co.uk/adventures/home.htm

Here you will find a virtual tour of some of the most interesting places in South America. Read the information and examine the photos for each site. Fill in the table that you were given in class as you work.

When you have completed your work, leave a one paragraph (minimum of 8 sentences) comment here explaining what you learned about South America.

Factor Rainbows

2010-10-13T14:13:00.000-04:00

Today we began working with factors in math class. We talked about making factor rainbows as a way of developing a list of all the factors for a particular number. This work is foundational to further study of factorization, factor trees, and prime factorization -- just ahead. Definitionally, a factor rainbow is a way of showing factor pairs in a list of all the factors of a number. This can be helpful in checking whether a list of factors is correct. Your student will be working on constructing some factor rainbows for homework this evening.

The Friendship Journey -- Aquifer Sundaes

2010-10-07T09:53:00.001-04:00

As students gathered from around the world to study science with us, we made models of aquifers using ice cream and lemon-lime soda. Our aquifer sundaes helped us to see how pollutants, poured onto the surface, can seep into the ground water and pollute the aquifers. Our sundaes were good to eat, but we learned how important it is to be aware of our use of chemicals and hazardous products in our homes and yards. Students devised strategies and plans for protecting the groundwater supply.

Square of Grass

2010-10-05T09:42:00.001-04:00

Continuing our study of environment and ecology, we moved out to the front lawn of the school to study communities in the grass. Students measured out an eight-inch square of grass, and then studied the plant and insect communities they found there. Many were surprised by the number of organisms they found living in this small area:

Plant Sketches

2010-10-03T21:39:00.001-04:00

We began our study of the environment and ecology by looking closely at plants and their adaptations for their habitats. Students brought house plants for us to observe and compare. Here are some of the sketches they made of their various plants:

Newly Discovered Dinosaur

2010-09-25T17:01:00.000-04:00

I like it when the news brings us reports of new and interesting things that we didn't know before -- new animals, new chemicals, new ideas, new ways of understanding the world. Here's one of those:

A bizarre dinosaur with 15 horns is one of two new close relatives of Triceratops that scientists found in southern Utah. The dinosaur, named Kosmoceratops richardsoni, had a horn over its nose, one atop each eye, one at the tip of each cheekbone, and 10 across the rear margin of its bony frill. Its head is the most ornate of any known dinosaur.
The name comes from the Latin "kosmos" for ornate, the Greek "ceratops" meaning horned face, and the latter part honors Scott Richardson, the volunteer who discovered two skulls of this animal in 2007.

Student Poems in the Style of Wallace Stephens -- Someone Puts a Pineapple Together

2010-09-15T12:38:00.002-04:00

Our study of life science began with an activity that helps students to observe carefully, and communicate vividly about their discoveries. As part of that work, we studied Wallace Stevens' poem, "Someone Puts a Pineapple Together." Students then used that piece as a model for their own observations of simple, everyday objects...

The posts that follow are their original poems.

Globe

2010-09-15T10:13:00.003-04:00

Told where you are
Earth in your hand
Shaped round
A basketball sphere
Spinning in circles
A beach ball or rock
Bouncy balls, but hard
A basketball, baseball, soccer
A basketball, bouncy ball, or a bullet
A map test
A round, hard watermelon
Circled things

by Jake

2010-09-15T10:07:00.003-04:00

pink crayon 1.Stiff like a pencil. 2.Smelly like a skunk. 3. Imagination drawn to your paper. 4.Smooth like silk. 5.Color like a flamingo. 6.Bad taste as if it were a Brussel sprout. 7.Silent as a mouse. 8.You can apply it vary easy like lipstick. 9.A color like fresh lemonade. 10.Short and stubby like a turtle. 11.Pointy like a sharp pencil. 12.Creative like a teacher of art. ellie

A Bouncy Globe

2010-09-15T09:26:00.002-04:00

It sounds like a earthquake hitting the earth It looks like a volleyball Bounces like a soccer ball Smells like a big balloon of rubber The lines on it look like weaving The places look like yummy foods A hump on your back A circular backpack It also looks like a huge bouncy ball Melissa

Someone Puts an Eraser Together

2010-09-15T09:22:00.007-04:00

It is a time to start over.
The field of dirty snow.
The metro bus screeching to a stop.
A creeping, crawling, black beetle comes by.
The big limos that ride past.
Down the street, comes a street sweeper.
A smell emerges from the black box of kitty litter.
I walk across the bridge over the rough waters.
A file cabinet full of my papers.
The rake for all the leaves of autumn.
A relaxing, hot, bubbly black bath tub just for me.
The Zamboni that makes the ice glassy.

Soneone puts Ms.Daniel's Sun Hat Together

2010-09-15T09:22:00.006-04:00

A dune in the desert miles away
An empty race course waiting to be used
On my way to Japan on an airplain i see a field of wheat
As a baby i see a big basket
Beanbag chair in my room
Uneven tire on a 1970's car
fell the hot sun on your back
a deserted hut on an island
when I'm in time of need an easy button is the way to go
spiders creeping out of the desert floor
hard work and pain for me
Saturn got cut in half
Meg

2010-09-14T07:32:00.000-04:00

The Silver and White Fan

1. A silver full moon sparkling in the night.

2. A wizard's orb glowing the future.

3. A big silver eye staring you down.

4. A bottle cap laying on the ground.

5. A meatball sitting in a plate of spaggeti.

6. A perfect circle drawn on paper.

7. A throwing star hurled into the night.

8. A light bulb just switched on.

9. A silver egg on a white pedistal.

adam

the string

2010-09-08T10:22:00.003-04:00

WIRE

#1IT IS STRING coming from the next floor #2 it is blue pasta #3 it is water fall #4 it is a stick with a big lump #5 it is the difierice between big and small #6 it is a big flood #7 it is the worlds smallest tube #8 it is a bridge for aunts #9 it is the worlds longest string

Samantha

White Board Eraser

2010-09-08T10:17:00.007-04:00

White Board Eraser By Claire

A colorful mist of past assignments.
A replacement for all hands.
A gliding race car on a new shimmering white track.
An ending and a sigh of relief.
A new type of rain washing away ancient paintings
A frozen snake coming up only when commanded
A sponge absorbing everything it touches.
Yarn weaved so tightly by a skilled weaver.
Strange cultures forming one .
Plain colors erasing a masterpiece.
A sun set of colors fading into a white night.
A symphony of words coming to an end with one simple movement .

Water Bottle

2010-09-08T10:17:00.006-04:00

1.A confinement of liquid. 2.A cell to drinks. 3.Slowly fractions of its insides are leaving. 4.It has no name and its purpose is to hold things. 5.It has no idea whats inside it. 6.it is empty and cold. 7.A repetitive process. 8.It does not speak. 9.It helps and hydrates. 10.It never knows its visitors. 11.It never speaks. 12.It's the keeper that is kept.

the selling fane

2010-09-08T10:16:00.009-04:00

The Selling Fan

A U.F.O soring through the sky.
Some one waring earrings waking down the street.
A gun turretready to fire.
A lamp waiting to be light.
A hat waiting to be bot.

By Ian

A Book

2010-09-08T10:16:00.008-04:00

A BOOK by: Christina :)

1. A fog in our memory after a year. 2. A day dream in our minds as we read. 3. An ancient perfume sweating off a lady's neck. 4. As flexible as an 8-month-old baby. 5. The sound of a small crackling fire. 6. An unswalloable texture but can be tasted. 7. A tree with a story behind it. 8. Everyone's imagination with better detail. 9. An "it" that can be marked. 10. A saga of many words. 11. A computer's baby which is a million. 12. A shape that may be opened or closed by choice.

Christina

Someone Puts A Fan Together

2010-09-08T10:15:00.004-04:00

1. The helicopter blades spin as if they would take off. 2. The tail curves and twirls then stops at a face. 3. The different names identify each one. 4. Its friends stop at the same kind of face. 5. The blades push smells of different things around. 6. Some like to work harder than others. 7. They come in different shapes and sizes. 8. Some make a lot of noise during there job and some make a lot. 9. The friendly blades gives you a nice breeze to cool you off. 10. Some shine brighter than others. 11. One side likes to suck while the other side prefers to blow. 12. At the end of a hard working day, it stops to take a brake.

Someone Puts A Pen Together

2010-09-08T10:14:00.002-04:00

1.A ripping noise like a piece of paper. 2.A juicy blackberry 3.A stick I throw to my dog 4.A tree stem 5.Drawing exotic animals 6.Homework not the best thing in the world 7.Drumsticks I would use to make a song 8.Very bland not colorful 9.As stiff as a tree stem 10.An arrow that the Hopi Indians would shoot 11.A bow that the Hopi Indians would use 12.It rolls like a log down a hill By: Sam

Someone put Paper Towels together

2010-09-08T10:13:00.026-04:00

A doughnut that is long and glazed.
As soft as a blanket ( sometimes ).
White clouds in the patterns.
A fat telescope that has no glass.
A white carpet ready to be rolled out
little seat so babies can sit on it
bubble letter "o"
Tastes like paper out of the worst book.
A very fat log.
"rip" the sound when i need to clean up.
the pieces left behind when rubbed on a carpet
layers of a big white wedding cake

2010-09-08T10:13:00.022-04:00

Someone puts together a tape/tape dispenser

by: Carson

It's like Wonka's famous Taffy being stretched.
It's so sticky it can hold anything together.
bad tasting tape spread all over.
Like a mouse squeaking for help.
A tape measurer that goes on forever.
It has a rectanguler shape to it.
Dull and gray it is.
clear and see threw.

Someone Put a Clock Together

2010-09-08T10:13:00.018-04:00

1. A cock is like a bowl with numbers. 2. A clock ticks like a time bomb. 3. It could be a ball you can kick down a field. 4. It is a circle in a math book. 5. It also tells you what time it is. 6. A clock can fit on your wrist. 7. It resembles the shape of the earth. 8. Clocks can be polka dots with numbers. 9. It looks like a CD. 10. It could be a tire with numbers. 11. It looks like a huge period. 12. A clock could be a lense from a pair of glasses. By Moira

The Fan

2010-09-08T10:13:00.016-04:00

A flower moving by the breeze
Buzzing like a bee
The motor to a fast boat
The jail cell to FBI's most wanted
The beautiful breeze from the ocean
White snow whirring around on Christmas
The sun shining down on the world
A blender getting clogged by ice
A helicopter blade moving quickly
The earrings dangling by a thread
The whirlpool for adults only
The loudest disposal

As the Time Ticks Away

2010-09-08T10:13:00.015-04:00

My hands push the time around the clock
The whiskers are tickling numbers as they move around the face
I'm pitching a fastball as my hands turn quickly in a circle
My hands are playing the piano as they move around the outer edge
Blotches of black and white on the art palette
It tells not just the time but the age of myself
The day it dies is when I take out the plug, but it is born again when it meets the outlet
The glass is there to protect the face if any harm comes
Alerting me to the seconds going by
A flattened ball i ran over yesterday
I ask myself where has the day gone?
As the sun reflects off the clock and onto my face it tells me the day is almost done

Putting Nature Together

2010-09-08T10:12:00.011-04:00

Colorful they grow from the ground.
Like a beatiful drawing in your mind.
Spread out across the world.
A vulcano of coloracross your eyes.
A heaven without death.
They smell so sweet.
When you see them you don't want to leave.
All the bees gatting polon from the flowers.
The trees towering over you.
The fruit hanging on the trees.
Home to so many animals and creatures.
How beautiful nature can be.

By:Forrest

2010-09-08T10:12:00.010-04:00

A Pencil

Thin space ship falls from outer space
It bounces like a kangaroo with no flesh or bones
A drum is played with a thump
It is carved out of the wood of writing
A sword is use out of it for the battle of the death
the catipult takes out a wall
Orange licorish has a good taste
It balances lead and eraser
A small stick rolls down a hill
It has the power to make words
It lights a dark cave
Its a bear scratching its back By Kwazi

A Calculator

2010-09-08T10:12:00.009-04:00

It's like a cell phone with a small screen
If it made noise it would go beep, beep
It's in the shape of a rectangle
If I could eat it, it would taste like an apple
It's like a robot without arms, legs, or a head
It's like a skateboard without wheels
Like a concrete wall in a toy version
It's almost like a mini sports field waiting to be played on
An extra friend to help you when you need him
A mini math tutor
The cover of a book named, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Something you can wriote with in your spare time

By:Jack

A Ceiling Fan

2010-09-08T10:11:00.005-04:00

A white sunflower growing from the snow.
Pairs of scissors about to cut something.
A hanging mobile in an art museum.
A small accordion that just stopped playing.
Spatulas that are flipping people's breakfast.
A windmill being blown by a strong wind.
A bullseye about to be shot with an arrow.
A frisbee flying through the air.
Tons of kids playing on a playground meri-go-round.
Smoke detectors getting ready to beep.
A planet with rings and shaped like a flat circle.
Roving all over the Earth because it is a spaceship.

By Sarah

2010-09-08T10:09:00.002-04:00

Someones Notebook

Stuffed with information.
Blank, but ready for answers.
Lined and colored as an American Flag.
Rectangles and crosses run across the paper.
White, but gently marked.
Lives in a dark place, my desk.
Brightly colored, collage.
Writing appears as my hand glides across the page.
What ever i write it says.
Speaks its own language.
Science and social studies fill the pages.
So blank yet so full

By: Sophie

Somebody put a ruler together.

2010-09-08T09:33:00.005-04:00

Its a clear glass wall. Its a hard rock stretched by weathering. Its a piece of cold metal. Its a long blade with the blood of the lost solders. Its a hill that nobody has walked on. Its a long tunnel that nobody drove through. Its along snake that's never moved. Numbers float around in air. It has a mark of name. Its a slippery glass carpet. - Blaine

Someone puts a red barrel together

2010-09-08T09:29:00.010-04:00

1. It's a defense mechanism. 2.An army of red monkeys wait inside. 3.A barrel of bombs waits in the distance. 4. Silence in the night. 5.waiting watching for the enemy. 6.you can't see them but they can see you. 7.armed their ready for battle. 8.Suspense. 9.the enemy is near. 10.closer,closer,and closer. 11.there. 12.Bam!

By Christopher

Scissors

2010-09-08T09:29:00.008-04:00

1.It is sharp like a sward. 2.They are cold like blades in cold water. 3.They are long like a pole. 4.The finger holes are small. 5The blade reflects off of light. 6.The blade closes like a door. 7.The blade is pointy at the top. 8.They can close fast an slow. 9.They are sharp enough to make you bleed. 10.They can spin like a ball. 11.When you open fast they look like a butterfly. 12.When you let it lean it looks like a tower of pizza.

Someone Puts a Glue Stick Together

2010-09-08T09:28:00.009-04:00

1.The stick breaks off the tree.

2. someone puts on their lipstick.

3. someone sticks a piece of paper together.

4. someone smells a perfume bottle.

5. the small merry- go-round starts spinning.

6. the experiment tube is used in a big experiment.

7. The dog carries the stick to his owner.

8. The pin roller flattens the dough.

9. The wheel comes to a halt.

10. The top stops spinning.

11. The log floats in the water.

12. The little kid eats the candy.

By Maria M.

Someone puts a Ruler Together

2010-09-08T09:28:00.004-04:00

If you flip it over four cradel you will see. It's a carrot standing strong tall and orange. The first letter in the middle has an arrow inbetween. The smell of it is the smell of gum. The "T" on it looks like an upside down sword. Hidden in the M/W is a smaller V. It is also a hand a extention just for me. It is a pointer for the wall. And a wack tool standing tall. On the desk it is a cave. Last but not least a rocking chair for us all (NOT). By: Nathan

someone put a soccer ball together

2010-09-08T09:27:00.005-04:00

It's bouncy.
It rolls.
its squishy
It looks like it has 8 eyes.
It's round like the earth.
It looks like someone wrote a essay on it.
It looks like a head
It looks like a dice
It looks like a someone dyed blue dots on a head.
It looks like a monsters head.
It looks like a bold head.
It looks like it has cuts every where.

By Will

Someone puts a dime togather

2010-09-08T09:26:00.003-04:00

1. A memory of the old 2. Feels like a delicate masterpiece 3. Pure as the color of the sun 4. Hard as the rocks of Chesapeake Bay 5. Chiseled from a lump of nothing 6. A small disc of metal 7. Elegant as a sheet of glass 8. Flat as a layer of shining water 9. Sounds like metallic symbols pounded together 10. Smells like Alaskan wilderness 11. Smaller than an elephant's toe 12. Water resistant like fish scales.

By Nick

Someone Puts the Lights Together

2010-09-08T09:25:00.003-04:00

Solar panels hang from the ceiling.
I feel the breeze as the heating vents float.
Are as bright as the Sun.
Are as long as bridges.
The sections look like children laying down.
Are shaped as if they are rectangles.
Are longer than three boardwalks all together.
The strains holding them look like kids eating spagghetti.
Up close they look like little tiny eggs.
They look like railroad tracks.
They smell as if they're white chocolate.
Wails as loud as a siren.

Someone Puts a Twilight Book Together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.029-04:00

1. The office building with workers inside. 2. The little yellow school bus drives across the intersection. 3. The feeling of enjoyment felt by the girl reading it the story. 4. A beautiful white flowerswaying in the breeze. 5. My sister who enjoyed the books that I enjoy now. 6. The hopeful dream of a writer who will soon finish a story. 7. A little black pen sitting on a desk. 8. You catch a whiff of something that makes you feel warm and content... it's relaxation. 9. the mythical creatures that roam the night and sleep in the day. 10. The tile on my bathroom floor that looks like a book, waiting to be read. 11. I think of the romance between those who really love each other.

by Johannah

Someone Puts a Bottle of Hand Sanitizer Together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.027-04:00

1.Frozen bubbles clot in frozen ice. 2.The taste of soap fills my mouth. 3.At the top there is a ducks face. 4. A juice straw drops through the bottle. 5.A squirt gun helps on a hot day. 6. A fter use only 1 germ is alive. 7. On mt plate was clear jello. 8. We shake the jiggly wiggly substance. 9. A substance of wet and stickiness. 10. Makes you feel clean after use. 11. The big bottle of cleanser smells like citrus 12. I look in and see the reflective bubbles. BY:Anna

Someone Puts a Red High Top Together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.023-04:00

Oozing out stinky-feet smell.
Grass and Dirt smudges all over.
Size 8 written on the bottom.
Really unique- just like me.
White stitching starting to fray.
Looks like an upside-down diving board.
A bug could use it as a slide.
Living in a dark closet.
Laces zig-zagged up the front.
God must have used a red crayon to color them in.
They make me an "ALL STAR" (they say it, at least)-
Chuck Taylor's fine work.

Janie

some one puts a cottonball together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.021-04:00

little fluffy dog in the park
furriest ear plug in the world
the perfect toasting marsh mellow
a small town for who people and whoville to live on
varies in many shapes and sizes
poodle fur
a white furry eye ball
mini soccer ball
comfy bean bag chair
a white sun
yummy caulliflower
a giant pea
kelly

someone put glue together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.020-04:00

If you turn it upside down it looks like a knife.
When you look at it it is smooth.
You can use it as lip balm.
It is sticky when it dries.
If you put it on a cupcake it looks like icing.
It taste like popcorn.
It's color is white.
It looks like blood when it dries on a sweatshirt.
It is washable and will not stain.
It is non-toxic.
When dry is very durable
It feels thick in your hand BY: Elliot

Someone Puts a Stapler Together

2010-09-08T09:24:00.014-04:00

1. A snake peeks his head out of a hole.

2. A alligator opens his mouth slightly.

3. A acute angle I study in my math book.

4. The letter "A" in a book.

5. The letter "V" in a book.

6. The candy dispenser at the store.

7. A catapult in the history movie.

9. The teepe we learned about in class.

10. A piece of black licorice that my mom likes.

11. The diving board I do a flip of of.

12. An elevator going up and down.

Cameron

Someone puts a Ceiling Fan Together

2010-09-08T09:23:00.012-04:00

The top spins while Captain Hook's hand holds it upside down.
Mushu flies around.
A pig flies with its helicopter nose.
A weed whacker at work.
A moving clock gear in fast forward.
Inspector Gadget's helicopter hat.
The color of a white crayon.
A playing CD on repeat.
A power tool on a string.
A Frisbee ball in flight.
An assortment of machetes all the same size.
An octopus inking upward.

Jordan

Someone Puts a Hand Sanitizer Together

2010-09-08T09:23:00.011-04:00

1. The hand sanitizer smells like "Tropical Papaya." 2. There was an amoeba invasion. 3. Inside, there are trapped bubbles. 4. The picture looks like the Earth's core. 5. A small person was formed. 6. The top is the snow cap of a mountain. 7. Someone put him in a tuxedo. 8. Frozen rain is inside. 9. The bottom is a T.V. 10. A slice of pineapple has been eaten. 11. The top is a C.D. 12. I am transported to a miniature spa. By: Cara

Someone puts a Candle Together

2010-09-08T09:23:00.008-04:00

The smell of cinnamon in the air.
A Christmas snow on the trees.
Cool crisp water falling to earths crust.
Compressing crystals into igloo cubes.
A dying tree in a grassy field and the remnants of dead trees.
A hot air balloon ready to take flight.
The morning sun drowning into midnight darkness.
A halo for angels to shine at night.
The Black Sea whisking away all its fear.
A small glass building for seeing and seeing alone.
The sound of horses hooves pounding against solid rock.
A light in the dark for all the world to see.

Where Can I Find the Homework Assignments?

2010-09-02T12:16:00.006-04:00

I have made a slight format change for daily assignment information. I have found that my sidebar assignment space has been increasingly problematic in terms of the format. From now on, I'll post assignments on their own page, linked to this page. If you check the sidebar you will now find a link to http://msdanielsassignments.blogspot.com

Look there to find the information that you need to keep up with daily assignments, projects, and upcoming tests.

The weekly parent memo will remain in the sidebar here.

Science and Pineapples?

2010-08-30T13:46:00.001-04:00

We have begun a project in science that is intended to help students develop a scientist's curiosity and openness to the new and the unexpected. Today, we began by looking at a common fruit -- the pineapple. Students read the Wallace Stevens poem, Someone Puts a Pineapple Together, and then worked to begin developing their own "Stevens" style poem about a common, everyday object. Over the next couple of days, we will share the poems, and then move on to an exploration that revolves around looking at an object "as if we had never seen it before." Someone Puts a Pineapple Together By Wallace Stevens 1. The hut stands by itself beneath the palms. 2. Out of their bottle the green genii come. 3. A vine has climbed the other side of the wall. 4. The sea is spouting upward out of rocks. 5. The symbol of feasts and of oblivion. 6. White sky, pink, sun, trees on a distant peak. 7. The lozenges are nailed-up lattices. 8. The owl sits humped. It has a hundred eyes. 9. The cocoanut and cockerel in one. 10. This is how yesterday’s volcano looks. 11. There is an island Palahude by name – 12. An uncivil shape like a gigantic haw.* *haw = a spring flowering shrub

Happy New Year!

2010-08-24T18:14:00.005-04:00

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" That was the greeting that I heard the principal give to a very cute first grader today, and it really is true -- this is the beginning of our new year together. It was a full day as we met one another and started to get acquainted; a day to put away supplies and organize lockers and begin to learn new routines and customs.

I really enjoyed meeting my new classes. Each student seems kind and gentle and interesting. I can't wait to see where the year will take us all as we work and grow together. The weather was kind as well -- cooler than it has been the last few weeks. The new ceiling fans, installed in my room during the summer, kept the air moving and the sunlight filtered so that we stayed pretty comfortable throughout the day. All good. We'll reconvene again tomorrow and dive headlong into new ideas and new things to learn.

Happy new year, indeed.

Remodeling

2010-08-19T20:30:00.003-04:00

School will start next Tuesday. I always love the beginning of school. It is exciting to come back together with a whole new year waiting to be discovered between us all. It is my habit to work really hard to get my classroom all set up -- warm and welcoming and clean and shiny for the new students who will find it on that first day morning. This year, however, things are a little different. The classroom has been getting a remodel over the summer. There is new paint and new carpeting. There are new lights and new ceiling fans. The old closets have been torn out to make room for new cabinets and shelves. A lot of people have worked and donated their time and treasure to make it happen. It is going to be wonderful... But it isn't quite done yet. Soon, but not yet. So, all the classroom supplies and materials are stacked in the hallway... The new fans are in and working... The new lights are freshly installed. The space for the cabinets is all ready. The plan, at this point is to meet on Saturday morning with an absolutely wonderful group of volunteer parents and students from my last year's class, and work to get things in and unpacked. I am so grateful for their willingness to pitch in and help. I am not surprised -- they are the very best! One way or another, things will be ready for Tuesday, and we will share the adventure of another year. I cannot wait!

Zedonk?

2010-08-14T14:48:00.002-04:00

I bet that many of you saw the news reports on this very rare occurence... It seems that a donkey and a zebra, living at a wildlife preserve in Georgia, mated and produced this cute little female 'zedonk.'

Officials at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve, where the little crossbred was born, are as surprised as anyone by the very rare coupling. "The animals have been running (in the fields) together for more than 40 years, but this is the first time that this has happened here," says the preserve's founder. "We never suspected that they (had mated), so it was quite a surprise when the zedonk was born." With the distinctive black stripes of a zebra on her legs and face, and the narrow head of a donkey, the wildlife preserve's newest resident looks to be a perfect hybrid. When it comes to temperament, however, it seems the five-day-old takes more after her dad, preserve general manager C.W. Wathen told the Gainesville Times: Usually, a foal will lay over on its side, sunning itself. But the zedonk sits up at all time -- like she's on alert looking out for predators. She's still got some of her wild instincts. Chances are the baby zedonk will never meet anything quite like her -- the infertile hybrid is actually quite rare -- though she'll have no shortage of companions at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve, which is home to a variety of animals from around the globe.

Wind Power

2010-08-11T14:38:00.002-04:00

Finding ways to produce energy without harming the planet is an important challenge for our world. On my recent trip to Denver, I took this photo of a wind farm in Kansas. It was pretty impressive.

Some questions for you:

1) What are some advantages of wind power produced energy?

2) What are some problems or disadvantages of this kind of energy production?

3) If wind turbines like these could be built in your neighborhood, would that be a good thing or not? Explain.

Gulf Oil Spill News

2010-06-20T17:55:00.002-04:00

There is so much news coming through hour by hour as the oil spill disaster continues in the Gulf of Mexico. The shores and wetlands all along the Gulf are being covered with the thick, tarry oil. People who live in the region, and depend on fishing and ocean-related industries for their livelihoods are in dire financial trouble. Birds, turtles and sea-dwelling species are being coated with oil. Some have been rescued. Many others have died and continue to die. I hope that, as you relax and enjoy your summer, you are also watching the news and reading the various reports. This is such an important event. I don't think anyone can really predict how this will effect all of us over time, but it makes sense that each of us pay attention and if the opportunity presents itself to help, I know you will do that as well... here are some websites that might be interesting to you as you follow the story of this disaster: BP Oil Spill: Daily Dead Wildlife Tally Oil Spill Tracker See the Oil Spill from Space

We Had Such a Great Year!

2010-06-06T14:54:00.003-04:00

I cannot believe the year is over. It seems like our time together went very quickly. I am so awfully proud of all of you -- for all you learned and all the ways you helped me and one another. You are very special young people, and I will miss you... I hope you have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer. Take time to dream and plan. Do the things you love to do. Spend good time with friends and family. Pay attention to the world around you. Don't forget to stop in room 204 and say "Hi" next fall... Ms. Daniel

Reconciliation Goals for 6th Grade

2010-05-13T12:47:00.002-04:00

Here are the goals that 6th grade students set for our class this year. As we come to the end of the school year, it is good to look back at where we've been and evaluate how we've done. Review these goals that our class chose to work on this year, and then leave your comment about how you see these goals being met (or not) this year. KINDNESS GOAL -- I will not gossip, and I won't listen to those who spread gossip. CONFLICT RESOLUTION GOAL -- I will stop choosing sides. HELPFULNESS GOAL -- I will be a better student, a better friend, and more helpful to others. INCLUSION GOAL -- I will work to eliminate drama, exclusion, and gossip.

Visiting with the Delegation from China

2010-04-26T18:16:00.000-04:00

We had the opportunity to spend time with students from China last week. Although our students found that language presented a challenge on both sides, it didn't take long for them to find ways to communicate. We shared greetings in Chinese and Spanish, asked and answered a lot of questions, played Heads Up Seven Up, and danced the Macarena, the Bunny Hop, and the Hokey Pokey. Mostly, we laughed a lot and made friends.

Studying Tropisms in Plants

2010-04-25T18:06:00.004-04:00

One of the topics for 6th grade life science is Plants. As students study how plants grow, they come to understand that plants exhibit a number of behaviors that are called tropisms. Tropisms are specific responses to environmental influences. One of these is the response to light stimuli that causes a plant to "follow" or "seek" the light. We are in the midst of an experiment that has students observing the growth and reactions of pinto bean plants to an environment that provides very limited light from a very controlled direction. To do this, students have constructed "light" boxes from shoeboxes. The boxes have relatively small holes cut into the top or side, and then a further light diverting baffle placed on the inside. As the bean plants grow, it is possible to see the effect of the tropism for light sensitivity.

Measurement Mania -- Flying Saucers

2010-04-14T22:15:00.005-04:00

One of the activities of our Measurement Mania event was building flying saucers. Students made flying saucers from circles cut out of poster board. We didn't have time to test fly them on that day, but now that our springtime weather has improved, we have gone out and measured how far our saucers fly. Students also had the opportunity to modify their saucers and examine what changing their saucer designs would make. Lots of measuring and lots of discussing what the data that they collected might mean...

Measurement Mania

2010-04-14T22:01:00.006-04:00

The very first day after spring break, we staged a daylong event that we called "Measurement Mania." Students, working in small groups, worked their way through a series of six different hands on activites -- all related to measurement. They investigated a crime scene, made flying saucers, built sand clocks, created scale models of traditional Chinese courtyard houses, plotted the change in the mass of chewing gum as it is chewed, and calculated the volume of boxes as their dimensions changed. We had the help of a great, very game group of parent volunteers, and the students had a great time. Here are some pictures taken that day --

Homework Archive -- March, 2010

2010-04-01T14:01:00.001-04:00

March 31-- Social Studies -- Middle ages reading packet, due 4/7. Math -- 4th Quarter Problem Solving Project is due by 5/21. March 30 -- Geography -- South America Map test will be given on 3/31. Social Studies -- Middle ages reading packet, due 4/7. Math -- 4th Quarter Problem Solving Project is due by 5/21. March 29-- Geography -- South America Map test will be given on 3/31. Social Studies -- Middle ages reading packet, due 4/7. March 26 -- Geography -- South America Map test will be given on 3/31. Social Studies -- Middle ages reading packet, due 4/7. March 24-- Geography -- South America Map test is 3/31 March 23 -- Social Studies -- students who do not have the fstudy guide finished must take the chapter `18 test. March 11 -- Science/Health -- finish reading the Puberty packet. Share it with a parent and ask them to sign the front page. Math -- study for the decimal, percent, fraction equivalents quiz tomorrow. March 10-- Health -- finish work from the website: http://kidshealth.org/teen/. Write 25 sentences about interesting ideas that you find. Math -- Fraction/Decimal/Percent memorization quiz on Friday -- use study aid we made in class. Geography -- South America map test -- 3/31 March 9 -- Math -- Fraction/Decimal/Percent memorization quiz on Friday -- use study aid we made in class. Social Studies -- Essay on war/civil disobedience is due on Wednesday. NOTE -- I have 3 parent volunteers for the full day of Measure Mania on March 22, and two other volunteers that can work part of the day. I could still really use at least a couple more volunteers if anyone can spare the time... Please?!?!?!? March 8 -- Math -- Fraction/Decimal/Percent memorization quiz on Friday -- use study aid we made in class. Social Studies -- 9-choice project is due tomorrow. Essay on war/civil disobedience is due on Wednesday. March 5 -- Social Studies -- 9-choice project is due on Tuesday, 3/9 Math -- Making Ends Meet project write-up is due on Monday. Math -- what do you think NEEDS to be covered out of chapter 5 -- are there parts of this that you are already comfortable with? March 4 -- Social Studies -- 9 choice project is due by 3/9. Geography -- South America test on 3/31 March 3 -- Math -- Chapter 4 test tomorrow. Budget project final work is due on Monday. Social Studies -- Ring of Fire worksheet. Geography -- South America map test -- 3/31 March 2 -- Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due tomorrow, 3/3. Math -- budget project work, steps 1-5 must be done by tomorrow. Math -- chapter 4 test on Thursday. Social Studies -- 9 choice project on Asis is due 3/9. March 1- Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3. Math -- budget project work, steps 1-5 must be completed before we go to the computer lab on 3/3. Final project write up will be due on Monday, 3/8. Math -- Chapter 4 test -- Thursday, 3/4.

Measure Mania

2010-03-08T14:17:00.006-05:00

Monday, March 22 will be the first annual 6th Grade Measure Mania here at Nativity. Students will take part in a variety of hands-on labs to help them learn and explore concepts in measurement. Come and help us! Parent volunteers are needed. Actually, we'll take adult help of all sorts, so grandparents, aunts, older brothers and sisters -- all are welcome. You do NOT have to be a math genius to be a part of our day. Just email me if you can be here for part or all of our time together.

Thanks!

Giant Traveling Map -- Asia

2010-03-03T18:27:00.005-05:00

The National Geographic Giant Traveling Map of Asia was with us last week. Sixth grade students spent a class period walking around on the map finding a variety of landmarks and places, measuring distances, and drawing conclusions about the things that the map had to show them. One student was found "barefoot surfing" in the Indian Ocean, others seemed intent on a bit of very literal "island hopping," and another student rejoiced in the chance to stand atop the summit of Mt. Everest -- the world's highest peak. Here are some pictures of the students on the map --

Homework Archive -- February, 2010 Part II

2010-03-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

February 26 -- Geography -- Asia map test, part 3 is scheduled for Monday, 3/1. Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3. Math -- budget project work, steps 1-5 must be completed before we go to the computer lab on 3/3. Math Archimedes -- chapter 4 test will be given on 3/4. February 25 -- Pack your lunch for Friday...we will be late getting back from the field trip, so no cafeteria orders on Friday. Science/Health -- complete the arm model observation activity. Reading work for pp. 42-48 is due on Friday. NOTE: there could be a quiz. ;-) Geography -- Asia map test, part 3 is scheduled for Monday, 3/1. Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3. Math -- budget project work, steps 1-5 must be completed before we go to the computer lab on 3/3. Math Archimedes -- chapter 4 test will be given on 3/3. February 24 -- Geography -- Map test part 2: 2/25, Map test part 3: 3/1 Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3 Health -- read pages 42-48. Reflect on each paragraph with a one sentence summary. Due on 2/26 Math Thales -- Making ends meet project: complete all but steps 6 and 7 by Wednesday, 3/3. Math Archimedes -- Making ends meet project: complete all but steps 6 and 7 by Friday, 2/26. February 23 -- Geography -- Map test part 2: 2/25, Map test part 3: 3/1 Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3 Health -- read pages 42-48. Reflect on each paragraph with a one sentence summary. Due on 2/26 Math -- Making ends meet project: complete all but steps 6 and 7 by Wednesday, 3/3. February 22- Science -- Chapter 4 reading is due Tuesday Math Archimedes -- determine a cost for your car this week -- by Friday Geography -- Map test part 2: 2/25, Map test part 3: 3/1 Social Studies -- Asia reading packet is due on 3/3

Assignment Archive -- February, 2010 (Part 1)

2010-02-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

February 18 -- Social Studies -- Asia reading packet will be due on March 3. Geography -- Asia map tests: Part 1- 2/22, Part 2- 2/25, Part 3 -- 3/1 Math Archimedes -- Share the "making ends meet" packet with a parent. Ask them what advice they would give you as you begin to create your budget. Write down what they tell you. February 17 -- Social Studies -- Asia reading packet will be due on March 3. Geography -- Asia map tests: Part 1- 2/22, Part 2- 2/25, Part 3 -- 3/1 Math Thales -- pages 159-160, problems 1-15 Math Archimedes -- students are working on the "Making Ends Meet" project. They will need to find a car to "purchase" in the next few days. The links to the Kelly Blue Book website can be found on my webquest page: http://msdanielswebquests.blogspot.com/ February 11 -- Thales Math -- p. 158 mini lab Archimedes Math -- pp. 159-160, problems 1-4, 6, 13-16, 18 Social Studies -- study for test February 10 -- Social studies -- study for the test. Math Thales -- Decimal word problems work sheet. Math Archimedes -- p. 158, mini lab. Science -- dragons will be due next Tuesday. February 8 -- Social Studies -- Test on Friday over chapters 14 and 15 Social Studies -- France/Netherlands packet. Math Thales -- p. 154, problems 4-25 Math Archimedes -- decimal word problems worksheet. February 5 -- Math Archimedes -- p. 154, problems 29-35 (odd) Social Studies -- E.U. Issues Packet. February 4 --

Change for Haiti

2010-02-04T08:27:00.002-05:00

Students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade continue to collect "Change for Haiti." Money raised in this effort will be forwarded to the Restavec Foundation for use in their earthquake relief work in Haiti. There is no amount too small, because the need is so large.

Please empty your pockets, check under the car mats and the cushion of the couch, and ask your friends, neighbors and families if they have change to spare. Together, we can reach out to help our neighbors in need at this moment.

january 2010 assignments -- archive

2010-02-03T20:48:00.000-05:00

January 29 -- Math Thales -- bike lab due on Monday. Science -- Invention Convention Marketing plan due on 2/5. January 28-- Math Archimedes -- worksheet 4-6, do all the problems on the back page. Bike lab due tomorrow. Science -- flower parts lab write up due tomorrow. Invention convention marketing plan is due on 2/5. January 27 -- Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Science -- Flower parts lab write up is due Friday, 1/29. Invention convention marketing plan work is due Friday, 2/5. Math Archimedes -- Bike lab write up is due Friday, 1/29. January 25-- Math Thales -- p. 146, problems 12-20 Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. January 22 -- Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Math (all) -- Writing in Math, due Monday. Social Studies -- Role play about Czechoslovakia, due Monday. Science -- worksheet, pages 66-73. Due Monday. January 20 -- Science -- complete activity B on the last page. Math Thales -- repair p. 143 Math Archimedes -- Division worksheet, problems 2-18 (even) on the back side. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. January 19 -- Math Thales -- p. 143, problems 10- 21 Science (Mrs. Elfer's Homeroom) -- complete activity B in the packet. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. January 15 -- Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. Science -- Family Trees are due on Tuesday, 1/19. January 14 -- Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. Science -- Family Trees are due on Tuesday, 1/19. Math Thales-- pp. 137-138, problems 15-29 (odd), 31-33, 42 Math Archimedes -- p. 143, problems 10-18, 28,31-33 January 13 -- Science -- Bring a picture of you. Family traits survey. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. January 12 -- Math -- Project groups -- your work is due on Wednesday. Science -- Bring a picture of you. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. Social Studies -- answer questions 1-5 on p. 385. Science -- complete the lab activity: questions 1 and 2 on p. 75. January 11-- Math -- Chapter 3 test is tomorrow. STUDY, STUDY, STUDY! Project groups -- your work is due on Wednesday. January 8 -- Science -- Bring a picture of you. Due 1/13. Complete the Paint's Family Tree worksheet for Monday, 1/11. Math (All) -- Chapter 3 test is scheduled for Tuesday, 1/12. Math Project work will be due on Wednesday, 1/13. Math Thales-- Read lesson 3-5b on p. 125. Do problems 4,5,6, and 7 on page 126. Math Archimedes -- Writing in math. Due 1/11. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Complete the Europe Map Test study guide packet for Monday, 1/11. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. January 7 -- Science -- Bring a picture of you. Due 1/13. Math (All) -- Chapter 3 test is scheduled for Tuesday, 1/12.Math Project work will be due on Wednesday, 1/13. Math Thales-- Read lesson 3-5b on p. 125. Do problems 4,5,6, and 7 on page 126. Math Archimedes -- Writing in math. Due 1/11. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. January 6 -- Math -- Read lesson 3-5b on p. 125. Do problems 4,5,6, and 7 on page 126. Chapter 3 test is scheduled for Tuesday, 1/12. Math Project work will be due on Wednesday, 1/13. Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. January 5 -- Geography -- Europe map tests are scheduled as follows: Section 1 & 2, January 26. Section 3 & 4, January 28. Social Studies -- Europe Reading Packet, due January 20. Math -- pp. 123-124, problems 12-26 (even), 27-30, 33-37 January 4 -- Social Studies -- finish North America "poster walk" questions.

Happy 2010

2010-01-04T12:22:00.002-05:00

Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.

-- Sydney Smith --

December 2009 Assignments -- Archive

2010-01-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

December 17 --Math Archimedes -- pp. 112-113, problems 3-21 (odd) -- due 1/4/10Science -- finish the write up for the sunflower seed lab.December 16 --Study for the Canada map test!!!December 15 --Geography -- Canada map test will be given on Thursday.Math Thales -- pp. 109-110, problems 1-25 (odd).December 9--THE FIELD TRIP TO "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" IS TOMORROW. Dress warmly. Don't forget your lunch and your bus money.Geography -- Canada map test is scheduled for 12/17.Science (Ms. Daniel's class) -- read pp. 58-61. Use SQ3R reading strategy. List the items you find in the survey portion of your reading. Develop 3 questions for each section. Answer your questions in writing as you read. Recite the questions and answers to yourself. Review by answering question #1 on p. 59, and questions #1 and #2 on p. 61.Math (Both-- Lesson Groups) -- Decimal models worksheet.Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.December 8 --PERMISSION SLIPS FOR THE "CHRISTMAS CAROL" FIELD TRIP ARE DUE NOW.Geography -- Canada map test is scheduled for 12/17.Science (Mrs. Elfers' class) -- read pp. 58-61. Use SQ3R reading strategy. List the items you find in the survey portion of your reading. Develop 3 questions for each section. Answer your questions in writing as you read. Recite the questions and answers to yourself. Review by answering question #1 on p. 59, and questions #1 and #2 on p. 61.Social Studies -- Wild Times at Your House poster is due on Wednesday, 12/8Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.Math Archimedes (lesson group) -- finish the place value worksheet and then write each number in expanded form on a separate sheet of paper.Math Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9December 7 --PERMISSION SLIPS FOR THE "CHRISTMAS CAROL" FIELD TRIP ARE DUE NOW.Geography -- Canada map test is scheduled for 12/17.Social Studies -- Natural Disaster diagram and one paragraph report on an actual event of this type (due on 12/8). Here's a good link for news articles: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/natural_disasters/Social Studies -- Wild Times at Your House poster is due on Wednesday, 12/8Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.Math Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9December 4 --PERMISSION SLIPS FOR THE "CHRISTMAS CAROL" FIELD TRIP ARE DUE NOW.Geography -- Canada map test is scheduled for 12/17.Social Studies -- Natural Disaster diagram and one paragraph report on an actual event of this type (due on 12/8). Here's a good link for news articles: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/natural_disasters/Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.Math Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9December 3 --PERMISSION SLIPS FOR THE "CHRISTMAS CAROL" FIELD TRIP ARE DUE NOW.Social Studies -- Natural Disaster diagram and one paragraph report on an actual event of this type. Here's a good link for news articles: http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/natural_disasters/Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Science -- Scale drawing of a cell will be due 12/5.Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.Math Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.December 2 --Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- p. 55, question #1, and p. 57, questions 1 & 2Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Science -- Scale drawing of a cell will be due 12/5.Math Thales -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/10.Math Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.December 1 --Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- Finish vocabulary worksheet. Answer these two questions in complete sentences: 1) Give an example of a trait that results from heredity.2) What trait would be good to develop in a fruit using selective breeding?Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Science -- Scale drawing of a cell will be due 12/5.Math Thales and Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.

Wishes for Christmas

2009-12-18T19:45:00.002-05:00

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Pictures of the Egg-speriment

2009-12-02T19:42:00.005-05:00

We have finished the egg-speriment and moved on. The lab write-ups are due on Friday. It is all cleaned up and put away... but here are some pictures taken as students worked. You can see how interested and curious they get about this particular activity.

Homework Archive -- November, 2009

2009-12-01T15:19:00.000-05:00

November 30 --Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Science -- Scale drawing of a cell will be due 12/5.Math Thales and Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.November 20 --Social Studies (Ms. Daniel's class -- room 204) -- Write four paragraphs (5-8 sentences each) about the four African countries you have learned about through the 10-choice project presentations.Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Math Thales and Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.Science -- Scale drawing of a cell will be due on Tuesday when we come back after Thanksgiving.November 19 --Geography -- North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.Social Studies (Mrs. Elfers' class -- room 205) -- Write four paragraphs (5-8 sentences each) about the four African countries you have learned about through the 10-choice project presentations.Social Studies -- Guided Reading for North America unit is due 12/7.Science -- Egg-speriment lab write up is due 12/4.Math Thales and Archimedes -- Greatest Baseball Player of All Time project will be due on 12/9.November 18--Geography -- North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.November 17--Computer -- Finish the USA Today Snapshots project. Due Wednesday, Nov. 18.Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.Thales and Archimedes Math -- finish your turkey. If you still need the data for calculating mean, median, mode and range, here it is:George -- 25 poundsMillie -- 22 poundsLulu -- 24 poundsKiki -- 30 poundsChi Chi -- 24 poundsWonka -- 14 poundsKyle -- 23 poundsBoo -- 28 poundsBobbie Jo -- 8 poundsNovember 16 --Math Archimedes -- Box and Whisker Plot worksheet.Math Thales -- pp. 77-78, problems 4, 5, 15-17, 19 AND pp. 82-83, problems 1-4, 9-12Computer -- Finish the USA Today Snapshots project. Due Wednesday, Nov. 18.Science -- Test on Chapter 2 is tomorrow.Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.November 13 --Computer -- Finish the USA Today Snapshots project. Due Wednesday, Nov. 18.Social Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16.Science -- Complete the review materials in the textbook fore chapter 2 (cells). We will review together on Monday. The test will be given on Tuesday, Nov. 17Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.Math Thales -- finish 2-6 practice and 2-6 word problemsMath Archimedes -- finish chapter 2 reviewNovember 12 --Social Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16.Science -- chapter 2 (cells) test will be given on Tuesday, Nov. 17Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.Math Thales -- read pages 76-82November 11 --Social Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16.Science -- chapter 2 (cells) test will be given on Tuesday, Nov. 17November 10--Math Archimedes --p. 77, problems 1-3, 13, 14, 19 AND p. 82, problems 3,4,9-12, 20Social Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16.Students are working on a written assessment for the work from chapter 16. This work is due on Wednesday. There will be no formal test for this material.Science -- chapter 2 (cells) test will be given on Tuesday, Nov. 17Geography -- Make FLASH CARDS for Island Nations (list is on the website).North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.Math Archimedes -- read pages 76-82Math Thales -- finish your stem and leaf plots for the presidents' ages at inauguration and at the time of their deaths.Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.November 9--Social Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16.Students are working on a written assessment for the work from chapter 16. They will have one more class period to work on this and then work will be due on Wednesday. There will be no formal test for this material.Math Archimedes -- p. 74, problems 9, 12, 14-17, 21-26Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.November 6 --Science -- draw a diagram of mitosis similar to the one on pp. 40-41 in your textbook. Here's a different look at this kind of information: MitosisHere's the link to the mitosis animation that we couldn't see on the computer at school: Mitosis AnimationSocial Studies -- 10-choice project on Chapter 17 countries in the social studies text. Projects will be due on Monday, Nov. 16 Math Thales-- p. 74, problems 9, 12, 14-17, 21-26Math Archimedes -- Finish the Presidents Stem and Leaf Plot project. Due Monday, 11/9Geography -- North America Map test (section 4 and Island Nations) will be 11/18. North America Map test (sections 1-3) will be 11/20.November 5 --Science -- p. 39, questions 1 & 2Social Studies -- be prepared to present your team's discussion on Peacemaking and Conflict ResolutionMath Thales -- pp. 67-69, problems 1-10 and 25Math Archimedes -- Presidential Age Stem and Leaf plot project will be due on Monday.November 4 --Math Thales -- read pages 66 and 67Math Archimedes -- read pages 72 and 73Social Studies -- Read the story "Journey to Jo'burg" and complete the worksheet.Science -- Donations needed! We are beginning an experiment with eggs. Needed are approximately 2 gallons of corn syrup. We have enough vinegar. If you can donate items, please send them to school with your child this week. Thank you!November 3 --Math Thales -- p. 64, problems 1-10Math Archimedes -- pages 67-69, problems 1-10, 25Science -- Donations needed! We are beginning an experiment with eggs. Needed are approximately 2 gallons of corn syrup. We have enough vinegar. If you can donate items, please send them to school with your child this week. Thank you!November 2 --Science -- read pp. 36 & 37, answer questions 1-3.Science -- Donations needed! We are beginning an experiment with eggs. Needed are approximately 2 gallons of corn syrup. If you can donate items, please send them to school with your child this week. Thank you!Math Archimedes -- Read pp. 66-67.

Advent Calendar

2009-11-28T17:14:00.003-05:00

Advent is upon us.

Beginning tomorrow, Christians from around the world will join in this season of waiting for the birth of the Christ child. It is a time to pray, to listen carefully, to grow in our faith. One tradition, used by many families, is the Advent calendar. It is a simple way to mark the days and focus our devotion. Here is one link to an online, interactive Advent calendar:

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Advent/Advent-Calendar.aspx

I-EARN Heroes Project

2009-11-18T21:46:00.003-05:00

Sixth grade students are participating with students from around the world in an I-EARN project about heroes. Here are comments that students put on the I-EARN Heroes Project website about what they've learned about their African heroes: Isaiah - 11/18/2009 at 7:11:32 AM. My hero is: stephen biko. I just recently did a report on him and he is amazing. he was born on Dec. 18, 1946 in King Williams town, south Africa. he enrolled in medical school and founded the Black Peoples Convention. he was kicked out of medical school when the white members didn't aprove of his actions against apartheid. he was taken into police custody and tortured many times but still kept on fighting. finaly he was taken into custody for the last time. wile he was being interrogated he suffered a blow to the head. after that he was unresponsive and often blacked out. police medical investigators examined him and said he needed to be taken to a hospital. instead he was taken, naked, on a 12 hour car ride to the Pretoria Central Prison where he died about 12 hours later on September 12, 1977. Alex -11/18/2009 at 7:09:11 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was a person who fought for what he thought was right. Nelson was born on July 18 1918 in Transkei, South Africa. throughout his life he was in prison for in totle of 27 years for fighting for black African rights. He also won a Nobel prize, and became the first black president of South Africa. Marianne -11/18/2009 at 7:06:09 AM. My hero is: Stephen Biko. Stephen Biko was born on December 18,1946 in Kings William's Town,South Africa. He had three wives and four children. Stephen Biko received an education at the University of Natal and studied madicine. He could speak fluent english. Stephen Biko is considered a hero because he played a big part to help stop apartheid in South Africa. He also started an anti-apartheid movement called the Black Consciousness Movement. Stephen Biko died on September 12,1977 at the age of thirty. More than 10,000 people attended his funeral. He is famous for the saying "black is beautiful." Jack Bu.-11/18/2009 at 7:03:20 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela . Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa on July 18th 1918. His dad was chief of the Tembu tribe.Nelson Mandela went to school at Universitiy College of Fort Hare and the Universitiy of witwatersrand. Nelson won the nobel peace prize in 1993. Jack G.- 11/18/2009 at 7:01:10 AM. My hero is: Stephen Biko. My hero is Stephen Biko. He was born on December 18th 1946, in Eastern Cape, South Africa. He went to school at Lovedale and a boarding school in Natal. He was an only child. He fought for almost his entire life for black rights against Aparthied. He was jailed several times and sadly, on September 12th 1997, he died of severe police beatings. Sarah - 11/18/2009 at 7:00:57 AM. My hero is: nelson mandela. He was born on July 18, 1918 in Transkei.Nelson had been married 3 times and had 6 children 4 girls and 2 boys . Nelson spent almost 27 years in prision befor set free.He spent many years fighting to stop apartheid.Since there many more blacks than whites it was very crule.When apartheid ended Nelson Mandela became president. he did not want to fight he wanted to bring peace.he also tried to help tobring peace to others areas around the world and is always helping others. Neil - 11/18/2009 at 6:59:51 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was born in Trankei,South Africa.He worked to free other peoples rights in a time of struggle.Nelson was the first in his family to attend school.When Nelson got out of school he organized many boycotts.In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize.He was also the first black president.That is my report on my hero. Leah - 11/18/2009 at 6:59:45 AM. My hero is: Queen Nzingha. Queen Nzingha was born in 1582 in Angola and was in the Nbundi tribe, but got captured and brought to Kabasa. Queen Nzingha was known as a hero to a lot of people. she organized a resistance army using mercenaries and Africans the Portugese had trained. She led many battles and peace treaties. She fought for a free and peaceful Angola until she died of age 82 on december 17, 1663. She demonstrated intelliugence, bravery, and is remembered as an Angolan leader who never accepted Potugese authority. Queen Nzingha is a real hero to me. Gillian - 11/18/2009 at 6:58:49 AM. My hero is: Haile Selassie. Haile Selassie was born on july 23, 1892 in Ejarsagoro,Hara,Ethiopia. He was the emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Haile was exiled in 1936 and then regained his power in 1941. He died on August 27,1975.He was looked up upon because he was a great emperor and modernized ethiopia.He also led the Resistance against the Italian invasion. Haile Selassie is my African hero. Sharon - 11/18/2009 at 6:58:20 AM. My hero is: Constance Baker Motley. Constance was born on September 14, 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut. She graduated from New York University in 1943. She received her law degree in 1946 from Columbia University. She got married to Joel Wilson Motley. She was chosen to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 25, 1966. She became the first African American Women to serve for the Southern District of New York. She died on September 28, 2005, at the age of 84. Caroline - 11/18/2009 at 6:57:14 AM. My hero is: Imhotep. Imhotep was born in 3000 BC. He died in 2950 BC. Imhotep was born in Memphis, Egypt. He was an only child, but he had a mom, dad, and wife (when he was older). His mom's name was Khreduonkh. dad's name was Kanofer, and his wife's name was Ronfrenofert. Imhotep had a liberal education. His accomplishments were that he invented the pyramid, author of ancient wisdom, architect, high priest, physician, astronomer, and writer. Jake - 11/18/2009 at 6:56:55 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was a very great man. He was the first black president of South Afirca. He is a truely amazing man. He freed South Afirca from the terrible times of the Apartheid. Nelson Mandela added up went to jail for 27 years! Just for the freedom of his people. I don't tink anyone would do that for his people. He did though. I think everyone should call him a hero or even more than that. Meredith - 11/18/2009 at 6:56:25 AM. My hero is: Stephen Biko. Stephen Biko was an activist. Stephen Biko was born on December 18, 1946 in King William's Town, South Africa. He died at the age of 30 on September 12, 1977 in Pretoria, South Africa. He had a wife, Ntsiki Mashalaba, and has four children. He attended several schools including Lovedale but he was expelled from his school because of his anti- apartheid views. The next school he attended was St. Francis. Afterward, he wasa student at the University of Natal Medical School. cian steele from cincinnati, OHIO u.s.a- 11/18/2009 at 6:56:03 AM. My hero is: nelson mandela. my hero is nelson Mandela. nelson Mandela was born on July 18 1918 in transkei, South Africa. he was the first president to be elected fully represented by a democratic election. he held office from 1994-1999 in national congress. he served 27 years in jail when the dutch took over. Nelson Mandela wan hundreds of prizes but the best of all he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Michela - 11/18/2009 at 6:55:26 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was worlds famous person because he stood up for aparthate. Although he got caught many times.He was he son of Chief Henry Mandelaof the Tembu Tribe. He became president at the end of aparthate, which hepled South Africa to stop aparthate. Liz - 11/18/2009 at 6:55:20 AM. My hero is: Kofi Annan. Kofi Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who was Secretary General of the United Nations from Jan.1 1997- Jan1 2007. Kofi Annan is a hero because he played a leading role in 2001 for global action because of 9-11. He has also recieved many degrees from schools all over the world. He is also fluent in many languages. Mallory - 11/18/2009 at 6:54:13 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. He was a person who spoke what he thought was right and who tried to stop slavery. He was arrested for speaking out and when he was released, he kept fighting for what was right. Finally they listened to him and he became president of South Africa. Braedy - 11/18/2009 at 6:53:17 AM. My hero is: haili salase. haili was the eporor of ethiopia. He used nonviolent ways to get help in a war. He was persistant and got the help. Eric - 11/18/2009 at 6:53:01 AM. My hero is: Imotep. He in the 3rd dynasty.He was born near egypt. one important thing he did was raised a temple over his wife's grave William - 11/18/2009 at 6:30:27 AM. My hero is: Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa was the Mansa (king) of Mali from 1312 to 1337. His father was a prince but he was never a Mansa. When he came back from a trip (not known where)she brought back many arabs and archatects. With these people he built up the city. A Muslum exploror said he might have been the best mansa of Mali. He died in 1337 and not t5wo centeries after he died Mali was conquard. By the 18th century Mali had dissapeared. Sierra - 11/18/2009 at 6:28:56 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was born on July, 18, 1918. He was born in Umtata, South Africa. He attended the University College of Fort Hare. Nelson had three wives with which he had 6 children total:4 daughters, and 2 sons. He was the first to be elected in a fully representative demacratic election. He was the leader of a movement against apartheid. He also helped establish the African National Congress(ANC) Youth League. Jack B. - 11/18/2009 at 6:28:03 AM. My hero is: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Nelson Mandela was born July 18th, 1918 in Transkei, South Africa. Nelson is still alive today and his age is 91.His real name is Rolihlahla and Nelson is his english name. Nelson belongs to the Mandela clan and is from the village Mvezo. His great grandfather was the king of the Thembu people. His father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was the chief of Mvezo. Nelson attended a methodist missionary school. Nelson Mandela was a person of royalty and was supposed to become chief when his father died, but instead he chose to fight apartheid. His anti-apartheid activities were sabotage and protests. He later was arrestsed and sent to prison for thes activities, he spent 27 years in prison. After he had been released from prison apartheid had ended and he had been elected the first black president of South Africa from 1994-1999. During his presidency he fought to keep equal rights between blacks and whites. He is a great hero, and he is my hero. Christina - 11/18/2009 at 6:28:01 AM. My hero is: Patrice Lumumba. Patrice Lumumba was born July 2, 1925. He was born Democratic of the Congo. He died February 11, 1961. He died in the same place he was born. Patrice was raised in a catholic family. He was one of four sons. When he got older he got married and had five children. As a kid Patrice Lumumbawent to a Primary School, then he went to a Catholic Missionary School, and then he went to a government post office training school. Patrice became head of the Cercles of Stanleyville. He worked on editing and distributing party literature.He became Prime Minister and accomplished the freedom of the Congo.He helped a lot of people while he was alive. Mollie - 11/18/2009 at 6:27:20 AM. My hero is: Sir Seretse Khama. Sir Seretse Khama he was born in 1921 in Serowe, and he was the son of Sekgona Khama 11. the first president of Botswana. he recieved a B.A at Fort Hare University collage in south africa and went to study at the University of Oxford. khama married married Ruth Williams. Arielle - 11/18/2009 at 6:27:05 AM. My hero is: Patrice Lumumba. Patric Emery Lumumba was an extraoridary person he helped sooo many people then had a major consenquence. Patrice was born July 2nd 1925 in Onaloa, Katakoma. What made him soo amazing was he help win independence from Beligum in 1960. After that he was Congo's Prime Minster. I personally find that a amazing accomplishment! Later the government turned on Patrice and put him in prison. He was sentenced to death. Like I said big accompishment but big consenquence. Thats what made him my hero. I'll look up to him always. Sileye - 11/18/2009 at 6:25:38 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela By;Sileye Sow Summary Nelson Madela is a survivor of hardship. He lived in the time of Apartheid.He had to spend 27 years in jail.When he had gotten out he. decided to make a change,so he decided to run for presedent.....and he acually became the presedent of Africa.He is not the presedent anymore.This shows that no matter what happens you can still make a change. Audrey - 11/18/2009 at 6:25:24 AM. My hero is: Patrice Lumumba. Patrice Emery Lumumba was born in stanlyville (now Kisangani)in Congo's Orientale Province July 2nd 1925 and died January17th 1961. He was raised in a Chatholic family and was one of 4 sons. He was educated at a Protestant primary school, a cathlic missionary school.pattrice was a fine student even though he couldn't study after dark because they didn't have any electricity.also the mission schools had very few text booksand only basic school suplies. his teachers spotted his quick intellegence and let him borrow their books encouriging him to advance. He protested for doing so. he became the first elected Congoleseprime minister in 1960 when his country became independent from belgium. less than seven months later he was assassinated. Beatrice - 11/18/2009 at 6:24:37 AM. My hero is: Kofi Annan. My hero is Kofi Annan. He was the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations serving two terms for 10 years and was the first to emerge from the ranks of the United Nations staff.Annan won the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize for this.He served from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007. He was born on April 8th, 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana.He is currently married to Nana Maria Annan with three childrn. Also, Annan has his own fondation(Kofi Annan Foundation) that supports leadership and conflict resolution. He is a chairman and board member for multiple groups. He is still working to help the poor and vulnerable in Africa today. Jessica - 11/18/2009 at 6:24:29 AM. My hero is: Haile Selassie. My hero's name is Haile Selassie. He was the emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1947 which is 43 years. His birth date is July 23rd, 1892. He died on the 27th of August in 1975. He was born in Ejersa Goro, Harar. I believe he was a hero because of all the years he dedicated himself to the government of Ethiopia. He was the leader of many wars and seemed like a really nice man who could keep things under control. His bones were found under a concrete slab on the palace grounds. Mr.Selassie will go down in history! Avary - 11/18/2009 at 6:22:56 AM. My hero is: Queen Nzingha. My heros name is Queen Nzingha, she was born in 1583, she died in 1663. Her place of birth was in Portugal. Queen Nzigha had brothere that was a king and he worked with the slavery. After a while Queen Nzighas brother died. So thats how she got to become Queen Nzingha. Blake - 11/18/2009 at 6:22:47 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. My hero is Nelson Mandela and he was born in transkei, South Africa on July 18,1918. His father was Cheif henry Mandela of the tembu tribe. He was meducated at the University College Fort HARE and the University of Witwaterstrand. Andrew - 11/18/2009 at 6:21:51 AM. My hero is: Osei Tutu. I look at Osie Tutu for two reasons. The first reason is because when he was a kid his unkle died while ruleling so he stood up and took his place as king. The last reason why I like him is because when he was in war with his cousin his cousin was stabbed and killed so he took an army of 300,000 people. I think Osie Tutu was very brave and had lots of courage for loosing his so many family memmbers,and takeing a whole throne. Olivia - 11/18/2009 at 6:21:39 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was born on July 18,1918. I consider him a hero because he spent 27 years in prison fighting to end apartheid. People in Africa loved him so much that they elected him president!!! He served as president from 1994-99. He currently is an elder statesman who continues to speak out on topical issues. In 1993 he won the Noble Peace Prize. Also, in South Africa he known as Madiba. He has received more than a hundred awards. I think he is brave to stand up for what he believes, even if it means getting in trouble. He risked his life for a lot of people. That is why I consider Nelson Mandela my hero. Kyrah - 11/18/2009 at 6:21:34 AM. My hero is: Nzingha. Nzingha was the Queen of Angola. She was born on December 17, 1583 in a royal family in Angola in Southwest Africa. No one knows what happened to Nzingha's mom, but she had a father who led the Ndongo people, 1 brother who became a king, and 1 sister who suceeded Nzingah. She was a very strong and intellegent girl. After her brother died in 1623, she became queen og Angola. Her country loved her. Unfortunaly since she is a girl, her brother was the favored child. So he was the one who trained to be the next Ngola after his father. But her brother could not accomplish the mission so instead he became a king. Soon Nizingha broke the rules and followed her father's footsteps and became a leader after his death. She soon married a good man and had a baby. Gabe - 11/18/2009 at 6:20:58 AM. My hero is: Askia The Great. He is my hero because he ruled the Songhai Empire nicely. All his people loved him and he set up many schools to educate the children in his Empire. HE also brought a huge increase in trade with Europe and Asia. He made sure that the best scholars came from Mali, which was in his empire. The scholars were so good, they produced some books that are still in use today. Jack Bel - 11/18/2009 at 6:20:32 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela lived in South Africa durring aparthied. He protested against apartheid until he was sent to prison.He was in prison for 27 years. When aparthied ended he became the president of South Africa. Emily - 11/18/2009 at 6:18:58 AM. My hero is: Haile Selassie. Haile Selassie was born on July 23, 1892 in Ejarsagoro Harar, Ethoipia. His mother was Woizero Yeshimebet. He became govenor of Harar at the age of 17. In 1931 he issued a written constitution and retained all major powers. On August 27, 1975 he died because his successor murdered him. Kate - 11/18/2009 at 6:18:06 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. My heros name is Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela was a man who fought for his freedom.When the British settelers invated South Africa,the made a new type of govornment called "APARTHEID". This made it so that Blacks and Asians where not able to go into certin public places.Nelson Mandela did not like this! He steped in and took some action. When he did this he got arested by the British. He went to prision for 27 years untill the South African's declared freedom. After he was relesed,he was elected president of South Africa. He then retired and is now living in South Africa today. Marissa - 11/18/2009 at 6:18:01 AM. My hero is: Nzingha. Nzingha was born in 1582. She lived during a time when the Atlantic slave trade was growing quickly. She had two sisters and one brother. She became queen at the age of 41. Nzingha fought the Portuguese for her whole life, keeping her people free from slavery. Later on all of Portugal and most of Europe respected her. Nate - 11/18/2009 at 6:16:54 AM. My hero is: kenneth kaunda. Kennth Kaunda also know as k.k. he was born on April 28-1924. They think he is still alive but No one has seen him. He was the youngest of 8 children, his father was the minister. His mother was a teacher. He went to Lubwa Mission school. He started the Zambia African Union Party. Kennth had 7 children. Harrison - 11/18/2009 at 6:16:51 AM. My hero is: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela helped the South-African slaves escape slavery.He took down the government in South Africa,and made a better one.Later he became president of South Africa.He made it so there was no more slavery. Cal - 11/18/2009 at 6:12:45 AM. My hero is: Sir Seretese Khama. Sir Seretese Khama is my hero, because he was the first president of Botswana, and gained independence for the country. He was also Prime Minister of Bechuaral in 1962. He gained independence for the people of Botswana. Ben - 11/18/2009 at 6:12:40 AM. My hero is: Kofi Annan. Kofi Annan is a very peaceful guy. Kofi Annan won was born on April 8,1938 in Kumasi, Ghana. Kofi is still living today. In 2001, Kofi Annan and the United Nations jointly were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1958, kofi began studying for a degree in economics at Kumasi of Science and Technology To see other thoughts from our students about heroes, read at the My Hero Forum.

Island Nations

2009-11-11T14:56:00.002-05:00

Indian Ocean -- Comoros Maldives Madagascar Mauritius Seychelles Sri Lanka Mediterranean -- Malta Cyprus Pacific Ocean -- Figi Kirbati Marshall Islands Naura Palau Vanuatu Tuvalu Papua New Guinea Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Solomon Islands Tonga Carribean -- Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Dominca Grenada Saint Kitts - Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Atlantic Ocean -- Cape Verde Trinidad and Tobago

Egg-Speriment

2009-11-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

SCIENCE – 6TH Grade: The Egg-speriment Introduction: Our bodies are made up of cells that are responsible for every job our body does. But for our cells to perform all these jobs properly, they need to bring in certain particles from outside the cell. One way for particles to enter the cell and help it do its job is to simply pass through the cell membrane. All living cells are surrounded by a membrane which separates the stuff inside the cell (water, nucleus, etc.) from the stuff outside the cell (water, other cells, nutrients, etc.) This membrane determines what can enter the cell and what should stay outside. One way that it prevents certain particles from entering is by having holes only large enough to allow small particles to enter. It is therefore called a semi-permeable membrane. An analogy could be made to a basketball net. Only certain size balls will get through. That is, a tennis ball will go through the hoop, a basketball will go through the hoop, but a big beach ball will not. The same holds true with cell membranes. Many particles, such as sugars and salts that are dissolved in the water surrounding the cell try to enter the cell, but they are too big and therefore cannot pass through the membrane. DEMONSTRATION NOTES: Demonstration #1: Materials: 1/2 cup salt 1/2 cup dry beans jar with lid (quart or liter) colander large bowl Describe the procedure followed for this demonstration – Describe what you observed during this demonstration – What conclusion can you draw from this demonstration? Demonstration #2: Materials: ( 1 ) beaker or clear cup 1/2 cup of water 3-4 drops of food coloring Describe the procedure followed for this demonstration – Describe what you observed during this demonstration – What conclusion can you draw from this demonstration? EGG-SPERIMENT: At last to the main part of the experiment -- here an egg will be the model for a cell. The “problem” or purpose in this experiment will be to explore and discover the processes of osmosis and diffusion. As you work through this experiment, look for information that will help you to understand how osmosis and diffusion work in a cell. First, the shell must be removed to expose the cell membrane. Vinegar takes care of this job very easily because it is an acid that reacts with the calcium in the shell to remove the shell. Once the shell is removed, the concepts of diffusion and osmosis can be illustrated. The egg will be transferred from the beaker with vinegar to a beaker containing various other solutions. You and your team will make observations on the condition of your egg, on a daily basis throughout this experiment. Objectives: To understand one way that materials enter a cell To understand the function of the cell membrane To understand the principles of diffusion and osmosis To record careful and detailed observations of a scientific experiment Vocabulary (you will be expected to understand and be able to use this vocabulary by the time you complete this experiment): cell cell membrane semipermeable membrane concentration diffusion osmosis circumference Materials: for each group of students: (3) 250 ml beakers or big clear cups (1) egg (be careful handling the egg!) 12" piece of string ruler, paper and pencil to record observations Procedure: Carefully weigh and measure the egg that your teacher will give you. Use a triple balance scale to weigh the egg. Use a piece of string and a ruler to measure the circumference of the egg in both directions (lengthwise and around the “middle”). Record your measurements in the table below. Place egg into one of the beakers. (Be careful -- do not drop the egg in.) Fill beaker with enough vinegar to cover the egg. Record observations immediately. What do you notice? Continue to record observations over the next three days. Be sure to note how the egg feels when you touch it each day. Don't squeeze too hard – it will be fragile! Throughout the remainder of this experiment, your egg will be immersed in a variety of solutions including corn syrup, plain tap water, water with food coloring, and salt water. Make a hypothesis about what you believe will happen to your egg as you work with it in this experiment. Follow the directions given by your teacher for how to complete the rest of this experiment. Required Outcomes: Directions: Write your responses to the following on notebook paper (you may type it if you choose). All responses must be written in complete sentences where appropriate. Use your best handwriting, and pay attention to spelling and appropriate grammar. § Describe what you understand about the problem that was explored through this experiment. § Describe the procedures that you followed throughout this experiment. § List all of the materials used in this experiment. § Define the vocabulary given above. § Answer the following questions to turn in:

Why was the shell removed first? How did the egg change from the beginning of the experiment to the middle to the end? Explain why using the vocabulary above. How did the egg change while it was in the syrup? Explain why this change occurred? What do you think would happen if the egg was placed in orange juice instead of corn syrup? Why? What caused the changes that you observed when the egg was placed into water? What did you observe when the egg was placed into salt water? Explain why this occurred. If you could place the egg in another liquid of your choice, what would you choose? Predict the outcome for the egg in the solution you would choose for it. § Extension: In order to make his shows more entertaining to the public, Mr. Barnum of Barnum and Bailey Circus, decided to collect whales from the ocean and display them for his audience. He collected the whales and kept them in large uncovered tanks until showtime. Unfortunately, it rained the opening day of his show. The salt water in the tanks, which held the whales, was diluted by the rain that fell that day. This change in the amount of salt in the water compared to the amount of water, caused the death of the whales. Unwilling to admit to his audience that the whales were dead, he told them that that day's rain would cause the cancellation of the show. Not to fear, he would give everyone a check that would allow them to see the next whale show. He would give them a rain check. Mr. Barnum is credited with coining the phrase "rain check". What does the death of Mr. Barnum's whales have to do with the experiment you have just completed on the subject of osmosis? To complete this experiment, you must attach your notes and observations to the written work required above. Lab Report Evaluation Rubric --

0, 5, 10 -- Clear and Appropriate HEADING, TITLE, PROBLEM, and HYPOTHESIS. 0, 5, 10 -- All MATERIALS listed and a summary of PROCEDURE. 0, 10, 30, 50 -- Appropriate presentation of DATA and observations including graph(s), chart(s), drawing(s), etc. Accuracy of data. 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 -- Clear and concise CONCLUSIONS. Conclusion addresses problem and states knowledge gained. Answers to all QUESTIONS. 0, 5, 10 -- Overall- NEATNESS, GRAMMAR, adheres to FORMAT, etc.

Homework Archive -- October, 2009

2009-11-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

October 30 --Science -- Donations needed! We are beginning an experiment with eggs. Needed are approximately 2 gallons of corn syrup and 2 gallons of vinegar. If you can donate items, please send them to school with your child next week. Thank you!Social Studies -- groups should have completed play scripts ready to practice and present next Monday and Tuesday.October 29 --Geography -- Africa test, Part 2 is scheduled for tomorrow.Math Thales -- p. 59, problems 15, 16, 17Math Archimedes -- p. 64, problems 1-10October 28 --No homework this evening... Students should study for the Africa map test which is scheduled for Friday.October 27 --Science -- finish the Microscope Mania wordsearch and make-a-word challenge puzzles.Math Thales-- finish the TV in the bedroom frequency table worksheet.Math Archimedes -- Finish your adding machine tape bar for our graph. Include your name, a self-portrrait, your height in centimeters, your age in months, and a list of 10 talents that you have.Geography -- Africa Map test Part 1 -- October 28, Africa Map test Part 2 -- October 30October 26 --Science -- students worked with microscopes today. They have word puzzles which we will finish in class tomorrow.Geography -- Africa Map test Part 1 -- October 28, Africa Map test Part 2 -- October 30October 23 --Parents - Everyone that I talked to today, and every substitute's written notes, spoke to how kind, cooperative, polite and patient your children were during this week when I have been away from school with the flu. I am awfully proud of everyone of them, and I wanted you to know what a great group of kids you have raised. :-)Social Studies -- Finish the Giant Africa Map Travel project, and the map scale practice worksheet.Geography -- Africa Map test Part 1 -- October 28, Africa Map test Part 2 -- October 30October 15 --Math Thales -- make the foldable on p. 49Math Archimedes -- pp. 52-53, problems 3-5, 12, 13, 16Social Studies -- African Heroes research is due on 10/20Geography -- Africa map tests are scheduled as follows: Part I -- October 28, Part II-- October 30October 14 --Math Thales -- Chapter 1 test is tomorrow. Students may want to prepare by working with the practice test on p. 45.Science -- Write up for the plant a sock project is due tomorrow and should include the following items:**sketch of the original seed collection on the sock** sketches and notes taken in class today** answers to these questions: 1) Where did you collect your seeds? 2) Did your seeds sprout? 3) How would you explain what happened in your box?Social Studies -- African Heroes research is due on 10/20Geography -- Africa map tests are scheduled as follows: Part I -- October 28, Part II-- October 30October 13 --Math Archimedes -- Find another piece of writing to analyze for most commonly used words. Make a frequency table to record your data. Compare with the TV in the Bedroom article and compile YOUR list of the five most common words in the English language.Math Thales -- The chapter 1 test has been delayed until Thursday.Social Studies -- African Heroes project -- due 10/20.Geography -- Africa map tests are scheduled as follows: Part I -- October 28, Part II-- October 30October 12 --I did not get papers handed back today because we were gone for the field trip. Graded papers will be handed back tomorrow..Geography -- Africa map tests are scheduled as follows: Part I -- October 28, Part II-- October 30October 7 --Math Archimedes -- "TV in the Bedroom" frequency table activity.Math Thales -- ch. 1 test is on Wednesday, Oct. 14. To prepare, please work on these problems in the textbook: pages 42-44, problems 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 3,, 34, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 52, 55, 56, 57Social Studies -- Africa reading packet will be collected on 10/13Read the Wangari Maathai article. Do not start the hero activity.Geography -- Africa tests will be scheduled as follows: Part 1, Oct. 28 -- Part 2, Oct. 30October 6 --Math Thales -- p.41, problems 9-19 (odd)October 5--Math Archimedes -- Chapter 1 test is tomorrow.Math Thales -- Chapter 1 test is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14Health -- Personal Hygiene Product poster is due tomorrow.Social Studies -- Africa Reading packet is due 10/12October 2 --Health -- Personal Hygiene Product poster -- due 10/6Social Studies -- Africa Reading Packet -- due 10/12Science -- Plant a sock: due Monday, 10/5Math Thales -- p. 38, problems 1-3Math Archimedes -- Review for ch. 1 test (scheduled for Tuesday, 10/6). Recommendation: pp. 42-44, problems 1-7, 11-19 (odd), 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 30, 32-37, 38, 40, 41, 56, 57. NOTE: This is work that is recommended for student preparation. I will NOT collect review work. We will discuss issues and questions related to the work on Monday.October 1 --Health -- Personal Hygiene Product poster -- due 10/6Social Studies -- Africa Reading Packet -- due 10/12Science -- Plant a sock: due Monday, 10/5

Models of Circle Graphs

2009-11-02T11:19:00.000-05:00

We're graphing. Lots and lots of different activities that help to review and expand the understandings that kids have of bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs... We'll tackle stem and leaf plots and box and whiskers plots in the next week. We'll figure out measures of central tendency. Then, we'll get busy analyzing the statistics of some of the best baseball players ever.

Here, the kids are working together to make circle graphs using adding machine tape and string.

Learning about Microscopes

2009-11-01T13:53:00.003-05:00

As we begin the study of cells, it becomes important to learn how to use a microscope. Students worked to complete a series of stations that allowed them to gain experience with using microscopes, to learn to make a wet mount slide, to identify the various parts of a microscope, and to understand how magnification and resolution work. Materials for this set of activities were found at the Microscope Mania website.

Teacher Has Been Sick

2009-10-23T10:14:00.001-04:00

Friday, October 23, 2009 I am finally back at school – feeling a bit weak and weary, but glad to be over the worst of the flu. Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts as I vanished from the scene. Between my class at Xavier last Friday, and the four days that I was home ill, I have been gone a whole week! To make it even more difficult for us all, I was unclear enough about what was really happening in my absence that I didn’t keep the website up either. So, for the record, here’s the list of things that students worked on this week: Science – P. 33 in the textbook – a worksheet and timeline Cell parts worksheet Cell parts flashcards Social Studies – Africa Heroes Reports were due on Tuesday Africa Video Notes Math Thales— Chapter 2 Foldable Notes from Lesson 2-1 p. 54-55, problems 1-10 Draw a Line Graph/Draw a Bar Graph worksheet Math Archimedes – p. 54-55, problems 1-10 Draw a Line Graph/Draw a Bar Graph worksheetExtra Practice, Lessons 2-1 and 2-2, pp. 596 & 597 Special Note: Many students have missed parts of the Terra Nova and InView tests. We will work to makeup these tests over the next week.

Looking At "Boxes of Dirt"

2009-10-17T20:06:00.000-04:00

Late in September, students were asked to go out and walk around in their neighborhoods -- in their socks. The hope was that they would "capture" various seeds on their socks. They then "planted" their socks and waited to see what would sprout. By the time the projects came to school on October 5, there were only a few sprouts showing. We stashed the "boxes of dirt" all around the classroom and watered and watched and waited. By the early part of this week, we had many more seedlings up and growing and we took time to observe the developments. Plotting where the various seeds were gathered on a map of the city gave us a picture of the dispersion of our seeds, and knowing which ones grew and which didn't gave students a much clearer picture at the way plants are adapted to their environments in terms of their seed dispersal mechanisms.

Giant Map of Africa

2009-10-15T19:45:00.005-04:00

We've had the National Geographic Giant Traveling Map of Africa in the old gym this week. According to the National Geographic website about these maps, Giant Traveling Maps invite children to explore geography in a very hands-on —or rather feet-on—way. The maps’ brightly-colored, smooth vinyl surfaces accurately illustrate and label the countries, bodies of water, mountains and cities. Students take part in activities including safaris, scavenger hunts, and competitive games. Along the way they gain knowledge of country locations, capital cities, population centers, and physical features, as well as learn important historical, wildlife and cultural characteristics. Accompanying each map is a set of ready-to-use activities as well as atlases, books, music, videos, and game materials. Recommended grades: K-8What teachers are saying about National Geographic Giant Traveling Maps... One teacher who used the map, Bo Garrett, said: “I loved it! It was big enough for the whole class to sit in the Sahara Desert. I feel like I had a connection to Africa...” Students in the sixth grade spent two class periods on the map, studying the various regions, and then planning an imaginary trip around the continent. They gained familiarity with the African continent and had an opportunity to apply their measurement and math skills.

"Hatchet" at LaBoiteaux Woods

2009-10-12T18:21:00.005-04:00

We spent our day today learning about "surviving in the woods." The program, presented by naturalists from the Cincinnati Parks Department's LaBoiteaux Woods, led our students in an experience based on the book, Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen.

The book tells how a routine journey turned into a life-threatening and life-changing experience. The central character, thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, is stranded alone at a lake deep in the Canadian wilderness for fifty-four days. A small plane, carrying Brian from his mother's home in Hampton, New York, to the oil fields in Canada where his father works, crashes after the pilot dies in flight from a heart attack.

Our students learned a great deal from their experience today. They built survival shelters, and tried to start a fire using flint and steel. They gathered tinder and kindling and built small firest themselves. A hike through the woods gave them an opportunity to discover what might, or might not, serve as food and water sources, should they find themselves lost for an extended period. Too, a great deal of our day was spent on learning how to not become lost in the first place.

They worked together, listened and participated with enthusiasm, and made us very proud. It felt like a very good day.

Swine Flu

2009-10-10T08:41:00.002-04:00

We are all concerned about the Novel H1N1 virus this season, and it makes sense to pay close attention to the risks and the news that hopefully helps us to prepare as best we can. We've certainly talked about it at school, and we are careful to make sure that all of us cover our coughs and wash our hands frequently. But... life does go on from day to day in spite of the swine flu. I ran across this picture and thought it was a fun and light-hearted look at what is a serious issue -- dealing with this virus: