We have been SUPER BUSY this week!  This week, all students are learning about Number  Talk.  Classes will learn the hand gestures as well as the 8 Mathematical Practice Standards that we will be using this year.

Students in grades 2-5 will be taking an online math perception survey.  I will be using the results from the survey to narrow my teaching focus.  I will also use the surveys to help students meet their math goals!

With the start of the 2nd card marking, we are switching our focus in enrichment to math & technology.  Students will have many opportunities to practice technology skills as we will meet in the computer lab.  We will also practice mental math strategies through Number Talk.

Please click HERE to complete the math perception survey.

While we do follow the science pacing guide as set by the Dearborn Public Schools, I am open to suggestions for activities!

Please CLICK HERE if you’d like make a suggestion.

We wrapped up our week with some fun Halloween lab fun! Today, students made some super cool slime!

Want to make some at home? Check out this simple recipe!

This is a fun and easy slime to make. Make it with white glue for opaque slime, or glue gel for translucent slime.

What You Need:

• Elmer’s white glue or Elmer’s school glue gel
• Borax (find in the laundry detergent aisle of the store)
• Water
• Two bowls
• Food coloring (optional)

What You Do:

1. In one bowl mix 1/2 cup (4 oz) glue and 1/2 cup water. Add food coloring if you want colored slime.
2. In the other bowl, mix 1 teaspoon borax with 1 cup water until the borax is dissolved.
3. Add the glue mixture to the borax solution, stirring slowly.
4. The slime will begin to form immediately; stir as much as you can, then dig in and knead it with your hands until it gets less sticky. (No one makes slime without getting a little messy!) Don’t worry about any leftover water in the bowl; just pour it out.

What Happened:

The glue has an ingredient called polyvinyl acetate, which is a liquid polymer. The borax links the polyvinyl acetate molecules to each other, creating one large, flexible polymer. This kind of slime will get stiffer and more like putty the more you play with it.

Store it in a plastic bag in the fridge, to keep it from growing mold.

Third and firth graders built balloon powered cars!! Tune in next week when we race them!

Today first graders explored temperature and practiced reading thermometers.

Fourth graders studied volume. We practiced using graduated cylinders . Students created charts & graphs and analyzed their data!

Our Monday has been SUPER! Students in kindergarten used their sense of taste.

Fifth graders built ramps to demonstrate force and motion.

Second grade classes are learning about mixtures. Students separated their bean mixtures .

Today, the 5th grade classes took part in The Marshmallow Challenge. Teams were given the same materials to create the tallest freestanding structure.  Each group was given: 20 spaghetti, 1 marshmallow, 1 yard of yarn, and 1 yard of tape.  The rules are simple–work together to build the tallest freestanding structure.  The marshmallow had to be at the very top and it had to be whole.

The goal of this challenge is to learn how to work with others to accomplish a task. These kids did an amazing job!

Listen to how this group worked together!  Awesome job Mrs. Wagner’s class!

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Students in today’s classes worked on lab safety and following procedures. Watch what happens when they follow directions!

Weekend homework–go home and change one of the variables in the experiment. Observe & write about what happens.
Example variables:
*type of milk
*type of liquid
*type of dish soap