February 20th

                        Striving for Excellence: No Exceptions, No Excuses

Today we began Unit 11: Electricity and Magnetism.  Since our Science Fair is Thursday and Friday, we will be losing a couple of days of E&M instruction; therefore, our test will not be next Friday, but will be moved into the next week. Date to be announced.  WE WILL however, have a vocabulary quiz on Friday over the E&M words.  NOTE: the vocabulary word list has a typing error.  Closed circuit should say "A circuit without gaps and WILL light up."

February has arrived...Puxatony Phil says 6 more weeks of winter!

If the winter weather is like today (61 degrees) , I will take six more weeks of it! I wanted to update you as to what we are doing and what is coming up!

First, I want to welcome student teacher Patricia Harris.  She will be with us until the first of March. 

Secondly, I want to share with you regarding upcoming assessments.  We have begun discussing and reviewing next week's words from Unit 9: Forces.  The vocabulary quiz will be on Friday, February 10th.  You never know a practice quiz might pop up anytime! Our Unit Assessment is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 16th.  As soon as I get a study guide pulled together, I will get it out to your child. They should study nightly in order to be prepared for the test and REMIND them to look on the board for test dates. 

Lastly, I want to let you know about our upcoming SCIENCE FAIR! We have been talking about this for the past several days.  Your child has a SCIENCE FAIR PACKET, along with an entry form, that is due on Monday, February 6th.  Please discuss this with them.  I will not allow demonstrations. The entry must be in the form of a question that your child can investigate and must have variables, i.e. test three different things. Once you look over the packet if you have questions, feel free to call or email me.  

In closing, students must bring a science fair project to school on Thursday, February 23rd. This project will count for two science grades. Judging will be on Friday, February 24th.  Students need to bring their projects home on Friday afternoon. Thanks so much for your help and support!

SCIENCE NEWS

Welcome Back! I hope your Thanksgiving was as relaxing as mine was. I was rested and ready to return to your children! I want to update you on science and where we are.  We have finished Units 1-7 and have 8-12 to complete.  We will begin Unit 8: Space after the first of the year. We have several things we are focusing on between now and Christmas break.  Currently we are studying science inquiry and tools, and the scientific method. Ask your child the four inquiry tools we talked about today. Inquiry and the scientific method is really important as we look down the road to the Science Fair which is in March. 

Also, we are reviewing our 60 vocabulary words that we have already learned. I am so proud of the way most students have retained that information; they will do great on that quiz! Look on the vocabulary tab on the right side of this blog to find those words. Look for that test sometime next week also.

Another item we will work on between now and the break is open response questions.  Once the students know the science content, answering open response questions will be a breeze for them. 

This is not science, but actually PLCS....We will be having a basketball test sometime next week. Students have a pink study guide they have had for several weeks. Mrs. Kingins is reviewing basketball this week prior to the test next week.  Students who turn in the pink study guide get a 5 point bonus.  Also, there will be two other bonus questions making the test actually worth 115 points!

Feel free to contact me with questions or concerns. alecia.ladd@graves.kyschools.us  328-4900 x 2721

Thanksgiving Break!

I want to wish your family a restful, safe and blessed Thanksgiving break! We finished Unit 7 Weather today with a summative assessment (test).  I am undecided about our direction between now and the end of the year.  Our next Unit 8 is Space; however we may work on the scientific method and review vocabulary to catch up some loose ends.  Likely Space will wait until January.

• Unit 7: Weather Test 11/22 (Tuesday)
• Review the first 60 vocabulary words...review test coming after Thanksgiving
• Because of our Friday schedule, we are going to move unit tests after Thanksgiving to Thursdays
• Updated UNICEF total: $183.72 Wow!
• http://mrsladdsscientificblog.blogspot.com/  

Science

We are studying Unit 7 on weather now.  If you notice in the vocabulary words six of the ten words are a "weather tool used to measure_________". That should make the words easier to learn.  The vocabulary test will be Friday, November 18th, and the Unit 7 test will be on Tuesday, November 22nd. 

 

UNIT 7:  Weather

1.       thermometer – weather tool used to measure temperature

2.       barometer – weather tool used to measure air pressure

3.       anemometer – weather tool used to measure wind speed

4.       rain gauge – weather tool used to measure rainfall

5.       hygrometer – weather tool used to measure humidity

6.       wind vane – weather tool used to measure wind direction

7.       front – when two air masses meet

8.       humidity – the amount of water vapor in the air

9.       weather – condition of the air at a specific time and place

10.   climate – pattern of weather over a long period of time

Christmas Program: Save the Date

Ms. Johnson announced that the Christmas Program will be Tuesday, December 13th, times to be announced.  She asks fourth grade students to wear red shirts and caps (any color, like baseball type caps).

Thank You Parents and Grandparents!

We are so appreciative for the CAKES, PIES, and other goodies you sent for our CAKE WALK at Fall Festival!  We had a lot of fun dancing, yelling, and giving away cakes!  Thanks again for your support!

Fall Festival Tonight (October 28) 5:00-8:00 Fourth grade has a beautiful tree for the auction!

We are starting a new unit on Earth changes on Monday. Our vocabulary quiz will be on the following words next Friday (November 4):

UNIT 6 – Earth Changes

1.       volcano – sudden earth change where lava is released

2.       earthquake – sudden change of the vibrating of the Earth’s surface

3.       tornado – sudden change of a funnel cloud causing great damage

4.       hurricane – sudden change of a huge storm forming in ocean

5.       mudslide – sudden change of huge bodies of land sliding down of a mountain side; usually causes from flooding

6.       weathering – breaking down of sediment

7.       erosion – gradual wearing away of the Earth’s surface by wind, water, wave or ice

8.       deposition – the depositing of sediment; creates sand dunes

9.       sediment – bits of rock

10.   flooding – natural disaster causes by excess rain

 

The unit test will be on Friday, November 11th.

 

 

UNIT 5 – Water/ Air

1.       evaporation – liquid to a gas

2.       condensation – gas to a liquid

3.       precipitation – water falling to the ground; rain, snow, sleet or hail

4.       water cycle – constant recycling of water

5.       air pressure – amount of air pressing down on earth’s atmosphere

6.       atmosphere – blanket of air surrounding the earth

7.       greenhouse effect – earth’s atmosphere trapping energy from the sun

8.       buoyancy – the ability to float

9.       density – causes an object to sink

10.   air mass – huge body of air