Monday, February 18, 2013

Newsletter for February 17, 2013

Important Dates and Reminders

Our remaining library days are: February 22; March 8, 22; April 16, 30; and May 14, 29.
 
March 23, 2013: Invention Convention at UAHS
March 28, 2013: End of the Third Grading Period
March 29 - April 5, 2013: Spring Break
April 8, 2013: No School: Teacher Grading Day
April 11, 2013: 3rd Grade Musical Program with Mrs. Delcamp
April 15-18, 2013: Terra Nova and InView assessments (Please try to avoid appointments on these days.)
April 16, 2013: Progress reports sent home
April 26, 2013: Kidfest
April 29, 2013: Ohio Reading Achievement Assessments (All students will take. Please try to avoid appointments on this days.)
April 30, 2013: Ohio Mathematics Achievement Assessment (All students will take. Please try to avoid appointments on this days.)
May 11, 2013: Windermere Wish Run
May 27, 2013: No School: Memorial Day
May 28, 2013: Field Days (Please contact Mr. Moore if you are able to volunteer at adammoore@uaschools.org.)
May 29, 2013: Field Days rain date
 
 


From the Upper Arlington Public Library:

Here is a list of current programs that offer opportunities for young children to practice their reading:

Tremont library offers a monthly program called Book Buddies, a quiet time set aside for young readers (K-3) to practice their reading with Big Buddies (local teen volunteers). We have two more dates for our monthly school-year program: March 26th @ 7 pm, and April 23rd @ 7 pm. This is a registered event. We will continue this into the summer as a 5-week program, beginning in June. 

Lane Library hosts Tail Waggin' Tutors for children K-5th. Trained therapy dogs visit the library as a fun way for kids to practice their reading to animals. There are two spring events, March 18th @ 7 and May 20th @ 7.

Miller Park offers Reading to Rover. This is similar in style to the Tail Waggin' Tutors, and also for K-5. The spring dates for this event are March 12th @ 7 pm, April 9th @ 7 pm, and May 14th @ 7 pm. 

And, of course, we are gearing up for Summer Reading Club, which will begin on the last day of UA school. Kids of all ages are encouraged to participate by keeping track of the time they spend reading in return for prizes! More details will be available during our annual visits to the schools, but I'll let everyone in on a secret: It's gonna ROCK! 


What We Learned This Week

Research

 

Students concluded their African American research unit. We made likenesses of our research subjects out of paper to mimic quilting with fabric. Students' essays are in the hallway. Please stop by to read them. They did a great job. We focused on note taking, researching using texts and the internet, organizing our research into an essay by using a timeline or contribution to detail approach, and writing. Students were encouraged to think beyond the text's literal facts to subjects' contributions, courage and sacrifice. Students will share what they learned at our next Windermere Town Meeting for the school. Do you know the following famous African Americans and their contributions to our country and culture?
 
Bessie Coleman                                Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
 
 
 Matthew Henson
 
  Langston Hughes                            Sojourner Truth
 
Math
 
Students brought home login information from ThinkCentral, Math In Focus' online library of workbook pages. This is a valuable resource for students in need of additional support or looking for accelerated enrichment opportunities.
 
We are continuing our study of fractions through next week.
 
Science
 
Thank you for your generous donations that funded the Ohio Wildlife Center's visit on Valentine's Day. We were visited by a snapping turtle, screech owl, opossum, and ground hog. The OWC's educator shared facts on indigenous animals, life cycles, defense mechanisms, classification, habitat and food web. This was a great introduction to our spring life science study.

 
 
 
 
 

 

Bill Palmer, local inventor, shared his invention, the sk8pole, with our third graders. He explained the invention process, emphasizing starting with a problem and the importance of reengineering. You can learn more about the sk8pole at http://www.sk8pole.com/.

 

 


Students have chosen a problem to focus on for our in-school Invention Convention. The process is as follows:
- Identify a problem.
- Develop solutions. It is very important that they continue to refine and reengineer their solutions through research and peer critique.
- Research their problem and solution by seeking out experts (parents, teachers, internet, library, etc.).
- Name invention.
- Create presentation board that is a self-guided tour of the inventor's process.
- Build a prototype (not necessarily a fully functioning one) that will fit within a paper box or similarly small container.

You can learn more by visiting http://www.just-think-inc.com/columbus/index.html. Here are a few examples of demonstration boards. These three paneled boards and headers are locally available at office supply stores and United Art and Education (on the North side of Mill Run). Students will need to create a presentation board for class, but may use construction paper. If your student is planning on participating in the UA Invention Convention, they must use a three paneled board and header. Students not participating in the UA Invention Convention do not need to build a prototype. Those who are planning to participate must build a prototype. We have five weeks till the UA Invention Convention at the high school. I hope all will plan to participate. It's a great and inspiring experience.


 

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