Aye Matey!

With "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" having arrived on September 19th, we took the idea of pirates and incorporated it into our classroom this week.  We wrote knowledgeably on the subject by reading two books on the historical aspects of pirates and then analyzed recent graphs on piracy around the world today.  Students integrated the information from all three to write a persuasive essay encouraging a pirate today to take on another profession. 

In science and math we made aluminum "vessels" using 36 square inches of foil and tried to hold the most "booty" (glass beads).  While doing so, students learned concepts of buoyancy, displacement, surface area, and density.

Food Chains

In science we have moved into applying what we have learned about plants to food chains.  This year students learn how bacteria and other decomposers play their parts, as well as how water and air are important in the food chain.  We will move into trophic levels next.

Hopi Kachina Dolls

As we moved into learning about early people of the Americas, we focused this week on the Hopi Indians.  Kachinas were and are an important part of their beliefs.  Each child researched different Kachina dolls and then used various materials to build a specific one.  They are turning out amazing!