URBAN NATURE CLUB BEGINS MAY 5, 2009

Thank you to all the students who applied to the Urban Nature Club. Twelve students from the fourth grade have been chosen. Our first project will be planting a school butterfly garden and sprucing up the other gardens on the school property. We will keep a nature journal of our work, observations, discoveries and thoughts. We will also try to have the garden open during lunch periods once we post the rules of the garden on the garden gates. I'm really looking forward to being in the great outdoors with each of you!

FOURTH-GRADE SCIENCE DAY A HUGE SUCCESS

Thank you to all the fourth-graders who came out for science day and brushed up on their scientific skills and knowledge of science. We enjoyed making a literal "food chain," tested our knowledge with Quiz Boards, created awesome things with recycled materials, investigated gadgets for simple machines, worked with inclined planes, discovered what objects conduct electricity, and more. We even made our own Quiz Boards to take home. You are all AWESOME!

LANDFORMS-FIFTH GRADE

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Last summer I drove with my family from New York to California and back again. This is called a cross-country trip. We visited many wonderful places, especially out West where there are magnificent landforms, like the ones I've included here.

As part of our landforms unit, you will create an island out of clay and include six different landforms. You will then label the landforms. Next you will create a travel brochure for your island, explaining the landforms on your island and how they were formed. This project will be due in early May.

Grand Canyon, Arizona








Devil's Tower, Wyoming












Zion National Park, Utah

Some More Strange Animals

Check this creatures out. Do you think any REALLY exist? Ms. Seitz

NAME THAT ANIMAL!

Hi kids! My father-in-law recently sent me some very strange animal photos. They look real, but alas, these animals do not exist in the real world. (I guess someone was having a little Photo Shop fun.) So, take a look at these photos and let me know what you would name each of them. Don't stop there. Be creative and describe their ecosystem, diet, behavior and any other characteristics. Can't wait to read them. Bye for now, Ms. Seitz

Electricity is Hot!

Fourth-graders are currently learning about magnetism and electricity. We recently created some circuits using D-cells, wires, motors and light bulbs (components) and learned that the tiny wire inside a light bulb that makes it light up is called filament. It's made of a metal called tungsten. Tungsten is used because it stays solid at very high temperatures. Also, all the air in a light bulb has been sucked out to make it work. If air wasn't removed, the wire would burn up instantly. Electricity flows through the filament causing it to heat up. This heat makes the tungsten glow. As the filament heats up, it gives off light. The tungsten slowly vaporizes, or turns into a gas.When a light bulb “burns out,” it is because the filament has vaporized. The black film on the inside of a burned-out lightbulb is resolidified tungsten vapor (gas). Wow, huh?

ALL GRADES: HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT DUE THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY 2009

Scientists keep neat, organized notes in order to review the results of their investigations and make sense of their data.

When you come to science class, you are scientists conducting your own investigations. The data YOU collect must also be written neatly. Every investigation must also be dated and filed in your binder in an organized way.

During the holiday break, you are required to bring home your binders and organize them in a neat, coherent manner. When you return in January, your binders will be graded. The grade will, in part, influence your overall science grade on your second report card, so please take care in making your science binders something to be proud of.

1. Binders should be organized into three sections: CLASSWORK, HOMEWORK, and WORD BANK/GLOSSARY. Classwork belongs in the CLASSWORK SECTION, homework/projects belong in the HOMEWORK SECTION, and vocabulary words go into the WORD BANK/GLOSSARY SECTION.

2. Classwork is organized consecutively by date. The first thing we did in September should be page one, the second thing page two, and so on. Everything is filed in the order in which it is done. I expect you to date a new, clean page of paper or your worksheet every time you come to science class, and you must take notes.

3. All homework must be filed in the homework section and also arranged by date.

4. Vocabulary words must be written in the Word Bank/Glossary section. If this section is messy, please rewrite the words and their meanings on a clean sheet of paper and file it.. Entries should be written like this, with the new word underlined--ecosystem: a place where living and non-living things interact.

5. If pages in your binder are ripped or falling out, either rewrite the page on new paper or tape the rips around the holes so they don’t fall out of your binder.

6. Please bring in lined, loose-leaf paper and a box of pencils to class when you return to school in January.

File this sheet in your homework section and show your parents the assignment. Binder will be GRADED for neatness and organization. I expect EVERYONE to complete this assignment. If you have questions during the break, you can reach me at oogly2@yahoo.com. And remember to visit www.sciencewithmsseitz.blogspot.com.

Have a safe and happy break.

Cheers!
Ms. Seitz