March 13: Grade 6 National History Day

March 16: Trimester 2 ends

March 18: PTA Meeting at 7PM

March 20: Professional Development Day for Staff: No Students

March 27: Report Cards Go Home and Grade 4 National History Day

This month the spotlight is on our Science classes. Look at the great things our students are doing!

For over a month, the third grade students worked vigorously on their science fair inventions! The students were asked to solve a problem by creating a prototype. The third graders completed all steps of the engineering design process, including making a blueprint! All prototypes were created in school and were tested and improved along the way.

On January 31st, the science fair was held in the gym for the third graders. A panel of judges walked to each project and interviewed the engineers. The top projects were selected from each class. The science fair was a rewarding journey for all and we are thankful for all who came to see the wonderful projects!

Are you ready to become an archeologist? The fourth grade students had fun exploring and analyzing a hands-on activity uncovering rock layers and fossils. Students used bread to emulate rock and sediment layers. When the activity was over, students were able to see exactly how mold fossils are created within the Earth!

After the activity, students completed a Mystery Science lesson. We explored how solid rock breaks apart into smaller pieces through a process called weathering. Students used sugar cubes as a model for rocks. The experiment showed the process of weathering, and why rocks at the top of mountains are jagged, while those at the bottom are rounded.

The students are so excited to see what’s next in the future of fourth grade Science!

Fifth Grade Science students have just completed their Science Fair projects. Students followed the Engineering Design Process to create products of their choosing. They were excited to showcase their inventions at the fair. This year, there were eleven winners who will be going on to compete in the Hudson County Science Fair on March 9, 2020, at the Liberty Science Center. We wish them luck. Students have also been learning about the Water Cycle and how very important it is to conserve our freshwater supplies. Students created various types of graphs to display the different types of water here on Earth, such as Saltwater, Frozen Water, and Freshwater. Many were surprised to learn that Earth does not make new water and what little amounts of freshwater we do have here on Earth needs to be protected and conserved.

In Science class, our sixth grade conservationists studied ecosystems around the world and engaged in research about threatened and endangered species of their choice. They learned about different food webs, investigated causes of endangerment, questioned human impact on nature, and shared efforts being taken to conserve nature. Students created educational and persuasive slide presentations as public service announcements. The young conservationists are now planning a sixth grade fundraiser to help the animals devastated by the raging fires in Australia.