GCIS Weekly News 4/21/17
Weekly Celebrations, Successes, and Up Coming Events!
Awesome Students of the Week!
We're not here to be average; We're here to be AWESOME!
MakerDay
Office News
Our next PBIS incentive that the kiddos will be working towards is the Webb House in Jefferson! The fourth graders will be attending on Thursday, April 27th and the fifth and sixth graders will be attending on Friday, April 28th! We will provide the students with pizza for lunch and they will be dismissed from the middle school. They can bring extra money for concession if they desire.
Color-A-Thon is just around the corner! We are so excited to host our color-a-thon again this year on Friday, May 19th! Click here to sign-up and learn more about it! Packets are now due to the GCIS office! Please make sure that your student turns in their packet ASAP! You can still get donations online!
If you have questions in regard to this event, please call our office @ 515-738-5721.
F & P testing is coming up! We will be testing our students on the following dates:
-4th grade - May 15th
-5th grade - May 16th
-6th grade - May 18th
Spring weather is upon us! This time of the year can be tricky as to what is appropriate for clothing. Please remind your students that they may want to continue to bring a sweatshirt for the morning as it is usually chilly first thing. Our expectation is that students stand outside until 8:15 when the morning bell rings. (Unless they are eating breakfast).
COLOR RUN
Click here to sign-up and learn more about it!
If you have questions in regard to this event, please call our office @ 515-738-5721.
PLEASE NOTE:
In the packets the company that is putting on the Color Run made a mistake of when our actual run is. Below is the correct date of our run! Make plans to join us!!!
GCIS COLOR RUN is Scheduled for FRIDAY MAY 19th!
Add it to the Calendar!
Spring PBIS Incentive: Webb House
- 4/27 Thursday 4th grade
- 4/28 Friday 5th
- 4/28 6th grade to Perfect Games
School Safety Drills
We will also practice one more fire and one more tornado drill before the year is done.
4th Grade Happenings!
Science- This week we continued to work on electrical energy and electrical safety. We will start beginning to see how speed and force relate to energy.
Reading/Social Studies- This week we are continuing to work on our studies of the different regions in the United States. We have now discussed the characteristics, differences and similarities in climate, geography and economy. We are making connections and learning that not only are our regions interdependent, but countries are interdependent as well!
Math- This week in math we introduced measuring liquids with liters and milliliters. Students learned how to convert liters and milliliters too. We are still working on multiplying double digits as well.
Congratulations to Gavyn on his graduation from his multiplication facts! He recently passed all 12 levels and will be moving onto division!
Makerspace- This week we got to enjoy a makerspace day! Students were encouraged to collaborate and think creatively. It was so much fun to watch them work together, create and learn! We had several sessions for students to choose; flex truck (virtual reality), project runway (making accessories from duct tape and fabric), castle creations (making castles out of recyclable materials), puff mobile (creating chassis and turning them into race cars), green screen (using a green screen to put yourself in any setting), lincoln log launch (creating catapults to launch lincoln logs at other student’s forts), and t-shirt design (creating a t-shirt design for the end of the year shirts).
Mr. Palmer’s Corner - 4th grade will begin instrument testing after May 9th. I am still waiting on a date for instrument night where students and parents can come and meet me and the Rieman Music representative to discuss joining band and instrument choice. I look forward to meeting with you soon.
5th Grade Happenings!
Lit./SS: In reading, we started our unit on point of view. Students will be able to describe how a narrator’s point of view influences how events are described in a text. In social studies, we will be continuing to learn about how early European explorers have impacted our U.S. history.
Math: We are working on fractions, multiplying a whole number times a fraction and a fraction times a fraction.
Science: This week we read Just a Dream and Agatha’s Feather Bed. We’ve been talking about picking up trash around our school one day soon when the rain stops. A note should have come home about a free tree coming to your child from the DNR that will need planted as soon as it arrives home. Happy Earth Week!!!
6th Grade Happenings!
In the past students were given a recess or lunch update when they were not being safe, respectful, and responsible. We have decided to expand this to include classrooms. As a reminder if a student receives three updates, they will not be able to participate in the PBIS trip at the end of April. We are planning on going to either the Webb House or Perfect Games.
In math, we are rocking the car buying, real life project.
In science, we are researching body systems.
In reading, we are continuing to work on our economic uint. We are starting to focus on technology, how it has changed, and how it is affecting humans. We will be introducing a new robot project today and will be working on it next week. Check out our pictures below from our bank visitors.
Music
UPCOMING EVENT:
5th and 6th Grade Concert
5&6 Bands: Arrive at 6:30 p.m.
5&6 General Music students: Arrive at 6:45
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Greene County Middle School Gymnasium
Concert @ 7:00 p.m.
Special Education News
We are continuing to work at transitioning students to the Middle School next year.
Band News
Both 5th and 6th are feverishly preparing for our concert on May 9th. The concert is at the middle school, at 7pm, on May 9th. Students need to arrive at 6:30 to warm up and tune. We look forward to seeing you there.
I will also be handing out a summer lesson sign up after the concert so we can get that squared away.
Art
Mrs. Stueckradt and I combined our 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes to do a maker space of our own! We learned about circuits and experimented with an energy stick to see which materials are good conductors of electricity. There were some surprising things, such as a banana, a penny, and a basketball that were good conductors of energy! The kids were fascinated and learned a lot! We even tied it into art by making drawings using graphite, which did conduct energy, and connecting them to make the energy stick light up! That is how the greeting cards that play music or light up work. They are connected to a small battery and complete a closed circuit. Amazing!
T.A.G.
4th grade TAG students experimented with hydraulic systems! They made their own hydraulic claw out of water and syringes. They presented their creation to some of the 4th grade classrooms.
5th grade and 6th Grade TAG students will be participating in the Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl in the next few weeks. We are going to do some practice quiz bowls to prepare and then the competition runs April 17 through April 28th. It is an online competition against other teams from across America!!! (The quiz bowl that we did in the fall was just competing against other teams from Iowa.)
Counseling News
Life Skills students joined Art specials in a “maker” activity creating electrical circuits, learning how energy travels, and discussing electrical safety (including extension cords, outlets and lightening-thunderstorm storm safety). Students experimented with different items such as wood, fruit, copper, water and graphite to see which ones were good conductors of electricity. In the picture students are using an energy stick to test flow of energy through their bodies and the graphite drawing on the paper. Cool!
Celebrate Earth Day on April 22
The following is an excerpt from an article I am sharing from Bright Horizons. Visit the webpage to read the full article at http://www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/e-family-news/2012-earth-day-activities-for-families
"We only have one earth, so we have to take care of her."-Senator Gaylord Nelson
Earth Day is a day set aside to inspire appreciation for and awareness of the earth's environment. It is celebrated by people in different countries - all over the world, all sharing an appreciation of the planet and a dedication to protecting its natural resources.
Today's children are generally spending less and less time outdoors, which means they have less time to experience and appreciate nature firsthand. When they only see nature through a video screen, they do not form the same connection as digging in the dirt, rolling on the grass or using sticks to search for insects. Earth Day is an ideal opportunity to connect children with the outdoors and the vibrant world around them.
Some things to do as a family to promote Earth Day:
· review your family practices to see if they are earth friendly
· attend community events like a farmer's market
· read books about the environment
· spend time in the natural world together—go for a nature walk or plant a garden
· reduce use of plastics and styrofoam
· recycle whenever possible
· plan family activities that will give children the message, "It's my world, I can and will take care of it."
Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS)
http://dhs.iowa.gov/child-abuse. It's everyone's responsibility to report child abuse!
If you suspect a child under the age of 18 is being abused or neglected please call:
The Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-362-2178 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Please be ready to provide identifying information and the whereabouts of the child. You may remain anonymous.
If you believe the child is in imminent danger, CALL 911 immediately.
Nurse News!
As your children spend more time outdoors with the warm weather it is important to remember sunscreen. According to the CDC sunburns at this age can increase your child’s chance of skin cancer later in life. Sunscreen should be applied anytime you are outside, including cloudy days. Any change in the color of your skin, including pink or brown, indicates your skin has been damaged by the sun. Other ways to protect your child from the sun’s UV rays are seeking shade, wearing sunglasses, wearing a hat, and covering up with clothing. More information is available on the CDC website at How I Can Protect My Children From the Sun.