GCIS Weekly News 3/3/17
Weekly Celebrations, Successes, and Up Coming Events!
Awesome Students of the Week!
GCIS Office News
Conference Week is Tuesday March 21st and Thursday March 23rd from 4:30-7:00pm
Please click HERE for myconf sign up! Looking forward to seeing all our GCIS families for conferences!
Add it to the Calendar!
Session #4 Clubs: 3/8
No School Spring Break: 13th-17th
GCIS Conferences
- Tuesday March 21st 4:00-7:00 pm
- Thursday March 23rd 4:00-7:00 pm
~APRIL~
FLEX Truck 13 & 14
GCIS Clean Up Day
GCIS Clean Up Day is April Wednesday April 19th
Spring Break
Have a wonderful Spring Break!
GCIS Spring Break is March 13th-17th
Classes resume Monday March 20th
We're not here to be average; We're here to be AWESOME!
4th Grade Happenings!
Science - This week we started a new unit in Earth Science. Students are learning about plate tectonics, the physical features in our world, and what caused these landforms to look the way they do. At the end of the unit, students will be working on ideas and solutions to reduce the negative impacts of natural erosion and disasters that shape our world.
Literacy/S.S- We have been working on identifying whether a text is a primary or secondary source. We have been able to incorporate this skill into our social studies lessons covering the Civil Rights movement. For example, Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech is a primary source from this time period. This week we also did a gallery walk. Students viewed several pictures taken during the Civil Rights movement and wrote down their thoughts as a caption for the pictures. A lot of the students are in agreement that it is hard to imagine people treating one another so poorly, and it really was not that long ago. Some of us were also able to make connections to the protesters we have seen on the news recently.
Lastly, we finished our Ruby Bridges biography and autobiography read alouds and started watching the Ruby Bridges movie. We are comparing and contrasting similarities and differences between the books and movie. We also discussed that the movie would be a secondary source! Next week we are looking forward to learning more about the Civil Rights movement as we work towards beginning our Civil Rights projects. We are also going to start discussions about cause and effect.
Math- We are continuing to build on our fraction skills. Not only are students extending their understanding of fraction equivalence by solving number stories involving equally shared quantities, but this week we started using an area model to recognize and generate equivalent fractions. We enjoyed using our fraction circles and pieces to make these connections!
5th Grade Happenings!
Lit/SS - In Lit we are working on comparing and contrasting texts in the same genre. In SS the students are working hard on their native American informational reports. We are practicing our typing skills with this report. Soon, we will be peer editing these, as we wrap this unit up! Please encourage your child to continue filling out their home reading trackers for 20 minutes of reading a night. Thank you:)
Math: We have been working with ordered pairs. Also finding points on a grid and labeling them.
Science: We are working on nonliving connections in ecosystems.
6th Grade Happenings!
In lit/social studies, we are continuing to talk about conflicts in the world. We are connecting current conflicts with our read aloud book, The Lions of Little Rock. Next week will start talking about authors claim and evidence.
In math, students are presenting their skittles projects to their class. Within the skittles project the kids are working on ratios and changing fractions to decimals and percents. They are also graphing their results along with writing about how they solved the math problems in this project.
In science, students are designing an egg incubator to keep a snake egg at the right temperature. Students have to experiment with different amounts and mixtures of chemicals to achieve the right temperature. They also have to design the incubator so the egg doesn’t get tossed around.
Music
4th General Music:
Reminder: 4th Grade Spring Program
WHEN: Tuesday, April 4th
WHERE: Greene County Intermediate Gymnasium
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
5th General Music:
We have been discussing Music Texture. The students were placed in cooperative groups. Each group chose a poem from a series of poetry books. They used a variety of percussion instruments to enhance the text as it was read. Learning about texture of music leads them into working 2-part vocal music. they learn about the differences of pitches and their roles in music.
Special Education News
4th grade reading students are focusing on reading vowel patterns and finding evidence in the text. In writing, they wrote about their favorite invention. In math, fractions are the main topic and review for an unit 2 test.
5th reading are learning about genres.
5th grade math continue their journey in decimals and place value behind the decimal.
6th grade reading are working on figurative language and writing short stories.
6th math are working on ratios, decimals and percents.
PE Info
Band News
Art
4th grade students are studying the art of Wayne Theibaud. He is an artist that does paintings of sweets… cakes, pies, donuts, cupcakes, etc. In looking at his work, it made us hungry! So now the students are creating a background wall and a tablecloth with patterns, and then they are learning how to draw a donut in perspective and attaching it to their background, complete with a napkin!
5th grade art students are making 3D drawings by using three different sizes of paper and putting them together like a diorama. They are learning about background, middleground and foreground.
6th grade students finished their animal eyes. They are starting on drawing a street corner in two point perspective.
T.A.G.
Battle of the Books has snuck up on us! The 5th grade Battle was Thursday and it was AWESOME! I was so proud of our groups… not only for their behavior and how well they represented our school. They showed respect and good sportsmanship throughout the competition, but also for how well they did for the total number of books they read! One team was only 10 points away from going on to the third round and the other team missed it by 30 points! They did such a good job and now know what to do to be more prepared for next year’s 6th Grade BATTLE!!!
Lights, Camera, Action!
Counseling News
Thank you to Jordan Allen from the Iowa Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Chapter for coming to GCIS on February 28 to kick-off our 2017 Pennies for Patients fundraiser!
The kids are excited and next week we will have some fun happenings to go with our fundraiser. Please donate any amount for fighting blood cancers--pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollar bills, etc…
Our building goal is $1000. If we raise at least $500, then the classroom who earned the highest amount will receive a pizza party along with some other prizes.
Thank you for the all the donations you can provide!
Nurse News!
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. Promote good oral health by encouraging your child to brush for 2 minutes 2 times a day, floss, choose healthy snacks, and choose water over drinks that contain sugar. Remember to have your child see the dentist every six months.