THE MONTHLY VIKING 4th EDITION
INSPIRE, EMPOWER, THRIVE
VISION
Inspiring and empowering all students to thrive every day.
MISSION
We will Inspire our students to explore, dream big, and develop social and civic responsibility through a balanced learning program. They will Thrive as we foster perseverance and resiliency in a safe, culturally responsive, and inclusive community. We will Empower our students by teaching them critical thinking skills through a rigorous academic experience in a digitally-rich environment
What is STEM? How can we do it at home?
STEM Definition
“STEM” is the acronym of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is an approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school, community, work, and the global enterprise enabling the development of STEM literacy and with it the ability to compete in the new economy.
STEM Activities at Home
1. Pipe cleaner counting
For the student or child just learning to count, understanding that numbers increase in size can be confusing. With just pipe cleaners and beads, you can help your child learn to count while also getting a visual of how numbers increase in size. Simply take small pieces of paper and label each pipe cleaner with a number. Then, have your child order the pipe cleaners from smallest to greatest and start stringing on the correct number of beads while counting aloud.
2: Classic Egg Drop
If you can stand to give your kids a carton of raw eggs, this type of STEM challenge will be a blast. Have each kid design a mechanism that will protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped. Look around the house for items that could work. Challenge your kids to only use what they can find and not buy.
3: 100 Cup Tower Challenge
Grab a bag of 100 cups at the grocery store and challenge the kids to build a tower with all 100! That will keep them busy.
4: Build Structures
All you need is a box of toothpicks and a bag of mini marshmallows, gumdrops, or styrofoam peanuts. Turn it into a challenge to build a certain style of a bridge, a famous monument, or simply an abstract creation. Or you can challenge the kids to build a tower 12″ tall (or any other height).
5. Jellybean building
All you’ll need is a pile of jellybeans and toothpicks for you student or child to start learning about structures. By connecting toothpicks with jellybeans, encourage your child to see which shapes hold together well, which shapes stack well and which shapes are most interesting to look at. This activity can help them start to understand the thought, design and technology behind structural engineering.
6. Construct an Inclined Planes Marble Run!
List of Materials: paper towels, toilet and wrapping paper tubes, marbles, pool noodles and Duplo® blocks Use inclined planes to create a marble run! Some options include cutting cardboard paper towel, toilet paper and wrapping paper rolls in half; challenging your family to tape the tubes to the wall, back of a bookshelf, or a freestanding poster or foam board to create a series of slides, positioned at angles to allow a marble to travel down the ramps to the bottom without falling off. Or, cut pool noodles in half lengthwise, and have the children build ramps with Duplo blocks and pool noodles
7. Communicate in Space by Cracking the Code!
Create a simple code for the English alphabet, inviting children to pretend the code was discovered by scientists exploring another planet!
The code can consist of different combinations of shapes and colors to represent each letter, for example:
A= one red triangle
B= a tall blue rectangle
C= one yellow circle, and so on.
Post the Code Key on a large poster, and invite your child to decipher a message by matching the letters to the symbols. Use the alien code to write their names or spell secret messages for friends.
8. Take a Walk on the Moon with DIY Moon Sand!
List of Materials: Flour, vegetable oil, large bowls and trays
Show your child a picture of a footprint on the moon’s surface, and invite them to make their own moon sand! Have your child help measure and count eight cups of flour and one cup of vegetable oil together in a large bowl. Practice taking turns, counting, and mixing. Turn the moon dust out into trays or a sensory bin for your child to play. Add toy astronauts and rockets for fun!
January's Events
1/14: School Site Council
1/16: ELAC Meeting
1/25: Spelling Bee
1/26: Haycox Saturday School
1/31: Parent ED Meeting
OUR VIKING GLOWS AND GROWS
1. Saying please and thank you
2. Freeze and lineup
Grow
1. Making sure we follow our CHAMPS rules when eating lunch in the cafeteria.
2. Keeping hands to your self and using your words
CHAMPS Behavior Management at Art Haycox Elementary School
C- Conversation: Can students talk to each other during this activity/transition?
H- Help: How can students get questions answered during this activity/transition? How do they get your attention?
A- Activity: What is the task/objective of this activity/transition? What is the expected end product?
M- Movement: Can students move about during this activity/transition? Are they allowed to get up to sharpen a pencil?
P – Participation: What does appropriate student behavior for this activity/transition look/sound like? How do students show that they are fully participating?
S – Success: Students will be successful when clear expectations are provided for each of these categories.
Prior to students engaging in a classroom activity, these categories are reviewed to ensure student success.
OFFICE REMINDERS
2. Whoever is picking up the student must be on their emergency card, and can provide an ID.
TECHNOLOGY LINKS FOR STUDENTS
Art Haycox Contact Information
Email: dfriedman@hueneme.org
Website: haycox.hueneme.org
Location: 5400 Perkins Road, Oxnard, CA, USA
Phone: (805) 488-3578
Twitter: @haycoxvikings