Upcoming Science Test

Our next science test on earthquakes and volcanoes will be on Wednesday, March 9th. 

Students will receive a study guide later this week and will have that and their flashcards to help them study. Though we will be reviewing in class, it is essential that students study at home each night to best prepare for the test. 

Speaking of testing...

Our class will begin PARCC testing on Monday, March 7th and conclude testing on Tuesday, March 22nd. We will not be taking a test every day during the testing window, though we will take approximately 2-3 tests per week.

There are 4 math tests, each 60 minutes in length.

There are 3 reading/language arts tests, each 90 minutes in length. 

Due to the PARCC scheduling frenzy, we will not have our regular math and reading rotations every day, but will fit them in to the best of our ability when time allows. 

Please let me know if you have any questions! 

EARTHQUAKE!

Yesterday we completed a simulation lab to determine the effects of earthquakes on varying structures. Students worked in a group to create a structure that could withstand an "earthquake," using only toothpicks and marshmallows. 

Once the structures were complete, they were placed on trays of jello. The trays were shaken and students timed how long their structures stood standing in the earthquake. 

Construction Begins!

The Finished Structures

Oh, no... EARTHQUAKE!

Eating the Aftermath :)

Valentine's Day Party

Here are some pictures from our Valentine's Day party on Friday! Students enjoyed making their own owl treat bags, delivering valentines to classmates, and playing a few games!

Valentine's Day Party Info

Our classroom Valentine's Day party will be held this Friday, February 12th, from 10:15-11:00 am. It is also an 11:05 dismissal day!

A class checklist for valentines will be sent home today for students who are bringing valentines for their classmates.

Quick Reminder -- The yellow research packets for our biography projects are due on Friday! Majority of your child's research needs to be completed by this day, as I will be checking their packets and then returning them.

Fossil Fuels Experiment

Last week we completed a week-long experiment to help us better understand the process of how fossils are formed, and how we can harvest fossil fuels from existing fossils. 

We cut an apple in half and wrapped one of the halves in plastic wrap. Every day we checked our apples and recorded our observations. 

The goal was not to see which apple would decay first, but how each apple would decay and how their decomposition is similar to that of organisms that become fossils. 

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

On Day 4 we started to see mold! Ew!

DAY 4

DAY 5

By the end of the week, both apples looked quite different than they had on Monday. The unwrapped apple had really decayed and even shrunk in size. The wrapped apple remained the same size, but started to grow mold due to the moisture trapped by the plastic wrap.

We concluded that the apple wrapped in plastic best exhibited how fossils are formed because fossils are buried underneath many layers of sedimentary rock, which is how they are preserved for so long. Though our wrapped apple was moldy, it really did not decay very much because it was protected from air exposure by the plastic. If organisms from long ago were left exposed to air for so long, (like our uncovered apple) many fossils and fossil fuels wouldn't exist!