Friday, August 28, 2009

a cool website

The kids and I were going over how earthquakes affect the lives of folks living along fault lines and reviewed the content of the US Geological Survey website in that process. Many of the kids want to explore the site further, and it can be accessed at

www.usgs.gov

Have a groovy weekend, Mr. Bryant

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thursday and Back to School Night

I've got my fingers crossed for a stellar turnout tonight from 7:30 - 8:15 (in the classroom) for our groovy Back to School Night. I'll share as much as possible, and still leave time for those all important questions and whatnot. I'm not handing out materials, so if you can't make it you can still stay current with the classroom by checking in with this blog.

The kids are responsible for the following tonight:

- math 2.4, pages 15 & 16
- study for tomorrow's spelling quiz
- reading log is due tomorrow

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Wednesday & human DNA

Kourosh was kind enough to share his human DNA experiment with the class today, and several of the students were interested in duplicating the procedure at home. Here are his step-by-step instructions:
First, get one cup water and add a half teaspoon of salt. Stir well. Put the salt water in your mouth and swish it around. Spit the water out into a clean cup. In another cup, mix dish soap and water. Add it to the salt water you spat out. Stir, but don't try to make bubbles. Take cold 70% rubbing alcohol and put it around the edge of the cup. Wait 1 - 2 minutes. The small white pieces that are visible are human DNA. You can take those pieces and put them in small containers of pure alcohol to make them last!

The students are responsible for the following tonight:

-reading log
-math practice book pages 13 - 14, lesson 2.3
-reading practice book pages 26 - 27

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tuesday, 8/25

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. The students are responsible for the following tonight:

- reading log
- math 2.2 (pages 11-12) Many students completed in class.
- reading practice book pages 23 & 32
- nature log entry. Student is to observe something not made by man (i.e. animal, bug, plant, cloud formation, etc.) and respond to the following using complete sentences.
1.) What are you observing ?, 2.) Where did you observe it?, 3.) When did you observe it?, 4.) What is it doing AND why do you think it is doing what you observe? When the written component of the entry is completed, students are asked to sketch / illustrate their subject matter. Nature logs will be assigned each Tuesday (restructured day) and are due back in class on Wednesday. Each student was a given a composition book to maintain as a nature log during the course of the school year.

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Monday, August 24, 2009

Monday, Monday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. We've got a busy week in front of us, and here are a few things to keep in mind:

1.) Blue student folders need to be returned to school each week, no later than Friday,
2.) Students interested in running for classroom representative need to have their signed permission slip back to school by Tuesday, August 25th,
3.) Back to School Night is this Thursday, with our classroom dog and pony show running from 7:30 - 8:10,
4.) Tomorrow is a restructured day, and student dismissal is @ 12:05.

Students are responsible for the following tonight:

- blue folders
- reading log (due Friday)
- math lesson 2.1 (pages 9 & 10)
- reading practice book pages 30 & 31 (this week's spelling words)

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant