Science Experiment

We have been reviewing the PRACTICE OF SCIENCE.  Our students enjoyed an experiment to determine which of several kinds of paper soaked up water more quickly.  They tested paper towels from school, paper towels from Mrs. Doiron's home, writing paper, toilet tissue, kleenex, aluminum foil, and waxed paper.  Can you guess which types of paper soaked up the water more quickly?  As a part of this experiment, the children observed, talked about what they saw, then wrote and drew in their Science Journals to record what they had observed.

LITERACY WEEK ACTIVITIES

On Monday, January 28th, every student at 
Merrill Road Elementary School sat in the hallway 
at the same time for Independent Reading time.  
We made a giant BOOK WORM!

Our teachers and interns read with the children, too.

Our Word Wall

Encourage your youngster to practice reading these words at home.  Our students are expected to be able to read all the words on the Word Wall.  Every student's name is on the Word Wall, even if they have moved away.  New words are added several times a month.

Guided Reading

Our students come to Guided Reading (small group instruction) two or three times a week, based upon their reading level.  The children have learned nine different Reading Strategies to help them as they come upon new words.

Our students enjoy using "Whisper Phones" in Guided Reading.  They whisper into the phone and the sound is magnified into their ear.  By using these, students don't hear each other as they practice reading.

Students are encouraged to point to the words as they read.

Pasta!

Our STAR Book for January 14-18, 2013 was Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola.  In this story, Strega Nona has a magic pasta pot, which she tells Big Anthony to NOT TOUCH!  Of course, Big Anthony gets the magic pasta pot to cook pasta, but doesn't know how to make it stop.  When the pasta is about to take over the village, there is lots of excitement.  Ask your youngster what happens.  After hearing this story at least four times, our students enjoyed eating pasta (chicken flavored ramen noodles) in our classroom.  Did you know that Tomie dePaola has written eight books about Strega Nona and Big Anthony?  Perhaps you can find some of them at the library or book store.

P.S. The thing that looks like a coin on the front of Strega Nona shows that it was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1975.  This award is for excellence in the illustration of children's books.

Changing the shape of objects

In Science, we have been learning about matter.  Students discovered that they could change the shape of some objects, such as paper, pipe cleaners, paper bags, aluminum foil, and Play Doh.  Students discovered that they could not change the shape of their chairs, tables, or other furniture in our classroom.  They sure had fun with the Play Doh!

After working with these objects, students drew and wrote about their experiments.

College Intern

Welcome to Ms. Kristan Marshall, a full-time intern from the University of North Florida.  She is a Jacksonville native, who graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School.  Ms. Marshall  will be with us all day, everyday, from January 10-April 19, 2012.  She will be doing quite a bit of teaching, so the children will feel like they have two teachers!  We hope you will be able to come in and meet Ms. Marshall.

January Flag Raising

On the first Friday of each month, weather permitting, our entire school gathers outside around the flag pole for a Flag Raising.  Despite chilly and damp weather, we enjoyed ourselves.  Thanks to Mrs. Doiron, the children had a dry blanket on which to sit.

Free Pizza!

Congratulations to these students, who each earned a free Personal Pan Pizza from Pizza Hut for reading ten books during the month of December.  Remember to help your youngster fill out his/her Pizza Hut Book-It book list and turn it into Mrs. Doiron at the end of January, so your child can earn a (another) free pizza.  (Another student also earned a free pizza, but he isn't in this photo.)

Is it Fall?

When our students came back to school on January 2, 2013, 
our students thought it was Fall.  The school playground was full of leaves!  They sure had fun playing in them.  
Don't you just love recess?