Bears and Bunny Babies Before Spring break, students had a chance to put their math and social skills to work.  Students had to use their class money to choose between purchasing their home (desk) or renting.  Students filled out 1040EZ Federal Tax forms for class money they have earned.  Students also were given bear and bunny babies.  Students received items to go with their babies each day they did all their homework.

Digestion Lab at CSUC Our class traveled to CSUC for our third and final lab.  This lab was all about the digestion process.  The lab had activities to teach about amylase, intestines, teeth, starch, and models of the system.  The lab allowed students to use microscopes to see parts up close, as well as crayfish and a dissected baby pig to put their knowledge into use.  Students were able to demonstrate all they knew about digestion.

Geometry Ms. Catledge led the class through several hands-on activities to help them understand geometry.  Students used unifex cubes to make solid shapes and calculate the cube volume.  Students used boxes to find volume.  Students made three dimensional shapes from two dimenshional models.

Marshmallow Geometry Ms. Catledge taught a math lesson on edges, faces, and vertices of three-dimensional objects.  She used marshmallows and toothpicks to have the class build different pyramids and prisms.  It was so much fun, the class clapped when they got to eat their marshamllows!

Blood Soup Ms. Catledge led the class through a demonstration while our class studied the circulatory system.  The class created a blood soup so students would understand the components in their blood.  Here were the ingredients: Corn syrup= plasma Red hots= red blood cells Marshmallows= white blood cells rice= platelets

Physical Fitness Benchmarks During our PE class, students practice for the spring physical fitness test.  They have benchmark practice to chart their progress and growth.  Students run the mile, do sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and the sit and reach.

Green Day Our school had a spirit day called Green Day on St. Patrick's Day.  Our class had earned a celebration for having 1000 more math objectives.  The class chose to bring green foods for a party and to watch a movie.

Reward Field Trip Recently we went to CSUC to watch the Keeping Dance Alive performance.  After the performance, we went to Bidwell Park to have fun and play.  This trip was a reward for students with less than 30 demerits.

Read Across America Day March 2nd is the day we celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday and children all over America read.  Our class earned behavior points to celebrate Read  Across America Day.  We had green eggs and ham, spent the day in our pajamas, brought pillows and blankets, and spent the entire day just READING!

Colonial Games During the second trimester we learned a lot about the 13 colonies.  As a part of the unit, Miss Catledge  taught us how to play three colonial games.  Most of the games were similar to games we play now.

Valentine's Day Mrs. Wilkerson came to our class and taught us how to make a paper folding elephant for our special valentines.  We also decorated a valentine holder for all the valentines from our classmates.

Grandparents Day 2008      Grandparents came to school on November 25th to help us make pillows.  Our class had 25 visiting grandparents and parents.  Students and grandparents really worked together to get all the pillows done.  Grandparents joined us for lunch in the cafeteria before they bid our class goodbye.  After lunch students relaxed with their pillows while they enjoyed a reward popcorn movie party they earned for 100 positive behavior points.

Turkeys in Disguise Students created turkey disguises for an art project.  Turkeys were made to play volleyball, be a stage singer, or even a shopper.  At least these turkeys were saved from the Thanksgiving table!

Molecule Gumdrops To help review all we have learned with Matter, we had a fun lab with gumdrops.  Students had to use the gumdrops to create molecules like water (H2O).  Then students had to use their knowledge to draw a sugar molecule.  Students were anxious to eat their scientific creations, but Mr. Mc Vicker made them answer review questions in order to eat a gumdrop.  What a fun way to review for a test!

Soccer Tournament At lunch time, students form teams to participate in a soccer tournament.  Three games take place each lunch period.  Students volunteer to be referees.  Spectators cheer for their favorite team.  Students really have a positive way to spend their lunch time.  The America team took first place and received bright gold medals.  The Chicas won the consolation bracket and received bright silver medals.  The second place team in each bracket won a certificate.  Kudos to Ms. Melton for all her hard work. (Photos by Tyler)

Second Trip To CSU-Chico for a Matter Science Lab

     Our class just visited Chico State Science Matter Lab.  Before the lab we climbed the stairs to the top of Chico's tallest building and rode the elevator down.  We then walked to the City Plaza to try to hear the Cal Berkley Band performance.  When we got to the park, local school bands were playing.  We had to return to the campus before we were able to hear Cal Berkley play.  We spent some play time in the Children's Park.

     While in the lab we learned that sodas without sugar will float, while those with sugar sink.  This is because they are more dense.  We made Gak and discussed the solid and liquid properties.  We did experiments with dry ice.  We learned that air takes up space.  We then saw how food coloring moves in water currents.  We also learned about what makes up different ink colors.  We worked with a periodic table of elements and worked with some common compounds.  The science lab is always a great experience.

Red Ribbon Week 2008

  The last week of October was Red Ribbon Week.  During this week the students have spirit days to help them remember to stay drug free.  This year the following were our Red Ribbon Week Spirit Days:
Monday (October 27th) Sock it to drugs and slip into good character! Wear socks and slippers day.
Tuesday (October 28th) Do sports, not drugs! Wear your favorite team jersey.
Wednesday (October 29th) Turn back the clock on drugs! Dress in clothes from the 50’s and 60’s.
Thursday (October 30th) Drugs harm your insides, so keep them on the outside! Wear your clothes inside    out.
Friday (October 31st) No drugs in my future! Dress as your future career or job.

Student Council decorated the fence with say no to drugs messages.  The second and third graders decorated shopping bags for the local grocery stores with messages about Red Ribbon Week.  The fifth graders made posters that were hung in local businesses.  GUARDIAN gave each student a dog tag necklace with the a drug free message, and the Farm Bureau gave each child a bracelet.  The week ended with an assembly.  The high school band came to play music for us and talk to us about staying drug free.  They pointed out all the great things you can do if you are drug free, like be in the band and play sports.  We also had Miss Butte County and Missette Butte County as guest speakers.  Below are some pictures of our class participating in the week's events.

Field trip to CSU Chico Hands on Science Lab

Our class traveled to CSU Chico to experience a water lab.  Students learned about water on the Earth surface, surface tension, cohesion, molecular bonding of water, states of water, capillary action, and other science concepts.  Students wear goggles, lab coats, and get a science notebook to record findings and learning.  All students were engaged and talked about the trip all the way back to campus.  We would like to thank our math-a-thon sponsors who paid for the bus.  To find out more about the hands on lab, click the link below.
CSU Chico Hands on Lab

Water! Science Lab

We have just begun a science unit on water.  Students will be traveling to Chico State this week to the science lab.  The Chico State Science lab will allow the students to do experiments with equipment we do not possess.  Mr. Mc Vicker helped students set up a lab to see what would happen to water, salt water, and salt.  A set of cups were placed in sunlight, while another set was left in the dark.

Geography Students used maps and music to learn about United States Geography.  The final test was to locate and spell correctly all 50 states on a blank map.  Twenty-four students scored an "A", and were proud.  In fact, one student got a perfect score and 8 others only misspelled one word.  What a smart class!

Oobleck Adventures Students redesigned their oobleck space ships to reflect their new knowledge of flight.  Next, students wrote adventures about their ships actually going to a planet made of oobleck.

Reading Individual reading time everyday helps students improve.  Once a book is read, students take comprehension tests on the computer.

All About Me Posters Students work to complete their All About Me Posters.

Paper Airplane Contest 8/29/08 Students used the English Language Arts standard of reading charts and illustrations to follow directions to make paper airplanes.  Students also learned about the basic principles of flight, lift, thrust, drag, and gravity.  To tie all the activities together, students had an airplane competition to put the air planes they made into practice.  Students modified planes to get maximum lift, used the wind to help with their thrust, and let go of the plane at certain angles to get the exact type of flight they needed for their plane.  Students had to find a plane that could go distance, hang in the air or hit a target.

August 26, 2008 Today students used the scientific method to find out what makes oobleck.

First Day of School 2008-2009

Self Portraits Students drew pictures showing what they liked to do when they are not at school.

Oobleck Exploration Students explored oobleck and brainstormed its characteristics.  Each group had a timer to be sure everyone had a fair turn.  Students discovered that oobleck has properties of both liquids and solids.