November 2016

Dear Parents, 

     Sadly, our fall units are drawing to a close! We have had so much fun with all of our grade levels. 1st graders have done a wonderful job learning to become "Target thinkers" with Leonardo Da Vinci! They had the opportunity to complete STEAM activities and develop critical thinking skills based on the work of one of the world's most famous innovators. We are so proud of them! Second and third graders have had a blast with our STEAM Sleuths Unit. After learning about the Crime Scene Investigation process, we learned how to collect fingerprints, analyze DNA and use deductive reasoning to narrow down our list of suspects. We’re SO CLOSE to figuring out whodunit! Our 4th grade survivors have honed their survival and critical thinking skills with "Survival: Wit Meet Wilderness". The students really enjoyed our Rescue Rover STEAM activity in which we designed a device to rescue a (stuffed) dog from a sewer drain (trash can). We’re looking forward to our ‘Day in the Woods’ at Red Top Mountain on November 9^th. Fifth graders have been learning about the Engineering design process and famous inventions. They will soon begin developing their own inventions! INVENTURE here we come!

   

     We're looking forward to having some new Target friends in January. Our testing window will begin the week before Thanksgiving break. 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th grade parents of students who would like additional information about the testing process can come to our parent testing meeting in the Media Center at 8:30 am on Tuesday December 6^th.

                          Thanks for your support, 

                                        Mrs. Parsons & Mrs. Sanders

Tuesday, October 4^th, 2016

 

October

 

Dear Parents,

 

   We’ve had lots of laughter and learning in our classrooms this month!

 

    1^st graders are developing their divergent thing skills in Leonardo DaVinci: The Ultimate Renaissance Man. We have been completing weekly STEAM activities that Leonardo would certainly be impressed with! Our flying machines (parachutes and paper airplanes) were a big success! Next week, we’ll be constructing bridges from pasta.

 

     2^nd graders have been working hard to develop convergent thinking skills. They are becoming very adept at brainteasers! They’ve also been developing algebraic thinking skills through the primary algebra program. We have some very talented future mathematicians!

 

     2^nd and 3^rd graders have been working hard to find the missing Coco and Mr. Bones! They’ve been studying fingerprints and DNA evidence in preparation for the crime scene. We’re looking forward to a guest speaker from the Cobb CSI unit next week.

 

   4^th graders have what it takes to survive! We’re enjoying our new unit Survival: Wit meets Wilderness. We’ve been reading ‘A Week in the Woods’ and learning what it takes to survive the wildness – both physically and mentally.  We have been working through various STEAM activities (creating compasses and simple shelters) to develop critical thinking skills.  We’re looking forward to our field trip on November 9^th. Please return the field trip forms as soon as possible.

 

    5^th graders have been practicing their engineering skills and learning about the engineer design process (EDP). They have done an excellent job of collaborating and using evaluative thinking to create products. We’re looking forward to diving into the Inventure program with Georgia Tech very soon!

 

    All grade levels will be participating in the famous Target Buck Bash during conference week! Please send in old toys (or new dollar store toys) for our auction items.

   

    We are also in need of paper towel and toilet paper rolls. We’re offering a buck for each one donated!

 

    As a reminder, students will be receiving progress reports for the 1^st nine weeks on an as-needed basis.

 

           Thanks for your support,

 

                              Mrs. Parsons and Mrs. Sanders