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Happy March!

 Updates        
          With only three months left of school, this past Friday wraps up our second trimester.  Ms. Stefans and I reminded students to look at Powerschool over the weekend to check for any missing work.  Grades are due by the end of the day tomorrow (Tuesday) and report cards will be sent home Friday.  

          Conferences are fast approaching!  Please check your e-mails for the sign-up list.  These conferences are student-lead, so your child needs to be in attendance.  

          On Wednesday, March 9th, the 5/6 grade band will be taking a field trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum.  Please make sure students have comfortable shoes and a peanut-free lunch.  
         
          The 5/6 camping trip to Starved Rock for Turner and Stefans will be on May 24-26 (May 17-19 for Hershiser and Spoonemore).  Please make sure to turn in your commitment forms by March 11th.  There will be an informational meeting about the trip on March 2nd.  If you have any questions about the trip, please try to make it to the meeting as it will cover trip procedures, packing lists, and experienced field trip chaperons that will be more than willing to answer your questions.  
       

Academics
We are entering the age of OCEAN in science!  We will be studying ocean biomes, currents in the ocean, and the water cycle.  Some of the essential topics covered will include: 

    • What types of organisms and ecosystems are found in the ocean?
    • How do sunlight and gravity control water movements?
    • Where does Earth’s energy originate?
    • How does energy flow through systems on earth?
    • How does the ocean shape landforms?
    • How does the ocean influence climate?
    • What are the stages of the water cycle on land and in the atmosphere?
    • What are the different types of clouds and how are they formed?
    • How do winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with landforms to determine patterns of weather?
    • Where is water (both saltwater and freshwater) located on Earth?
    • Where are water and biosphere resources located on Earth? How does this impact people?
    • How do humans impact the Earth’s systems, specifically the hydrosphere?
    • What are individuals and communities doing to protect the environment?

In ELA, we are starting our science fiction book groups.  We will be studying the characteristics of science fiction through the pages of The Giver, Dark Life, Ember, and Among the Hidden.   These are great novels dystopian novels that cover a range of topics from population control, to climate, to food production.  We have been studying these along with human rights and will be comparing them to the plots in the novels.  The students will be getting their books today.  Please remind your child to stay caught up with the reading and reading guides so there is not so much scramble at the end of the unit.