By Colleen Vaughan on 11/23/2007

Vaughan's Voice - November 26, 2007

Reminder: Our field trip to Celestial Seasonings is Thursday, November 29th. Please remember to pack a sack lunch for your child.

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Speaking of giving - Elmshaven Nursing Home located at 120th and Colorado Boulevard has asked our class to decorate a Christmas tree for them. We are going to make some old fashioned ornaments in class this week. We will be stringing popcorn and cranberries, and making paper chains, snowflakes, pinecones, etc.  They asked that we come in on Saturday, December 1st at 9:30 a.m. to decorate the tree with the things we made. I would really appreciate it if you could meet me there with your child to help with the tree. The residents really enjoy seeing the kids! Please email me and let me know if you can make it. My email is colleen.vaughan@adams12.org.< ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 11/16/2007

Vaughan's Voice - November 19, 2007

Reminder: Our field trip to Celestial Seasonings will be on Thursday, November 29th. Please remember to pack your child a sack lunch.

Economics homework: We started our unit on Economics this week. The kids had some wonderful ideas for products to make and sell. We surveyed our classmates to decide which of the products we should sell. The next step is to survey our classmates about what our product should look like - color, size, type, etc. This is their homework for the weekend, it is due on Monday. Please make sure your child stays up on this, it is really hard to get caught up. Please do NOT start making the products yet. There is much to do and decide on before they start.

Please remember that there is no school next Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Have a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving!

A special thanks to those who donated to our classroom basket for the Gala. A HUGE THANK YOU to Samantha ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 11/9/2007

Vaughan's Voice - November 12, 2007

Theme:

We are wrapping up our unit on weather and moving on to economics. Your child should have brought home a letter on our unit on economics. This weekend their homework is to come up with FIVE ideas for a product that would like to market and sell to their fellow students. Sometime this week they will survey their classmates on which of the five ideas they think would sell the best. Please do NOT start making the products yet. We are going to do two surveys and then they will decide which product to make.

Marty Coniglio, Channel 9 News weatherman, will be speaking to us on Wednesday, November 14th.

States (Mrs. Singer's Class)- This week we will be talking about Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Please remember their final test is on December 4th and the project is due the same day.

By Colleen Vaughan on 11/5/2007

Vaughan's Voice - November 5, 2007

Please check your child's Monday folder for a permission slip for our first field trip to Celestial Seasonings on November 29th. This field trips ties into our unit on economics because we will find out how their product, tea, came to life and other aspects of their business. The permission slip must be turned by Friday, November 9th.

Coming up this week in theme:

• We will be finishing up our unit on weather. We will be keeping weather journal this week in which we are tracking the temperature, ground conditions, wind speed and direction, and any significant weather.
• We will begin our unit on economics. This will be very fun and exciting for the kids (and me)! They will get to earn "money" at school and get to sell a product (which they have made) to other 3/4 students, 1/2 students, and even parents if they'd like. Check your child's homework fold ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 10/29/2007

Vaughan's Voice - October 29, 2007

Please send in coloring books for our community service project and anything you would like to donate to our classroom "Family Night" Gala basket by Friday, November 2nd.

Our Halloween party is on Wednesday, October 30, from 12:30 to 1:30. Please have your children bring in costumes that can be put on in the classroom. There is no way to fit 120 kids in the bathrooms to change and put on make-up. Please adhere to the rules of the school for costumes.

Science - We are wrapping up our unit on weather within the next 2 weeks. This week we are finishing up clouds and learning to read a thermometer. For an in-class project, we will be keeping track of the temperature and looking at clouds to study the relationship between the two.

States (Mrs. McLeod's class) - There will be a test on Tuesday, October 30th on the seven states that we have studied for the last 5 week ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 10/21/2007

Vaughan's Voice - October 22, 2007

I will be attending an Everyday Math conference on Monday and Tuesday so I will have a substitute on those days. If you need to reach me, I will be checking my email a few times each day.

What's happening this week in Theme:

Weather: Our plans changed last week, so we will do the experiment on direct and indirect sunlight on Monday. On Wednesday and Friday (and into next week), we will be learning how to tell the temperature on a thermometer, different clouds types, and doing a small in-class project to go along with what we learned. We will be wrapping up our unit on the weather in the next couple of weeks so there will be a final test and project coming soon. More information will be sent home next Monday. Our next unit will be economics.

States (Mrs. McLeod's class): We will be learning about Alaska this week and continue to work on our passports. Students should be starting ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 10/11/2007

Vaughan's Voice - October 15, 2007

Thank you so much for attending conferences! It is so important for parents and teachers to communicate, so please to email or call anytime you have a question or concern.

Please remember to send in any items for the Gala basket and coloring books for the community service project.

Upcoming in Theme:

• Learn about the states in Mr. Burns' class.
• Weather
  • Experiment on the sun.
  • Learn more about wind and the different instruments used to measure wind speed and direction.

Last week in Theme:

• "Lady Liberty" presentation. Dramatist Barbara Daubenspeck dresses up as The Statue of Liberty and gave us a fascinating account of the way she came to be.
• States - The students the middle southern states with Mr. Burns. He has sent home ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 10/7/2007

IMPORTANT: We have our conference schedule finalized. Please check your child's Monday folder for the conference day and time that has been assigned to you.

Please remember that this is a short week. The students get out of school at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 10th and do not have school on Thursday and Friday, October 11th and 12th.

Coming up this week in Theme:

• For our studies on weather, we will be watching a movie on wind and doing an experiment on the sun.

Last week in Theme:

• Reviewed what we have learned so far about the Scientific Process and weather.
• Learned about air pressure.
• Began our states unit - learning where the location, capital, abbreviation, and major geographical features.  

By Colleen Vaughan on 10/7/2007

3rd/4th Grade Community Service Project:

For our first 3/4 community service project we will be collecting coloring books for children that have been referred to Social Services. We would like our students to EARN the money to buy a coloring book to donate to this cause. Please have them do a chore around the house, such as load and unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, help clean the house, or clean their room.

Gala Basket:

The Stargate Gala is coming up in November! Our class is going to make a "Family Night" basket to donate for the auction. Please donate at least item for the basket. Ideas may be: games, popcorn, movies, etc.

Check your child's Monday folder for more information on both of these.

 

By Colleen Vaughan on 9/30/2007

Please check your child's Monday folder for a sign-up sheet for conference times. The sign-up sheet is due on Wednesday, October 3rd. Remember, the earlier you get your form turned in, the better your chances of getting the time that you request.

Here's what we did last week:

• Conducted an experiment with balloons to prove that air has weight.
• Took notes on the first four layers of the atmosphere .
• Third graders learned more cursive letters and fourth graders are continuing to practice and perfect their cursive writing.
• Map project to assess if the students have learned directions, compass rose, and parts of a map.

Coming up this week:

• More weather experiments.
• Begin studying states in the six regions of the United States.
• Continue cursive writing.