By Colleen Vaughan on 12/14/2007

Vaughan's Voice - December 17, 2007

We have a very busy, exciting week coming up! The students will be selling their products on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, their stores will be open only to other third and fourth grade students. On Thursday, parents are welcome to come in and buy some of the students creations from 8:30 to 10:00. Please go to your child's homeroom teacher and he/she will give you some of our currency.

Please remember to help your child study for the economics test which is on Thursday, December 20th. (Sorry, last week I incorrectly said that the test would be on December 18th.) If you need another study guide, please check "documents" under 3/4 team.

Ask your child what we did in economics this week and last. We have made store fronts, advertisements, designed money, explored what is on a dollar bill, figured out how much money we earned, signed a rental agreement, and a bank loan.

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By Colleen Vaughan on 12/7/2007

Vaughan's Voice - December 10, 2007

Well, we're getting closer and closer to Winter break and everyone is getting antsy (including the teacher).  Monday is our field trip to NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) in Boulder. Please have your child  bring a sack lunch and dress warmly. Also, we may be taking a hike while we are there, so please have them wear appropriate shoes for the snow.

In Economics, we will be selling our products on December 19th and 20th. They may begin to make their products at home. This week we began making our advertisements and store fronts. Ask your child the name of his store and product. The final economics test will be on December 18th. A study guide was sent home today. If you need another one, please look under documents for the 3/4 team.

We will begin a new states rotation this week. My homeroom students will be studying with Ms. Zelinger for the next six weeks.

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By Colleen Vaughan on 12/2/2007

Vaughan's Voice - December 3, 2007

It's December! Wow! How time flies! We have been having such a fantastic year!

We had a great time at Celestial Seasonings. All of the students were very interested in how the tea is made and packaged. We learned about how they run their business and how they do their research and development to come up with their products. Of course, the tea tasting was fun, too!

Our next field trip is on Monday, December 10th to NCAR in Boulder. Please remember to pack your child a lunch on that day.

Thank you so much to all of those who brought their children to Elm Haven to decorate the Christmas tree. The residents were very appreciative. A huge thank you to Mr. Horiuchi who donated poinsettias to liven up the home.

We will be making centerpieces for them next week for their dining rooms. I am still looking for more ideas. There are approximately 44 tables. The tables aren't very ... Read More »

By Colleen Vaughan on 11/30/2007

The Christmas tree decorating is tomorrow, Saturday, December 1st at Elm Haven Nursing Home. The address is 12080 Bellaire Way, Thornton. It is off 120th and Colorado Blvd. just east of Kohl's.

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 »