January 7-10

It was wonderful to return to school after a nice Christmas Break!

Reading
This week we read about a panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999 named Hua Mei (pronounced HWA MAY). The book show the changes in the baby panda's growth over the course of a year. We added the following Amazing Words to our Oral Vocabulary: weigh, healthy, curious, measure, bamboo, explore.
We added the following high frequency words to our list of words we can read: me, with, she.  We focused on the beginning and ending sounds made by the letters 'n' and  'b.'

Math
We began to explore subtraction.  We have acted out subtraction stories and shown them with objects. Now that we are in the second semester, please ensure that your child is completing at least two on-line math assignments per week.  If you experience any trouble accessing the assignments, please let me know so that we may figure out a solution.

Religion 
In this last week of the Christmas Season, we learned about the Three Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus.  We also read two other Gospel passages; Jesus Walks on Water, and Jesus Returns to Nazareth.

Science
This week we performed two science experiments.  On Thursday, we discovered how balloons can magically attract things like paper and sugar through static electricity. On Friday, we discovered that hot water is lighter than cold water and will rise through the cold water. We made a Volcano in a Bottle to demonstrate this phenomenon.  The children were eager to replicate the Volcano at home.  So I have included the directions below.

Volcano in a Bottle Experiment
Materials: One large glass jar, one small glass bottle, red food coloring, string
Procedure: Fill the glass jar with cool water. 
Heat water for the small bottle.  
While the water is heating, tie string around the neck of the bottle on either side so that you may safely lower the small bottle containing hot water into the jar of cool water. 
Carefully fill the small bottle with hot water. 
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Carefully lower the small bottle into the jar filled with cool water.
Observe the hot water as it flows out of the bottle and into the cool water.

Upcoming events
We are excited to begin team teaching this Monday. Please see the email that I sent on Friday for details about this plan.
Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday, January 26 and continues through Saturday February 1. Please see the  Colt Express for details about this very fun week in our school. I will be sending out an email this week with information particular for our class.