Social Studies

We have been studying the thirteen colonies.  We will be having a quiz/test on Friday 5/12.  Students will need to label a map of the 13 original colonies.

Melrose Rocks

You may be aware of a new thing that seems to be sweeping the area (perhaps the world) decorated rocks. People are hiding decorated rocks for others to find and spread a little joy.  So some of my students have joined in.  Their task was to create a a rock that represents something they learned in science this year.  You can see the first of their creations in the photo below.

And because I can't just leave it at that they have also included why they created the rock that they did, with a bit of an explanation. You can find those on my class blog here.  I've hidden these rocks around campus, hoping other students will find these treasures.  Hoping that if others find them they'll either keep them or hide them for others to find.

Out of the World Solar System Projects

A sampling of the amazing projects students created

Update

The State Science Assessment is rapidly approaching (May 1&2).  We are reviewing in preparation for the test.  This week our focus is fourth grade Earth Science.  We are reviewing types of rocks, weathering and erosion, and the properties of minerals.  There will be a quiz on these Friday.

Solar System projects are due Friday 4/21.

Weekly Update

Science: We are wrapping up our unit on space science. UNIT TEST Thursday 3/30.  Last vocabulary quiz Friday 3/31.
Social Studies: We took our open book quiz/test (QUEST) on the New England Colonies.  Students will start learning about the Middle Atlantic Colonies

Solar System Projects are due April 21st.

The Class Dojo store is in need of donations.  Individually wrapped candy and snacks would be greatly appreciated.

Solar System Project Due April 21

At-Home Planet Project

Have fun with this learning project! Be creative! Here are the guidelines for this work-at-home project:

Guideline #1: Include and label the sun. (Sun needs to be 3-D.)

Guideline #2: Include and label 8 planets. (Planets need to be 3-D.) (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)

Guideline # 3:Planets should be in the correct order from the sun.  

Guideline #4 : The size of the planets should be relative to one another.  Small planets need to be small, and large planets need to be bigger.

Guideline #5: The color of your planets should be accurate.

Guideline #6: For each planet, tell the true distance from the sun, the number of moons it has, and one interesting fact about that planet. (This part can be 2-D. For instance, facts can be written or typed on a notecard or paper. See the bottom of page for an example.)

Guideline #7: You must use resources (books, magazines, or internet) to get your information. See below for help on how to cite or list your resources.

Guideline #8: This project is to be completed mainly by YOU, the 5th grader. Get parent help only when needed. (Store bought kits will not produce the highest grade.) Some of the best projects are made from things found around the house.

Guideline #9: This project can be no bigger than a poster board, and should be able to be carried by you, the 5 th grader. We will display all projects in our hallway.

Guideline #10: Projects are due on April 21st. You may begin bringing in your completed projects on April 19th .

In addition to the required elements students can earn extra credit for other objects in the solar system which are properly represented and labeled.  This includes moons, dwarf planets, the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt.

	0 points	1 points	2 points	3 points	4 points
Creativity		The project was copied out of a book/off the internet or is a store bought kit.		The student used materials to design an original, easily recognizable solar system model.	The student used materials to design an original, easily recognizable solar system model.  The student used unique and/or unusual materials to create the project.
Neatness		Sloppy, poorly executed; looks like it was completed very quickly; difficult to read.	Sloppy, evidence of some previous planning; hard to read.	Well planned, neat, easy to read. Excellent model; planets are easy to identify.	Well planned, very neat, clear labels. Excellent model; planets are easy to identify.
Guideline #1: Include and label the sun. (Sun needs to be 3-D.)	No sun		Sun is not labeled	Sun is 2 dimensional and labeled	Sun is 3-D and labeled
Guideline #2: Include and label 8 planets. (Planets need to be 3-D.)	Planets are not labeled				All 8 planets are labeled
Guideline # 3:Planets should be in the correct order from the sun.					Planets are in the correct order from the sun
Guideline #4 : The size of the planets should be relative to one another.  Small planets need to be small, and large planets need to be bigger.			.	.	Sizes are relative to each other
	0 points	1 points	2 points	3 points	4 points
Guideline #5: The color of your planets should be accurate.				Planet color is mostly accurate	Planet color is accurate
Guideline #6: For each planet, tell the true distance from the sun, the number of moons it has, and one interesting fact about that planet.	No information included	Information is included, but not the required information	Includes 1 of the 3 pieces of  required information	Includes 2 of the 3 pieces of required information	Includes distance from the sun, number of moons and one interesting fact
Guideline #7: You must use resources (books, magazines, or internet) to get your information.	No resources listed.		One resource listed	Two documented resources listed, all from reliable sources from books, magazines and/or the Internet	Three or more documented resources listed, all from reliable sources from books, magazines and/or the Internet
Guideline #8: This project is to be completed mainly by YOU, the 5th grader.		Student work is less than parental help	Student work is equal to parental help		Student work exceeds parental help
Guideline #9: This project can be no bigger than a poster board, and should be able to be carried by you, the 5 th grader		Bigger than a standard poster board, this includes tri-fold display boards			Project is smaller than a poster board 28” x 22” and less than 15” in depth
Guideline #10: Projects are due on April 21. You may begin bringing in your completed projects on April 19th.	More than 3 days late	Three days late	Two days late	One day late	Turned in on time
BONUS: Objects in the solar system which are properly labeled and represented

Examples of Listing Your Resources:

• For books, list the title and author.  (Remember book titles are underlined.)

Example: The Solar System by Ima Smart

• For magazines, list the title of the publication and its date (month & year).

Example: “Time For Kids” March 2011

• For websites, list the complete site.  

Example: http://www.ehow.com/list_5970122_ideas-3d-solar-system-project.html

This week at a glance...

We wrapped up our unit on Force and Motion last week. This week starts our new topic... The Solar System and Beyond

We are also working on colonization and early colonial times in social studies.

Below is the list of new vocabulary words. The first test on these words will be next week, Thursday 3/16.

1. atmosphere the layers of gas that surround Earth, other planets, or stars

2. axis the imaginary line on which an object rotates (e.g., Earth’s axis runs through Earth between the North Pole and the South Pole); an imaginary straight line that runs through a body.

3. constellation  a star pattern identified and named as a definite group; usually thought of as forming certain shapes or figures in a specific region of the sky

4. equator an imaginary circle around Earth’s surface located between the poles and a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation that divides it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

5. galaxy a large collection of stars, gases, and dust that are part of the universe (e.g., the Milky Way galaxy) bound together by gravitational forces

6. gravity the observed effect of the force of gravitation

7. moon  a natural satellite that revolves around a planet

8. moon phase a phrase that indicates the fraction of the Moon’s disc that is illuminated (as seen from Earth); the eight moon phases (in order): new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent

9. planet a large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own

10. reflection the bouncing off or turning back of light, sound, or heat from a surface

11. revolution the closed path an object such as the Earth makes as it moves around another object

12. rotation the spinning of the earth on its axis - about 24 hours

13. solar system a star and all the planets and other bodies that orbit it; the region in space where these bodies move

14. star a large, gaseous, self-luminous body held together by gravity and powered by thermonuclear reactions

15. Sun the closest star to Earth and the center of our solar system

 

16. universe the total sum of all matter and energy that exists

17. comet: a celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust and, when near the sun, a “tail” of gas and dust particles pointing away from the sun.

18. Asteroid : a small rocky body orbiting the sun.