Science The Week of December 14- December 18

4th graders- Solid Earth: We are going to be utilizing technology this week to learn more about rocks and our planet Earth. We will be using our wireless cart to visit the websites listed below, which are fun and informative. We will also have the opportunity to create a fun winter card using epsom salt and evaporation to create crystals.

5th graders- Water Planet: We are going to be utilizing technology this week to learn more about the solar system. We will be using our wireless cart to visit the websites listed below, which are fun and informative. We will also have the opportunity to create a fun winter card using epsom salt and evaporation to create crystals.

Websites for students this week:

All grades:
http://www.fossweb.com

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/

http://geology.usgs.gov/index.htm

http://education.usgs.gov/index.html

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/world

Science Website in Spanish


4th grade:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/change.html

http://volcano.oregonstate.edu

http://ology.amnh.org/earth/

5th grade
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space.html

http://www.badastronomy.com

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/

http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/index/htm

Science The Week of December 7- December 11

We are starting our new units!!!!!
4th graders- Solid Earth: We are beginning our new unit about our planet Earth by learning about rocks. We are learning why rocks are important and some of the many different characteristics rocks can have including color, shape, size, and density.

5th graders- Water Planet: The beginning of our new unit focuses on learning about the solar system. We will spend this week learning about the different characteristics of each planet, learn where the planets are located, and what similarities and differences the planets have with each other.

Science Test this week!!

Remember students, this is the week when you will be tested on the units we have been working on since school started. For 4th graders that unit is Magnetism and Electricity and for 5th graders it is Mixtures and Solutions. Remember to review your study guide and you will do great!!!

All students will be tested on Wednesday December 2, 2009!

Upcoming Test!!!

4th and 5th graders- We are spending the week of Thanksgiving reviewing for our unit tests. The 4th graders will take a test on Magnetism and Electricity and 5th graders will be take a test on Mixtures and Solutions. All students have received a study guide, which we have reviewed and corrected in class. Students should take this study guide home the week of Thanksgiving and should study it to prepare for their test. Each topic covered on the study guide will be on the test. Classes will take their test on the following days:

Tuesday Dec 1: LeConte: Ms. Blanchard and Ms. Woodard
Wednesday Dec 2: Washington: Mr. Cobeen, Ms. Bail, Ms. CR, and Ms. Mitchell
Thursday Dec 3: LeConte: Ms. Citrin and Mr. Argueta

FREE Science Activity on Saturday Nov 21 at UC Berkeley!

4th and 5th graders at local elementary schools are invited to UC
Berkeley for Science Saturdays with the Society of Women Engineers.
SWE Science Saturdays will be a two hour fun engineering project and
lesson. The event is free to attend and students can keep the project they
make. Spaces are limited and given to those who RSVP first!

November 21st 10 am - 12 pm
Materials Science Engineerng
Bouncy Balls
Mix ingredients and test until you have the perfect bouncy ball.
25 Seats Available.
To RSVP contact Charlene Braski
crbraski@berkeley.edu

Science The Week of November 9-November 13

4th graders- Magnetism and Electricity:We are starting to wrap up our unit on Magnetism and Electricity. We will spending the next two weeks reviewing concepts we have learned, including using a magnet, how a compass works, working with a closed circuit, electromagnetism, and more. We will be working on a study guide to get us prepared for our upcoming Science test on Magnetism and Electricity.

5th graders- Mixtures and Solutions:We are starting to wrap up our unit on Mixtures and Solutions. We will spending the next two weeks reviewing concepts we have learned, including creating a mixture, the difference between a mixture and a solution, creating a chemical reaction, learning about atoms, and learning about the periodic table of elements and more. We will be working on a study guide to get us prepared for our upcoming Science test on Mixtures and Solutions.

This Week in Science November 2-November 5

4th graders- Magnetism and Electricity: We will start the week with a quiz on Electromagnets. We will then start our last investigation in Magnetism and Electricity, which is focusing on Telegraphs. We will learn the history of telegraphs and find out how we can build our own telegraph in class.

5th graders- Mixtures and Solutions: We are going to spend the week finishing our posters about the different families on the periodic table of elements. Each group will also do a small presentation to the class showing what they have learned about their family.


In two weeks the 5th graders will be looking at the chemical makeup of different food items. I need empty boxes for the students to read the ingredients list. The following is a list of product boxes that will be helpful:
-Sport drinks
-cereal boxes
-multivitamins
-energy bars
-condiments
-chips
-toothpaste