Third Grade News

Our third graders have been working hard this year.  They have been working on Algebra concepts and being able to explain their thinking process in solving problems. 

Students have also been working on learning about Science Lab Safety while doing some cool experiments.  Third graders got to see two chemicals combine and spontaneously combust (students were standing well back with masks and goggle on - this was a watch only experiment)  Students got to see what happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda in a test tube with a plug in it.  They have gotten to do some fun experiments this. 

Students have been learning about crime scene science as well.  They have been learning about fingerprints.  They got to study their own fingerprints and tried to lift their prints off of different surfaces around the classroom.  Third graders also learned that some surfaces don't hold fingerprints well and they learned that detectives can get prints off of the most difficult surfaces using cyanoacrylate (the main ingredient in super glue.)  They will be learning about hair and fabric fibers as well this week and how to match them using a microscope. 

We will be having fun with Science this year! 

What's New

We've had a great start to GT this year.  Students have been working hard and learning a lot.  Students are learning math, science, social studies and problem solving skills. On this blog, I will be showcasing a different grade level per week so that you can see what they've been learning. 

 

 

Students also got to do an experiment with one of the elements from the Periodic Table of Elements.  Students separated a water molecule into its separate elements of hydrogen and oxygen. 

Students had a great time and learned alot. 

New Look for GT Blog

Welcome to a new school year at Davis Elementary.  I am trying out a new template.  I love the pattern and I hope the colors are easy to read.  If they are not, let me know and they will be changed.  My next task will be to get this attached to my website and add pages and links to it to make it more user friendly.

4th Grade Enigmas

Please leave a comment to answer this question about the enigma you have chosen. When you are ready to post, pull down the "comment as:" menu to "Name/URL". Enter your initials. Then click the "Post Comment" button.

" What are some dilemmas or controversies involved in the enigma you are studying?"

Bigfoot!

Today, our fourth graders began a new unit called Enigmas. In this unit, students will research phenomenon such as The Lochness Monster, the Marfa Lights, the Nazca lines, and Bigfoot and draw their own conclusions based on the research they find. They will then put together a 3-D representation of their subject with the research data.

To begin our unit, we were fortunate enough to have two representatives from the Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy come to give us some information on Bigfoot. The TBRC an organization dedicated to investigate and conduct research regarding the existence of sasquatch or bigfoot. Their mission is to facilitate scientific, official and governmental recognition, conservation and protection of the species and its habitat and to help further factual education and understanding of the species.



Mr. Alton Higgins, a college professor in Oklahoma and Mr. Mike Mayes, a Texas History teacher, drove several hours to be with us. Our students listened attentively and asked lots of questions. Students were shown casts of footprints and a hand print and got to compare their own hands and feet to the casts.




As we progress, more blogs and pictures will be posted about their progress in this unit. We thank Mr. Higgins and Mr. Mayes for their time and for their outstanding information!

Second Grade Water Study

Today, our second grade GT students began their study of water from the Texas Performance Standards Projects, called The Ripple Effect: A Study of Water. Students began the lesson with a representative from the North Texas Municipal Water District for our area. Mrs. Denise Hickey came to my class from NTMWD and gave my students a wonderful presentation about where their water comes from and how it is treated before they can drink it. She also spoke about the need for water conservation and protecting our water sources from pollution. The students asked great questions when Mrs. Hickey had finished her presentation and thanked her with notes they had written.



Second grade GT students began a project on the effects of water pollution on plants. Each group of students was given 2 plants to work with. One plant will receive fresh water and the other plant will receive polluted water. The plants to be polluted will be given water plus one of the following pollutants: motor oil, salt, vinegar, or laundry detergent. Students will document weekly the effects of the pollutants on the plants.



Students will also begin working on a public service announcement that they will present to their school and their community on water conservation and the effects of water pollution. Our second graders are very excited about this study and these projects. More will be posted as the projects are progressing. We are excited about water!