Ask An Astronaut!

Dear Students,


Have your ever dreamed of the opportunity to personally ask an astronaut what a day in space is like? The education office at Goddard SpaceFlight Center would like to offer you an opportunity to do just that. Maryland native and NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold has graciously agreedto be available to answer student's questions during a day of celebration ofGoddard's 50th Anniversary. This will be held at the Baltimore Convention CenterMay 30, 10 a.m. to­ 4 p.m., 'Maryland Place in Space' activities will allow a random selection of students the opportunity to represent their school (and some invited school guests along with their parents/guardians). Each selected student will be allowed to have their picture taken with astronaut Arnold. If you are interested please complete the questionnaire at:http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/ask



Questions need to be submitted by 5/15/09 at noon EST. Comment here if you've filled out the questionnaire. Have your parents help you.

Idiom Fun!

As we create our idiom flipbooks this week, take the time to list your favorite saying or expression here!

Define an idiom and use it correctly in a short (but creative) paragraph. Use at least 4 descriptive adjectives & 2 descriptive adverbs to make your writing more interesting. Be sure to proofread you writing before you post! Keep up your fourth quarter effort - bonus points will be awarded for multiple entries! Follow the example we created together and posted as a class.

Here are some of my favorites... can you figure them out based on the literal pictures?

Springtime News

Well.... it's been quite a while since our last blog update. Students have had a very busy time with MSA, and now it's time to fill you in on a little spring time news!

Students in our reading class are writing their own dramatic plays! I can't wait to see how they turn out when we perform them! Visit these online resources to learn more about drama and plays! (teacher's note - still working on updating the play resources online)

We are also getting ready for our 5th grade field trip to Mount Vernon! Explore Mount Vernon online through these facinating and engaging websites!

Take a virtual online tour of Mount Vernon here!

Want to know what real archeologists are discovering about Mount Vernon? Visit their archeology page to find out! Use the menu on the left hand side of the screen to naviagate.

Want to earn some bonus points? Explore Mount Vernon's website. Then think of a question you would like to ask a real-life archeologist. Email them your questions here. Be sure to do this with your parents assistance, as you are contacting a person online. When you get a response, send it to Mrs. Perry, or bring it to class to share!

Winter Break!

Whew! Can you believe it's nearly time to ring in 2008?? Here's a chance to post just for fun over break. Blog about any special family you visit, places you go, the holidays, gift giving, New Year resolutions, funny stories that happen to you, anything!! Just be sure that you don't include too much personal information like people's last names or street addresses. You guys are all pros at blogging by now. Check in on the blog every couple days over break (if you are able) and I'll keep you posted about my holiday as well! Happy Blogging!

Here are some holiday sites I found that you might enjoy!

Visit the North Pole and play lots of games!

Billy Bear's Hanukkah's site has tons of games and activities to help you celebrate the Festival of Lights!

Make your very own virtual Christmas card and send it to someone you care about!

Check out All Things Christmas for Kids for tons of games, activities, even printable decorations!

Are you interested in Christmas music? Check out this site!

Enjoy! Happy Holidays from Mrs. Perry!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Turkey time! I hope everyone has an absolutely fabulous Thanksgiving break. Want to see what your classmates (or your teacher) is up to over break? Check in and post what you're doing right here! This is just a fun way to keep in touch and share interesting tidbits over the Thanksgiving break. You can write about the places/family you visit, what you're thankful for this year, any good books you read, what you had for Thanksgiving dinner, or anything else that's school appropriate! Remember, you can post that you "visited Aunt Sylvia's house in Virginia" but please don't include personal information that can compromise your safety (street addresses, etc...). See you back at school on Monday!

Here are some great Thanksgiving websites for you to visit.

My top pick: Plimoth Plantation's You Be the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving.

Interested in knowing what REALLY was on the menu for the first Thanksgiving? Check out the history channel's First Thanksgiving page.

Did you know that the turkey was in competition with the eagle to be our national symbol of America? Read some more interesting Turkey Trivia here!

Take a Thanksgiving Quiz to test your knowledge of this holiday!

Calendar Math: November!

We have a new calendar, and a new chart for tracking the counting tape observations! Post all your thoughts, observations, and musings about November Calendar Math here! All math students are required to post at least once per month. Be detailed and specific! Use that math vocabulary.

Where Do You Find Math?

Math is all around us everyday. While you do go to a separate math class at HES to learn mathematical skills, math is NOT a separate entity. It is embedded in our lives.

Every time I stand on a scale to weigh myself, that's math! I use a scale to figure out how many pounds and ounces I weigh.

Every time I bake, I measure, calculate the serving sizes, heat up the oven temperature so that things don't burn and cut items (like brownies) into individual squares. That's math!

Where do you find math in the world around you? Tell how, when, and why math is important to this particular area of our lives. Get creative! Think about traveling, things around the house, your pets, your family members, hobbies, and school. Where do YOU find math?

All math students should post at least once during the month of October to this post.