BIS is a Christian School... What Are They Teaching My Kid?

3rd & 4th Grade @ The Christmas Program

Yep!  You read it right.

"BIS is a Christian School... What Are They Teaching My Kid?"

This quarter, I will be offering a club for BIS parents to discuss that very question.  I am sure that you knew BIS was a Christian school before you enrolled your child, but do you know what they are learning about?  

I will be teaming up with Mr. Axworthy this quarter to offer a free club for parents as an introduction to the Christian Worldview.  All BIS parents are invited to attend the class.  It will be a safe, learning environment in English that is open to your questions and concerns.  There will be a question box for parents to submit any questions, and we will try to answer them during the club. 

Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

February 4 - 8, 2013

Beginning NOW, all Science Project assignments are due on USB drives.  Need some tips! Here is a model.  
Students may use the following fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, Cambria

Title: 16 pt. font, bold, and centered

Question: 12 pt. font, centered

SKIP A LINE

Hypothesis: (bold and on left side)
Type hypothesis underneath
SKIP A LINE
Materials: (bold)

• Use bullets to list materials. 
• List them with measurements, if necessary. 

SKIP A LINE
Procedure: (bold)

1. Use numbering to list step by step instructions.
2. Make sure to check for spelling. 
3. Be very specific.

SKIP A LINE
Data:
Create a table, chart, graph with the information you have collected.
Take pictures of project as you do it.
Take pictures of the final project.
SKIP A LINE
Results:
Describe what you discovered through your experiment.  Research and describe why this happened.  This section should be a full paragraph explaining what happened during your experiment.
SKIP A LINE
Conclusion: 
State whether your hypothesis was correct or incorrect.  Why was it correct or incorrect?  What did you learn?  What would be another experiment that could be done after this one because of what you discovered?


Important Dates:

Feb. 6 - Typed and saved on USB Drive - Title & Problem Due (The specific question that your science experiment will answer).
Feb. 8 - Hypothesis & Materials List Due (Must Be Typed and saved on USB Drive)

Hypothesis Tips:  If (fact about topic), then (prediction). 
Example:  If density is the amount of stuff in a given space and if denser objects sink, then, when mixing water and oil, water will be on bottom and oil will be on top.  

Feb. 11-15 - A great time to do your science experiment!
Feb. 18 - Procedure Typed & Saved on USB Drive Due (Step by step instructions of how you did your experiment in complete sentences.  You will be graded on format, capitalization, and spelling).
Feb. 22 - Results, Data, and Conclusion Due - Typed/Formatted and Saved on USB Drive (Results will be a paragraph of what you discovered through your science experiment.  Data will be a table, chart, pictures of experiment, etc. Conclusion will be a sentence stating the answer to the Problem and whether your hypothesis was correct or incorrect).
Feb. 25 - Report Due - Typed and Printed
Feb. 25 - Mar. 1 - In Class Presentations (Your science project must be on a visual display consisting of a Science Board with all of the above elements, Final Project, Project Model on display) Click here for the Grading RUBRIC. See visual display examples below.
Mar. 1 - Science Fair @ BIS

Valentine Party on Friday, February 8th.  
You can purchase Valentine Cards with lollipops, Hershey's kisses, and/or roses through the PROM Committee fundraiser.  You can send your child with valentine cards or candies to share with the class.  Please send a sweet or salty snack/juice to share for the party.

January 28 - February 1

Your child is responsible to watch the following BrainPop video this week:

1. Population Growth (Social Studies)
2. Review the following YouTube video on the Scientific Method

Science Board Example

Review The Scientific Method from August 2012

1. Make an observation - State the Problem
2. Ask a question - What do you want to learn?
3. Form a Hypothesis and make a prediction
4. Do a test/experiment with a control and a variable
5. Analyze data
6. Draw a conclusion

Science Project Idea Links

1. http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
2. http://chemistry.about.com/od/sciencefairprojectideas/a/4thgradeproject.htm
3. http://www.education.com/science-fair/fourth-grade/
4. http://www.education.com/science-fair/third-grade/

Important Dates:

Jan. 29 - Unit C Chapter 1 Science Test
Feb. 1 - Science Project Experiment Chosen, Title, and Description of Experiment Due

Feb. 5 - Social Studies Chapter 7 Test
Feb. 6 - Typed and saved on USB Drive - Title & Problem Due (The specific question that your science experiment will answer).
Feb. 8 - Hypothesis & Materials List Due (Must Be Typed and saved on USB Drive)
Feb. 11-15 - A great time to do your science experiment!
Feb. 18 - Procedure Typed & Saved on USB Drive Due (Step by step instructions of how you did your experiment in complete sentences.  You will be graded on format, capitalization, and spelling).
Feb. 22 - Results, Data, and Conclusion Due - Typed/Formatted and Saved on USB Drive (Results will be a paragraph of what you discovered through your science experiment.  Data will be a table, chart, pictures of experiment, etc. Conclusion will be a sentence stating the answer to the Problem and whether your hypothesis was correct or incorrect).
Feb. 25 - Report Due - Typed and Printed
Feb. 25 - Mar. 1 - In Class Presentations (Your science project must be on a visual display consisting of a Science Board with all of the above elements, Final Project, Project Model on display) Click here for the Grading RUBRIC. See visual display examples below.
Mar. 1 - Science Fair @ BIS

January 21 - 25, 2013

Your child is responsible to watch the following BrainPop videos this week:

1. Immigration (Social Studies)
2. Graphs (Social Studies - Pay special attention to circle and line graphs)
3. Weather (Science - Pay special attention to fronts)
4. Review the following YouTube video about the Scientific Method

Review Scientific Method Song

Important Dates:

Jan. 29 - Unit C Chapter 1 Science Test
Feb. 1 - Science Project Experiment Chosen, Title, and Description of Experiment Due

Feb. 5 - Social Studies Chapter 7 Test


Science Project Idea Links

1. http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
2. http://chemistry.about.com/od/sciencefairprojectideas/a/4thgradeproject.htm
3. http://www.education.com/science-fair/fourth-grade/
4. http://www.education.com/science-fair/third-grade/

Typing Assistance & Games

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Welcome and/or Welcome Back to Miss Duke's 3rd & 4th Grade Class!

I hope that all of you enjoyed your Christmas break!  

As many of you already know, this blog is my main source of communicating with the parents of the 3rd & 4th grade class at BIS.  If you ever have a question, go to the blog!  If the blog doesn't answer your question, feel free to email me.

Our class is growing!  We will being the new semester with 20 students.  It is very important for you to encourage and help your children enter this next quarter prepared and focused.  Here are some basic steps you can take to make sure you and your child are prepared for this semester!

Parent & Student To Do List

1. Follow By Email - Parents, please follow this blog by email to receive updates every time I update!  (Fill out the section on the and confirm your subscription by responding to the email.)
2. Set up your Engrade account - All of the classes that I teach will be uploaded periodically to  Engrade's online grading software.  Check your student's agenda for their Access Code or email me to receive one so that you can continually check your child's progress.  
3. Supply Check - Please check the supply list and your child's belongings to make sure that they have all of the right materials and are prepared for learning!  (Especially pencils, erasers, and notebooks!)
4. Check Agenda & Reading Log Daily - Remember, if your child forgot either one of these items at school, they can write their assignments/reading log on a separate sheet of paper, followed by a parent's signature for full credit.  
5. Raz-Kids - Students are to read 15 minutes daily.  My preference is that they read online at the  Raz-Kids website.  The 3rd & 4th grade username is: BIS34  Some students have set up personal passwords, while others have not.  If your child cannot read online, they are able to check out 3 library books per week and/or 1 book from our classroom library at a time.  
6. BrainPop - We watch a ton of videos in my class to help the kids understand the new concepts.  Typically, we use the BrainPop website.  Be sure to watch the videos from home to help reinforce the new concepts! 
7. Review math facts.   Congratulations!  Both 3rd and 4th grade have mastered their math facts!  Click to play review games: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Make sure to review before we come back to school!  Here is a website with some cool math games to refresh your math skills! 

Please note:  BIS has chosen to switch International Fair and Science Fair this year.  Science fair will be in February and International Fair will be in April.

January 14 - 18

Your child is responsible for watching the following videos on BrainPop this week:

1. Iroquois Confederacy (Social Studies)
2. American Revolution (Social Studies)
3. Temperature (Science)
4. Heat (Science)
5. Wind (Science)
6. Weather (Science - Pay attention to the Barometer)
7. Clouds (Science)
8. Water Cycle (Science)

We will watch the following videos on YouTube this week:

The Ride - Paul Revere short educational film piece

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "Paul Revere's Ride" Poem animation

Permission Slips & Christmas Party

Make sure that you sent the bus permission slip for Friday, Dec. 7th dress rehearsal from Mackenzie to BIS!  Don't forget to send R$5 or 2 dozen cookies for snacks and refreshments after the Christmas Program. 

Thursday, December 13 - Trip to the Creche

Please turn in $10 and permission slip to go to the creche in Santa Maria by Monday.  

Friday, December 14 - Christmas Party

What to bring:  

1.  Your child knows what snack or disposable they are supposed to bring for the party.   (Sweet snack, salty snack, forks, plates, cups, juice)

2. White Elephant Gift Exchange - Send your child to school with a wrapped present (About R$5 value  with a candy, soda, or other snack) 

 

Important December Dates and Announcements

Important December Dates

Friday, December 7 @ 8:00 a.m. - All School Christmas Program Rehearsal @ Mackenzie (Students need to be dropped off at Mackenzie by 8:00 a.m. Students should wear their costumes and bring a uniform to change into following the rehearsal.  We will return to BIS by bus for lunch.  We will have 1:00 p.m. early dismissal.

It's a Wonder-Full Life: A Musical about the Best Gift at Christmas Time... Jesus 

Where:  Mackenzie  SHIS QI 5 Chacaras 74-79 Lago Sul

When:  Friday, December 7 @ 7:00 p.m. (Students should arrive between 6:15-6:30 p.m.)

Each family is kindly asked to bring 2 dozen cookies at the performance, or donate R$5.00 by Thursday, December 6th.

Monday, December 10 - Social Studies Test & Bible Verse Test

Tuesday, December 11 - Chapter 6 Math Test

3rd Grade - Multiplication 0 - 10 Facts & Word Problems

4th Grade - Geometry

Thursday, December 13 - Outreach Trip to the Creche in Santa Maria 

Our class currently has donated 112 items! 

Friday, December 14 - 3rd & 4th Grade Christmas Party & Early Dismissal @ 11:45 a.m.  Please be looking in your child's agenda to see what they should bring to the party, or write me a note if there is something particular that you would like to send.

Lost Books

Please be on the look out for any books that your child may have borrowed from the 3rd & 4th class library.  We have many books that have not been returned.  Take a look in your child's room, book shelves, backpack, etc.  Please return them as soon as possible!  

Donate Your Used Books & DVD's 

If you have any used books or DVD's that you would like to donate to our class, just send them with your child to school!  Your child can also write a note inside, "Donated to the 3rd & 4th Grade Class at BIS by: NAME."  

Field Trip Pictures from CAESB (Special "Thanks" to our AWESOME translator dad!)

The water separating from the "flocus" to be cleaned.

I thought the 3rd & 4th graders looked like college students!  

Outside observing the water treatment process in the rain.