Dear Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,
The class ended the Ancient India block with the story of Rama and Sita. We are now shifting gears to prepare for our class play, Perseus the Brave, at the end of the month. Please mark your calendars for our play on Wednesday, March 27.
Last week, the class explored how the students can positively impact their environment. First, the students learned about their ecological footprints. An ecological footprint is measured by the amount of land a person needs to sustain their lifestyle. Using math, the students figured out that the average person in the U.S.A. has an ecological footprint of about 20 football fields. In another activity, the students collected and measured the water from a running sink to calculate the water use if it ran between 1 and 10 minutes. (You can ask them about their daily shower habits!) The class used the numbers from their measurements as a simulation to estimate how much water they use for showering in a year if they shower for one, five, or ten minutes each day. The students also filled out a survey to see how significant their individual impact on the environment is. They all did well but also found ways to improve in the future. At the end of the activity, the students drew posters, this time with their own "ecological handprints," including pledges on how they will make small changes in their daily habits for a positive impact.
Throughout February, the students discussed stories about black women and men whose inventions in various fields, from medicine to modern computer technology, changed the world. We started with Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), known as the "First Black Man of Science," who made a wooden clock that kept perfect time for more than 40 years. He also published the first almanac with weather projections and tables that predicted the tides for the whole year. We ended with the contemporary inventor Patricia Bath (1942-2019), who was involved in developing the technology for laser eye surgery.
We have planned to work on our auction project, the mosaic table, this Friday during the main lesson between 8:35 am and 10:20 am. For more information, please refer to my auction email. We are looking for parent volunteers to help the students glue the mosaic pieces on the tables. If you plan to help, please email me at Gaby@thegardenmarietta.org.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please remind your child to turn in their math homework each Tuesday!
Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots).
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/9: Community Work Day 9 am - 12 pm
3/14: 4th-grade trip to Etowah Mounts
3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)
3/20: 4th and 5th-grade trip to Red Top Mountain
3/27: Class Play
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)
Warm regards,
Gaby
