Owen Michael Husack was born on Friday, February 17 at 6:02pm weighing 9lbs, 8oz and 21 inches long. Everyone is doing well! Mason is loving his new role as a big brother. Thank you all for your support during this exciting time for our family!
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Spring TAG TestingSpring TAG testing will take place February 13 through March 2. During this time, regular TAG classes will be canceled. Thank you for your patience during this very busy testing season! Maternity LeaveMy maternity leave is quickly approaching! In my absence, Mrs. Murphy will be my long-term substitute. Mrs. Murphy has subbed for me on numerous occassions, including my first maternity leave. She is TAG certified and very familiar with my classroom routines, procedures, and teaching style. I have spent a great deal of time and energy organizing every part of our TAG day, lessons, and materials to ensure that class runs very smoothly in my absence. If you need immediate assistance while I'm away, please email Mrs. Biggs at [email protected] and she can communicate any needed information with Mrs. Murphy. I will return in early May to finish the year with students and look forward to seeing them again before summer vacation. 2nd Grade - What's the Matter in the Kitchen?We've been busy in second grade conducting all sorts of food experiments involving chemical and physical changes, different ways energy is used to cook foods, and even doing some kitchen detective work to answer questions like "How does yeast make bread rise?" Building Solar OvensHeat Energy: Melting Hershey's KissesWhat makes bread rise? Yeast!Making Butter - a Physical Change3rd Grade - Freedom Express UnitOur study of the Underground Railroad included a Decision Making lesson on the opportunity cost of a slave risking escape by leaving the plantation and heading north to Canada. We read Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and discussed how quilts were used as a form of unspoken communication to teach other slaves a safe route to freedom. We researched different patterns and their meanings then created a class freedom quilt. Freedom QuiltsCleaning CottonThird graders were given a small amount of cotton to clean as a "test" that a slave would be given on their first day working on a cotton plantation. This was very stressful, tedious work and set the precedent for what slaves were expected to produce in terms of picking and cleaning cotton each day in the fields. If the slaves failed to produce as much clean cotton as they had during the test, they were punished for being lazy. If slaves produced a higher quantity, that became the new daily expectation. Students also researched the cotton gin and it's effect on slavery, the Industrial Revolution, and American History. 4th Grade - Camp Interdependence UnitEverglades - Food ChainAs part of our study of "America's Best Idea," the National Parks, we're taking virtual field trips to some of the more notable parks. Students discovered how animals are interdependent on one another for survival in the Everglades through an Inductive Reasoning lesson. This was a highly interesting lesson as the food web and food chain in the Everglades directly relates to our class novel, Deadly Waters: A Mystery in Everglades National Park. Yellowstone - Fire EcologyOur next park study was Yellowstone National Park. students explored how fire can be both harmful and helpful to an ecosystem by participating in a Metaphorical Expression lesson.. We researched the Yellowstone wildfire of 1988 where thousands of acres burned. Many people do not like large forest fires because they can disrupt vacations, change the look of the park, and may spread outside the park—threatening homes. Despite these disadvantages, the Yellowstone ecosystem needs fire to stay healthy. Fire is important to the natural succession of the area and actually helps create the landscape people love to see. Grasses, flowers, and trees rapidly replaced burned trees. Create Your Own National ParkStudents will begin creating their own National Park as a concluding activity to our Camp Interdependence Unit. This is such a fun project and definitely one of the highlights of this unit!
5th Grade - Pioneers UnitAtlantis5th graders enjoyed studying the legend of the city of Atlantis. Students read evidence and facts about the mysterious city and decided whether they think it ever existed and why. Students worked as a team to make a decision and supported it with the information given. This Mystery lesson involved a study of a deep sea pioneer and the advancements made in the area of oceanography by Jacques Cousteau. There is no solution to this mystery, since no one really knows whether Atlantis existed or not. Women in World War IIDuring this Creative Problem Solving lesson, students learned about the problems that women encountered and the opportunities that opened up for women during and after World War II. Students analyzed an oral history and interviews from women who lived during WW II highlighting problems and creating potential solutions then shared a speech they wrote with the class.
Parents, first of all, thank you for your continued support and encouragement of Genius Hour! It can be a challenge to make sure students are prepared and progressing with their projects when I only see them once a week, but with your help, students were ready to work! I was truly impressed by the creativity and variety of students' presentations. Way to go, TAG students! 2nd Grade3rd Grade4th Grade5th Grade - Thursday5th Grade - Friday2nd and 5th grade students have been diligently working to finish their Genius Hour projects this week. 3rd and 4th grade TAG students will have one last Genius Hour work session on Monday and Tuesday. Any unfinished Genius Hour work needs to be completed at home so students are prepared for their presentations. Please join us for a thirty minute drop-in Museum Walk to see the final passion projects! Genius Hour Presentation Schedule
Genius Hour Update!Our final Genius Hour work session will be next week beginning on Wednesday, January 18 and concluding Tuesday, January 24. Students were asked to come prepared to work on their final projects. All research should be completed before the next GH work period. Stay tuned for presentation dates in early February for students to showcase their work. 2nd Grade - What's the Matter in the Kitchen?Students in 2nd grade continued exploring chemical and physical changes and why they're important in the kitchen. We did an apple experiment on oxidation and students discovered that the oxygen in the air and the apple cells mix together and cause a chemical reaction. The apple turns brown. Students experimented with different ways to stop the oxidation and discovered that Vitamin C found in lemon juice stops the oxygen from turning the apple brown. Students also observed chemical change by burning marshmallows. Students watched as the sugar and oxygen mixed and carbon dioxide and water vapor were released. Next week we'll finish our chemical and physical change experiments and discuss how solar and light energy can be used to cook food. 3rd Grade - Freedom ExpressThird grade students participated in an Inductive Reasoning activity to analyze the differences between the North and the South in the mid-1800s and how those differences eventually divided our nation, After learning about the economy, climate, transportation, communication, and lifestyle of the Northern and Southern states, students began a Compare Contrast lesson to gain a better understanding of just how different these two regions were in the 1800s. We also began our new novel: A Picture of Freedom, the Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl by Patricia C. McKissack. 4th Grade - Camp InterdependenceFourth graders started their TAG day by completing the recommendation for Mr. Wealthy's property - the 2 million acres of land which is actually Yellowstone National Park. Students overwhelming decided that the land should be designated as a National Park, even before learning that the land in question was Yellowstone National Park. Next we began comparing two of our nation's oldest parks and the rich history they offer to the United States: Yellowstone and Yosemite. Students compared and contrasted the history, Native American influence, exploration, and exploitation of these two parks. 5th Grade - 20th Century PioneersFifth graders participated in a Creative Problem Solving lesson to solve the "mess" of the most devastating war in history, World War II. Students learned about medical pioneers and advancements that solved some of the problems of World War II. Students worked with a group to brainstorm problems and solutions as a result of the mess and then evaluated their potential solutions using criteria they created. Students presented their action plans for the top ranking solution. Next week we'll solve a mystery about Atlantis and learn about pioneers of ocean discovery!
This week, all grades took a break from our regular units to have some seasonal fun! Students listened to the song "Frosty the Snowman" and worked through the steps to creatively solve one of Frosty's problems. After students completed the Frosty CPS lesson, they completed a design challenge to build a home that would keep Frosty from melting. We discussed insulation and heat loss then students experimented with a variety of materials that would keep Frosty frozen as long as possible. Students worked on the 4 Ds of Problem Solving - define, design, do, and debrief. I was very impressed with the ingenuity of the houses students constructed! Thank you, parents, for sending in an ample supply of building materials! 2nd Grade3rd Grade4th Grade5th Grade - Thursday5th Grade - FridayWarm wishes for a wonderful Winter Break! Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!
~Mrs. Husack This week in TAG...2nd Grade completed a Compare Contrast lesson for our new unit, What's the Matter in the Kitchen? and discovered the answer to our Essential Question: "Why is it important to understand physical and chemical changes in the kitchen?" Students also participated an Inquiry lesson asking questions to figure out what the mystery object is and does. After students identified it as an electric popcorn popper, we popped some popcorn to observe physical change in action! 3rd Grade students participated in an Inductive Reasoning lesson to introduce vocabulary from our new unit, Freedom Express. We studied the evolution of slavery in the United States and disussed our Essential Question: "What is freedom?" Students worked on a freedom chart listing privileges and freedoms they enjoy, what happened when slaves were deprived of the freedoms students listed, and how they would feel if each of these freedoms was taken away. 4th Grade worked with a group to complete a Decision Making lesson about what to do with Mr. Wealthy's land. Students read facts about the land and then evaluated recommendations for the property. As a group, students decided whether to preserve the land, turn it into a national park, develop the land, or use it as a military base. Most students decided to designate the land for use as a national park. At the end of the lesson, I revealed to the class that Mr. Wealthy's land was actually Yellowstone National Park! Students answered the Essential Question: "What does it mean to be interdependent? What are some examples of interdependent relationships?" for our new unit, Camp Interdependence. 5th Grade had some seasonal fun creating a home for Frosty the Snowman. Check back next week for photos from this cool design challenge!
Frosty the Snowman Supplies Request!For our last TAG classes of 2016, we will be taking a break from our TAG unit and having some seasonal fun! Students will be participating in a Creative Problem Solving lesson to help Frosty the Snowman. They will be learning about the states of matter, heat energy (insulation and conduction), and the science of snowflakes. Part of the lesson includes a challenge to build a home for Frosty that will keep him from melting, or at least slow down the process. We are collecting the following items for Frosty’s shelter:
If you have any of these items at home and could send them in to TAG next week, I would greatly appreciate it! Our first Frosty challenge will be with 5th grade on Thursday, December 15. 2nd Grade - |
Mrs. HusackGifted Specialist Teacher at Teasley Elementary Archives
May 2018
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