Looking back...

Dear Parents and Students,

 I had a wonderful first year at The Joy School and enjoyed getting to know all of my students-- each and every one of them! 

Here are some reflections made by my students on this past school year...

- I will never forget this year because I had the teachers I wanted to have.
- Something I learned about myself this year was when I need help, sometimes I ask and that helps.
- I feel I improved the most in paying attention.
- Something I'm proud of accomplishing is not doubting myself.
- Something I'm proud of accomplishing is Caine's Arcade because I was good at it.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I got challenged, but I kept trying.
- Something important that I learned this year was shortcuts in math.
- Something I learned about myself this year was that I am a talker and I need to work on comprehension and reading.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I take a little more time than some other people and that's ok.
- I will never forget this year because I have made so many friends and have learned so much.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I need to slow down and take my time.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I am shy.
- Something I learned about myself this year was if I slow down and reread what I am writing or reading it will make more sense.
- I will never forget this year because I learned so much.
- I will never forget this year because I had good teachers and a good class.
- Something I learned about myself this year was that I wasn't as shy as last year.
- Something I learned about myself this year was being a better person and being a better learner this year.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I am so very excited the next year.  I am learning about myself and my personality and being nice to friends.
- Next year I hope to be more independent.
- Something I learned about myself this year was facing harder challenges and work.
- Something I learned about myself this year was I can do anything I set my mind to.

Students, make sure to share the rest of your reflections with your family!  :)

Have a wonderful summer!  I can't wait to hear all about it in August!

Homework Assignment

Science Homework: Due: Friday, May 24

1. Pick an invertebrate and write at least three facts about it.  Make sure to include a picture of it.  Email it to me by Friday, May 24.

Social Studies- Due: Friday, May 24

1.  Land and Water worksheet
2. Intermediate Directions worksheet

Homework Assignment

Science Homework: Due: Friday, May 17

1. Complete "Ectothermic and Endothermic" worksheet.

Social Studies- Due: Friday, May 17

1.  Complete "Latitude and Longitude" worksheet.

Homework Assignment

Science Homework: Due: Friday, May 10

1. Complete "Vertebrate Classifications" worksheet.  You may use your Vertebrates book as a resource.

2. Pick any vertebrate and write 3 interesting facts about it.  Make sure to say which group of vertebrates your animal belongs to.  (ex. Dolphins belong to the mammal group.  Here are some interesting facts about dolphins.)

 

Social Studies- Due: Wednesday, May 8
1.  Write a summary of your News Story using your 5 W's sheet and the summary outline.  I will email the outline to you.  Email the summary to me by Wednesday, May 8. 

 

Room 13 News

The Dog Who Saved a Boy
by: Mary Kate and Grace

In British Colombia, there was a boy who was 11 and his name was Austin.  He and his dog, Angel, went outside to get firewood when a cougar jumped out from the woods and charged at Angel. The dog and the cougar battled for about 20 minutes! The mom thought the dog was dead because he was not moving.  She called the cops so the cougar wouldn’t hurt other people.  When the cops came he shot the cougar and the dog was okay. For more information go to dogonews.com.
Source: Dogonews 

 

Getting on Mars
by: Ryan

Will they really go for the risk of putting man on Mars?  U.S. astronauts are trying to get to Mars in 2018.  The astronauts are going to train for the next 5 years.  Then they get to go to the red planet. 
Source: Dogonews








Space Shuttle
by: Austin

The space shuttle “Discovery” was transported on a Boeing 7-47 NASA plane in 2012.   It was going to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Virginia. The shuttle program ended so the shuttle “Discovery” was going to be retired and on display in the museum.   This is Austin Smith for “Room 13 News” signing off.
Source: Dogonews





Ice(d) Hockey?
by: Andrew B. and Bradford

You have heard of playing ice hockey over the frozen ice, but under it, how did that happen? Back in 2011, ice hockey players from cold places like Finland, Czech Republic, and Germany started playing ice hockey beneath the frozen ice. This game was created in Austria, and was made to be a new competitive and extreme sport. This sport can only be played in cold places or the ice will melt. The sport is competitive for different countries around the world. The players use a Styrofoam puck that stays on the ice. The players who are under water have to come up every thirty seconds for air. To find out more go to www.dogonews.com.
Source: Dogonews


Boston Hero
by: Zach

There has been a big hero in the Boston tragedy. There was one person who helped out a lot and saved lives.  His name is Carlos.  Carlos helped a man who was injured by staying with him and treating his wounds.  He was at the marathon because he was honoring his two sons who died in the military.
Source: ABC news



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Polka Dotted Penguins

Adrianne the Survivor
by: Wilson

Today I will be talking about a Boston survivor who is convinced to fulfill her dreams.  Adrianne Haslett was affected badly by the bombings. She was a ballroom dancer that had to have her foot amputated from the bomb. This ball room dancer is convinced to keep dancing. She made an appearance on “Dancing with the Stars” last Tuesday night. We will keep you updated on this story as it unravels.  This story should remind each and every one of you to never give up and fight for what you love. 
Source: Cnn News



Private Mission to Mars
by: Noah

Today we are talking about the 2-person trip to Mars.  Multi Millionaire Dennis Tilto Has organized a 2-person flyby to mars.   In February 2013, Dennis Tilto put money in his organization www.insparationmars.com where 2 lucky winners will go into space. They will get 100 miles close to Mars on the 501day round trip. If Dennis Tilto reaches the deadline in 2018 they will successfully fly to Mars.  If they don't, the only other time they can fly to Mars is in 2032.  The main priority of the trip is safety. In conclusion rember ONLY 2 people will be chosen likely a married couple.  My Name is Noah Henshaw and this is the Polka dot penguins signing out.
Source: Dogonews


Midwest Flooding
by: Caroline

There has been horrible flooding in the Midwest! The people that lived there were terrified! It happened from the Illinois River. People evacuated their homes and put sandbags around their houses so the water wouldn’t get in. Some houses were overflowing with water. People were devastated!
Source: weather.com



The Most Homeruns
by: Zoltan

Who hit the most home runs in the Nippon Professional league? This is the Japanese Baseball League.  Sadahro Oh hit the most home runs in the NPL. He hit 868 home runs in 2006. He hit the 868 home runs when he was playing baseball. He had help by his team and his coach.







Basketball
by: Lane

Will Kobe Brian get better from his injury? Kobe Brian and his team were playing a basketball game. When he was playing basketball he tore his Achilles tendon. He was trying to block a shot and his leg broke when he landed. He broke his Achilles tendon in the Staples Center. He will probably be out for 6-9 months.
Source: ESPN



Dragon Bridge
by: Mia

Today I am talking about the Dragon Bridge in Vietnam. The Louis Berger Group built a giant bridge that looks like a dragon, and the bridge breaths fire. The locals and the Louis Berger Group were on the site when it was opened. The Louis Berger Group built the dragon to bring good luck to the city of Da Nang in Vietnam. The dragon bridge opened on March 29, 2013.The Dragon Bridge was built in the city of Da Nang in Vietnam. Thank you for your time, and stay tuned to hear more news stories from the Polka Dotted Penguins.
Source: Dogonews

TJS News

Pac Man Post-its

by: Makell and Carter

Did you know that someone made a Post it notes arcade?  How many posts it notes do you think were used for this arcade?  This man named Mr. Birkens made an arcade out of post-it notes. It took 11 months and 4,800 post it notes to create. He made the arcade to try to make the boss like him so he could move into a bigger office.  Mr. Birkens made it in 2010. For more information, go onto www.dogonews.com.  This is all I have for this story, stay tuned for the next story.
 

 

                                                     
Earth Day

by: Julia

Did you know that we do not take care of our Earth very well?  Every day one American throws away four pounds of garbage a day, and how much we throw away a year is over 1,600 pounds of garbage.  If you recycle one glass bottle, it can power your computer for 30 minutes.  If you recycle 2,000 pounds of paper you could save 17 trees.  When you recycle one ton of paper you could save 6 months of energy for your home.  We should all care about our Earth so help your Earth.
Source: Time for Kids

 

Fast Lane
by: Woody

A company names Volkswagen made a fast red slide in 2010 in a subway in Amsterdam.  Instead of taking the stairs, people had the choice to slide down the "fast lane."  It happened so people could have fun and get home faster and also to speed up life. 

Source: Dogo News
 

 

Message in a Bottle
by: Grace and Sam

Today I have a breaking news story about how the biggest message in a bottle has been launched into the Atlantic Ocean.  The biggest message in a bottle was launched from the coast of Spain in the Atlantic Ocean. It is almost 6,000 pounds.  A company called Solo is giving a free party to whoever finds it, so be on the lookout for this large, orange bottle.  That is all I have for the biggest message in a bottle.  Stay tuned for the next breaking news article.
Source: Dogonews
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework Assignment

Science Homework: Due: Friday, May 3

1. Complete "Predator and Prey" worksheet.

Social Studies- Due: Thursday, May 2
1.  Write a summary of your News Story using your 5 W's sheet and the summary outline.  (I will email the outline to you.) 

Homework Assignment

Science Homework: Due: Friday, April 26

1. Study "Plant" vocabulary words on Quizlet for 15 minutes each night.

www.quizlet.com Your username is your first initial, last name, tjs --> John Smith's username would be "jsmithtjs." If you forget your password, you can email me and I will send it to you.

**There will be a quiz on Friday on plants.

Social Studies- Due: Friday, April 26
**Remember to pick articles that will be interesting to share on your class' news station.
 

1. Read an article on our class Dogo News site and complete "5 W's Chart." Please write your answers in complete sentences. Practice doing a newscast with your "5 W's" information.

www.dogonews.com/class/tjsdonovan

2. Find a news article to bring to class on Friday. It can be cut out of a newspaper or magazine or printed off a news site on the internet. Please make sure it is appropriate for school. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

What's going on in Room 13?

Science:
This is the perfect time for studying plants!  Everywhere you look there is green to be seen.  Students participated in a flower lab last Friday and saw first hand the different parts of a flower. 

Learning targets:
- I can describe plant parts and what they are used for.
- I can explain the different life cycles of plants.
- I can explain how to use a Dichotomous key to identify things.

Some ways to help at home:
- Go on a nature walk and compare different plants (leaves, stems, flowers).
- Grow a plant at home and observe the different stages of a plant.


Social Studies:
We have been studying current events the past few weeks.  Now that students have had some experience reading different news articles and picking out the main idea, they will create their own news stations and report the news!   This week will be spent working out the details of how they want to run their news station. 

Learning targets:
- I can describe the main idea and details of something (i.e. article, news story, event)
- I can identify and describe the functions of various non-fiction text features (i.e. caption, heading, table of contents, index, etc)
- I can participate and and make positive contributions when working in a group.

Some ways to help at home:
- Watch or talk about the news at home.  Discuss why it is important and reasons why people watch the news.
- Discuss different topics that can be covered on the news (i.e. sports, weather, local, national, etc)
- Discuss various events and the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why)

 

 

Flower Dissection Lab

 Students had a chance to act as botanists on Friday when they worked in pairs and dissected flowers.  They successfully found and examined various parts of a flower such as the stamen, pistil, petals, ovaries, and ovules. 

A special thanks goes out to Mr. McCool for supplying all the flowers for our Flower Lab!!

West, Texas help

If you would like to donate items for the people affected in West, Texas, please bring them tomorrow morning (April 19). Someone on our staff will be going this weekend to help with the Red Cross.

Possible items for donation: baby formula, adult and baby diapers, dog/cat food, bedding, clothing, etc.

I apologize for the late notice.

Homework Assignment

Hi Everyone!

Here are the homework assignments for the week.

Science Homework: Due: Friday, April 19

1. Visit "Science Kids" link and play "Life Cycle of a Plant."
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/lifecycles.html

Learn about the life cycle of a plant by sorting the parts of a flower, discovering what each part does and how it contributes to the life cycle of a living thing.

2. "Plant Vocabulary Matching"- Match the vocabulary words with its definition or purpose.

3. Study "Plant" vocabulary words on Quizlet for 15 minutes each night.
   www.quizlet.com  Your username is your first initial, last name, tjs  --> John Smith's username would be "jsmithtjs."  If you forget your password, you can email me and I will send it to you.

**There will be a quiz on Friday on plants.  Some other ways to study are reading over your flower diagram in your journal, your plant powerpoint outline, and your "Plant Parts" homework passage from last week.
 

Social Studies- Due:  Due: Friday, April 19

1. Read an article on our class Dogo News site and complete "5 W's Chart."   Please write your answers in complete sentences.  Practice doing a newscast with your "5 W's" information.

   www.dogonews.com/class/tjsdonovan

2. Find a news article to bring to class on Friday.  It can be cut out of a newspaper or magazine or printed off a news site on the internet.  Please make sure it is appropriate for school.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.

Homework Assignment

Dear Parents and Students,

Here are the homework assignments for the week.

Science Homework: Due: Friday, April 12

1. Read "Plants and their Parts" and answer the questions.
2. Visit "Science Kids" link on the blog and play "How Plants Grow."

Social Studies- Due:  Due: Friday, April 12

1. Swimming pigs?  Smart trash cans?  Find out more at Dogo News!  Read an article on our class Dogo News site and complete "5 W's Chart."   Please write your answers in complete sentences.
   www.dogonews.com/class/tjsdonovan

Cardboard Arcade

Check out the fun we had at our Cardboard Arcade!

 

Catapult Challenge

Students put their knowledge of simple machines to work this past week when they were challenged to build catapults out of random objects.  They were extra motivated once they learned their target was their teacher!  Lucky for me they were using large marshmallows as their ammunition.  Haha! All students were able to successfully name the 4 components of a lever in their catapults (lever, fulclrum, load, effort).

Challenge: to build a catapult out of random objects (i.e. popsicle sticks, paperclips, rubber bands, plastic spoons, tape, index cards, etc)
Why: for fun!
When: Tuesday, April 2, 2013
What:  Each team had three tries to launch marshmallows at the teacher with their catapults.  Then they had three tries to see how far their catapults would launch their loads.

Jack launching his catapult

Kailyn excited to try out her catapult

 

 

Looking eager to catapult marshmallows at Mrs. Donovan

Planning their strategy

 

Teamwork

 

 Success!!

Science and Social Studies Update

Dear Parents and Students,

What an amazing past few weeks with our Regions Party and Cardboard Arcade!  The kids' hard work paid off and was evident from the success of these two events.  Thank you for all your help along the way!

Brief update:
In science, we are reviewing "Simple Machines" on Monday and Tuesday.  Students will have a test on Thursday and then we will move on to the world of plants. 

In social studies, we will spend the rest of the year covering current events, map skills, and states of the U.S.A.


Science Homework:

1. Find three different kinds of leaves and write as many observations as you can about them.  (Due: Friday, April 5)
2. Study for "Simple Machines" test each night (Test will be Thursday, April 4)
    - Monday- read over your Simple Machines Review Packet for pulleys and levers
    - Tuesday- read over your Simple Machines Review Packet for wheel and axle and inclined planes
    - Wednesday- Visit EdHeads website and go to the "House" to review simple machines.  Review  Simple Machines packet as needed.
      http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/

Social Studies Homework:

1. Complete the "Lost in the United States" to find out which state Penelope Peabody is.  Use the clues to determine which state she is in.  (Due: Friday, April 5)



Here's a sneak peek from the Cardboard Arcade!

"Space Ball"- Kailyn, Peyton, Jack, Andrew, Sam

 

Cardboard Arcade Update... Hard at Work!

Here are a few snapshots of my science students hard at work!