Dear Family - Space Letters

SPACE LETTERS                                               

Dear Mom and Dad,

Please don’t make us go to Neptune for Winter Break. Haven’t you heard of all the bad things that happen on    Neptune? Well here is some information about it.

On Neptune there’s dark storms,giant hurricanes,and streaky white clouds of methane ice. So, Mom and Dad if we go to Neptune we might get caught up in a hurricane and die,because hurricanes on Neptune are very strong and powerful. So don’t take us to Neptune if you haven't read, there are dangerous and unsafe things on Neptune that I’m sure we don’t want to get involved in.

If you don’t believe me than keep reading about Neptune and hopefully change your mind about the whole thing.

    Did you know Neptune is very cold? Well Neptune is very cold. About -400 degrees. If we go to Neptune and face the cold temperature there I hope you can afford clothing for it. Do you know why its so cold on Neptune? Well that’s because its the 8th planet from the Sun. About 2,800,044,000 miles away from the Sun!!! That’s pretty far away.

So please don’t take us to Neptune for Winter break. I never want to witness the things that happen there.

    I Love you,please change your mind.

                                                                  -Mackenzie

Dear  Mom,

Please don’t send me to Jupiter for a x- mas, because there is a great big storm known as the great red spot. I also re-quest that you the  not send me here because there is no where to land! Then again  the only place to land is the core that is blazing at 35,000 degrees. this is why you should not send me to Jupiter.               

The storm on Jupiter known as the great  red spot is a very large storm that is on Jupiter. This storm the largest storm to be recorded ,and though it does not move changes shape,and size so it expands.I also know that you don’t want to go here because its way to hot!  

Want to know why I say its way to hot? I say this because it only has one place to land the , core! The core of this planet is blazing at 35,000 degrees. This is because Jupiter is a gas giant so it mostly made up of helium, and hydrogen. so  there would only be the core to land on. Plus any spaceship to get to close would burn up and disintegrate or be crushed by giant flying gas filled rocks that come of the core

So now you see my reasons of the great red spot and the blazing core of 35, 000 degrees.This is why I do not to go to Jupiter for x-mas this year

 

LOVE JAMES

       

Dear parents,

I will not go on our family vacation if it has anything to do with the biggest planet in our solar system, Jupiter.

First of all, One: there is a permanent storm called the great red spot.

The Great Red Spot is a super hurricane. The Great Red Spot could fit 2 earths in it.

Another reason is Jupiter is a gas giant. Jupiter is the giant planet in our solar system.

It is covered with constantly moving clouds miles thick. Jupiter is mostly made of gases.

Jupiter surface is an ocean of liquid hydrogen . The hydrogen may be 10.000

Or more miles deep.

Hopefully i talk some sense into you because we would go bankrupt and die. Also we will dissolve into nothingness. I will haft to secede from the family.

Love, Benny

  

Dear mom and dad,

Have you ever wished to fly like Peter Pan and see a whole other world? Well if you have, your wish is coming true!  For my birthday,I want to make our family happy by taking  you guys on a one month vacation to the International Space Station.We may not have the money for 5 spaceship tickets,but we could make a run for it right now and leave my sisters at home.Plus, my sisters are little, and the might get spacesick on the trip there.

One reason why we would have the time of our lives on this one month vacation is because there is a number of things we can do thats not possible on Earth.This trip may not be what we are used to on our planet,( especially the bathrooms) but we would get used to it shortly.( Its always good to try something new right?)One thing that we can do thats not possible on Earth is grow perfect crystals and make mixtures of metals that are stronger than made on Earth.Could you imagine it?Maybe if we are really good, the hostess might give us a free crystal, just to be nice.The most exciting thing to do of all would be.......TO FLY!! It may be obvious,since there are lots of books saying that you could fly in space,but not that many people actually experience it.  Not only people, but also everything else can fly to! Water bubbles would be flying everywhere! This paragraph is only one reason why we should take a trip to The International Space Station.

Another reason why you should take this offer is because its pretty safe considering thats in outer space.One fact why it is safe is because in case the station was hit by a meteorite, or if something went wrong with the computers, there is a vehicle called the X-38 on the station.If anything went wrong,the X-38 would take the passengers safely back to Earth.Here is another fact how the station is safe. Did you know that after they are finished with the space station it will weigh about 1 million pounds?Thats pretty heavy! Wouldn’t you think that something that heavy would fall down? Actually, the station does! As the station orbits Earth, it slowly gets closer to the planet.If it weren’t boosted back up, the station would crash into Earth.Thats why there are small engines on the station.They help move the station back into a higher orbit when it slows down and moves closer to Earth.This makes the station crashing into the Earth a pretty bad possibility. The last fact is what if the station gets too hot when it is in the sunlight?This is another thing that can not happen to The International Space Station.The extra heat is collected and carried to the radiators, which are turned away from the sun. Heat travels from a hot place to a cooler place,so the heat in the radiators leaks into the intense cold of outer space.

These are the facts and reasons why I think we should take a vacation at The International Space Station.It will be an experience for all of us! I will be seeing you on the spaceship!

                            Love,

           

                        Juliet Hassenberg

                   

Subject: Please do not make us go to Mercury!

To:Parents

From:Petra

 Dear Mom, and Dad,

     Please do not make us go to Mercury, for our Christmas vacation! There are many reasons that we should not go here but, for me there are two main reasons (We would also go bankrupt if we went there!).

    Reason number 1: the temperature is very uncomfortable! I know that mom likes to be warm, but I don’t think she wants to be more than 750 degrees fahrenheit! For Mercury can get up to more than 750 degrees fahrenheit. We would have to pay millions for a air conditioned space suit, if we went there! Then we would have to have a whole nother space suit with heating! Why would we have to do that is because, in the night mercury can go down to -300 degrees fahrenheit! That would be very unsafe!

    Speaking of unsafe, my second reason is that it is very unsafe here!  If  we went to Mercury, we would die! Why you say, well there is no atmosphere so there is no air.  Also because there is no atmosphere  lots of meteors  crash into Mercury. These are no pebbles, some meteors can get to one-hundred miles wide! On Mercury's surface there are high cliffs called  scarps , some scarps slash meteors or any thing that comes in it’s way.So if we stepped on it then our foot would be gone!

    I hope I have convinced you not to bring the family to Mercury for christmas vacation. Between the temperature and the danger on this planet I think that you are not going to bring us there. Plus, if were going to go to Mercury, I have a whole nother letter of excuses,  but that is for another time.

                    Love your daughter,

                                Petra

November!! by Greta P

Reading and Writing

In reading the past two weeks we started reading our new reading group books with partners. Some books we are reading are Tuck Everlasting, Walk Two Moons and The War With Grandpa. Also, we have been continuing our read aloud, Wrinkle in Time. To dig deeper into the characters of this book, we wrote traits about main characters (Meg, Calvin and Charles Wallace) then had to find text to justify the traits.

In writing the past two weeks we have written three flash drafts for the same narrative. Soon we will work through the writing process with this narrative seed, then share the final draft to our classmates. Ask your child about Peter’s Chair!

Math, Science and Number Corner

In math the past two weeks we have wrapping up Unit 1 and started moving into Unit 2! Unit 2 will involve long division, 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication and making arrays for both multiplication and division. We have also played a game called I Have, Who Has? This is a game involving arrays!

In science the past two weeks we have been continuing our Solar System unit.

In number corner the past two weeks we have been starting to look at our new calendar for November, and this month, we will learn about liquid measuring. Also, converting ounces to pints, quarts to gallons etc......   

Other Important News and Events

- Our November share will be about what we are thankful for. Prepare to share on your day!

- Endeavor again will be holding a Pie Sale (yum!) for the Craft Fair! If you are want to participate please fill out the signup sheet and send it to school with your child!

10/8/13 Endeavor 5th grade according to Greta!! :)

Photos from our Fabulous Team Building Fieldtrip to Shelburne Farms!! 9/20/13

Reading and Writing

    In reading the past two weeks we have been  continuing to  talk about  what  good readers do such as  reading wide awake.  Including this,  during  the Friday snack shack we read Scholastic News which includes debates, fun  facts and  articles about current events. We also did a play from Storyworks about Hercules.

    In writing the past two weeks we have  been  continuing  to respond to  writing prompts so we can plant seeds for narratives. We also we read the book Chrysanthemum  then  wrote a story about  any name we wanted to (our own name, name  we  wish we had or just a fun story about a name)!

Math, Science, Number Corner

    In math the last two weeks we have  been working on prime and composite numbers and we even got observed by 12 teachers  during a math class  to see how kids learn! Also, we have been working on factor trees and riddles to go with numbers.

    We just started science and we are going to be studying  astronomy and space!  the whole Endeavor team made a poster  of  what we know about space and what we wonder about space. Also, for the next two weeks  kids  are  going to  make posters for  a word that involves space (eclipse, saturn, satellite, etc.) and then share them with the class. Next week we are also going to use iPads to study space.

    In number corner the past two weeks we have been  wrapping up patterns and observations about September’s calendar as the month comes to an end.

Other Important News and Events

• - HW this week was again minimized because of testing.  Students will simply be writing in their writing notebooks (needs to come back and forth each day!!) and keeping a moon journal!!!
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• Wednesdays this month are Walking Wednesdays!!!
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• October 17 - Conferences.  I've share the google doc with all of you to sign up, and you can access it at any time to find the schedule, or find it on our webpage.
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• Tuesday October 22 - Picture retake day AND Field trip to the Flynn to see Bunnicula!!

        

News from our first full week!! by Greta P

Reading and Writing

    In reading this week we have really been trying to reflect on our reading either for the week, the day or making goals for the entire school year. Including reflecting and making goals we talked about how we can increase our reading endurance and stamina.

We additionally took a reading test called DRP to find out how well we can read.

    In writing this week we have been generating ways to get an idea for a narrative and after that planting seeds of narratives. After we have planted many seeds we are going to pick the best one to work through the writing process with.

Math, Science and Number Corner

   

This week in math we logged on to Fastt Math for the first time this year and  we heard from Mr. Madden about the importance of knowing our facts (we want to put facts in long term memory). We also made generalizations about the patterns we saw in cube sequences.  Our hard work paid off with the creation of an algebraic expression!!! Also, we are moving into multiplication arrays and observations. Ask your child about the commutative properties of multiplication (challenge them  to say commutative 10 times fast :-} ).

No science yet!!!

In number corner this week we made a graph to represent the penny toss data we have. We also have been problem solving.

Other Important News and Events

-Many kids have tried to log into their school email and can’t.  That’s because the school has reset everyone’s gmail password to shelburne.  Please pass this on to your child if you hear them say they can’t log in.  We haven’t done it in school yet this year.  

-Permission Slip came home today for the Shelburne Farms field trip which will take place next Friday.  We still need 3 more chaperones if you’re available!

-Endeavor is participating in the annual Hike for Hunger on September 28th! Students can participate by walking with us, donating to a walker, or sending in perishable food items for the Shelburne Food Shelf!  Please help out this great cause!  http://www.razoo.com/team/Hikeforhunger2013

News according to Greta! 9/6/13

Reading and Writing

In reading this week we got many new and exciting things. Mrs. Crowther handed out fancy reading journals with built in page dividers and tons of lined paper to write our ideas in. We also got new reading logs similar to last year’s. If you don’t remember what these are, they are where we record every time we read. They always stay with our book, and us when we are reading. Once we got these the class started to talk about what will make reading the best it can be this year (calm environment, good book suggestions etc.). Overall it is a good start to a year full of reading!

In writing this week Mrs. Crowther said she needed more info about our writing skills. So we were assigned to write a narrative and go through a mini version of the writing process in one day (one day=around an hour). We had to put all of our writing skills into this and do as much as possible in the time given. Also, we got new reading notebooks and decorated them!

Math, Science and Number Corner

In math this week we worked on a way to show data of the heights of kids in our class. Also, each of us filled out a biography of how we feel about math (it was called mathography). Additionally, we took a pre-assessment and observed cube arrangements.

We haven’t been doing science yet this year but the class is excited to start doing fun experiments and learning new things!

In number corner this week we have been starting to observe our calendar. After some group observations we figured out the calendar is showing us quadrants (Geometry, Astronomy . one of the four parts into which a plane, as the face of a heavenly body, is divided by two perpendicular lines, numbered counterclockwise from upper right) with a right triangle in it. Every day the right triangle moved to a different quadrant by either reflecting, transitioning, or rotating. Furthermore, we did mental math and a penny toss.

Other Important News and Events

-Endeavor Curriculum Night - Tuesday 9/17 6:30pm

- Field Trip to Shelburne Farms - 9/20

-PTO Gift Wrap sales starts 9/10 and due 9/24

- Hike for Hunger food drive 9/9- 9/27! Help us collect 100 cans of food for the Shelburne Food Shelf.

- Ask your child about Pete the Cat!

Dear Families,

Hello and Happy First Friday of the new school year!!!  It’s been so nice to be back together again!  We are also happy to welcome 2 new classmates: Kaiden and Janson!!

This week has flown by (as the first week usually does….), but we’ve had many great moments together.  Some things we’ve done this week:

• Band orientation - Sign-up came home today!! and is due back TUESDAY!!
• Reviewed and practiced classroom routines and procedures
• Enjoyed some creative team time with Vasanthi’s class
• Explored the changes in the classroom library
• Got BRAND NEW reader’s notebooks and recorded our thoughts about how to make reading the best it can be this year
• Reviewed some of the Math Habits of Mind and Habits of Interaction through our math activities and discussions
• Enjoyed a few read-alouds (Did you hear about Swimmy?!)
• Talked about what we can do to ensure our classmates are feeling safe and happy in our classroom - eye contact, good listening, kind responses, body language, etc.

Of course, our days were also busy with UA, recess and lunch, getting used to the new schedule, catching up about our summers, enjoying our first “Snack Shack”, and so on.  

Students have not yet received any HW assignments, nor have they gotten their reading logs.  I still hope that students are reading regularly at home.  Reading logs will come home next week as will our first goal sheet.

I’ve just been informed that all students were reset on Fasttmath, back to multiplication.  We’ll do additional fact assessments before we decide where students really need the work.  I can switch students to other operations, but all students will have to reassess into the program.  I know that this might feel discouraging your children, but if they were working really hard and really know their facts up to a certain point, that will show when they take the initial assessment and they’ll be placed appropriately.  I won’t start them back into Fasttmath until after we do the classroom assessments (probably by the end of next week).  

Additionally, I’d like to briefly mention the Hike for Hunger. The Endeavor team has signed up to participate in the Hike for Hunger this year to benefit Hunger Free VT.  It will take place on Saturday, September 28 between 9:30-12:00.  Participation is optional.  More details will come home shortly.  In the meanwhile, here’s a link: http://www.razoo.com/story/Cara-Crowther-Fundraising-For-Hike-For-Hunger-2013

I hope you’ve heard from your children about the first few days of school.  Its really good to be together again!!

As always, keep in touch!!

Welcome Back!!

Poppy with her backpack! She's ready!

August 20, 2013

Hello Students and Families!

It's TIME!!!! Time to get ready to come back to school!  

Personally, I'm excited!  I am so happy to be teaching 5th grade, to work with Vasanthi, and to have my wonderful kids back!! 

Summer was amazing wasn't it?  (Well, after a month of rain..).  I'm looking forward to hearing about your vacation, your adventures, new books you read, and any new learning you did!  I had a very nice summer with my family.  

A few of my highlights were: a visit with my sister and her family in GA, a (solo) trip to CA to visit old friends, riding bike with the kids in tow, summer bookclub, and a Crowther family reunion.

Sy getting some help with his slam dunk at the reunion. 

With my sister and her family in GA.

  I  I hope you all are as psyched as I am about the upcoming year.  We have so much to look forward to: 

• Learning and growing together!
• Becoming even BETTER readers and writers
• Being creative and inventive!
• Chorus and (NEW!) Band
• Studying Space, Ecology, US History, and Weather
• More Community Service projects (those Origami boxes were AMAZING!!)
• Fieldtrips to Shelburne Farms, the Flynn, and MORE!

Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg! 

I am sincerely excited to spend another year with all of you.  I look forward to seeing you at our Open House (before the first day of school) on Monday, 8/28 at 4:30 p.m.  They'll be time to say hello to your friends again, check out the classroom, and start thinking about 5th grade !!!

Enjoy your last few days of summer.  And as always, keep in touch!

Mrs. Crowther

You’re Invited!!

WHO: all Endeavor students

WHAT:   Endeavor Summer Book Club!!

WHERE: Pierson Library

WHEN: Wednesdays (mostly) this summer.

WHY:  to catch up with each other over the summer AND talk about GREAT BOOKS!

First book we will read will be The Danger Box by Blue Balliett.  We’ll shoot to read a book every two weeks so please try to finish this book by our FIRST MEETING: Wednesday, 6/26 4 p.m.

At our meeting we will talk about the book, what we enjoyed, what we wondered.  We’ll also vote on the next book we’ll read!!

Please know, You DO NOT have to be able to be present at each book club in order to join us sometimes.  However, you do have to attempt to read the book.   Stay updated on email and through Mrs. Crowther’s Kidblog page:  http://kidblog.org/MrsCrowthersClass/

We look forward to seeing you and READING with YOU!!!