SNOW DAY PACKET

Dear LES Family,

 

Let it snow!  Let it snow!  I am one with the wind and skyyyyy!  We’ll all learn, learn at home!  Do some math and read and wriiiiiite!  (For those of you hearing Frozen 24/7 for the past two days, please don’t throw things at the computer. ^_^)

 

I’ve loved seeing the snow day pictures several of you sent in today through email and I hope to see more tomorrow!  Since school is officially closed for Thursday, these assignments will keep the Work at Home project moving forward.  There are also several optional activities you can try if you are looking for some awesomely fun things to do!

 

On an additional note, my kids are coming home for good tomorrow (Yay!) so my maternity leave will begin tomorrow too!  (I will still be helping create Work at Home assignments when they are necessary.)  I’m really sad that I don’t get to see you all again before I leave, but I know you will have a great time with your amazing substitutes, Ms. Boyd and Mr. Glenn.  (Ms. Boyd (aka Mimi) will be here on Mondays and Mr. Glenn (a certified teacher) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.)  Both are amazing teachers and I’m glad they are able to spend these weeks with you while I’m away!  I’ll see you again in a few weeks.  Be sure to be on your best behavior and show them the amazing kids that I know you are!

 

With Love,

Ms. Ferrell

 

Math

• Use your measuring skills to find out how much water is actually in snow!  Find the experiment here: http://www.kcedventures.com/blog/simple-science-experiment-how-much-water-is-in-snow.

• Practice for at least 25 minutes on Khan Academy.  See if you can get at least 10,000 points to score in the top 10 for the class!

 

Reading

• Read for at least 25 minutes.  You can read a fiction book, nonfiction book, or magazine article.  Tween Tribute is a great online news site for K-4 students.  Students can also read on Raz-Kids.  Students need to be sure to document their reading on their February reading logs!

• Log on to Edmodo (username firstnamelastname3 and password ferrell) and write a few sentences about something you read during our snow days!  Ask questions or make comments about what some of your classmates read too!

  • Example:  I read Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce.  It’s about a girl whose father is a spy master.  She gets kidnapped and has to act like a spy and find out who is trying to hurt her new friends.  My favorite part is that, at the beginning of each chapter, there’s a short letter from her father that teaches her something important about how to be a spy.  – Ms. Ferrell

 

Writing

• Complete your choice of Poetry Assignment activities (additional page).  You only need to create one poem, but are welcome to try all three if you feel extra creative!  Feel free to share your poem on Edmodo with your classmates!

• Finish up your work on your Nonfiction Book chapters.  All 4-8 chapters of your book should be written as final drafts and typed (if possible).  Save your files to your Edmodo backpack so that you can access them at school.  Directions can be found here: http://edmodo.mediacore.tv/media/74backpack

 

Science

• Check out the Berry College Eagles on their live webcam: http://www.berry.edu/eaglecam/.  Research online to find out what kind of habitat eagles needs and at least one adaptation they have to survive on their habitat. 

• Also try one or more of these experiments below.  Don’t forget to take notes about your experiment like a real scientist!  You can use the same form that you used for the past experiments.

  • Which Ice Melts the Fastest: http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/07/what-melts-ice-fastest-hands-on-science.html

  • Become Elsa and turn water into ice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVAL5I-WtAQ#t=97

  • Here’s a GREAT Heat and Color Experiment: http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/simple-heat-experiment/

  • Learn how extra fat helps animals keep warm in winter: http://discoverandlearn.blogspot.com/2010/01/animals-in-winter.html

  • Here are some more (less messy) Animal Insulation Experiments:  This is an additional file that can be downloaded from my website here.

  •  Put glow sticks in hot and cold water and see if they look any different.

  • Magic Spinning Spiral: http://science-mattersblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/convection-spirals-over-lightbulb.html

  • Magic Growing and Shrinking Balloons:  Okay, so maybe they're not magic, but they will seem that way to the kids, and this one is quite easy. Just inflate and tie up a balloon, then stick it outside and watch it deflate. Bring it back inside to warm up and watch it re-inflate. (This is a nice lesson in the volume of a gas, in this case, air volume, changes with temperature, shrinking in the cold, as its density increases, and expanding in the heat, as its density decreases.)  Feed your inner scientist by seeing if you can replicate the results: http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2013/08/exploring-effects-of-hot-and-cold-air.html

 

Cures for The “I’m Bored”s

• Make Snow Paint: http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/12/squirty-snow-paint.html

• Let’s get a refresher on the measurements we learned in 2nd grade.  Try to find the best recipe for Snow Ice Cream and make a batch!  Be sure to email me a picture!  ^_^

• Make flash cards for your times tables using cut up index cards or even a piece of notebook paper cut into 4 or 8 pieces!

• See if snow sinks or floats with this cool experiment: http://lemonlimeadventures.com/snow-sink-float-winter-science-kids/#_a5y_p=3188040

• Snow Ramp Racing experiment: http://inspirationlaboratories.com/cars-ramps-snow/

• Make a Snowcano: http://www.science-sparks.com/2013/01/21/snow-volcano/

• Play around with the science of hockey and see what best slides on ice: http://www.creativefamilyfun.net/2013/02/hockey-science.html

• Make Maple Syrup Snow Taffy: http://www.thekitchn.com/snow-day-treat-how-to-make-map-106130

• If it’s cold enough (below 32), trying blowing some frozen bubbles with this experiment: http://www.housingaforest.com/frozen-bubbles/

• Make a Homemade Hand Warmer (does require special materials): http://www.education.com/activity/article/warm-hands-iron-rusts/

• Learn about the science behind popcorn: http://www.slideshare.net/silviavuong/popcorn