Super Science Sale

I am so excited to announce that this year, OUES will be hosting the first annual Super Science Sale!

The Super Science Sale is similar to the Book Fair, but it offers science materials, instead. There will be educational toys and games, science equipment, and even live animals, all offered at reasonable prices by Heath Scientific. 

The sale will be held from Monday, November 26 through Friday, November 30 and will be set up in the Science Lab. Students who know what they would like to purchase are welcome to come at any time during the day, with their teacher's permission. Each individual class will be escorted to the sale for about 30 minutes that week with their class, as well. Regular sale hours are 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, but the sale will be open until 5:30 pm on Thursday, November 29.

All proceeds will go to the OUES science program. The funds will help supply consumables for experiments, food and bedding for the lab pets, science equipment, and other science-related supplies.

You can view a black and white copy of the Heath Scientific flier by clicking HERE. The flier includes a list of most available items and their prices (with tax included). The flier also includes the animal purchase permission slip, which is mandatory if your child wants to bring home a new pet. 

Parents, if you are available during the sale, I would love to have a few extra hands in the lab to keep things running smoothly and efficiently! I've created a volunteer sign-up form online; you can visit it by clicking HERE. All you need is a valid e-mail address in order to sign up for a volunteer time slot. Please feel free to send the above link to anyone else you know that may be available and willing to help.

I can't wait!

October 22 - 26

Here's a recap of this week's Science lab activities:

• Kindergarten: We learned about sorting this week. We sorted pumpkins and colored shapes. Home extension: ask your student how and why a scientist might need to sort things. Present your student with a pile of random objects and ask him/her to sort them.
• 1st grade: We saw a change in matter (popcorn kernels) when we applied heat. We also worked on our graphing skills; we graphed our predictions and the results of our investigation. Home extension: ask your student how matter can be changed by heat. Allow your student to assist/observe you cooking dinner to see changes in other types of matter (food) when heat or cold is applied.
• 2nd grade: We got to practice measuring the mass of various types of matter with a spring scale. We also discussed the fact that not all things are matter. Home extension: ask your student to tell you which things are not matter and why they are not (matter takes up space and has mass...if something doesn't fit those two criteria, it's not matter!).
• 3rd grade: We held a "raft rally" this week. 3rd graders collaborated with their table teams to try to build the smallest raft possible (out of aluminum foil and straws) that would float and hold 15 pennies. Home extension: try this activity at home with your student! Allow your student to show you what boat/raft structures work and why.
• 4th grade: Although we didn't spend time in the Science Lab this week, we did participate in a science adventure; 4th grade went on a field trip to the zoo. We saw a lot of interesting animals, gathered more information for the 4th grade animal projects, and had a lot of fun! Home extension: ask your student to tell you more about the animal he/she is researching. Discuss the zoo trip with your student: What was your favorite animal? Tell me one interesting fact you learned about the animal. Etc.

Have a great weekend!

Tree Planting Ceremony

Dragons,

I wanted to remind you about the tree planting ceremony that will take place on Tuesday, October 23 at 3:00 pm near the OUES gardens.

Old Union received a generous grant of several beautiful trees from Bob Jones Nature Center. Some of our Green Thumb Club members will speak at the presentation, our boy and girl scout friends will have a part in the ceremony, the choir will serenade us with a fun song about trees, and we'll enjoy some refreshments while we plant those trees!

If your student would like to stay after school to attend the ceremony, we should be ready for parent pick-up near the playground by about 3:45 pm. 

We'd love for you to join us in this celebration!

October 15 - 19

Here's a recap of our week in the Science Lab:

• Kindergarten: We learned more about our senses of smelling and hearing as a way of observing matter. We played a sound egg memory game and did 5 smell tests. Ask your student about their favorite things to hear and smell.
• 1st grade: We did an investigation to find out the effects of heat and cold on matter. Ask your student if food coloring moves faster in warm water or cool water.
• 2nd grade: We had a shortened period due to testing, but we still had fun weighing various objects on a primary balance. Students were able to use hexagram weights to find out the exact mass of objects on our list. Ask your student to explain how to operate the primary balance and how to use the hexagram weights. You could even ask your student to predict the mass of various objects around your house.
• 3rd grade: We conducted a brand-new experiment ("Lava in a Cup") to learn about mixtures. Ask your student to explain their group's experiment and results.
• 4th grade: I was unable to be in class on this day, but we had a fabulous substitute, so I know the students had a great time and learned a lot! 4th graders conducted an experiment about bird beak adaptations to figure out which beak type is most conducive to eating various types of food. Ask your student which bird beak they used in class, and which food was easiest to pick up.

 Reminders:

• Next week is Red Ribbon week. Please refer to the previous post to figure out how to show your support each day! You could even recite the Red Ribbon pledge each morning on the way to school. OUES is proud to be drug free!
• Tuesday, Oct. 23 is the tree planting ceremony. We would love to see you in the OUES garden around 3 pm!
• Wednesday, Oct. 24 is picture re-take day and group picture day. Green Thumb Club members are invited to be in the club yearbook picture! If your student did not get a chance to attend the meeting but is planning on joining the GTC, please feel free to be in the picture! We are wearing OUES t-shirts to support Red Ribbon week.

Have a great weekend!

Red Ribbon Week

Just a reminder: Red Ribbon Week is next week (October 22 - 26)! OUES is proud to be drug free!

Red Ribbon Pledge:

I pledge to be drug free.

I pledge to take care of my body.

I pledge to be myself.

I pledge to stick up for things I believe in.

I pledge to choose good friends.

Monday: Hats off to being drug free (wear your hat to school).

Tuesday: Give drugs the boot (wear your boots to school).

Wednesday: OUES shows good character by being drug free (wear your OUES t-shirt to show school pride). **This is also picture day for retakes and group pictures, including Green Thumb Club!

Thursday: I’m voting for my future -- I’m drug free (wear read, white, and blue).

Friday: Team up against drugs (wear a team shirt and show that you're a team player).

Week of October 8 - 12

 Hello, all! Here's what we did this week:

• Kindergarten: I missed seeing my kindergarten friends in the lab this week! There was no school on Monday, due to a staff development day. Home extension: ask your student about matter and how to observe matter with the 5 senses.
• 1st grade: We learned about volume and found the volume (in beans) of several different containers. Home extension: ask your student to explain volume and give a couple different examples of the types of matter.
• 2nd grade: We did a short activity over sink and float with various brands of bar soap. Then we put Ivory soap in the microwave and watched a fun change occur when we added heat to the soap. Home extension: ask your student to describe the change in matter (soap) when we applied heat.
• 3rd grade: We completed part 2 of our "Milk in Motion" experiment. All the planning from last week paid off as students got to perform their very own experiments. Home extension: ask your student to explain the experiment process and their personal experiment with milk from this week.
• 4th grade: We began our discussion over adaptations with a look at desert plants. We compared attributes of a cactus to attributes of a non-desert plant. Then we did an investigation with sponges and Vaseline to learn more about cacti. Home extension: ask your student how a sponge and Vaseline are like a cactus and why cacti might need a waxy coating on their skin to survive in the desert.

Our first meeting of the Green Thumb Club was this Tuesday, and we had a great time meeting all our GTC friends and taking a walk around the garden! Parents, please fill out the permission form and return it to me as soon as possible. You can also download a copy of the tentative GTC meeting schedule to hang on your 'fridge.

Group picture day is next Wednesday (October 17)! Even if you didn't get a chance to come to the first meeting, please join in the group picture if you are interested in being a part of Green Thumb Club!

Have a great weekend, Dragons!

Week of October 1 - 5

Time for the weekly catch-up!

• Kindergarten used their sense of sight to observe properties of a liquid form of matter. This involved using a dropper to combine different colored drops of water. 
• 1st grade did a rockin' balance investigation: using 5 rocks, students used their hands to predict which was the heaviest and which was the lightest. Then we tested our predictions by placing the rocks on a balance and comparing their weight to mini teddy bears. 
• 2nd grade had a shortened Science Lab schedule due to testing, but we still had fun! We had a Tic Tac race to answer the experiment question: what is the fastest way to dissolve a Tic Tac in your mouth?
• 3rd graders entered into Part I of their first experiment: Milk in Motion. After a quick demonstration involving milk, soap, and food coloring, students came up with a question and planned the procedures for their experiment. Part II occurs next week when students will be given time to investigate. 
• 4th graders didn't get a chance to come to the Science Lab this week, due to Dragon Day. Don't worry, though -- I have something fun planned for next week! 

Don't forget to visit our class Instagram to view some Kodak moments. While you're at it, check out our tweets on Twitter!

The first meeting of the Green Thumb Club is next Tuesday, October 9. Students can stay after school and meet in the Science Lab at 3 pm. Pick-up is at 3:45 at the east doors by the Science Lab. Parents, please fill out this Participation Permission Form and return it to me ASAP. Also, here's a copy of the tentative GTC meeting schedule to hang on your 'fridge.

Have a great weekend!

Fall Festival at Calloway's

Calloway's Nursery, a partner of OUES's Green Thumb Club, is having their Fall Festival on Saturday, October 6 at all Calloway's locations.

There will be coffee for parents, pumpkin seed tasting, plant displays, a free pumpkin for every child in attendance, and other fun things!

It starts at 9 am and ends at 7 pm. Sounds like a great way to kick off the fall season!