Music in our Schools Month

Thanks to everyone who performed for our Music concerts during the month of March for our Music in Our Schools celebration.  Mr. Mike, Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Jordan, along with his brother, had a special performance for us on Monday.

Science

We continue to work on learning about craters.  The kids are trying to figure out how a asteroid can make an Ejecta crater or a Ray crater.

We also kept a close eye on the eagles today.  We have a confirmed pip!  It can take around 12 hours for the eaglet to fully hatch, so you may want to long on this weekend.

Math

Next week we will be taking our fraction test for Chapter 8.  We spent time this week practicing some fraction games which focused on comparing fraction and finding equivalent fractions. 

The Way West with County Naturalist, Pam Holz

Pam visited third grade this week, and helped us to better understand what it would have been like to be a pioneer moving West in a covered wagon.  

 Students were dived into "families," and each family had $200 to purchase supplies for the trip West.  They got to shop at Pam's store and select the supplies they thought they would need.

While other students shopped, students designed and drew their "perfect farmstead," - if they made it to their destination of Iowa.

When everyone was done shopping, Pam described the journey West.  The travelers had to deal with a broken wagon wheel, cholera, cold weather, and a hunting accident.


Families earned "checkmarks" if they had the necessary supplies.  At the end of the trip, students tallied their checkmarks.  If they had at least 7, they successfully completed the trip west.  If they had 5, they survived, but turned around and returned East.  Those with less than 5 died on the journey.

Chinese with Mr. O'Brian

We continue to learn Chinese 2 days each week, and the students are picking up words quickly!  Most recently they've learned numbers:

1 eee

2 are

3 sahn

4 seh

5 woo

6 leo

7 chee

8 bah

9 geo

10  shur

(thanks to Caitlyn and Emma for helping write pronunciations!) :)

This week students practiced counting and using chopsticks while playing a game:

Language Skills

Students continue to work on capital cursive letters, focusing on correct formation and neatness.  We also reviewed synonyms and antonyms and discussed how using different words can make our writing more interesting.  We wrapped up our week with an introduction to adjectives.  Students brainstormed adjectives to describe a tasty food, then wrote clues using their adjectives.  Next week we'll read the clues written by our classmates to see if we can guess the food they described.

Social Studies

We completed the second half of our unit, Communities Over Time, which focused on Our Nation's History.  Next up is a more in depth look at the Native American culture.  We'll learn about Indian life in regions of the US.

Volunteers needed for Laura Ingalls Day

       We are looking for volunteers to help us celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder Day.  We will have this special celebration on Friday, April 29th.  The duties will include helping mix, bake, and clean up "pioneer food"; assisting with projects and activities and just enjoying the day.

            There are two time slots available so you don't need to stay all day (unless you would like to). We would like helpers from

8:30 - 3:30.  Please let us know by April 8^th  if you can come and help.  We'll call or send a confirmation slip home with your child.

                                                                                 

From Pam Holz, County Naturalist

Summer Day Camps

Sponsored by the Washington County Conservation Board

Come Join the Fun!!!  If you are interested in the natural world, learning more about it while having fun, then these camps are for you!

Activities will include hikes, games, crafts, stories, exploration, fishing and much more.   Refreshments will be served and participants will make their own camp t-shirt.  Camps run 9:00 a.m. till noon, Monday – Friday, except for Tadpole Camp, and are located at Marr Park.

The camps offered for the Summer of 2011 are:

Dragonfly Camp for students entering 1^st or 2^nd grades

Choose either June 6 – 10 or July 18 – 22.  Cost:  $20

Kestrel Camp for students entering 3^rd or 4^th grades

Choose either June 20 – 24 or August 1 – 5.  Cost:  $20

Mink Camp for students entering 5^th – 7^th grades

This camp runs July 25 – 29.  Cost:  $20

Tadpole Camp for students 4 or 5 years old who have not begun kindergarten

This camp runs June 13 – 15, June 28 – 30, or July 6 – 8, from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  Cost: $10    

Pre-registration is required.

For a registration form, contact the Conservation Center at (319) 657-2400

Or e-mail wccb@iowatelecom.net

Summer Language Camp

Consider sending your child to Language Camp - enrollment forms will be sent home with report cards. 

Summer Language Camp 2011
Who: Mid-Prairie K-5 students
What: a fun-filled educational camp
When: June 27 - 30 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Where: ­­­­­­­­­­­­Kalona Elementary School

Students of Mid-Prairie have been given the chance to learn and grow in several different languages and cultures. Now they have the unique opportunity to break out this summer and discover even more!

Each day will be filled with fun and educational activities. There will be arts/crafts, games, physical activity, language, and cultural activities all based around the Chinese and Spanish world.

Be sure to get your enrollment form turned in right away- spaces are limited! Don’t miss the chance to get out with your friends and go AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK this summer!

Enrollment forms are due to your school’s office by June 1, 2011.
The cost of camp is only:  $15 per day or $50 for all 4 days. Families will not spend above $150. Checks are payable to Mid-Prairie Language CAMP.