Grade 5 air pressure test

Parents,

The air pressure test is moved to Thursday to give students enough time to study and review. All students should have a review sheet to help them study.

Informational meeting on China this Tuesday 3:30

Our EF tour representative, Kimberly, will be here Tuesday 3:30 in the media center to answer any questions about China. She is our resident expert in North Carolina. Please come out if you are interested in traveling to Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian during spring break April 6th to 16th!

Grade 5: Week of September 26 -30th

We have been studying air pressure as one condition of weather. Students from two classes have already been given the review sheet to complete for Tuesday. The other class will receive the review sheet on Tuesday. Students have two days to study their review sheet, which will be similar to the test. Classes who receive their review sheet on Monday will have their test on Wednesday and those that receive it on Tuesday will have a test on Thursday. We will play various vocabulary games such as "Go Fish", and test ourselves to prepare. Clouds - their shapes, altitudes, and precipitation - are our next venture.

Please note progress reports were handed out today. I am counting this as an assignment grade. If it is turned in on Tuesday or Wednesday signed students receive a 5/5. Every day it is late after, a point is taken off. Please write a note if you accidentally misplace the progress report or would like to keep it for more time.

Grade 7: Week of September 26th to 30th

Students have put forth an excellent effort on their choice project. Students are continuing to present their posters, power points, dioramas, and essays. When finished the project, we will learn about something completely different: cells and tissues. This will begin a large unit on the digestive system, respiratory system, and central nervous system. We will explore the human body, its functions, how to keep it healthy, and the miracles it performs every day.

Please note progress reports were handed out today. I am counting this as an assignment grade. If it is turned in on Tuesday or Wednesday signed students receive a 5/5. Every day it is late, a point is taken off. Please write a note if you accidentally misplaced the progress report or would like to keep it for more time.

Grade 8: Week of September 26th to 30th

Many students are enjoying Skills USA and are learning a lot! Other grade 8s who are not at Skills USA are working on their ocean models and animal paragraphs. These are due Thursday as we will we begin presentations on this day.

Please note progress reports were handed out today. I am counting this as an assignment grade. If it is turned in on Tuesday or Wednesday signed students receive a 5/5. Every day it is late after, a point is taken off. Please write a note if you accidentally misplaced the progress report or would like to keep it for more time. Skills USA will receive their progress reports when they return and have until Friday to turn it in.

Progress Reports and SACS

Progress reports go out on Friday September 23rd. Please return them signed by Tuesday.

Tests and assignments can usually be found in your child's Science folder, but I will be keeping some at the beginning, middle, and end of year for a process called SACS. Neuse Charter school is undergoing this process to show we are continuously improving and for accreditation. It requires that we document many things, including children's work. You may see these tests and assignments in your child's student conference binder during student conference time.

Grade 5: Week of September 19th to 23rd

Our theme for this week is air pressure and the atmosphere. We will do two experiments to test if air really does have weight. We will learn about the layer of the atmosphere we live in: the troposphere, examine a barometer, and play a game "Go Fish" to review concepts of air pressure. Expect a test on air pressure next week.

Grade 7: Week of September 19th to 23rd

Students have required more time to study for the test and complete their project, so project deadlines are extended. We will work on the essay Monday and Tuesday and it is due on Wednesday. Students will have a bit of time to work on their choice project Wednesday, but not much since we will be peer editing our essays. The choice project is due on Thursday so students may present on Thursday and Friday. Students will need to work on most of their choice project at home. Students have been given time in class for all other parts of this project. Thank you for your support parents! Students have been learning a lot about severe weather.

Grade 8: Week of September 19th to 23rd

Grade 8s will study the ocean, its dissolved gases, levels, marine life, and upwelling. In addition to this study, students will do a project on the ocean. This project will involve creating a 3D model in groups and preparing one paragraph each on an animal in the intertidal zone, neritic zone, bathyl zone, and abyssal zone. Students will receive a project sheet detailing assignments, deadlines, and marks on Monday. Please sign and return the bottom portion of the project sheet by Wednesday.

Students will need model materials and some research on their animals by Thursday September 22nd. We will continue to work with the model materials and research until Thursday September 29th. At this time students will need to present their paragraphs on marine animals and their 3D models.

Last informational meeting about the trip to China

For those still interested in going to China, we have an informational meeting on Tuesday September 27th at 3:30. Our EF Tour representative for North Carolina will be at Neuse Charter School to answer your questions.

My new email

Dear parents,

My old Neuse Charter email:  crennie@neusecharterschool.org is not processing emails anymore.  My new work email is crennie72@gmail.com.  Please feel free to email me anytime.  Thank you!

Grade 5: Week of September 12-16th

Grade 5s will receive a review sheet on Tuesday to study for their Water Cycle test on Thursday.  Students will test each other and we will discuss test taking strategies.  Humidity will not be on the Water Cycle test - I will save this concept for the next test.  Then we will move on to air pressure.  Students will examine the concept of pressure as weight added from above.  To model air pressure, we will use books.  We will add successive layers of books on top of a student to examine how weight adds pressure, and then connect this to "layers" of air and high and low air pressure.

Grade 7: Week of September 12-16th

Grade 7s will take their Severe Weather test on Wednesday this week and have already received a review sheet which will help them study. 

We have had to extend some project deadlines.  The project letter needs to be signed by parents by Monday.  Please let me know if you have questions! Students will take notes on their severe weather project this Tuesday and Thursday.  Notes and bibliography are due this Friday.  We will begin the essay and choice project Friday and will continuing writing next Monday and Tuesday.  Presentations will begin Wednesday the 21st and Thursday the 22nd.  The essay and choice project are due Wednesday the 21st.

Grade 8: Week of September 12-16th

Grade 8s will have their first test on the Hydrosphere Wednesday.  They received their review sheet which contains real questions from a previous End of Grade test.  Most tests will have some multiple choice questions from a previously released EOG so students can get practice answering these type of questions.

Students enjoyed the "Properties of Water" lab. Our latest adventure was calculating the density of various objects.  The student helpers of the month measured water in a beaker and calculated the amount of displaced water when we put in the object.  They weighed the object on the scale and then divided the object's mass by its volume to get the density.  We compared the different density of the objects tested.  Students could see by this hands on activity that the cotton ball actually was less dense than the metal bolt and piece of wood.

This week we will begin studying the ocean, its parts, its dissolved gases and minerals, and marine life found there.

Trip to China extended!

Dear parents,

I talked to EF tours and I am happy to announce that they have extended enrollment to China to September 8th at the same price.  If you would like more information about the trip's itinerary, pricing, or enrollment, you may visit:  www.eftours.com/1122186,  If you wish to enroll online you may click on either the student or parent tab and at the bottom of webpage you will notice an enrollment box.  Type in the tour number: 1122186 and you will be guided through a series of steps.  You may also enroll by phone at 1-800-665-5364, or by faxing the enrollment package to 1-800-318-3732.  If you do not have this enrollment form or brochure, I will give you an extra one.  You may email questions to crennie72@gmail.com.  Thank you for your interest in China!

Grade 5: Week of September 6 - 9

We have been learning about weather, specifically about the sun's angle of insolation, the different zones of the earth (tropical, temperate, polar), and the water cycle.  Students also learned about hurricanes: its causes, effects, and safety.   We especially discussed Hurricane Irene and students shared their experiences.  Finally, we did an experiment last Friday to show how water evaporates and condenses to make a cloud on the top of a pie pan.

This week students will examine the water cycle more deeply by acting it out, comparing the different parts, and examining examples of the water cycle in the real world.  Students will learn about humidity and complete a concept map.  On Friday students will receive a review sheet to prepare for their test next week.  Students will receive homework in Science either every night or every second night.  However, students will not receive homework September 8th due to many sports games.

If you would like your child to have his or her own Competitive Edge textbook, please send in $15.00 ASAP (as mentioned in the introductory letter).  I will order these textbooks this week.  If your child does not purchase a textbook it is possible s/he will be sharing with another student and will not get to write in it.

Grade 7: Week of September 6 - 9

We have been learning about severe weather:  its causes, effects, and safety.  Some topics we have explored are tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, flooding, and blizzards.  We especially discussed Hurricane Irene and students shared what they had experienced and heard on the news.  Students will receive a review sheet to prepare them for the Severe Weather test this Thursday.  Since we have many sports events September 8th, students will not receive homework that night or a test on Friday.  If I feel students are not ready for a test on Thursday I will delay the test until next Tuesday.

Students will begin a project Friday on Severe weather.  They will have a choice of tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, flooding or blizzards.  You can expect a project letter to go home with students this week detailing all of the project requirements.  Please return the bottom portion signed and keep the letter for yourself.  You may also see the project letter on this blog. 

Grade 8: Week of September 6-9

We have learned about the parts of the hydrosphere, groundwater, the effects of overusing aquifers, and water as the universal solvent.  This week we will continue to examine properties of water through labs.  Last week students tried to dissolve many substances in water such as crackers, chips, sugar, and even Oreo cookies to examine water as a universal solvent.  This week we will examine water's high specific heat compared to other materials, density of water and other objects, buoyancy of objects in water, and adhesion of water to other substances such as celery.  Upon examining the properties of water, students will draw conclusions in a lab exercise.  We will have a quiz on the properties of water Thursday and a review sheet to prepare for our Hydrosphere test next week.

Please note that students will most likely have homework every night of the week except Friday from now until the end of the year.  I do not give homework on the weekend unless it is signing a form.  However, I will not give homework on September 8th because of many sports games.

Introductory letter grade 8

 NEUSE CHARTER SCHOOL SCIENCE GRADE 8

                                                                                        

Welcome to eighth grade Science!  It is my pleasure to teach your child.  This year will be a year of discovery and exploration.  We will cover various themes over the semester:  The hydrosphere, geology, chemistry, microbiology, and cells.  Grade 8 is a tested year so your child will take the End of Grade test in Science.  Students will explore scientific concepts in a variety of ways:  by reading and questioning, assignments, multimedia, experiments, models, games, simulations, and other hands on activities.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Many students have already brought in supplies.  The school supply list may also be found on Neuse Charter school’s website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  For Science, students will need two spiral notebooks, a hand held pencil sharpener, a Science folder, and a $5.00 Science fee.  The Science fee will be collected by Grades 5-10 and will be used to buy Science equipment and experiment materials.  Other materials to be replenished through the year are loose leaf paper, pencils, erasers, and pens (red/blue/black).  Wish list items for the Science are:  markers and colored pencils for the class, a class pencil sharpener, Lysol wipes, expo board spray, and Kleenex.

GRADING

Every effort will be made to ensure your child is learning, engaged, and thinking critically.  The vast majority of children do very well in Science and enjoy it very much.  However, if your child is falling below grade level – below 77% or C – then I will contact you and we will discuss ways to improve your child’s grade. 

GRADING

          I have very high expectations for your child and believe every child can learn.  My grading system is as follows:

50% tests

30% assignments and labs

10% participation

10% homework

TESTS:  Students will be allowed to rewrite one test per quarter if s/he receives 70% or below.  I will re-teach any concepts that are repeatedly missed on tests.  Concepts on tests are directly related to what your child will be tested on the EOG.

ASSIGNMENTS/LABS:  Many assignments will be done in class, but some, such as projects will also need to be worked on at home.  If assignments are turned in late they will receive a maximum late mark of 70% (a D grade).

PARTICIPATION:  Your child’s enthusiasm, participation in discussions, and discipline will determine his/her participation grade.

HOMEWORK:  Homework will be marked as complete or incomplete and 0.5 to 1% will be taken off each time it is not completed.  This includes if it was completed but students forgot to bring it to class.  If there is an extenuating circumstance, please write a note for your child and I will give him/her an extra day to complete the homework without penalty. Parents will receive an email or phone call if homework is not completed consistently.

Every effort will be made to ensure your child is learning, engaged, and thinking critically.  The vast majority of children do very well in Science and enjoy it very much.  However, if your child is falling below grade level – below 77% or C – then I will contact you and we will discuss ways to improve your child’s grade. 

CONTACTS AND SCIENCE INFORMATION

Weekly information on themes we are covering and when tests and assignments are due may be found on the Neuse Charter School website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  Click on the “More…” tab and then the “Teachers Blogs” link.  If you have any questions or concerns you may email me at crennie72@gmail.com  or call the school at 919-938-1077. 

I look forward to exploring Science with your child this year!

Sincerely,

Christine Rennie

Introductory letter grade 7

 NEUSE CHARTER SCHOOL SCIENCE GRADE 7

                                                                                                                    

Welcome to seventh grade Science!  It is my pleasure to teach your child.  This year will be a year of discovery and exploration.  We will cover various themes over the semester:  Severe weather, the human body and its systems, and genetics.  Grade 7 is not a tested year so your child will NOT take the End of Grade test in Science.  Students will explore scientific concepts in a variety of ways:  by reading and questioning, assignments, multimedia, experiments, models, games, simulations, and other hands on activities.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Many students have already brought in supplies.  The school supply list may also be found on Neuse Charter school’s website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  For Science, students will need two spiral notebooks, a hand held pencil sharpener, a Science folder, and a $5.00 Science fee.  The Science fee will be collected by Grades 5-10 and will be used to buy Science equipment and experiment materials.  Other materials to be replenished through the year are loose leaf paper, pencils, erasers, and pens (red/blue/black).  Wish list items for the Science are:  markers and colored pencils for the class, a class pencil sharpener, Lysol wipes, expo board spray, and Kleenex.

GRADING

Every effort will be made to ensure your child is learning, engaged, and thinking critically.  The vast majority of children do very well in Science and enjoy it very much.  However, if your child is falling below grade level – below 77% or C – then I will contact you and we will discuss ways to improve your child’s grade. 

CONTACTS AND SCIENCE INFORMATION

Weekly information on themes we are covering and when tests and assignments are due may be found on the Neuse Charter School website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  Click on the “More…” tab and then the “Teachers Blogs” link.  If you have any questions or concerns you may email Christine Rennie at crennie72@gmail.com , May Tsai at maytsai701@yahoo.com or call the school at 919-938-1077. 

We look forward to exploring Science with your child this year!

Sincerely,

Christine Rennie and May Tsai

Grade 5 Introductory Letter

NEUSE CHARTER SCHOOL SCIENCE GRADE 5

                                                                                        

Welcome to fifth grade Science!  It is my pleasure to teach your child.  This year will be a year of discovery and exploration.  We will cover four themes over the year:  Weather, Newton’s Laws of Motion, Landforms, and Ecosystems.  In May your child will take the End of Grade test in Science.  Students will explore scientific concepts in a variety of ways:  by reading and questioning, assignments, multimedia, experiments, models, games, simulations, and other hands on activities.

TEXTBOOKS

This year your child will receive their textbook Competitive Edge.  This will be a shared textbook.  However, if your child wishes to have his/her own textbook in which s/he can write, you may purchase one for a mere $15.00.  I highly recommend this option as your child can also take this textbook home to study for chapter tests and use the Practice questions to study for the EOG.  You may pay by cash or make the check out to Neuse Charter School.  Please have all money in by September 2^nd so the school may order your book.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Many students have already brought in supplies.  This school supply list may also be found on Neuse Charter school’s website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  For Science students will need two spiral notebooks, a hand held pencil sharpener, and a Science folder, and a $5.00 Science fee.  This Science fee will be collected by Grades 5-10 and will be directly used to buy Science equipment and experiment materials.  Other materials to be replenished through the year are loose leaf paper, pencils, erasers, and pens (red/blue/black).  Wish list items for the Science class are:  markers and colored pencils for the class, a pencil sharpener, Lysol wipes, expo board spray, and Kleenex.

GRADING

          I have very high expectations for your child and believe every child can learn.  My grading system is as follows:

40% tests

40% assignments and labs

10% participation

10% homework

TESTS:  Students will be allowed to rewrite one test per quarter if s/he received below 70% or D.  I will reteach any concepts that are repeatedly missed on tests.  Please look for tests and other assignments in the Friday folder.  Concepts on tests are directly related to what your child will be tested on the EOG.

ASSIGNMENTS/LABS:  Many assignments will be done in class, but some, such as projects will also need to be worked on at home.  If assignments are turned in late they will receive a maximum late mark of 70%.

PARTICIPATION:  Your child’s enthusiasm, participation in discussions, and discipline will determine his/her participation grade.

HOMEWORK:  Homework will be marked as complete or incomplete and 0.5 to 1% will be taken off each time it is not completed.  This includes if it was completed but students forgot to bring it to class.  If there is an extenuating circumstance, please write a note for your child and I will give him/her an extra day to complete the homework without penalty. Parents will receive an email or phone call if homework is not completed consistently.

Every effort will be made to ensure your child is learning, engaged, and thinking critically.  The vast majority of children do very well in Science and enjoy it very much.  However, if your child is falling below grade level – below 77% or C – then I will contact you and we will discuss ways to improve your child’s grade. 

CONTACTS AND SCIENCE INFORMATION

Weekly information on themes we are covering and when tests and assignments are due may be found on the Neuse Charter School website:  www.neusecharterschool.org.  Click on the Teachers Blog tab.  If you have any questions or concerns you may email me at crennie72@gmail.com or call the school at 919-938-1077. 

I look forward to exploring Science with your child this year!

Sincerely,

 Christine Rennie