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!