Good afternoon everyone.

This is Mrs. Tapia.  I hope everyone is enjoying this great weather!  On AzM2 days the students go to the field, getting a chance to enjoy it for recess, and it has been a perfect opportunity for them. I am glad they are making the most of AzM2 testing. 

We ended this week with a science experiment to better visualize the components of Blood.  

Many of the students asked for the recipe.  

Plasma - 1 ½ C. + 1 tsp corn syrup (mixed with yellow food coloring)

Red blood cells - 1 c. + 2T. + 2 tsp red hots

White blood cells - 3 mini marshmallows or white jelly beans

Platelets - ½ tsp candy sprinkles

Repeating this experiment at home and having your scholar retell you what they learned would be a great way for them to study and have fun!

And this is Mr. Smith! I have had a great time stepping in for Mrs. Scott as she juggles the responsibilities of being the AzM2 Test Coordinator. It has been a fantastic chance to better exercise my skills as an instructor as well as deepen my bond with the students. They have been too good to me and I can’t help but feel blessed every time I get to stand in front of them as a teacher. But all good things must come to an end, so my tenure of handling such a role will end with AzM2 this week as I leave them back in more experienced hands. A bittersweet end to a time I will cherish.

That being said, the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel! Just one more testing day before the shadow of AzM2 passes over all of us, for the year at least. 

Monday April 26th - Reading and Math #2

Again, it is imperative that students feel accurately prepared for their test, so let’s do what we can to help them in their trial. This means a healthy and full breakfast, a great night’s rest (which should be easier on the weekend), and a powerful snack to push them over the final stretch. This should ensure that this final testing day is not intimidating but a final moment of triumph for these amazing students. 

To help celebrate, we have managed to arrange a last-minute “field trip” on Monday after the AzM2 test. We have sent out an email with the details and the students went home on Friday with a permission slip that must be signed and returned before the trip on Monday; doing this digitally would be most helpful. 

Furthermore, please have students bring in any sturdy plastic bottles (shouldn’t crinkle) for a science experiment. Examples include the bottles from vitamin or seltzer water; smooth bottles are better than ones with ridges like Gatorade. Other items we are running low on (for general use and not just science) include, tissues (4A & 4B), and paper towels (4A & 4B).  Thank you. 

However, there is more to the week than standardized testing and what we need from you, right? So let’s see what else lay behind the curtain. 

Language Arts:

    Poetry - This week we begin the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. It’s a good one! 

    Grammar - The word of the week is review. We continue our daily practice while retreading some ground including the following: Subject/Object nouns, Linking/Action verbs, and using the dictionary. 

    Composition - As always, we practice the art of writing and this week we use Ben Franklin as a springboard for discovery. 

    Literature - We carry on with Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, reading chapters 13 and 14 of this fantastic story. We are simultaneously reading The Princess and the Goblin as a read-aloud to the children.

Math - This week we backtrack in order to finish Unit 9, deepening our understanding of Area and Perimeter by applying them to more advanced figures. We end the week with yet another review, to make sure that students are confident in their math capability for any tests which may appear. 

History - The revolution heats up as the students get to examine one of the great American documents, The Declaration of Independence. They will be reading and crafting folds for it and another significant text, “Common Sense,” by Thomas Paine, which is a personal favorite. 

Science - We plunge further into our topic of blood, exploring additional topics such as blood type and potential cardiovascular disease. Fascinating stuff! Again, it would be simply wondrous if any extra sturdy plastic bottles (shouldn’t crinkle) found their ways to class for a science experiment. 

That’s about it for the week! As important as most but hopefully a tad bit more of a relief. As always, I am seriously impressed by the commitment and ability of these students and hope they carry such ambition onward toward our year’s end. ¡Ciao!