Mattole Valley Charter School Newsletter To Share and Celebrate our Vision New Year 2010

Transcription

1 Mattole Valley Charter School Newsletter To Share and Celebrate our Vision New Year 2010 Siskiyou Students on Fieldtrip to Iron Gate Fish Hatchery Mattole Valley Charter School Science Fair Timeline Items #1-#5 by December 18, Get a Science Fair Logbook- Can be spiral bound or composition type. -Just for Science Fair- Date each entry. Record EVERYTHING!!! Leave the first page for a table of contents that you can fill in later. 2. Choose a big topic, an area of science that interests you. See sciencebuddies.org for project ideas (Also discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral or science-fair-forum.blogspot.com). You can also start by listing the top 5 things in the world that you like. From that choose one. Then start brainstorming questions you may have about that one thing. Think of questions you can test. 3. Complete your early background research. This is for background information about your topic including research that may have already been done by others. 4. Choose your Science Fair Project Question. This question must be testable through experimentation or field study or analysis of existing data. 5. Record your question, hypothesis, variables, and a short outline of your plan in your logbook. Items #6 and #7 by January 8, Complete and turn in Research Approval Checklist. Arrange for a certificate of approval if your project involves humans, animals, or hazardous substances. 7. Continue more specific background research. Keep all research notes in your logbook including the sources for your bibliography (author-last name, first name and middle name if appropriate, book title, publisher, publishing city, copywrite date or website). Items #8-#10 by January 15, Logbook check and interview which includes your hypothesis, variables, background research, and procedure draft outline. 9. Logbook check and interview including detailed procedure, materials list, table or chart in which you will record your data and observations (no data yet). 10. Conduct your experiment or field study remembering to keep accurate, detailed, dated records of ALL of your work in your logbook. Take photos if applicable. Make sure experiments include multiple trials. Make sure you have the proper approval for humans, animals, and hazardous substances. Items #11-#13 by January 29, Logbook check for work completed. 12. Begin designing and building your display (display boards can be purchased at classroomdirect.com for $5) making sure it is neat, complete, and following all specs. Make it eye catching and interesting. Will someone get a good idea of your project by viewing your display? 13. Create graphs, charts, tables, diagrams, etc. (final drafts-rough drafts can be in your logbook) These depend on the type of project you have. Should be well labeled, easy to interpret depictions of your results and observations. Items #14-#19 by February 12, Write a summary of your results. This is not a conclusion but putting your data into words. 15. Write your conclusion-first draft. 16. Write your project abstract. 17. Final draft of conclusion. 18. Final logbook check. 19. Complete your display s finishing touches.

2 This is a fantastic piece of art/science work by my second grade student Michael. It is all done free hand following a picture taken from an insect book called DK Pocket Insects. Darlene Bryner You are invited to attend the Mattole Valley Charter School Science Fair Monday, February 22, P.M. (for families to enjoy projects) North Coast Learning Academy (2020 Campton Road, Eureka) Students may arrive at 1:30 to set up projects! Judging begins at 2! Contact: Cathie Shermer, Science Fair Coordinator, with any questions (707)

3 a fourth grade student working with Ganasini Parenting Tips by Carla Giovannetti Carla has been teaching parenting for about 10 years and accumulated a lot of parenting tips over the years. She has some really neat stuff!! Hopefully she will continue to put out a little column each month something each month. Carla says, Good parenting has been a passion of mine. In our line of work we see kids that are not getting it, and a lot of times the parents give to their kids what was given to them, even if it was unhealthy. That cycle isn't broken without awareness through knowledge... raising my kids was the greatest experience for me, and I told myself I was going to hand something different to my kids. I just want to hand some gems I discovered on my journey as a parent...great kids just don't happen...it takes a lot of investment...but is it sure worth it!!! Children are the next generation to lead this nation...we better invest in them!!! Help Your Kids Succeed In School With Good Study Habits Shared by Carla Giovannetti Children spend one-half of their waking hours in school or school-related activities. Studies show that children whose parents place high value on education do significantly better in school than children whose parents are not very interested. What can you do to help make school productive and rewarding for your child? Good study habits will help your child succeed in school. Here's how you can help: Establish a regular homework routine Daily attention to school work for short periods of time are better than last-minute panic over an assignment. Set a specific study time. Check over your child's assignments and you will get an idea of what's expected. Set a specific study area with no distractions such as the TV, radio and phone. Look over your child's homework. This is a good way to stimulate conversation and build a better relationship with your child. DO NOT DO YOUR CHILD'S HOMEWORK, HOWEVER. Be available to encourage your child. Plan for the next day by helping your child get into the habit of organizing things. (cont )

4 Display a love for learning at home. Ask questions; exchange ideas; read books together and separately; allow your child to arrive at personal conclusions. Complement your child's school experiences with excursions for the entire family. Above all, let your child see you enjoying new challenges and activities FEBRUARY CAHSEE MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS Special Education CAHSEE Exemption Notes Though graduating seniors with IEPs or 504 plans do not need to pass the CAHSEE this year (2010) to receive a diploma, ALL 10 th grade students, including Special Education students, need to take the February CAHSEE The February administration of the CAHSEE is coming up on Feb 2nd and 3rd. This administration will be mandatory for all Tenth grade students. The state uses the results of this test towards our API and our AYP. So please make sure that every 10th grade student takes this test. On this note I will need a list of your tenth grade students so that I can make sure that you will have the correct # of tests on test days. If you have not already gotten me your lists, I will need them by Monday, January 25th. For those of you who have gotten them to me early, Thank you for being on top of things. I really appreciate it.. If you are a new teacher with Mattole and not connected to a learning center, or are a new learning center please call me so that we can set up test schedules and/or place.

5 12th graders will also be allowed to take the CAHSEE during this administration so please add any 12th grade students still needing to pass one or both parts of the test to your lists and get them to me by Monday, January 25th. Please make at least 2 quarts of tasty sauce. (Sauces will be served with Spaghetti noodles) For all Humboldt Independent Study ESs: The CAHSEE will be administered at the resource center at 9:00am both Tuesday the 2nd and Wednesday the 3rd. Please let me know if you have any students needing to test here. Looking forward to getting 100% of our 10th graders testing. are you feeling saucy? Redwood Coast Montessori Spaghetti Feed/Pasta Sauce Contest Fundraiser Name Bring it to the Odd Fellows Hall, 239 Buhne Street, Eureka, CA on January 30, 2010 Sauces due by 4:00 pm for judging. Dinner at 5:00 pm. There will be two free tickets waiting for you at the door! Please submit your $20 entry fee to: Redwood Coast Montessori I m feeling Saucy! Fundraiser 4484 Cedar Street ENTRY FORM Eureka, CA Business Name (if you want it promoted) Phone Details about your sauce (special name, secret ingredient, family recipe, whatever!) This info will be displayed with your sauce. phone for more information. Prizes: First place: $100 Second place: $75 Third place: $50 Remaining contestants will receive our undying gratitude!! Happy New Year Everyone! Hope you all had good holidays, and are looking forward to a new DECADE. Don t forget to send me articles and pictures for the newsletter. Please make them attachments to s. I can easily format them and pop them into the newsletter. Thanks, Cathy Wright