Greetings Families,
I hope you are staying warm on this blustery day. I was anticipating being in school today, actually, but I'm enjoying the extra time with my own children. So far today we've completed the 100th Day project for Kindergarten (a 100 eyed monster) and researched my daughter's topic for her science fair. She wants to do something with "pouring water." In keeping with the spirit of this being the HER project, we have scoured the Internet for an idea that meets her criteria and that is appropriate for a kindergartner. :) This, of course, has led to a lot of reflection by me on Miller's Science Fair.
I hope that my students are also taking the reigns for their own science projects - in a way that is developmentally appropriate for fifth graders, which means planning and completing 95% of it on their own. As a parent, you can assist by marking small goals on a calendar, but the acts of science, the typing, the picture taking, the documenting, the graphing, should all be done by the fifth grader. You can remind your child of goals he has set for himself and probe with questions, but the entire project should reflect your CHILD'S efforts. Please, please feel comfortable taking a hands-off (stress-free) approach. After all, these students are entering middle school next year. Giving them practice with time management and responsibility is a good practice in independence. :)
On Monday, February 3, students' partner contracts (i/a) and proposals are due. The proposal form is the first three (3) pages of this document. (Print or record responses on lined paper.) Copies will be available tomorrow and Friday during class, but I know many students indicated they wanted to use yesterday's time off to get ahead with the science fair. I'm assuming the same for today. I just wanted to make it available to the kids should they wish to work on it now. Whether your child works on it today, in school later this week, or over the weekend is up to him/her.
Stay warm!
Best,
Kristi Berry
