Washington Intermediate Newsletter March 2008
From the Desk of Mr. Doug Barry:
COME ONE, COME ALL!!
First, our third Parent Advisory meeting of the year will be next Monday, March 3rd, at 7:00 PM. This meeting is open to all parents!! The meeting will held at the middle school as I will be showing parents a Smart Board located in Mr. Hardy’s room. We are considering purchasing one for our building next year and need your input. Mr. Hardy’s room is on the main floor at the northwest end of the hall. This is a great opportunity to see the Smart Board in action and there will be time for parents to interact with it too. Next, I wanted to take this time to introduce you to our website if you have not visited it yet! We continue to post current happenings, student work and student created videos on the site. Please check us out at http://wistigers.blogspot.com.
4TH Grade Field Trip a Success!
A HUGE thank you to the PTO for providing a wonderful opportunity to our 4th graders last week as they traveled to Omaha to visit the Holland Performing Arts Center. The students were treated to an interactive and engaging performance by the Omaha Symphony entitled, Concerts for Youth. We will have pictures posted soon, but to read more about what our students did on Friday, visit http://wistigers.blogspot.com/2008/02/margre-durham-concerts-for-youth.html
Take Five…
“In five minutes, your kids could smoke a marijuana joint, have a reaction to meth, inhale from an aerosol can or have a talk with you that could save their lives.”
This is this first line of a helpful resource provided by Partnership for A Drug-Free Iowa your son or daughter will be bringing home from school the first week in March. We encourage you to take this and every teachable moment seriously to talk with your child about the dangers of non-prescription drug use.
Drug Awareness Education for Washington Intermediate students is an on-going commitment. Most of you heard about our Red Ribbon Week activities in October. These activities kick off additional teaching and activities in guidance classes related to the consequences of drug use and alternatives that contribute to start-prevention. Tobacco use and its effects will be emphasized during the third week in April.
In between those times we continue the conversation about healthy choices, being positive role models, and belonging to groups and activities that are life affirming. It is our sincere hope that you will participate in the conversation with your children at home, providing the team balance our mission statement declares as we: “work as a team of families, students, community, and staff in developing the emotional, social, and academic potential of each child.”
Ms. Jeannie Bates, School Counselor
Having “THE TALK” With Your Children
Date: Tuesday, March 4
Location: Red Oak Middle School’s Media Center, Red Oak
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 (Training Number: 0805ro)
A great parent workshop is taking place next week at our middle school. The description of the parent workshop is as follows:
“What is sex?” Does your heart race at just the thought of your child asking this question and other related questions? Are you unsure on how to answer the question or even bring up the subject? In this interactive educational session, guidelines on how to provide age-appropriate answers to your child will be discussed. In addition, this session will demonstrate some strategies on how to be seen by a youth as an “approachable” or “askable” adult. No one will be turned away for cost, and parents can RSVP to Regional Educator Elizabeth Dilley at edilley@ppgi.org or by going to www.ppgi.org, clicking on Education Center, clicking on the training calendar, and registering from there.
March 2008 Calendar
The Month of March is Youth Art Month (YAM)
1st -YAM Celebration Des Moines at the State Historical Building
3rd– Parent Advisory @ MS 7 PM
6-7-8th H.S. Musical
Directed by Mark Haufle
10th-Board Meeting
17th-21st Spring Break
Good Search
Good search is different from Google. On Good Search you can type in a school that you want to send money to, for any school in Red Oak. Guess what, you don’t have to spend a dime on it because every time you us it, the computer sends money to a school . Ever since I used it, my school got money. So after you see this go on to a computer and donate money today.
By: Taelor J
Spring
In Spring birds will sing.
Before June flowers will bloom.
The rain will fall on all and the showers will bring flowers.
The bees come out of their trees.
We will all sit in the breeze
and try not to sneeze.
by: Jordyn C
A SPRING POEM
I love spring because the birds always sing! Butterflies fly around
Except when they hit the ground.
There’s still spring break
which means no more sick days I have to fake .
By: Angela G.
“Spring is Here”
By: Tanner L
I am looking forward to spring because winter will be over and it will be closer to spring break and summer vacation. School will be close to being over and we won’t have to any homework for three months. We will get to hangout and enjoy the summer. We will then get to go to middle school, and be in 6th grade
K-4 music students have a blog! Come visit us at http://wemhoff.blogspot.com or follow the link from Washington Intermediate's site at http://wistigers.blogspot.com. We hope you're able to take a minute and read about all of the great musical activities we're doing. Lots of photos, too! Visit us soon!
Leprechaun Limerick
There once was a leprechaun named Harry.
Who really looked quite scary.
He had a cat.
Who slept on a mat.
He’s also married to Carrie.
By: Angela M
FREE RICE PROGRAM
By Weston J & Austin O
Mrs. Martinez informed Washington Intermediate School about an Internet program called Free Rice. To get to the free rice program you need to get on a computer and enter www.freerice com. once you get there you answer the definitions of words, and if you get the definition right you instantly send ten grains of rice to the needy. It is a fun way to help people that are in need of food. So if you have a computer and your wanting to help people in a fun way go to http://www.freerice.com/.
Leaf Rubbings
My favorite activity so far in fifth grade has been doing leaf rubbings. This activity is related to our science roots, stems, and leaves unit. We were learning why leaves change color in the fall. Leaves change color because the temperature drops and most trees stop making chlorophyll. To start our experiment, we needed leaves and paper. First step: place the leaf on the paper and hold down firmly. Second step: get a crayon and rub it over the leaf, take it off and Hooray, you have your very own leaf rubbings.
By: Shelbie P
Why I Am Looking Forward to Spring
By Cade J
I’m looking forward to spring because I won’t have homework or have to wake up and get dressed, eat fast, and let the dogs out every night and morning. I look forward to playing my x-box 360 that is new. When it gets warmer I will go out side and play all day. Then at night I will stay up till its almost daylight in the morning, and then I will go to sleep. I can’t wait till I get to go skiing in the mountains over spring break!
Spring
I’m looking forward to spring because that’s when the flowers bloom and leaves turn green. Another thing I’m looking forward to is
vacation, everyone loves vacation. Even if you don’t go on vacation its like vacation here. So now are you convinced about how wonderful spring is!
By: Rachel I
Why I Like Spring
By Morgan M
I like spring because it is way warmer than winter, and the snow starts to melt away. I also like spring break because it’s a holiday, and we don’t have to make it up at the end of the year. I really like Easter too, because I get to go to my grandmother’s house. Every Easter we have an Easter egg hunt with my cousins.
The Best Spring Ever
One day in Pasadena, California, Winnie was on the beach reading her book Tuck
Everlasting, when her two obnoxious brothers dumped ocean water all over her. They thought it was a riot. “Oh!” and I have to put up with you for the whole spring.” said Winnie. “ Kids it’s time to go,” her mother says in a cheerful voice. “Mom, why can’t I go to
England?” Winnie asks. “Because we didn’t get you a ticket,” said mom. “But lucky for you and your brothers, we got you tickets to Santa Barbara,” her dad said as he struggled to put the umbrella in the car. “Boys, get in the car, it’s time to go,” Her mother said. “I’ll meet up with you at home,” said Winnie.
When Winnie came home that night she had to hurry up and pack everything that she needed. They raced to the airport and gave each other good-bye hugs and got on their planes. When Winnie got to Santa Barbara she said, “Where do you twins want to go?” “Water Park!” they both said at the same time. “O.K., let’s go,” exclaimed Winnie and they raced to the water park.
When the twins got off the ride, Winnie said, “There you are, I was so worried about you.” She was crying and yelling at the same. When they went to get some lunch she said, “This is the most boring vacation ever.”
Then a boy came over, “Do you want to go get a slushy,” he said. “Sure, “ Winnie said. “This is the best spring break ever!”
Julia H
Something Fun
By: Grace B
Something fun you get to do in 5th grade is writing articles for the newsletter. It looks easy like all you have to do is think of a topic and then write…but it isn’t it takes more than 2 steps. The newsletter you are reading takes time and effort. The teachers even rearrange their schedule for it!!! The steps it takes are:
Step 1: Come up with the topic you would like to do.
Step 2: Get into your groups or partners (Optional step)
Step 3: Start writing your paragraph, poem, story, ex.
Step 4: Have your teacher or classmates proofread it
Step 5: Start typing
That’s what it usually takes to create an article in the newsletter. Keep on reading the newsletter.
Symphony
We went to the Symphony on Friday, February 22, 2008. All of the 4th graders went. It only cost us $2.00 because PTO pays the rest. I wonder if the music will echo since it’s so big. I wonder what noises the instruments play. The Symphony will perform “ The Composer’s Craft” at the Holland Performing Arts Center. We explored “ The Composer’s Craft” through interactive projects and directed listening activities. Students explored how composers put all of the notes together.
By: Carson P
Glacier Erosion Experiment
By Clayton W and Cameron S
Materials: Ice, Sand, soup, paper plate, water, paper towel, bar soup.
How to do experiment:
1. Put ice in sack of sand and shake it up.
2. Then take the ice out of sand.
3. After that rub ice on bar of soup in tell the ice disappears and sand digs into soup.
4. Then wash soup with cold water.
5. Write down what happened.
We saw many indentions. Enjoy the experiment!
Glacier Project
By Sydney V and Tori T
In Miss. Hughes class we did a glacier project involving a new bar of soap, sand and an ice cube. The soap represented Earth’s crust. The ice cube represented a glacier and the sand represented the rocks and particles of Earth’s crust. What we did first was put the ice cube in the sand. Then we took the ice cube and rubbed it on the soap. It was really cool. After we washed the soap off you could see the sand engraved into the soap. You should try this at home!
Erosion Experiment
By Trevor S and Logan C
In January Miss Hughes’ class conducted an experiment to show erosion over time caused by glaciers. We used, soap, sand, and ice cubes to represent each component in the process of erosion. The ice cubes represented the glacier. The soap represented earth’s crust, and the sand represented the rocks and dust particles picked up while the glacier is moving across earth’s surface. What we saw was neat. The ice and sand had eaten away at the surface of the soap.
Country Critters
On Tuesday, February 19 the Country Critters came to Washington Intermediate. They brought a snake named Radar, three wolf puppies and a lizard from Argentina . Another snake was really , really long. Six kids had to hold it .
By: Jamie P
On Tuesday, February 19 the Country Critters came to Washington Intermediate. They brought a snake named Radar, three wolf puppies and a lizard from Argentina . Another snake was really , really long. Six kids had to hold it .
By: Jamie P
4-H Mr. Drey
Mr. Drey came to our classroom and talked to us about signing up for 4-H. I am already in 4-H and I am in the Lincoln Hustlers 4-H club. It is in the Lincoln Township. If you are in 4-H, you can show livestock like swine, cattle, rabbits and etc. You could make things like clothing, wood cupboards, engines, and sell stuff. You can take photography in open class, which is in the white fair building, or you can draw a picture of something. He talked about family fun night. The 4-H groups do the games. There is so much stuff to do. We are going to do a horseshoe-throwing contest. Jessa Davis is letting us use her horseshoe-throwing pit.
By Hayden V
Mr. Mullenix and Mr. Richards
Mr. Mullenix is a cool guy. He’s got good experience and works on cool stuff.
I’m glad he’s our friend at Washington Intermediate. We watched a video about
Montgomery County history.
There were a lot of maps and Mr. Richards told us a lot about Iowa History .
They both know a whole lot about history.
By Savannah T
Don't Say a Word
Their play was about being
trustworthy, I heard that everybody liked being in the play . They say that they loved working together, and being able to say something in the play. They really loved working together. I think it was awesome . They had 3 sets so everybody had a part in the play. I think they really worked hard.
by Halee F
Their play was about being
trustworthy, I heard that everybody liked being in the play . They say that they loved working together, and being able to say something in the play. They really loved working together. I think it was awesome . They had 3 sets so everybody had a part in the play. I think they really worked hard.
by Halee F
The Omaha Lancer Visit
Hi, my name is Jessa D and I’m in Mrs. Martinez's class. Today a Lancer
player came to our class room. First, he introduced himself as Dakota Eveland.
He came from Orange County in California. He is 16 years old and goes to Millard North High School. He plans to go to Colorado Springs for college, and wants to become a sports trainer.
He read to us, then he gave us book marks and a paper that said, We would get 1 free ticket to any Lancers home game if we read 2 books. IT WAS AWESOME!
By Jessalyn D
Hi, my name is Jessa D and I’m in Mrs. Martinez's class. Today a Lancer
player came to our class room. First, he introduced himself as Dakota Eveland.
He came from Orange County in California. He is 16 years old and goes to Millard North High School. He plans to go to Colorado Springs for college, and wants to become a sports trainer.
He read to us, then he gave us book marks and a paper that said, We would get 1 free ticket to any Lancers home game if we read 2 books. IT WAS AWESOME!
By Jessalyn D
Art Class
by Makayla and Cameo
In our art class we are making books. It’s so much fun! We have made many small, medium, and big books. We have also been making flowers with pastels. This was fun too, although it was messy. You can pick any kind of flower, but it has to be realistic. If it was realistic and you were in a dream you can smell the flower.
In our art class we are making books. It’s so much fun! We have made many small, medium, and big books. We have also been making flowers with pastels. This was fun too, although it was messy. You can pick any kind of flower, but it has to be realistic. If it was realistic and you were in a dream you can smell the flower.
