PRIMARY PERFORMERS PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS 

Our remaining first and second grade classes performed Tuesday evening and promoted environmental awareness.  Students encouraged others to protect our surroundings through their artwork, song and dance.  We thank our students for an entertaining and important evening.  We also thank Ms. Warner, Mrs. Petty and Ms. Dazzio for preparing students. 

GOOGLE EXPEDITIONS
Students in grades 2-5 had fun experimenting with Google's augmented reality.  Students were able to explore objects virtually that tied to grade level science units.  Students learning about severe weather, for example, traveled inside volcanos, hurricanes and tornadoes.  Students learning about the body systems went inside a human heart and digestive system.  Students loved this hands on experience!  Students reflected on the guiding inquiry questions shown below as they explored different virtual objects/events.  They also noted how their background knowledge, or schema, changed after their experience.  Click here to learn more about Google expeditions.  We thank our technology teacher, Mrs. Fleet, fro bringing this opportunity to GRE.

STUDENTS WRITE LIKE SCIENTISTS 
Students in several grade levels are immersed in informational writing, or writing that teaches readers different things about a subject matter.  Students in grades K-5 study informational writing in addition to narrative and persuasive writing genres.  Students are learning how to organize similar information and determine the most important information gained through research and/or experimentation.  They are also learning how to paraphrase facts and data.

In this current unit second graders are writing like scientists.  They are recording guiding questions, their hypothesis, procedures, results and conclusions while engaging in several force and motion experiments.  One experiment required students to test if cars sent down a ramp moved farther on the carpet or tile.  Students used their background knowledge, or schema, of friction and force and motion to describe their initial hypothesis and findings.  Students will move on to change multiple variables, such as the type of car, ramp and surface, and describe their experience through this integrated science and literacy unit.

"If we change one plastic car to a metal Hot Wheels car we think that it will be fast and it will pick up more speed and not flip over and fall off the ramp.  Hypothesis:  I think that it will go two feet because it is a Hot Wheels and it has some weight and the brand Hot Wheels are good cars and fast."

SPRING CONFERENCES

Spring conferences will be held on March 8 and March 15.  We believe that conferences are an opportunity to celebrate your child's progress and continue to collaborate on his/her goals.  Our electronic sign up is open.  Please click here for the link to Canyon Creek Online Scheduler.  The password is digger.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* March 8: Spring Conferences

* March 12-16: Spring Book Fair

* March 15: Spring Conferences

* March 19-23: Spring Break

            

ELECTRONIC THURSDAY FOLDER

First & Second Grade Performers Promote Environmental Awareness

Several first and second grade classes performed Thursday evening and promoted environmental awareness.  Students created artwork that encourages others to protect our surroundings.  They also expressed this important message through song and dance.  We thank our students for an entertaining and important evening.  We also thank Ms. Warner, Mrs. Petty and Ms. Dazzio for preparing students.  We look forward to our remaining performance next Tuesday evening.

Fifth Graders Educate Other Schools On GRE's Food Waste Initiative

Fifth graders have been working on presentations that educate other schools on our current No Waste Initiative.  As you recall, students in all grade levels are currently donating food that would have otherwise gone into the trash to the Parker Task Force.  I am proud to share that we have donated thousands of items to families in need!  Our fifth graders were charged with sharing our efforts with other schools in Parker in hopes that they too give to this great cause.  Students used the Design Thinking Process to create a wide variety of presentations that explained our daily efforts.  The Design Thinking Process requires students to empathize with their audience and consider multiple perspectives, clearly define the problem or task, ideate, or brainstorm different ways to communicate,  and create a prototype, or a model of their presentation.  Students tested their presentations this week by presenting their work to administration.  I was impressed with students’ public speaking and creativity!  Student groups used a wide variety of formats to convey our work, including Stop Motion Animation, skits, videos and power point presentations.  I look forward to having some of these students present to a larger audience soon!

Learning with Legos
Primary students used Legos to explore science and literacy concepts.  Kindergarteners are currently learning about force and motion.  They used Legos to build objects that demonstrated these concepts.  They then recorded a description of their creation and what the force makes the object do using the Seesaw app on their ipads.  In library, first graders also used Legos to recreate important story elements, such as characters and events.  This hands-on approach to learning captured students’ interests and allowed for creativity and collaboration.

SPRING CONFERENCES

Spring conferences will be held on March 8 and March 15.  We believe that conferences are an opportunity to celebrate your child's progress and continue to collaborate on his/her goals.  Our electronic sign up is open.  Please click here for the link to Canyon Creek Online Scheduler.  The password is digger.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* February 27: Primary Performances - 6:15-6:45 Roon, Steinher & Graham - 7:15-7:45 Robart & Meier

* March 8: Spring Conferences

* March 12-16: Spring Book Fair

* March 15: Spring Conferences

* March 19-23: Spring Break

            

ELECTRONIC THURSDAY FOLDER

SPREADING KINDNESS 
This week students showed their spirit, creativity and heart.  Students enjoyed spreading kindness by doing random acts for others and decorating their classroom doors.  Students and staff also demonstrated spirit as they participated in Legend High School's Wish Week events.  We are proud to report that Gold Rush raised over $600 to help grant Rebecca Tuska's wish of visiting China.  As you recall, Rebecca is a student at Legend High School who suffers from a rare intestinal disease.  I am proud of our students' willingness to spread kindness throughout our school community!

Creative Valentines Boxes

GRE Participated in Legend High School's Wish Week Events

All Classrooms Decorated Their Doors with Messages of Kindness

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS MUSIC COMPOSITION

Fifth graders worked on collaboratively composing an original piece of music.  Music teacher, Mrs. Petty, used an app called Notate Me to record students' many ideas.  Students presented multiple notes and rhythms, which they then tried out using their instruments.  Mrs. Petty used the app to record their initial thoughts and revisions.  We are proud of students' ability to work together to create a new piece of music and their willingness to adjust their thinking. 

SECOND GRADERS BRING HISTORY TO LIFE

Second graders have been busy researching famous Americans and writing about the impact their  accomplishments had on the world.  This unit integrates reading, writing, history and technology.  Students determined what information is the most important to include about their famous American while reading books and digital texts and watching video clips.  Students then applied their knowledge of informational writing as they wrote about what makes these individuals "famous" and important.  Students are currently working on publishing their final pieces.  They will ultimately record their writing on their ipads using an app called Sonic Pics.  We look forward to sharing their final products in upcoming posts.

SPRING CONFERENCES
Spring conferences will be held on March 8 and March 15.  We believe that conferences are an opportunity to celebrate your child's progress and continue to collaborate on his/her goals.  Our electronic sign up is open as of today.  Please click here for the link to Canyon Creek Online Scheduler.  The password is digger.


UPCOMING EVENTS
* February 19: No School Presidents' Day
* February 22: Primary Performances - 6:15-6:45 Martino&Anderson/ 7:15-7:45 Wilson&Woolums
* February 27: Primary Performances - 6:15-6:45 Roon, Steiner&Graham/ 7:15-7:45 Robart&Meirer
* March 8: Spring Conferences
* March 12-16: Spring Book Fair
* March 15: Spring Conferences
* March 19-23: Spring Break

            

ELECTRONIC THURSDAY FOLDER

MINDS ON MATH

As teachers instruct students in the area of math, they use a variety of strategies to ensure students are understanding key concepts at a deep level.  Students in kindergarten through fifth grade create visual representations to compute, (add, subtract, multiply and divide), solve multi-step problems and study more abstract concepts such as dividing irregular shapes equally and ordering decimals and fractions.  Research states that students learn math best when they use multiple parts of their brain and this occurs when they use symbols (numbers) and visuals (Park & Bannon, 2013). 

Teachers also ask students to explain their thinking.  Having students describe their process for problem solving enhances their ability to reason.  Teachers also want students to think flexibly about numbers.  They want them to solve problems using multiple strategies to show they understand several core concepts.  Click here to learn more about how visualization and flexibility promote a deep understanding of numbers.

KINDNESS  & WISH WEEK

Next week Gold Rush will spread kindness by celebrating this national event.  Students will listen to kindness quotes, decorate their doors with kindness themes and demonstrate several small, but meaningful acts of kindness.  Students will also have the opportunity to participate in daily spirit events that support Legend High School's Wish Week.  This year proceeds from spirit days will support a Legend High School Senior's Wish.  Click here for more information on our recipient.

SOCK HOP

We thank our PTO and parent and student volunteers for an incredible Sock Hop last Friday.  We appreciate all that they did to make this event possible!

100th DAY OF SCHOOL
Primary students marked the 100th day of school this week.  They were creative and represented the number 100 in several different ways.  This fun activity also supported their number sense, or their knowledge of the value of a number and its relationship to other numbers.  Researchers state number sense encourages students' ability to use numbers flexibly and problem solve in multiple ways.  Number sense also allows students to understand if their solutions are reasonable.  We were impressed with students' creativity and thinking!

HEART HEROES
Gold Rush raised just under $10,000 for the American Heart Association!  We were blown away by families' contributions.  See our top fundraisers below.  All students learned how to take care of their own hearts by jumping weekly in physical education class.  We thank Mrs. Warner for brining this event to our school!

Top fundraisers for the American Heart Association

Nine fifth graders challenge themselves to jump rope at the same time.

Collaboration at its finest!

UPCOMING EVENTS
* February 12-15: Kindness Week & Wish Week Spirit Events (See event information above)
* February 14: Valentine's Day
* February 15: SAC Meeting @ 4:30-5:30 in the Gold Mine Room
* February 16: No School - Teacher Professional Development Day
* February 19: No School Presidents' Day
            

ELECTRONIC THURSDAY FOLDER

THINKING STRATEGIES TEACH CRITICAL THINKING
Students in grades K-5 are taught the research-based thinking strategies that we use as adults.  While we explicitly teach and model these thinking strategies in the area of reading, they can be applied in all content areas.  Thinking strategies build students' comprehension.  They also help students monitor their understanding of a text or task and reflect on how their thinking changes over time.  Click here for more information on these strategies and ideas on how to help your child at home.

SCIENCE & MATH EXPLORATION
Students learn math and science best when they are given opportunities to explore, think deeply and question.  This week students put their knowledge of matter to the test as they created solids, liquids and gasses in a science lab.  Students experienced chemical reactions first hand and made a substance that demonstrated the properties of both a solid and a liquid.

In addition to daily math instruction, intermediate students have the opportunity to participate in math challenges weekly through Math Olympiad.  Math Olympiad challenges students to solve rigorous problems and compete in national math challenges.  Collaboration and problem solving are evident as students work through complex problems that have multiple solutions.  We are proud to say that we have over 60 students who engage weekly in math tasks and talk.  Students' excitement, observations and thinking were clearly evident in both science and math experiences.

Third Grade Students Create Solids, Liquids & Gases in a Science Lab

Students Work Collaboratively to Solve Math Challenges Weekly in Math Olympiad

GARDENING INDOORS
Third grade students moved gardening indoors this winter.  Students are growing a variety of vegetables in a hydroponic garden bed donated by the Sijmons family.  Students are comparing how plants grow in the absence of soil and with artificial light.  They have, for example, observed how the roots grew on the plastic.  We look forward to continuing to notice the changes and differences.

CONGRATULATIONS MRS. MARTINO & MRS. DALE
First grade teacher, Mrs. Martino, and kindergarten assistant, Mrs. Dale, will represent Gold Rush at the District Apple Awards.  Mrs. Martino's and Mrs. Dale's dedication to students' growth and the betterment of our school make them true models.

UPCOMING EVENTS
* February 2: Sock Hop
* February 14: Valentine's Day
* February 15: SAC Meeting @ 4:30-5:30 in the Gold Mine Room
            

ELECTRONIC THURSDAY FOLDER