supply list

Below is a copy of the suggested supply list which will come home with your summer letter in a few weeks. If you are having trouble seeing the complete page, just click the link "supply list" to be redirected to a page which has the whole document.

supply list

Reading Update!

This summer I have been busy reading many books, both for children and adults. I'm taking the lead from my good friend Mrs. Williams(you can find her book reviews here), and am blogging to review some of these books.

The first book I read this summer was The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. This is the first book in his new series, Heroes of Olympus. I LOVED this book. It felt like home. The book is a continuation of Rick Riordan's series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians...sort of, and is perfect for my old friends(those in fifth grade or older). It takes place at Camp Half Blood, and some characters, like Annabeth, Chiron, and even Percy are in this book. I love to read series, so this was right up my alley. If you liked the Percy Jackson books, I would definitely recommend this. Keep in mind it is a challenge for most fourth graders.

Mrs. Williams also introduced me to the graphic novel series about Big Nate, by Lincoln Peirce. These book are hilarious, and you will laugh out loud when you read them. I read two of the titles, and will put them in our class library this fall. I know you will love these books, and they are perfect for fourth graders.

Yesterday I finished reading Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool. This book won the Newberry award medal this year, and was wonderful. It is part historical fiction, part mystery, and was one of the best books I've read! I even cried at the end (When you get to know me, you will know that this isn't unusual. A good book usually moves me ;). This book is perfect for middle school readers and older ones, too(including adults).

I have also been reading many adult books. I love to read mysteries, and have been working through a few. These books are definitely for adults, and can be pretty scary at times. Here is a list, along with my rating for each~

Book Scale (1 ~ Didn't like it, I don't recommend --------->10 ~ One of the BEST books I've ever read)

• Now You See Her, by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge ~ 10 (loved it!)
• The Silent Girl, by Tess Gerritsen ~8
• Before I Go To Sleep, by SJ Watson ~ still reading, so far a 9!
  

Mexico Links

• National Geographic ~ Mexico for Kids

Magnetism & Electricity Links

• Foss Science
• BBC Site ~ includes electrical conductors, circuits and magnets
  

Science Links

WEATHER LINKS

• Kids' Weather Sites
• Weather Quizzes ~ clouds, air pressure, wind
• The Science Spot
• Hurricanes
• Clouds
• Weather Resources
• Weather Games
• Rip Currents
• More on Rip Currents
• Weather for Kids
• Jet Stream Power Point
• Air Pressure Power Point
• Weather Tools Power Point

MAGNETISM/ELECTRICITY LINKS

• Foss Science
• BBC Site ~ includes electrical conductors, circuits and magnets
• More magnetism sites ~ a list of sites to check out

HEREDITY/SCIENTIFIC METHOD LINKS

• The Gene Scene
• Virtual Microscope
• Cells Alive
• The Science Spot

Heredity/Scientific Method Websites

Use these links while we are studying Heredity and the Scientific Method

• The Gene Scene
• Virtual Microscope
• Cells Alive
• The Science Spot
  

The Last Day

Our Kennedy School tradition continued this year with our Elimination Game. Each fifth grade class traditionally plays elimination against the teachers. Despite the rain, we were able to play ~ just indoors! It was LOUD and our class, of course, cheered for the teachers ! Below are a few pictures of the games.

I hope you all enjoy the summer vacation, and find time to relax and enjoy your families. After this winter's weather, I think everyone is looking forward to some warm, sunny weather. See you in September!!!!














And....Bobby is entering a contest by Tom Angleberger. You may recall that he is the author of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Bobby is hoping to win an advance copy of Tom's new book, Darth Paper Strikes Again. This year, we wrote to Mr. A and told him that we loved his book, and he sent us an Origami Yoda created by him. We took a few pictures of Bobby's "Darth Paper" along with "Origami Yoda". We hope he wins this contest!!!!!

AMAZING!

What a fun day! Despite the rain, we enjoyed a fabulous time playing The Amazing Race! The teams enjoyed tasks which related to our studies of the US Regions. Some of our favorite tasks were looking for the clues "I HAVE A DREAM" written by Martin Luther King, Jr. and making a lasso to catch a cow! We all husked some corn and remembered the natural resources from the midwest. Below are some photos and videos of our day today.

Mrs. Merten was very impressed with our ability to remember the states and capitals of all 50 states!

A Busy End to the Year

Poetry Coffeehouse

Our week began with the Poetry Coffeehouse. Everyone recited a poem, and Mrs. Merten was so PROUD! We were happy to have Ms. Liz step up to the mike and lead our parents in the Poetry Bus. Thanks, too, to Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Honor who were brave enough to step up to our Open Mike. The day was a great success! (Thank you to Mrs. Cashin for sending in some pictures!)

Sports Day!
Despite the heat, Sports Day was a huge success! We enjoyed many fun stations, and we especially loved getting sprayed at the water ball station!

Engineer in Residence

We are wrapping up our week with our Engineer in Residence, Mr. Adams. He came today and guided us through a really fun project ~ Light Your Way! The children had to use their knowledge of electricity to create a hands free flashlight. What a fun way to end our week and our unit. Check back for pictures of the final products.