Science: 

We’re excited to share that our class has started a new unit all about insects! Over the next few weeks, students will explore the fascinating world of bugs—from butterflies and ants to beetles and bees. 

We’ll be learning about the different types of insects, their body parts, where they live, and why they are so important to our environment. From pollination to helping decompose waste, insects play a big role in keeping our world healthy and balanced. 

This is a great opportunity for students to become little scientists and nature explorers! We may also do some hands-on activities like bug hunts.  

Thank you for your continued support in your child’s learning journey! 

Science: 

We will continue exploring the fascinating world of plants and their parts! 🌻 Using the Colorado Academic Standards as our guide, students will investigate what plants need to survive and how different parts of a plant help it grow and thrive.  

Plant Parts and Their Jobs 
Students will learn about roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. They discovered how: 

• Roots anchor the plant and absorb water, 

• Stems carry water and nutrients, 

• Leaves collect sunlight for energy, and 

• Flowers help plants make seeds! 

💧 What Do Plants Need? 
We will explore the four things plants need to live: sunlight, water, air, and space to grow. 

Science: 

We will continue exploring the fascinating world of plants and their parts! 🌻 Using the Colorado Academic Standards as our guide, students will investigate what plants need to survive and how different parts of a plant help it grow and thrive.  

Plant Parts and Their Jobs 
Students will learn about roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. They discovered how: 

• Roots anchor the plant and absorb water, 

• Stems carry water and nutrients, 

• Leaves collect sunlight for energy, and 

• Flowers help plants make seeds! 

💧 What Do Plants Need? 
We will explore the four things plants need to live: sunlight, water, air, and space to grow. 

On Monday, we will spend some time outside planting our own plant. Children will bring their own plant home at the end of the month.  

This week, we have some exciting hands-on activities planned for our students! We will dive into the fascinating topics of the phases of the moon, stars, constellations, and astronauts. To kick things off, we will be using Oreos to explore the phases of the moon. It’s a fun and tasty way to understand this concept!

Additionally, the students will have the opportunity to recreate constellations using mini marshmallows and toothpicks. This activity will surely spark their creativity! Lastly, we will learn about what astronauts wear in space, complemented by an astronaut coloring page that will help us practice our active listening skills.

Science: 

We will start Quarter 3 studying the sun, the moon, and stars.  

Here a few things students will be focusing on:  

• Patterns in the natural world can be observed, used to describe phenomena, and used as evidence. 

• Patterns of how the sun and moon appear to move in the sky can be observed, described, and predicted. 

• The sun is only seen during the day, the stars are only seen at night, and the moon can be seen during the day and/or night. 

• Seasonal patterns of sunrise and sunset can be observed, described, and predicted. (For example, the sun rises earlier in the summer and sets later in the summer. There is more daylight in the summer than in the winter) 

Students will be using observations (on hands-on activities and media) to describe patterns in the sky, collect data, predict, ask and answer questions.  

Suggested Key Vocabulary: Dark, Daylight, Light, Moon, Night and Day, Observe, Pattern, Predict/Prediction, Seasons, Sky, Stars, Sun, Sunrise and Sunset 

1. What is the difference between natural light and artificial light? Could you give me some examples of each? (In class, we sort the following pictures: lantern, lightbulb, flashlight, sun, stars, fire, moon.)
2. What is sound? (Sound is a type of energy made from vibration)
3. What is vibration? (A movement that goes back and forth)
4. How do we hear the sound? (When the sound waves travel through the air and reach our ears, we can hear)
5. Can you name objects that make sound? (instruments, a radio, a telephone, a siren, a whistle etc.). 
6. What is light? (Light is a type of energy that allows us to see.)
7. What is the main source of light? (The sun)
8. Can you name objects that make light? (A flashlight, lightbulb, the sun, stars, a traffic light, etc.)
9. What is transparent? Give an example of a transparent object. (Transparent is when the light passes through the object. For example: windows, clear water bottle, clear glass, water, glasses)
10. What is translucent? Give an example of a translucent object. (Translucent is when some light passes through the object. For example: sunglasses, colored glass, balloon)
11. What is opaque? Give an example of an opaque object. (Opaque is when no light passes through. For example: walls, doors, tables, desks etc.)
     

We had lots of fun exploring with light and sound. Next week, we will keep exploring light and sound using rulers, flashlight and playing a game of red light/green light. 

Sound can make matter vibrate, and vibrating matter can make sound.

Objects can be seen if light is available to illuminate them or if they give off their light.

Some materials allow light to pass through them, others allow only some light through, and others block all the light and create a dark shadow on any surface beyond them, where the light cannot reach. Mirrors can be used to redirect a light beam.

People also use various devices to communicate (send and receive information) over long distances.

Vocabulary for this week: vibrating, sound wave, sound, hearing, vocal cords, eardrum, light, light source, opaque, translucent, transparent, dark.