Welcome to Project Week!

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a relaxing holiday with your families and friends. I know I did, I and I am excited to return to teaching after my break.

First things first, don’t for get to sign your students Friday folders and send the folders back to school! I need them so I can continue to use them. Thank you.

Next up is project week! As some of you may know, the first week of the third quarter will be Trivium East’s first annual project week. Students will dedicate this week of half days to creating a science projecting and writing a few short paragraphs about their project. The theme of this year’s project week is the human body. Students of all grade levels have spent a science unit studying a body system, so each grade level will make projects based on the system of the human body they studied. Fourth grade studied the cardiovascular system, so fourth grade projects will be centered around the heart and blood.

Here’s how it works: Students will spend time in science class learning new details about the heart and blood and solidifying their understanding of old information. In writing class, Mr. Ohbayashi will teach students to write their first paper, which will be a short description of their project. Teachers will provide support and information resources that students can use for their projects, but the actual creation of the projects will occur at home.

Students will have a choice of three different science projects, pending the approval of their parents. They will receive handouts on how to complete their chosen project and handouts of articles that can help them to write the paper that will accompany their project. I have tried to make the projects as simple, cheap, and easy as possible, but if parents feel their child’s project of choice is not appropriate, they may request another one.

All homework time during project week will be spent creating the project and writing the accompanying paper. There will be no RM online, flashcards, etc. The homework for the projects is designed to take about the same amount of time as fourth grade homework normally does, so it will not be a drain on families’ time. Similarly, the materials for projects are house hold items, or items that can be obtained at department stores, drug stores, or grocery stores. The materials should cost less than $20, so they will not be a drain on families’ resources.

Some of the projects ask for clear glass jars. I have several clean glass jars at home that families can use if they don’t have their own. You would have to remove the labels on some of them, but I am happy to give them away on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 A simple guide for timeline of the project for parents is as follows: Obtain materials on Monday night and look over instructions and the resource articles with your student. Create the project and write the paper Tuesday-Thursday. On Friday, put the finishing touches on the project and the paper.

This is intended to be a fun way for students to experience science. The fourth graders already know much of the important information for the projects, but they will learn a few new things this week.

Next week, students will get a chance to show off their projects in an evening time project display. Dates and times TBA. This will be a way for classes to come together as a community and witness each other’s accomplishments. It will also give students a chance to talk about their projects with visiting parents, grandparents, friends, etc.

This project does carry the weight of a test in the student’s science grade, and the paper carries the weight of a test in their writing grade. That’s actually a good thing for several reasons. Students have a whole week to develop and display their project, instead of only a few minutes to write on a test. They can develop their project with the support of adults, instead of staring at a paper alone. Also, students who find a hands-on approach more natural than an ordinary academic approach will have a chance to showcase their unique skills.

Please note that “perfect” looking projects are not necessary and won’t necessarily improve students’ grades. Life is messy and so are science projects. What I want to see is that students have learned from their projects and can explain what the project means when they display their projects next week.

In order to help ensure students’ success, I will be available Thursday morning from 7:00-7:30 am to help students with any last minute questions or details of their projects. Help will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis. As always, students can also come to me between classes or at recess for help.

That’s all for this week! Please email me with any questions, comments, or concerns, especially this week. I want to support you and your students as much as possible during this project week.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt