Homeroom Tutoring

I will begin tutoring on Wednesdays from 3:00-3:45. The first session will be this Wednesday, December 2, 2015. I will send out a flyer tomorrow that needs to be signed if you ever want tutoring for your child. I will tutor in Science, Writing, and Math. I will continue this for the next few months to see how it goes. Your child doesn't need to come every week, but if they are struggling or need extra support, please have him/her join us. I will also post in advance if there is a Wednesday that I am not able to attend. This is only for my homeroom students at this point.

Upcoming

12/3	School Pictures - Make Up Day
12/3	Grapevine Parade of Lights
12/8	Tea & Talk Tuesday - Parent Information session (see details below!)
12/17	Choir Holiday Concerts - 5:30-7:00
12/18	Classroom holiday parties
12/18	Early Release 11:45
12/21-1/4	Winter Holiday Break!  Students return to school on 1/5/16

PICTURE MAKE-UP DAY IS THIS WEEK! Did your child miss our Picture Day earlier this year?  This week, on Thursday, 12/3, our school photographers will be at school to make-up or retake student pictures.  These will be used in our school yearbook, so be sure to send your children to school with their best smile if they need a picture taken! 

PARADE OF LIGHTS IS THURSDAY, 12/3 @ 7:00 pm Our awesome Dad's Club & PTA have been working throughout the holiday break on the Cannon float that will proudly represent our school in the Grapevine Parade of Lights on Thursday!  Please make plans to attend this awesome family event to participate in all of the festivities!  This year, in addition to the awards given by the parade judges, there is a new People's Choice Award.  Please cast your vote for Cannon through Twitter on 12/3, between 7:00 pm & midnight through Twitter!  Tweet, using #GVParadeVoteCannon to show your support of our amazing school!  

COME LEARN WITH CANNON PARENTS @ TEA & TALK TUESDAYS Tuesday, December 8th, from 7:45-8:45 a.m., will be the first of PTA's parent program/education events called Tea & Talk Tuesday!  Come to meet other parents and learn from Cannon's STEM Technology Integration Specialist, Ben Waits, about technology at Cannon and how Cannon students are learning about coding & programming, as part of the Global Hour of Code activities.  Hot tea, iced tea and breakfast items will be provided during this fun learning event!  Hope to see you there! 

PTA DIRECTORY INFORMATION  Cannon's PTA is in the process of providing a directory for all of Cannon parents who have joined PTA.  In

order for your child & family to be listed in the directory, parents must give permission.  Please use the following links to provide permission for this

directory.  Spanish   http://tinyurl.com/cannon15s      English  http://tinyurl.com/cannon15

2016-2017 CALENDAR UPDATE  GCISD's District Excellence Committee has been busy reviewing possible calendar options for the 2016-2017

school year.  Under the new House Bill (HB) 2610, school districts are now required to provide at least 75,600 minutes of instruction, rather than

180 days of instruction, as has been done in the past.  This change has required the committee to determine how to capture the required number

of minutes, while still providing early release days, bad weather days, and professional learning days.  After recommendations for possible calendar

options are approved by the Board of Trustees, the calendar for 2016-2017 will be available on the district website.            

 

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE STILL UNDERWAY  Cannon Elementary is sponsoring a food drive to benefit local Cannon families for the upcoming

holidays!  We encourage you to bring in non-perishable items from the suggested list provided below.  Each grade level will be responsible for

certain food items.  We will collect the food items from November 3rd - December 16th.  The Cannon administrative staff will distribute the items to

Cannon families in need.  Thank you for your support!

KINDERGARTEN: Ramen Noodles; Peanut Butter; Jelly

1st GRADE: Instant Potatoes; Canned Fruit; Canned Tuna

2nd GRADE: Cereal; Cereal Bars; Canned Pasta (Spaghettio's, ravioli)

3rd GRADE: Crackers; Juice Boxes; Complete Box Dinners

4th GRADE: Canned Chicken; Canned Vegetables; Stuffing Mix

5th GRADE: Macaroni & Cheese; Spaghetti Sauce; Dry Pasta

HOLIDAY STEM SHOPPING IDEAS!  The holiday season is quickly approaching and holiday shopping has begun!  Are you looking for some great ideas for gifts that your child will LOVE and that will also support STEM learning?  Check out some of these recommended STEM toys/gifts!    These are sure to bring a BIG smile to your child's face this season!

Sun and Water Cycle

Our next unit of study is the Sun and Water Cycle. Take a closer look!

TEKS 3.8B: The student is expected to describe and illustrate the Sun as a star composed of gases which provides light and heat energy for the water cycle.

Key Concepts:

• The Sun, like all stars, is made up of gases.
• The Sun produces light and heat energy.
• The Sun is the source of energy for the water cycle.

Dissecting the TEKS Language:

• The Verbs: What should students be doing?
• Describe: to give an account of in words; to tell what something is like
• Illustrate: to make clear or intelligible using examples or analogies
• The Nouns: What concrete words should students know?
• Sun: the star in the center of our solar system, provides heat and light energy to Earth
• Heat: thermal energy
• Light: energy of a wavelength that is visible
• Water Cycle: the continuous movement of water in, on, and above the Earth’s surface
• Energy: the ability to do work

Essential Questions:

• What is the Sun?
• What makes up the Sun?
• Where is the Sun located?
• Why is the Sun important to the Earth?
• What does the Sun provide us?
• Imagine that the Sun went away. How would the Earth change?
• How can you protect yourself from the Sun?

Websites to help you out:

http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle-kids.html
http://www.kidzone.ws/water/index.html

Playground Challenge

Today the students got to the design stage of the engineering process and began building their playgrounds. There was no budget and a wide variety of materials to choose from.

Problem:  Mrs. Blizzard is currently working with an architect to design a playground that would be especially for a STEM school. The architect would like ideas from school students. How can we as third grade students design a playground that would incorporate STEM by using forces and motion.

Science TEKS: Force, motion and energy:

6)  The student knows that forces cause change and that energy exists in many forms. The student is expected to:

(B)  demonstrate and observe how position and motion can be changed by pushing and pulling objects to show work being done such as swings, balls, pulleys, and wagons;

Supporting Standard

(C)  observe forces such as magnetism and gravity acting on objects

Enduring Understandings:

Forces are useful in everyday life. Pushing and pulling can cause an object to change position and to move. Work happens when a force is used to move an object over a distance. Tools such as swings, pulleys and wagons can be used to help move objects. Forces including gravity and magnetism can have observable effects on objects. Gravity is a force that can move objects by pulling them toward each other. Magnetism is a physical property and a force. Magnetism is a force that can move object by attracting (pulling them towards each other) or repelling (pushing them apart from each other). **Test corrections are due Friday!!!

Analyzing our Science Assesments

The students used their assessment to fill out this analysis chart. They will use their data to figure out what concepts they know well and the ones they need more work. I will create intervention stations that will target each skill.

News Update

BIG THANKS TO CANNON PTA FOR SUCCESSFUL FAMILY NIGHT FUNDRAISERS! Our Cannon PTA has been super busy this fall sponsoring fundraisers to raise money that will benefit our students and our school!  They have worked tirelessly to organize fundraisers and family nights, including the October family night at Spring Creek Barbeque!  Spring Creek presented a check to PTA last week for $900!  PTA has scheduled family nights, called Cubs Nights Out, in different locations for each month. For families that participate in these family nights during the scheduled dates, our PTA will received a percentage of all sales.  This month's Cubs Night Out is scheduled for this week at Wise Guys Pizzeria.  If your family eats out at the Grapevine Wise Guys Pizzeria from 11/16-11/18, and present a copy of this flyer found here on the PTA Facebook page, 15% of your purchase will be donated back to our PTA.  Be sure to watch each month's calendar in this newsletter to stay informed about Cubs Night Out locations.   Thanks PTA!!

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE UNDERWAY  Cannon Elementary is sponsoring a food drive to benefit local Cannon families for the upcoming holidays!  We encourage you to bring in non-perishable items from the suggested list provided below.  Each grade level will be responsible for certain food items.  We will collect the food items from November 3rd - December 16th.  The Cannon administrative staff will distribute the items to Cannon families in need.  Thank you for your support!
KINDERGARTEN: Ramen Noodles; Peanut Butter; Jelly
1st GRADE: Instant Potatoes; Canned Fruit; Canned Tuna
2nd GRADE: Cereal; Cereal Bars; Canned Pasta (Spaghettio's, ravioli)
3rd GRADE: Crackers; Juice Boxes; Complete Box Dinners
4th GRADE: Canned Chicken; Canned Vegetables; Stuffing Mix
5th GRADE: Macaroni & Cheese; Spaghetti Sauce; Dry Pasta

NOVEMBER ISSUE OF STEM MAGAZINE Each month, we receive and share a copy of STEM magazine with all of our Cannon staff and parents.  This month's issue has some articles that you will find very interesting, including an article about the connections between math, music, and movement!  Click here to enjoy this month's STEM magazine!

LOST & FOUND As the weather begins to turn cool, please take a few minutes to write names inside sweaters, sweatshirts, and jackets.  Our Lost & Found racks, near the gym, are already beginning to fill up with items that need to be claimed!  Please remind your child to take a moment to go search there for a lost clothing item or lunchbox. 

HOLIDAY STEM SHOPPING IDEAS!  The holiday season is quickly approaching and holiday shopping has begun!  Are you looking for some great ideas for gifts that your child will LOVE and that will also support STEM learning?  Check out some of these recommended STEM toys/gifts!    These are sure to bring a BIG smile to your child's face this season!

** Stay Connected!  Have You "LIKED" Our Cannon Facebook Page Yet?If you haven't already "liked" our Cannon Facebook page, please do so today!  We work hard to provide updates, information, and celebrations on our Cannon page. Click here to see our Cannon Facebook   Also, please follow us on Twitter @canSTEM

3rd Grade Headphones!

If you can, please support our class on Donors Choose for headphones. We've almost reached our goal, but we are almost out of time!
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/class-headphones/1705329/?rf=link-siteshare-2015-11-teacher-teacher_3135694&challengeid=20651450

New Spelling Words (11/16-20/15)

1. gloomy

2. smoothed

3. stood

4. rooster

5. shampoo

6. fishhook

7. choose

8. tooth

9. textbook

10. loop

11. school

12. cartoon

Science Study Guide

Science Study Guide

Energy, Forces, and Motion

Test Thursday!!

 

Student Expectations

The student is expected to identify and explain different forms of energy, including mechanical, light, sound, and heat/thermal in everyday life.

The student is expected to demonstrate and observe how position and motion can be changed by pushing and pulling objects to show work being done, such as swings, balls, pulleys, and wagons.

Key Concepts

• Mechanical, light, sound, and heat/thermal energy are useful in everyday life.
• Heat energy helps cook food and keeps us warm in winter, while mechanical energy is associated with movement.
• Light and sound energy help us communicate and share information.

·       Pushing and pulling can cause an object to change position and to move.

·       Work happens when a force is used to move an object over a distance.

·       Tools such as swings, balls, pulleys, and wagons can be used to help move objects.

Fundamental Questions

• What is mechanical energy and how do we use it?
• What is heat energy and how do we use it?
• What is light energy and how do we use it?
• What is sound energy and how do we use it?

·       How can we cause an object to change position and to move?

·       What is work?

·       What tools can we use to show work is being done?

Explanation:

Understanding how work is done when force changes the position and motion of objects plays an important role in preparing students for fifth grade when they design their own force experiments.

Key Concept 1: Pushing and pulling can cause an object to change position and to move.

A force is a push or pull that causes an object to move, stop, or change direction. People, objects, or nature can pull or push an object. A catcher stopping a thrown baseball, a bulldozer pushing dirt, or the wind pushing leaves over a field are examples of pushing forces. A mother pulling on a toddler’s arm to stop the child from running, a tow truck pulling a car out of a ditch, or gravity pulling water down are examples of pulling forces that stop, move, and change directions of objects. A magnet can pull certain metal objects. Friction can pull on objects and slow them down.

Key Concept 2: Work happens when a force is used to move an object over a distance.

Several hundred years ago, Sir Isaac Newton, a British scientist, figured out some rules about how objects move. He concluded that the bigger the mass of an object, the bigger the force needed to move the object. The smaller the mass of an object, the smaller the force needed to move the object.

For example, it takes more force to move a car than to move a toy car. Scientists after Newton added another idea about force: to do work requires force, but the force exerted has to actually move an object. Most people think if any effort is exerted, then work is done. The scientists definition of work is different than the common meaning for work. For a scientist, work is done only if a force moves an object across a particular distance. If you try to push a car and it does not move, then no work has been done on the car. You might have exerted effort and ended up sweating trying to move the car, but the car did not budge and no distance was traveled; hence, no work was done on it.

Key Concept 3: Tools, such as swings, balls, pulleys, and wagons, can be used to help move objects.

A swing is actually a pendulum that goes back and forth. Students can brainstorm how to make a pendulum game with a weight on a string to see who can propel (push) a small object the farthest. Games with balls that push objects, such as bowling, can be constructed on a small scale in the classroom to explore moving objects with a rolling ball. Pulleys can be made from a string looped over a pencil. Students can attach paper cups as a holder to raise objects to determine the greatest number of small objects that can be lifted to a certain height in a prescribed amount of time. Drawings or measurements can be made of the movement of the objects in each of these games to emphasize that work was done across a certain distance.

Energy is what is needed to do work or cause change. Students had prior experience in the first grade identifying and discussing how different forms of energy, such as light, heat, and sound, are important to everyday life; and in the second grade investigating the effects on an object by increasing or decreasing amounts of light, heat, and sound energy, such as how the color of an object appears different in dimmer light or how heat melts butter. Third grade students will expand their understanding of energy by adding the term mechanical energy (energy from movement or the potential to do movement) and the term thermal energy (the internal energy of a substance due to the movement of the tiny particles within it, measured as temperature and often called heat). Chemical and nuclear forms of energy are studied in later grades. The emphasis in third grade is on the usefulness of energy forms in daily life.

Key Concept 1: Mechanical, light, sound, and heat/thermal energy are useful in everyday life.

Mechanical energy is the energy of moving objects (kinetic energy), like a skateboarder rolling down a ramp, and energy which is stored (potential energy), like the skateboarder getting ready to move at the top of the ramp. However, in third grade, mechanical energy focuses only on the energy of moving objects (kinetic energy), not stored energy.

Light energy comes from the Sun, other stars, light bulbs, matches, and glow-worms, which give off their own light that travels in straight lines to our eyes. We see all other objects, such as a ball or flower, because light is reflected off their surfaces to our eyes when we are looking at the objects.

Sound energy is produced by vibrating objects. Although sound is detected by the ear, students can feel sound vibrations when they touch their throats while talking or see sound vibrations when they put a paper plate or some candy sprinkles on top of a loud radio that causes the sprinkles to bounce around. Sound is produced in nature when animals make sounds, the oceans pound the shores, and the wind blows through the trees. Sound is also produced by vibrating objects, such as musical instruments, radios, and moving machines.

Thermal energy is the kinetic energy of the atoms/molecules in a substance. Heat is the transfer of thermal energy between substances, from hotter to colder substances. For third graders, heat energy and thermal energy are interchangeable. When molecules of a substance move faster from absorbing heat, thermal energy increases causing the temperature to rise. Third graders will explore how uses of mechanical, light, sound, and heat/thermal energy have impacted the world.

Key Concept 2: Heat/thermal energy helps cook food and keeps us warm in winter, while mechanical energy is associated with movement.

Early humans used thermal energy by adding layers of fur or building bigger fires to keep warm when winter came. Today, elaborate furnaces or solar energy panels provide thermal energy for buildings, and modern insulated synthetic fabrics provide the warmth that our bodies need. Before stoves and ovens were invented, food was cooked over an open fire. Unless families are camping, most food is cooked on modern electric or gas stoves. Thermal energy in toasters, barbeque grills, coffee pots, and microwave ovens heats the things we eat. Cooking food with heat energy has become a billion dollar business with computerized, automated ovens.

Machines, people, or animals in action, the wind, and flowing rivers are all examples of things moving due to mechanical energy. Humans have invented ways of using mechanical energy for work and play. Millions of years ago, ancient man moved a rock swiftly down toward another rock to chip away pieces to form a pointed, stone knife.

Today, we no longer use stone tools to produce knives; factories with automated sharpening machines produce thousands of fine-bladed metal knives. Long ago, farmers cut crops with a single blade. Today, farmers drive enormous machines (combines) to harvest wheat. From the spinning clothes dryer, to the pencil sharpener, to farm machinery, we depend on mechanical energy to do work and change things for us at home, school, and work.

Key Concept 3: Light and sound energy help communicate and share information.

In past ages, humans used burning wood, oil lanterns, or candles to give off light energy inside or outside when it was dark. Today, with the invention of the light bulb, our world continues to function when it is night. From desk lamps for reading to neon signs for baseball field scoreboards, humans can work and play at night by using light energy. Astronomers use light gathered by a telescope from distant stars or reflected off celestial bodies to share information about space. Light from televisions communicates the news or entertains us with shows. Light from overhead projectors communicate school subject information. Barcode scanners, computer screens, and stoplights are also examples of how light changes things or makes work easier. In later grades, students will learn about forms of invisible light that are useful, such as microwaves, radio, radar, ultraviolet, X-ray, etc. For now, third graders will focus on the uses of visible light.

Over the ages, the use of sound energy from vibrating objects has changed from beating drums for passing messages in ancient times to modern audio devices like iPods and band amplifiers that can produce sound for one person or for thousands. Early phonographs recorded sound on wax tubes.

Today, sounds can be recorded on tape or digitally by using computer hardware and software. All audio devices, old and new, produce sound energy based on vibrations. Sound energy from musical instruments produces vibrations by variations of pounding, plucking, blowing, or strumming motions that cause distinct frequencies of sound waves to reach the ear as music. Students will explore uses of sound energy at school, home, and work.

Simple Machines

Hall Coaster Problem- How can I get the ball up to the top of the coaster?

Keeping it "Simple" with Stations:

Pulley

Wheel and Axle

Incline Plane

Screw

Lever

Wedge

Students explored simple machine objects and then researched about it through MackinVia and other websites. Then, they found examples of simple machines in playgrounds. Lastly, they creates a new piece of playground equipment using straws, tape, and scissors. (We kept the work "SIMPLE")

This Week!

New Spelling Words: 

1. frown

2. own

3. fowl

4. towel

5. flower

6. throw

7. about

8. oh

9. show

10. plow

11. daytime

12. somehow

There is a science test this Thursday! 

Upcoming!

The School has several upcoming events that will require a number of volunteers. 

The BOOK FAIR is just a week away!  It will run from November 16th-20th.  Mrs. Berumen needs volunteers to help with set up, sales throughout the week and with tear down.  Please visit Cannon November 2015 Bookfair Volunteers to sign up!

Music App-Mr. Lollis is in need of volunteers to help download a music program to iPads for Kinder thru 2nd grade.  If you would like to assist please contact Mr. Lollis or just show up at school between 10 a.m and 1 p.m. and head to the music room. patrick.lollis@gcisd.net

Chili for Staff-On Friday, November 20th, the PTA will provide lunch for the teachers.  Here is your chance to fill your crock pot with your favorite chili recipe and share it with the people that do so much for our kids.  Just go to Fall in Love with Chili Weather! to sign up!

Santa Shop is a favorite event at Cannon!  Scholars get to shop for everyone on their Christmas list.  This is both a fundraising and service event.  Each child will have the opportunity to pick out a gift that she can be proud of, whether she brings $2.00 or $50.00.  Volunteers get to act as personal shoppers.  It is a great way to meet other parents and work closely with the kids.  This year Santa Shop will run through December 9th - 11th.  To sign up for a shift visit
Santa Shop

WEAR RED, WHITE & BLUE ON VETERAN'S DAY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th  Cannon's Veteran's Day program is scheduled for Wednesday, 11/11@ 8:30 am.  We have several Veterans that will be participating in this event!  We would like to encourage all of our Cannon Cubs to wear red, white, and blue on Wednesday, in recognition of this special holiday!

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE UNDERWAY  Cannon Elementary is sponsoring a food drive to benefit local Cannon families for the upcoming holidays!  We encourage you to bring in non-perishable items from the suggested list provided below.  Each grade level will be responsible for certain food items.  We will collect the food items from November 3rd - December 16th.  The Cannon administrative staff will distribute the items to Cannon families in need.  Thank you for your support!

3rd GRADE: Crackers; Juice Boxes; Complete Box Dinners


LOST & FOUND As the weather begins to turn cool, please take a few minutes to write names inside sweaters, sweatshirts, and jackets.  Our Lost & Found racks, near the gym, are already beginning to fill up with items that need to be claimed!  Please remind your child to take a moment to go search there for a lost clothing item or lunchbox. 

Wedneday