Deck the Halls With... Betsy the Turtle!

I would like to find a volunteer family willing to take Betsy home for Winter Break. You will get all the supplies needed (food, water conditioner, heat lamp, filters, bubbler, informational literature, etc.).

Who wants to spend Christmas with Betsy!?!?!

Science Room Update

Hi all!

It's been awhile since I posted. It's been a busy time in the science room! We started Earth Science in the first through fifth grade classes. First graders are beginning their study of air and weather, second graders - geology focusing on soil and rocks, third graders - sun, moon and stars, fourth graders - geology focusing on rocks and minerals, fifth graders - focusing on the solar system, water cycle and experimentation and investigation methods (with a focus on controlling variables, etc.).

The animals are doing well.

Thanksgiving week update

Hi All!

I am at school on Tuesday afternoon. I came in to feed Betsy and to check in on Harry, Ron, Hermione and the millipede. The hermit crabs seem to be doing well. The millipede seems fine. It is somewhat cold in the science room, so I am a little concerned about that. Betsy seems fine. I put a banana in her tank on Sunday and she ate about half of it. The water feels so warm but it is only 75 degrees F (pretty much exactly as it should be). Betsy's water is pretty gross. I put food pellets in the tank but she hasn't eaten them. She sits on the bottom of the tank, not moving. There is algae-type growth on the sides of the tank and on the filter. I hope she is OK. When we come back I hope John, Luis and/or Robbie can clean the tank and change the water.

Informacion en espanol

Esquina de Información del Salón de Ciencias

o Visite el salón de ciencias en la Páguina de Web del Mundo http://msbloomsscienceroom.blogspot.com/
o Gracias a Mrs. McLaren, Alisha, Isabel, Mitchell, Raymond, Jesus y Jessica por ayudarme a preparar y alistar el lugar de Laguna de los Patos del salón de ciencias para el Festival de Otoño.
o Gracias a todos los que donaron toallitas desinfectantes, toallas de papel, lápices, borradores, grampadoras, ganchos de ropa, bolsas plasticas, desinfectante de manos y jabón. Sus donaciones nos ayuda a mantener el salón de ciencias limpio y seguro para los alumnos. Seguimos necesitando las toallas de papel. Ciencias es divertido, pero a veces puede ser un poco sucio.
o Hay dos otras maneras de ayudar en el salón de ciencias: Visit DonorsChoose.org (clave para buscar: 119277) o AdoptAClassroom.org (buscar a la maestra: Rachel Bloom) para donar algun dinero. El salón de ciecnias está tratando de recaudar fondos para comprar un tanque grande y nuevo para Betsy (un tanque de 75 galones lo cual necesitará un nuevo sistema de filtro) y una alfombra para sentarnos (para los alumnos de 1er y 2do grado cuando vienen al salón de ciencias).
o Padres, favor de mandar a sus hijos de CUARTO, QUINTO y SEXTO grado a la escuela con un folder para sus papeles de ciencias. Alumnos del 1er al 3er grado ya tienen sus folderes. Otra vez, mandar a sus hijos de 4to. ; 5to. Y 6to. grado con un folder para sus papeles de ciencias.
o Nuevas unidades de ciencias: Estaremos empezando a estudiar la CIENCIA DE LA TIERRA en Noviembre 26. Chequear el blog del salón de ciencias para ver cual será el tema de sus hijos en ciencias.

Thank yous!

Thank you to Ethan and his mom for helping to inventory on the physical science FOSS kits after school on Tuesday!

Thank you to the girls who came in this morning to help tidy up the room.

Even more new stuff

I also picked up 9 new feeder fish at Petco. When I put them in there the big feeder fish started chasing them!! Last time I looked in there I could see 3 small feeder fish. We'll have to check tomorrow to see what happens. I didn't think the big feeder fish would try to eat the new feeder fish. They were supposed to be for Betsy!

I also got two new types of food for Betsy (*yummy*) and tank cleaning solution (it helps solubilize organic waste to make it easier for the filter to clean the water, making the water cleaner, clearer and less stinky).

New Stuff, cont.

I went to Petco today. I got a new millipede habitat. She has been acting VERY strange lately.

She would climb up to the top of the plastic container and start to chew the blue top. I don't think that is very safe. I wanted to get her a bigger habitat that has more elements in it to be more interesting and exciting for her. Now, she has a big 10 gallon tank and more pieces of bark to crawl on.

New Stuff

Hi! Happy Veteran's Day. I am at school preparing things for the new trimester. We're going to start Earth Sciences very soon!

I submitted the following things to be in the upcoming December newsletter:

SCIENCE ROOM INFORMATION CORNER

• Visit the Science Room on the World Wide Web! http://msbloomsscienceroom.blogspot.com
• Thank you to Mrs. McLaren, Alisha, Isabel, Mitchell, Raymond, Jackie, Jesus and Jessica for helping set up and man the Science Room Duck Pond Harvest Festival Booth!
  Thank you to everyone who brought in disinfectant wipes, paper towels, pencils, erasers, staplers, clothespins, plastic bags, hand sanitizer and soap. Your donations help keep the science room running safely and smoothly. Keep those paper towels coming! Science is fun but can also be messy at times!
• There are two other great ways to help the Science Room: Visit DonorsChoose.org (keyword search: 119277) or AdoptAClassroom.org (teacher search: Rachel Bloom) to quickly and easily donate some money online. The science room is trying to raise money for a new, larger tank for Betsy (a 75 gallon tank which will also need a new, fancy water filtering system) and a special carpet to sit on (that the first and second graders will use every time they come to the Science Room).
• Parents, please send your FOURTH, FIFTH and SIXTH graders to school with a folder for their science papers! First through third graders already have science folders. Again, please get your 4th, 5th and 6th graders a folder for their science papers as soon as possible!
• New Science Units: Graham will begin studying EARTH SCIENCE on November 26th. Check the Science Room Blog to see what your child's new science topic will be.

Thank you!!

Thank you to everyone who went to the Science Room Duck Pond booth at the Harvest Festival! I had a lot of fun watching everyone pick ducks, wear goggles covered with blue tape and choose prizes. Thank you to all the families who donated supplies to the science room!!! It is SOOO appreciated!! Thank you for your kindness and support!! We got a lot of kleenex (which is great since cold season is coming) and some parents even donated Clorox wipes!! They will help keep the science room safe and clean for our students and children! Thank you to Daniel (from Mrs. Villo's class) and Kaytlyn's (from Mrs. Sheridan's class) mom for helping set up the booth!! Thank you to Jessica, Alisha, Isabel, Jesus, Jackie (a middle-schooler!), Mitchell and Raymond for helping man the booth. It was a big three person job (two at the least) and I couldn't have done it by myself! (When I tried to it did NOT go very well!!) I am so glad that there are so many kind and thoughtful students at Graham that are so helpful. It was great getting to meet more parents and it was great seeing students out and about having fun! I hope everyone has a good weekend. See you on Monday, ready to learn!!!!

Observations

I saw the millipede at the water dish on October 31st. It looked like she was actually drinking the water. I had no idea that she actually drank the water. I thought she got most of the water she needed from the fruit she ate. I guess not. This is a very exciting observation. If only students were at school at 7am and 7pm to observe all these interesting behaviors of the animals that I get to see!After the Harvest Festival last night I saw the hermit crab (I believe this is Harry) climbing on the thermometer (measure temperature)/hygrometer (measures humidity). This is the first time I have seen any of the hermit crabs climb on the hygrometer. There has been evidence that they do that because I have gone in several times and the hygrometer has been knocked over but I have never actually seen any of them climbing on it. It would be Harry climbing. Hermit crabs, in general, like to climb but Harry is definitely into climbing. I am glad I put that piece of bark in the crabitat. The hermit crabs love climbing up it (especially Harry and Hermione).