Online resources

Posted onOctober 5, 2014 
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Below are links to many of the online resources we will be using this year.

Rube Goldberg Machines

Posted onMay 10, 2014 
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Valdezians spent a good part of this last week preparing for our first SCIENCE FRIDAY.  We focused on engineering machines that would pitch a kickball.  Students designed a machine modeled after the cartoons of Rube Goldberg (www.rubegoldberg.com) – by over-engineering a machine to perform this very simple task.  Each machine was 100% student designed and built.

Rube Goldberg from Deborah Valdez on Vimeo.

Rube Goldberg from Deborah Valdez on Vimeo.

Rube Goldberg from Deborah Valdez on Vimeo.

Rube Goldberg from Deborah Valdez on Vimeo.

Rube Goldberg from Deborah Valdez on Vimeo.

Whatcha Know About the Alamo?

Posted onMarch 4, 2014 
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Valdezians – for Wednesday night’s homework…you may find some of the following things useful…

The Comanche Tribe

Posted onOctober 6, 2013 
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Valdezians have become quite the experts on two different Native American tribes that lived in Texas.  We have learned all about the Karankawas that lived along the Texas Coast and the Caddo that farmed the Eastern Piney Woods.  Monday and Tuesday we will be learning about the Comanche tribe of the Great Plains.  You can probably already infer a lot about them from the photo.  Follow the link below to a scoop.it page and learn all about them.  I wonder…how are they the same as the Caddo and Karankawa?  How are they different?

http://www.scoop.it/t/the-comanche-tribe

Let’s learn about the Caddo tribe!

Posted onOctober 1, 2013 
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Thursday and Friday we will be studying the Caddo tribe of Native Americans.  They are very different from the Karankawa tribe that lived along the coast.  Ready to get ahead?  Be the kid with all of the answers!  Amaze your friends and impress your teacher!  See if you can find the answers to the following questions using the scoop.it link below..

1.  Where did the Caddo live?

2.  What did their homes look like?

3.  What is a shaman?

4.  Why do you think Ms. Valdez would like to be a Caddo instead of a Karankawa?

Click here to start learning….. http://www.scoop.it/t/caddo

Spelling Starts This Week

Posted onSeptember 8, 2013 
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Valdezians will start their fourth grade spelling program this week.  Each student took a spelling pre-test the first week of school.  Their spelling lists have been customized for their spelling ability, so many students have different lists of words.  To study and practice, they will be using a website called www.spellingcity.com.  They will log in using their student usernames and passwords.  Once logged in, students will be able to practice, play spelling games, and take practice test.  Assigned spelling homework is due by Friday.  They do not need to print anything out…the computer will keep track of their work, and I will be able to track their progress.

Multiplication Memorization

Posted onOctober 1, 2012 
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So, you probably know that Valdezians are smart by now. Super smart. Multiplication will be a breeze…especially if you have your facts memorized! Valdezians need to have all of their multiplication facts memorized through the nines this year.

Visit my scoop.it page below for some fun websites to use when you are practicing.  Feel free to post your high score in the comments section.

Welcome new Valdezians!

Posted onAugust 26, 2012 
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It’s Saturday night. The last weekend before school starts. I always have a hard time sleeping the weekend before school – nerves. I used to be nervous about starting school when I was a student, and even as a teacher I am still nervous. I’ll bet I’m not the only one! Hopefully my new Valdezians are tucking into bed (with a good book?!) and are ready for a full day on Monday.

If this is the first time you have visited our classroom blog, welcome! This blog will serve as a window into our classroom. If you add an email address into the subscription bar, you will receive an email every time a new blog post is added. If you would like to add any other emails, like grandma and grandpa, feel free to add them!

A few reminders about the first day of school…
* Valdezians need an agenda. They are $7. If you did not get one on Thursday, you can send a check or cash with your Valdezian on Monday.
* On the first day Valdezians can come straight to the classroom.
* If your Valdezian is going home from school a different way than the information you turned in on Thursday, please send them with a note.
* Remember that homework is due Monday. Valdezians should bring a book with them on the first day of school…a chapter book that will take them about a week to finish.

I’m off to read! I can’t wait to see you all Monday.  It’s going to be an amazing year.

 

Stunning Saturn Shots from Satelitte

Posted onJune 16, 2011 
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Six years ago, the Cassini satellite began sending pictures of Saturn and its moons to Earth.  Each photo took more than two days to travel back to us.    These pictures show raw, unexplored matter from billions of miles away.  Chris Abbas, a filmaker in Seattle, Washington, was fascinated by these pictures and put together the following movie.  It shows the emptiness of space, Saturn’s rings and atmosphere, as well as photos of Titan – Saturn’s largest moon (larger than the planet Mercury). These pictures show things never explored by humans, things not yet named or classified.

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