Mrs. Duggan's Class

Fabulous February

Fabulous February

 

          We are so happy to be back into the swing of seeing all of our Target Students.  January started with a bang.  We have rearranged our schedule with 5^th Grade on Wednesday and 4^th on Thursday.  We are getting used to the new schedule and we are very excited about our new units.

 

5th Grade

 

Predators of the Aquatic Biome

 

Predators of the Aquatic Biome is an interdisciplinary gifted unit on oceanography, biology and environmental science. By increasing a student’s knowledge of life in the underwater biome, he/she will gain a better understanding, a different perspective and a greater appreciation for the shark’s symbiotic relationships in this habitat.

 

Essential Questions

 

A. What is the shark’s role in the underwater biome?

B. How and where do sharks fit into the life of the ocean?

C. How does the shark’s anatomy allow it to thrive in the marine biome?

D. How does the shark contribute to the symbiotic relationships in the      aquatic biome?

E. What role does the shark’s anatomy play in medical advancement?

 

4^th Grade

 

 

 

ANURANS ON THE RUN

 

RATIONALE and Enduring Understanding

All inhabitants of this earth are interconnected and must be balanced to ensure survival.

Why study frogs?

 

Studies of the last two decades indicate that there has been a decline in

the population of anurans worldwide. The question is; should we, as humans,

care? Research into the topic will reveal that frogs are an “indicator

species”. They detect and react to changes in the environment at an earlier

rate than more sophisticated species. In this unit, students will research

these factors and what effect they may have for human populations. They

will examine how a decline in the anuran population would change the biomes

in which they live. They will learn how the frog’s anatomy allows it to

maintain its niche in their environment and how their anatomy and physiology

make them more susceptible to environmental changes. Students will also

study other ways people benefit from anurans, from the transcendent to the

medicinal. A close examination of the frog’s anatomy through dissection will

reveal the many similarities between anurans and humans and provide

students with a science performance skill that will be revisited in future life

science studies.

“Frogs do for the night what birds do for the day: they give it

voice.” Archie Carr

 

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. What implications does the demise of the anurans have

on the environment and man?

2. How does the frog’s anatomy enable it to survive in its

environment?

3. How does the study of frog anatomy help us to

understand human anatomy?

4. How can we use the Scientific Method to help us

understand our world?

5. How do and should humans manage the environment?

 

3^rd Grade

 

 

Ophidiphobia: Reversing the Fear

 

 

Unit Overview:

Ophidiphobia: Reversing the Fear is an interdisciplinary unit investigating snakes. This unit is intended for third grade students. The students will increase their scientific knowledge of snakes and use both text and online resources to locate information related to snake anatomy, defense and snake products. Students will learn about the scientific classification of snakes and their unique characteristics that make them a fierce predator.

They will also learn how snakes can be helpful to man.

 

 

Essential Questions:

 

1. How do the various physical characteristics found in snakes help them  survive in their diverse habitats?

2. How are snakes viewed by society?

3. How do snakes impact our world?

November

 

We are continuing with our units of study as we prepare for "Mock Trials" in the fourth and fifth grades. Our second and third graders will experience a scavenger hunt as the grand finale to our "Great Whodunnit" unit. 

 Our second and third graders will experience the Discovery Theater and a Forensic Lab while visiting

Augusta

 on November 18.  The fourth and fifth graders will enjoy visiting the Biltmore Estates on November 21.  This trip is a follow up to our unit of study over Castles.

Testing will start after the Thanksgiving holidays for students that are being reevaluated for Target.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holidays!

Awesome August & Splendid September

Awesome August & Splendid September

It is thrilling to start a new year in Target!   We are looking forward to traveling down new avenues both in and out of the classroom.  So put on your thinking caps and get ready to become investigative agents on the road to discovery as we navigate our way through this intriguing journey.

5th Grade

How are scientific and mathematical principles used in robotics helpful in the real world?  We are learning how through our study of the NXT Robotic program.  Our students will identify the parts and functions of robotic pieces, understand the functions of sensors as well as other key components so that they may ultimately build a robot to compete in the First Lego League contest

4th Grade

Get ready to head off to the tropical rainforest to research the plants, animals, people and other elements that contribute to this unique biome.  We will study the past,  present and future of the world's rainforest to understand the riches of this special environment and how destroying it impacts the world.  Activities include studying the layers of the rainforest and the diversity of each, locations of the world's rainforest , along with researchng indigenous plants and animals to help us create our model rainforest.

3^rd Grade

Get ready to become a master at solving mysteries as you embark on the “Great Whodunnit” adventure.  You will decode secret messages, read about famous mystery writers while developing your own mysterious stories, not to mention fingerprinting, chromatography and so much more.  So get serious with the clues and analyze the crime scenes.

2nd Grade

Our classes will venture into the "Shadows of the Night" as we discover the unique and beneficial mammal, the bat.  We will soar through the habitats, characteristics and flight details of this amazing animal to discover why people are so afraid of bats.  Activities include creating bat houses, classifying different types of bats, and learning bat anatomy.  Through our research we will discover why bats are endangered and how we might help to prevent their extinction.

March Blog

Third Grade Blog

Third Grade : Our unit of study is Puzzled by The Past. The children have been very excited about the many cultural differences they are studying in the historical time periods: Prehistoric, Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern. This unit has opened the door to many exciting adventures of the past by using technology and Media research. The classes have been divided in to groups to research the Mesopotamian culture and the Egyptian Culture and compare their differences. They will share their discoveries with the large group.

      The children enjoyed the expertise of the

Carlos

Museum

at

Emory

University

who traveled to our school to have the children explore the history and process of mummification and its importance to the ancient Egyptians through an engaging and interactive presentation.

      We are enjoying the children and we love to see their growth. We have had such a great year and we are looking forward to the remainder of the year being just as rewarding.

        Please contact us if you have any questions and we will be happy to help you. Mrs. Duggan and Mrs. Picardi

Fourth Grade Blog

The unit of study is Castles, Keeps, and Kingdoms.

                The students have been researching and reenacting what life was like on a Feudal Manor. They have made comparisons of life now and back in the Middle Ages. We are learning the parts of a castle and the purpose of these parts. As they become familiar with castles they will then have the opportunity to design and build their own castles. They have really shown their creative side in building their castles.We have all sizes and shapes. Some are 3-D, some are made of wood, some are flat on Poster Paper. Regardless what these castles are made of, they are all awesome and extremely creative. You will be very impressed. Most of the work on these castles is being done at school.

                 The students have started a vocabulary book using words related to the Middle Ages. They are learning words they are unfamiliar with and how to use a DICTIONARY!!!!  That’s different!!!!!

                  We will also learn how the people lived and how they influenced our lives today.

                   We will also do role playing and learn about the Bubonic Plague.

                    The rest of the year will be just as exciting and we look to seeing the fourth Graders growing and learning. They are AWESOME  KIDS!!!

Fifth Grade Blog

Unit of study is the Predators of the Aquatic Biome. We have been studying Sharks and we have been learning the internal organs and external parts. The students are very excited to learn all this information BECAUSE once they  learn it they will be able to dissect a shark. We will have one shark to two students for dissecting. This is such a wonderful experience for our kids. They are totally beside themselves when that day rolls around in the Spring.

            I must take the time to tell everyone about the most wonderful experience we had last week on our trip to

Cumberland

Island

. We left Mtn. View about 6:30 am and headed  for the

Georgia

Coastal

Islands

. This turned out to be the most fabulous trip ever. I want to Thank all the children for their excellent behavior.  We first noticed this extremely great behavior on the bus. We thought at first that perhaps the kids were still asleep because of the early departure. As the trip continued the behavior also continued to be better than excellent. As a matter of fact for the entire trip the childrens’ behavior was spectacular. They listened carefully, they followed directions, they got along well with their peers, they used great manners when eating at the restaurants and the hotel. They were respectful to the adults, teachers, and the environment. They were really the best group we have ever taken on a trip. They really outdid themselves. They made our trip very delightful. We would take them anywhere. BUT I must also thank some very special people who accompanied us on the trip. Our magnificent parents!!!!!!!!!!  Without them the trip would not have been as successful. They did so much to help the teachers and the students. They handled every situation with the utmost integrity and very appropriately. They carried coolers, luggage, games for the beach, boxes with lunches, kids, suntan lotions, dryer sheets(ha!ha!) and many, many other things. All the teachers had to do was ask and they were there. I can also say with the utmost honesty that these were also the very best parents we have ever had accompany us on any trip. We had a blast and if you were to ask the kids or chaperones I am sure they would tell you the same thing. That the trip was AWESOME!!!!! It was a fabulous learning experience about nature and how to preserve our natural resources. It was also a wonderful History lesson with an abundance of information about

Georgia

’s History. What a memory our children will cherish forever.The trip ended as we arrived back to Mtn. View about 7:30pm Friday night with 56 tired, but happy fifth graders.

January Target Tidbits

                        

Second & Third Grade- Puzzled by the Past

Students will explore past cultures to help them better understand how they have impacted our present-day culture and help them prepare for the future.  By learning about other civilizations, students start to better understand their own world.  Beginning with pre-history, we will explore how our ancestors communicated and left their stories for us to discover.

Fourth

Grade-

Castles

, Keeps, and Kingdoms

Students will learn about life during medieval times through this unit based on language arts and social studies standards.  We will explore the history, culture of this time period and connect our traditions still present today that originated in the Middle Ages.  Students will evaluate the feudal system and compare it to the government today.  Classic characters from literature will be discovered as we research this time period.  Critical thinking and reading skills are put into practice this semester as we uncover the secrets of the Middle Ages.

                     

Fifth Grade- Predators of the Aquatic Biome

Listen carefully…. Do you hear the theme to the movie “JAWS”?  Our students will learn through this interdisciplinary unit about oceanography, biology, and environmental science.  By increasing our knowledge of life in the underwater biome, we will gain a better understanding, a different perspective and a greater appreciation for the shark’s symbiotic relationship in this habitat.  Extensions for this unit include our class dissection of sharks along with our trip to

Cumberland

Island

.  More specific information will come home at a later date.

December Target Tidbits

December, 2007

We are currently evaluating new students for target therefore; classes will be finalized before students leave for the winter holidays. Target classes for new and current students will resume in January.

Special congratulations to our robotics team for placing 3rd in the area of research at

East

Cobb

Middle School

on December 1, 2007.  We competed against 32 other elementary and middle schools.

Supply List for New Students

3 ring binder for class

Dividers

Pencils (regular and colored)

Scissors

Have a terrific winter break and we look forward to starting new units in January.

November Target Tidbits

Wonderful, creative experiences have surrounded our students the past few weeks.  It has been a pleasure watching your children grow with new discoveries and knowledge expansion.

2^nd Graders have discovered and learned about bat anatomy, new bat species, habitats, classification plus so much more.

3^rd graders are about to solve the ‘The Great Who Dunnit” mystery… Was it Salty the Cracker, Jewel Treasure, or Nelmira Simpson?  What was the motive?   Stay tuned for the amazing results.

4^th graders researched the tropical rainforest high and low (literally)… We have studied about animal and plant inhabitants, the layers of the strata, worldwide locations, weather and climate while culminating this unit of study with the construction of the rainforest model.  Also, the fourth graders had a fantastic experience touring the “frog” exhibit at Fernbank.  Students were able to see the following: mossy frogs, fire-bellied frogs, three-horned frogs, blue poison dart frogs and red-eyed tree frogs just to name a few.  The Imax Sea Monsters took us on an incredible journey through time allowing us to see how creatures once lived on earth and left behind their stories through recently unearthed remains. 

5^th graders are gearing up for our Robotics competition on Jan 12, 2008.  Missions are being attempted, re-tried and hopefully perfected by January.  The audit team is researching state of the art technology and innovative ways to improve our energy use here at

Mountain View

.  A big thanks to Mr. John Butler for speaking to our students about solar and wind energy sources and the new exciting ways General Electric is exploring alternative means of creating electricity.  Our students were extremely insightful with their questions about these topics.

Our first semester is winding down.  Classes will end the week of Nov. 12 and will resume in January.  The field trip permission form for 5^th grade is coming home today (11-01-07) for the Cumberland Island Trip next spring.  More details to follow!

Third Grade

Mrs. Duggan and Mrs. Picardi have a mystery to solve!!!

          Strangely enough a long, rectangular mobile unit has suddenly appeared in back of the Annex.  The mystery is:  What is this building and and who is the guilty person who selfishly brought it to our school?  Is there evidence of what it is for?  We think it would be a crime not to use it.  There are many clues that will lead us to the villain who brought it to our campus.   We are confident that the con-artist has disguised all witnesses as to avoid being questioned by the school administration.  The investigation will lead to a motive that will help find the perpetrator. 

          Please stay tuned for more undercover vocabulary we are learning in The Great Whodunnit.

   Fantastic Fifth Grade

Newsflash! Newsflash! Newsflash! Newsflash! Newsflash!

Parent Information Meeting October 11, 2007 on Robotics.

Please attend in order to volunteer. We have two sessions scheduled: 7:45 am-8:45 am  or 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

We are registering for our competition on October 5, 2007 and as soon as we know the exact time and date I will update our blog.  The students are excited about the new computer refresh as we will have two computers per team. This week the students will be introduced to the competition missions and will apply their programming knowledge to successfully complete each mission required for the competition. The students will research alternative energy sources and write and perform a skit for competition. All of the students’ energy will be focused on competition starting this week. Please be aware that the students will need to stay after school in order to perfect the missions and be ready to represent

Mountain View

.

Fabulous Fourth Grade

We continue to study the strata layers of the rainforest while researching plants and animals of this biome and how they interact.  Construction on our rainforest biome will begin soon so listen for updates.  Our fourth grade target classes will travel down to Fernbank Museum of Natural History to witness the amazing show "Frogs of Color" while experiencing other interactive sites.  Our class has been busy with some fabuluos Rainforest Alliterations like these:

*Sammy snake slowly slithers silently savagely striking snoring sloths.

* Jazz jaguar jumps joyfully on jacked up jitter bugs.

* P orcupines play ping-pong in their pink pajamas.

* Anaconda attacks apes and angry ants.

* Funny frogs flop flinging flaps of fungus. 

Target Curriculum Night

Mark Your Calendar!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

6:00-7:00 p.m.