September 7, 2005

Dear Parents, Students and Teachers,

I come to Bear Valley from Campbell Elementary School. Last year I taught students from Chugach Optional, Polaris, Taku, and Campbell. I’m looking forward to working with you and your students.

This year our overall theme is Order. In our first unit we will investigate how order establishes a system. I’ve planned to open the year with a study of Newton’s Laws of Motion and how they influence the design of roller coasters. Students will conduct various experiments to understand the Laws of Motion and then apply that knowledge in building an amusement park that includes a roller coaster.

This unit is a relatively long unit and will take us to the winter break. Parents are invited the week before winter break (December 12-16) to attend your child’s class. Students will then present their amusement park projects.

After winter break we will do a short unit called Verdict. This unit shows us that order establishes customary procedures. Students will have an opportunity to participate in mock trials. We’ll have several attorneys visit us and talk about what it’s like to be in the courtroom. These attorneys will also help the prosecutor and defense attorneys plan their case in the “Trial of the Century.”

Order is a logical pattern of events that will be demonstrated in our math unit. Students will participate in a simulation game called Galaxy. Here students are cadets in a space program when a civil war breaks out. The game has many activities. Students will design their own space ship, learn to navigate using the stars and investigate math as it pertains to outer space.

Our last unit demonstrates how order establishes a system. Students will learn about ancient cultures through their art. We can learn a lot about the structure of ancient civilizations by looking at the art that was produced during that time. We will make a museum of artifacts representing several ancient civilizations. Parents are invited to join us during the last week of IGNITE to see this museum.

We also have a new report card. In the October newsletter I’ll attach a copy of it with a letter of explanation.

If you are at school and have time to help in the IGNITE classroom I would really appreciate it.

Students will need some supplies for making their amusement park. I’ll send a list home in the October newsletter.

Please call or write to me at Weber_Barbara@asdk12.org and let me know an email address for you. This way I can email my monthly letters.

Thank you,

Barbara Weber PhD.

“Doc” Weber