This week we are working on the life cycle of a plant.  We looked at how seeds travel so that new plants can grow.  They observed a number of seeds and then sorted them using a tree map on how the seeds would travel.  Check out the students hard at work.

Make plans to attend our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Information Night on Thursday, 5/30 at 6:30 in the school cafeteria.  Beginning next year, Cannon will be renamed and operate as Cannon Elementary: A GCISD STEM School, and we will be open for limited enrollment for students from any elementary school in the district.

Our STEM program supports the district's LEAD 2021 strategic plan to best prepare students for life beyond GCISD, but also provides greater choice in education for our students and we are excited to share more information with you at this meeting.  Information about next year's Cannon's 1:1 iPad Initiative for all K-5 students will also be shared at this meeting.  Use the link below for more information.

  http://www.gcisd-k12.org/stem

Today we finished our ibooks animals books for 1st grade.  I can't wait for you to see them.  You will need an ipad and you need to have the ibook app to view them.  If you don't have these at home please feel free to stop by and I will let you use one of ours.  They are so impressive.  Check them out.  http://can-ganus.wikispaces.com/Animal+iBooks

We have been working on our non-fiction project for a couple of weeks.  We learned all about non-fiction text features so we could help out the first grade teachers.  We are making non-fiction books about the animals they research that will be on their level.  Some of the books are their level were too hard.  So we researched and wrote our books.  This week we have been in the computer lab creating our books in ibook author.  We can't wait to share them with 1st grade and our parents. 

Please join us on Tuesday, 5/21 for Family STEM Night!  We have a great evening planned and look forward to seeing you there!  Don't forget to stop by the gym between 6:00-7:00 pm for our special exhibit, The Engineering Expo.  This fun event is for kids of ALL ages and will feature a variety of exciting hands-on activities to learn more about gravity, static electricity, vibration, properties of matter, robotics, and more! 

5:30-6:00 - Cannon Choir Performance 

6:00 - 7:30 - Visit your child's classroom for a hands-on STEM-based experience!

 

Don't forget to visit the Book Fair in the library  - 5:30 - 7:30

SEE YOU THERE!!

Building Challenge Day!!!!!!!  We love our building challenges.  Today we looked at domes.  We talked about how they have been around for almost 2,000 years, but there are still new ways to build them.  In the 1950's an engineer named Buckminster Fuller thought of a new dome design.  He used triangular sides.  This kind of dome is called a geodesic dome.  It is strong because of all the triangles.  It also uses fewer materials than other structures that have the same amount of space inside.  Fuller looked at a dome and saw a way to make it better.  Future engineers like our students could think of a new way to design one.  They were given gumdrops and toothpicks and given the challenge of building a dome.  Check out their structures. 

Today in Social Studies we looked at how goods can be produced by an individual or in a factory.  We discuss what they thought would be the fastest way for a good to be produced.  They decided they felt the factory was faster.  Then they discussed and shared why they felt that way.  They all said that they felt specialized jobs, teamwork, and machines would make the factory faster.  They we decided to test our theory.  We set up a flower factory where everyone had specialized jobs and then we also had some individuals making flowers.  They were given 15 minutes to test their ideas.  The results were individual 5 and the factory made 14.    Take a look at those hard factory workers.

Today in Social Studies we were looking at producers and the production process.  We had to use some inferring on the steps taken in the factory then they made a popplet showing those steps. 

Just a reminder that we will begin accepting Dual Language applications for incoming Kindergarten students beginning Monday, 5/20 at 7:00 a.m.  Be sure to spread the word to your friends and neighbors about this awesome program!  For more information about Dual Language, call the school office at 817-251-5680.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
May 21st —5:30—7:30
Cannon Family STEM Night!
A fun-filled evening you won’t want to miss!!
5:30—6:00—Cannon Choir Performances (cafeteria)
5:30—7:30—Book Fair (library)
6:00-7:30—Family STEM Night! - Visit your child’s classroom for a hands-on STEM-based experience
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and discover more about how your child is learning this year!
THE ENGINEERING EXPO
will be open from 6:00-7:30 in the gym for all grades. Please stop by for hands-on, learning fun and explore:

* Cool Chromatography *Rocket Racing
* Water Glass Instruments

* Static Station
* Making Play Putty * Great Gravity

* Lego WeDo Robotics
SEE YOU THERE!!

For our final day of STEM we built our last hand pollinator making improvements based on our knowledge of the materials and the tests we had conducted before.  All of the groups picked up more pollen.  They then created a movie using the App 30Hands to explain the process they went through on this STEM unit.  I hope you enjoy them.  videos

Field Day Fun!!!!!

Today was design and test day in STEM.  We got to build our designs then test them.  We then analyzed their designs and what worked and what didn't.  Then they redesigned and rebuilt.  They then conducted test #2.  After that we had a group discussion of some things that were successful and some things that weren't.  We then brainstormed solutions.  Check out some of their tests and their thinking. videos

Today for STEM we looked at the structures of 4 flowers.  We discussed where the pollen would be located and what special properties their hand pollinator would have to posses to get the job of pollination done.  The four flowers we were looking at are the Poppy

the Dutchman's Pipe

Jack in the Pulpit

Bucket Orchid

Then I showed them the models we would use to emulate the flowers for our hand pollinators.  For the poppy we will use an open dish.  For the Dutchman's Pipe we will use a test tube.  For
Jack in the Pulpit we will use a test tube with an index card bent over the top.  Lastly for the Bucket Orchid we are using PVC pipe.  The students were put into pairs and given a model of a flower.  They brainstormed designs and decided on a final design they are wanting to test tomorrow.

Today we are finishing our geometry project.  Check out the project.  Geometry Garden Project  Mrs. Blizzard is coming on Monday to judge our garden designs for next years 2nd grade garden. 

It is time for our Spring Cookout and Crazy Auction!!!    It will be from 2:00-5:00.
Here is a list of things going on!!!
We will have a FREE blow up obstacle course with slide for the kids.
Soccer balls, hoola hoops and music fun for the entire family.
Lawn twister will be set up.
Dad's Club will be selling hot dogs, drinks and chips.
Cassie's Frozen Yogurt will be selling cotton candy, popcorn and shaved ice.
Grubbs Infinity will be here giving test rides and PTA gets money for you riding in a luxury vehicle and filling out a survey...How AWESOME is that!!!
Mike Davis State Farm insurance will be here also offering to give you a quote to save money on your insurance and if you just get a quote, PTA gets more money...and another How AWESOME is that!!!
And then...
We have some amazing items at our auction this year that have been donated.  We have more than $4,100.00 in items that have been donated for our Auction this year!!!  We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful companies that want to support Cannon.  I guess they've heard how GREAT our scholars are and our staff.
Here is a list but there are still other items coming so make sure you check everything out.
Can't wait to see you there and bring your friends!!!

Today for STEM we started to look at properties of materials we might want to use for our hand pollinators.  They were given a bag of materials and they had to brainstorm as a group all the properties of each group.  Then they had to determine which materials would be useful in the collection and dispersal of pollen.  They did this in the Word Mover App.  Check out some pictures and a couple of their tree maps.