Coming to America

 Mrs. Tierney invited Audri McKenzie and Kearston Jackson (Estes first grade students) which were former students of hers, to show the kindergarten students the song Coming to America. This is something these girls learned last year and enjoyed listening to the song and acting it out. It goes along with our study of the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving.   Mrs. Alley's class enjoyed learning and even tried to act it out with the girls. It was a great experience for the girls as they became role models and soon got over their stage fright. This was a great lesson taught in Mrs. Alley's creativity class.

 

The First Thanksgiving with Mrs.York/ Alvey's Class

Mrs. Alvey had Mrs. York's class talking about what the Wampanoag ate and how they had to work really hard to make their food.  Mrs.  Alvey brought a couple of stones in to grind the corn with. They LOVED it. 

Geometric Figures in 2nd Grade

 Second grade learned about cubes and rectangular prisms. They learned about corners, faces,and edges. Other vocabulary. .top, bottom, front, back , sides,and vertices.

Mrs. White's Pottery Class

Mrs. White came to Estes and taught Mrs. Whaler's first grade class about making pottery. Take a look at some of the masterpieces that were created!

Wildcat Math

A team from Arlington, Texas is coming to play the Wildcats tonight. Arlington is 896 miles away from Lexington, Kentucky. It takes around 14 hours to drive from Arlington to Lexington. Using this information solve the following problems.

1. If the Arlington team drives nonstop to Lexington, what time would they need to leave by for the 6:00 game?
2. Using the information from question 1 solve this problem. The team wants to stop exactly halfway to Lexington. What time would they schedule the stop?
3. What is the total miles to drive to the game and then drive back home for the Arlington team?

Player Comparisons
Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison are twins on the team. They like to do everything together and that includes eating.  Aaron weighs 218 pounds and Andrew weighs 215 pounds.
 4. What is the total weight of the Harrison twins?
5. Both players want to weigh 225 Pounds. If they each gain a pound a week, how many weeks will it take for the players to get to 225 pounds?
6. The total weight  allowed to be on the teeter totter at the Lexington playground is 396 pounds. How many pounds will they need to lose to be able to ride on the teeter totter?

Atmos Energy Visits Estes

Pictured are Estes 4th grade students learning about a conservation program with Kay Coomes from Atmos Energy. Some students had a funny reaction to smelling natural gas!

 

Strings Attached Program

The Estes Fourth grade students have been working on a program called Strings Attached. Enjoy the pics showing the students playing various instruments!

Kentucky Invades the United Center

Kentucky takes on the Michigan State Spartans in a matchup of number 1 versus number 2. The last time a number 1 team took on a number 2 team was in 2008. The Wildcat's took a bus 388 miles to the United Center in Chicago. The game is being played on a neutral floor.

Using the information above please answer the following questions.

1. How many years has it been since a number 1 and a number 2 have played each other?
2. What does the word neutral mean?
3. What state is Chicago in?
4. If the Wildcats stopped at the halfway mile marker, how many miles did they cover?
5. If the Wildcats took the same route back home, what is the total numbers of miles put on the bus?

Wildcat Physical Stats

I want to compare the weight of some guards. Aaron Harrison weighs 218 pounds and Jarod Polson weighs 182 pounds.
6. How many pounds does Jarod need to gain to reach Aaron's weight?
7. Aaron wants to weigh 209 pounds. How many pounds does he need to lose?
8. Aaron and Jarod go to Holiday World in the summer. The roller coaster attendant says the most two people can weigh to ride in the same car is 450 pounds. Can they ride the roller coaster together? Prove your answer.

Wildcat Math is Back!

Kentucky's first game is against UNC Ashville. Coach Cal and the boys are hosting the game and UNC Ashville will travel 286 miles to get to Lexington. Answer the following questions about Ashville's trip to Lexington.
1.  The Ashville team wants to stop at the halfway mile marker to use the restroom. What mile marker would they stop to be halfway to Lexington?
2.  Ashville gets all the way to Lexington to discover they forgot their uniforms back home. So they loaded up the bus and traveled back home to get their uniforms and then back to Lexington. How many total miles did they have travel to get to the game?
3. Some Ashville fans loaded a bus to travel to Lexington. How many total miles did they travel to go to the game and back?
Player Profiles:
4. Dakari Johnson weighs 265 pounds and Brian Long weighs 155 pounds. How many pounds would Brian need to gain to equal the weight Dakari.
5. Dakari and Brian get on an elevator that can only handle 500 pounds. Will they be able to ride on the elevator together? Prove it to me!

Update on the Project and Research Center

As many of you know the school library is under a major transformation. Many of the shelves that housed the fiction books in the library have been taken out and several more shelves are slated to be removed either late this week or early next week. We are hoping to have the PRC painted over Christmas break, but don't worry students are still able to use the facility. Just today I saw a group of students practicing a reader's theatre performance where our new performing arts area will be. Students are still able to check out the nonfiction books and even use the mini computer lab that was installed earlier this year.
Computer technicians were here today installing a system in the PRC that will allow Estes students to film the news in the morning and also gives them the opportunity to film movies during the day. One of the projects the maintenance department is working on in building us a green screen. If you don't know what a green screen is, it is a screen that allows students to edit the background of the screen while filming. You could have students standing in the PRC, but it may look like they are on a safari in Africa.
The bulky desks that were in the computer zone are being replaced with a counter top that will be shaped in a L. In that part of the PRC will also be an area for students to draw designs for their projects. That whole area will become where students come and work on collaborative projects.
The area that was Mrs. Lovett's office is being transformed into a wet room. The wet room will allow students to work on various experiments dealing with water. The room will also be used for cleanup after painting projects.
The performing arts area will feature a curtain that will allow students not be seen backstage. Behind the curtain students will have all of their props for plays. We hope to get theater lighting to shine on the students while they perform.
As you can tell, we have big plans for the Project and Research Center. Starting next week fourth grade will be using it to do a project on designing plant packages. The PRC will also be used for Kindergarten and First grade MAP testing in a few weeks.
Do not worry about the students not going to library because they have library every day in their rooms.  The students have so many more choices on getting best fit books than ever before. Their teachers know their reading levels and can point to book baskets that will have your child's reading level.
If your students aren't bringing books home to read, don't forget we have free online resources where your child can read at any time.

Wind Racing in Second Grade

 

Ms. Oldham's class is using creative thinking to make wind racers from a bag with miscellaneous items in it.

Geometry in 2nd Grade.

Here are some creative geometry projects created by our 2nd Grade.

Kindergarten Block Party

All Kindergarten students were treated to a block party on Halloween. The students were able to visit all Kindergarten rooms where they participated in face painting, coloring activities, a spooky walk and all kinds of fun games. Here are some pics that show some of the activities!