Agnes Gray Elementary

Bowl-a-Thon 

The 5th annual Bowl-a-Thon is coming up soon.  We need your help:

•Getting your child’s pledge sheet started now

•Volunteer to chaperone the day of (We are in need of chaperones)

•Buses will depart at 9:15 a.m. and return at 11:15 to 11:30 a.m.

As students get sponsors they drop a marble from a bucket into a jar.  The students are really excited to go bowl and hope to get to the top of the jar quickly.

So if you have your child’s pledge sheet, could you let them know how many sponsors they have so they can put their marbles in the jar.

Tuesday, February 2 — PreK, 1, 3

Tuesday, February 9 — K, 2, 4

Teacher Conferences

We will be having conferences on Thursday, February 4. You should receive a green paper with your conference time.

Conferences are a way for your child to show you the work he/she has accomplished so far this year. We hope to see everyone here on February 4.

 

Science

Mrs. Cooper’s third graders have been learning about the atmosphere and the effects of the sun on Earth.  Students sat before a lamp that shined through an arched poster board. They are imagining their own head asEarth.

The warm rays of the lamp shone directly through the middle hole of the poster board onto the student’s nose (the “equator”). Warmth from light rays shining at an angle across upper and lower holes is less intense on the chin and forehead (the “poles”).

They learned that this is one of several reasons why the area around the equator is hotter than at Earth’s poles.

In another experiment, students tested the theory that explains how darker colors absorb more heat than lighter colors. By placing one thermometer in a dark sock and another in a white sock, students observed a temperature difference of 23 degrees. So, if you’re shopping for a winter coat, choose a darker color and you’ll probably be warmer!

A final science experience involved building a model to represent rising sea levels. Students made models of various landforms: islands, peninsulas, beaches, cliffs, mountains, volcanoes, etc. 

The models were placed in a large deep tray. Students  added water and several “icebergs” (frozen cups of water), and recorded the change in water level. Then they wrote about possible problems that could result from sea level changes.

Frederick Lipp

Thanks to a grant written by Cindy Petherbridge (MSAD 17 Elementary School Librarian) and the Norway Public Library, we hosted a visit by Maine author, Frederick Lipp, on January 13. He visited with the third and fourth graders.

Mr. Lipp shared a few pages of his books, “Tea Leaves” and “Bread Song.”   He also read “Running Shoes” to the students. Frederick is also a minister and has been on a humanitarian mission. He shared some of what he has seen. Many of these missions is where he gets his inspiration to write stories.

Author Lipp showed the students slides of places he had been and told how some of them inspired him to write some of his stories.

Free skiing, lessons

On February 12,  students in third and fourth grades are invited to attend a day of free skiing and lessons at Mt. Abram. The students will depart from Agnes Gray at 9 a.m. and return in time for dismissal. Skiers will need to come prepared and outfitted for a full day of outdoor adventure. A jacket and hat, snow pants, warm socks, and mittens/gloves are a must.

It is incredibly important that your child return both the rental and liability release forms that were sent home. Please call 6b74-2332 if you have any questions. We are so looking forward to this local opportunity.

 Father, Daughter Dance

The dance will be held Friday, March 13.  More information will come home closer to the date of the event.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, February 4 – Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, February 9 – Bowl-a-Thon, Grades K,2,4

Monday-Friday, February 15-19, – Presidents Day and February Vacation

Wednesday, February 24 – All School Gathering 1st Grade, 2:30 p.m.

Month of March – One School, One Book