I just spent today learning all kinds of cool techniques to use with the SMART Board. I can’t wait to share them with you all!
I hope the summer heat isn’t keeping you inside TOO much! Enjoy the outside while you can…you’ll miss it when you come back to school. See you in August! 
I hope you all are enjoying your break! I also hope your air conditioning is working! 
We’re going to have a quiz over the five major animal interactions:
Predation - a relationship in which one animal hunts and kills another for food.
Competition - when two organisms compete for the same resources (like food, water, shelter, etc.)
Mutualism - a relationship in which both animals benefit (like a bee getting nectar and a flower getting pollinated.
Commensalism - a relationship in which one animal benefits and nothing happens to the other (like a clownfish living in sea anemone
Parasitism - a relationship in which one animal benefits and the other is hurt or killed (like a leech and a human).
Also…make sure you know how to read animal population graphs!!
Now that ISATs are over, it’s time for something new! Your periodic table boardgames turned out looking awesome, don’t you think?
Next we’re going to be switching to LIFE SCIENCE. Get ready to find out the difference between biotic and abiotic factors!
I hope you’re all getting plenty of rest and a BIG breakfast before you come to school…it’s ISAT week!! Make sure you’re trying your best both in school and out to beat the ISATs. Good Luck!! 
I hope you all had fun organizing the alien exchange students! For the next few weeks we’re going to be learning about the elements and the Periodic Table they are organized in. By the time we’re done, you should know:
Your 3 study guide choices are due tomorrow! If you choose to do more than three choices, any extra will be worth 5 extra credit points each.
TEST IS TOMORROW…THURSDAY 2/12 please make sure you study and are prepared.
On the test:
* States of matter - Solid, liquid, gas, plasma…what do the particles look like in each?
* Changes in states of matter - Melting, Freezing, Vaporization, Condensation, Sublimation…what does it turn into, is it endothermic or exothermic?
* Chemical vs. Physical Changes - know how to tell the difference
* Vocabulary definitions - Mass, Volume, Element, Atom, Molecule, Property, Endothermic, Exothermic, Compound
Just a big heads up! We’ve got a matter test comimg up next week.
On Monday and Tuesday you’ll be working in class to complete activities that will help you study.
On Wednesday we’ll play a Matter Jeopardy game.
On Thursday we’ll be taking the test! I hope you study and come prepared!
Is it a liquid…it sure drips like one!
Is it a solid…her hands are stuck in there!
It’s got properties of both!
