Hello. I’ve worked at Dutchess Day School since 1995. Since that time I’ve worn many hats, from driving sports busses to teaching classes. This year I will be teaching 5th grade science and 6th-8th grade math. I’ll also be mentoring the lego robotics team and coaching volleyball. In my spare time I am also the head of upper school which means that I run weekly meetings and make schedule adjustments as necessary. I hope you enjoy taking a glimpse into what my students are learning.
Ben & Jack cheer on their robot
This is the 2nd year the robotics team has competed in a First Lego League Tournament. The FLL picks a different theme each year. This year’s theme was transportation. The students researched a transportation issue and created a skit to show some potential solutions. The gameboard which looks like a crash test course includes several missions. The students needed to build and program a robot to complete as many missions as possible in two and a half minutes. They were also judged on teamwork and robot design. The team earned 3rd place overall so they will be competing in the regional competition at Dutchess Community College on Saturday, February 27th.
The team shows off their medals
Dutchess Day School is holding their first science fair open to grades 4-8 on Wednesday, 3/10. Participation is optional, yet we have 46 students entered in the event. If anyone has lost their information packet, please see me. If you need additional help on-line researching your topic, the website www.sciencebuddies.org is a great resource. The projects will be available for viewing by the other students in the school on Wednesday afternoon between 1-3, then open to the public from 3:30 – 5:00. The top three projects from grades 5-8 will be given the option to compete at the Dutchess County science fair.
The JV and Varsity volleyball teams have been combined this year into one. There are five 5th graders, three 7th graders and three 8th graders on the team. The older students have been mentoring the younger ones with great success. In fact, the 5th graders hold their own when scrimmaging against the older kids. The 5th graders are also very solid in competition. They manage to get their serves in even under the pressure of ‘game point’. To date their record is 2 wins and 1 loss. Come see a game if you get the chance!
As we return from winter break there are three weeks left until the end of the marking period. The 5th grade science class has finished up their study of catastrophic events and is moving on to force, energy and motion. The 7th grade math class is preparing for the SSAT which takes place on Saturday, 1/9/10. The 8th grade is completing their applications to secondary school. The Robotics team heads into the final stretch before their competition on 2/6/10.
Something that is new this year is the science fair which will be held on March 10. Students in grades 4-8 are eligible to participate. There will be information packets going out soon. Students who have questions about the event should contact Mrs. Yager, Mrs. Ackers or Ms. Duffus. We hope to see you there!
Thanks for visiting the site and have a happy 2010!
Mrs. Yager’s advisory group has taken on the task of updating the mural in the bathroom. We’ve chosen a winter scene and have been busy getting the landscape ready. Hopefully it will brighten up the space.
Here goes the paint.
Students attempted to build houses out of toothpicks and marshmellows that would withstand the p and s-waves that accompany an earthquake.
Our new catastrophic event is earthquakes. Students simulated p-waves and s-waves using slinkies.
Tuesday, 10/20 was our first math night. Students arrived for an hour of math games, bingo, and even a math dance. We hope for even better attendance next year!
Students challenge their parents to a multiplication game.What are the hidden catagories for the Venn diagrams?
Students challenge Mrs. Yates and Mr. Cissel.
After learning that heat rises quickly over a surface, but cold tends to stay at the bottom, the 5th graders set up a lab to see what would happen when the two came together. They used a candle for dry, warm air and a cup of crushed ice for cold, moist air. By adding a little smoke with a punk stick, they could see that they formed a convection current. Now they understand why there is almost always a breeze at the beach, and why tornadoes occur most often in tornado alley. We are making good progress at understanding the way things work and applying them to the larger world!
The boys are surprised to see how quickly the air is rushing through.
The robotics team has been formed and we are looking at our challenge which is all about transportation this year. We currently have 12 students who are learning how to program the robots and are brainstorming the best ways to build attachments. We only meet once a week for a half hour, so we need to make good progress during our activity period.
