A fun day of team activities and competitions, Color Day was an absolute delight. Students hopped in sak races, competed in vigorous tug-of-war battles, hula hooped, attacked each other with foam noodles, and much more. Check out some of the fun below!

To enhance our study of simple machines, engineering design, and the scientific method, we constructed a Rube Goldberg Machine in class. Students voted for the final task to be to shoot an inflatable basketball into our inflatable basketball hoop. An important goal of the project was to work collaboratively and to persevere through challenge. 

Students worked in teams to construct simple machines designed to keep force in motion from section to section. If we had more time, our Rube Goldberg Machine would have gone off without a hitch. Nevertheless, our connections worked, the design was well engineered, and we achieved our goal! 

Enjoy the pictures and video below!

The entire fifth grade gathered to celebrate students' first research report. Each student from Ms. Murphy's, Ms. Kimball's, and Ms. Tolman/Bracy's classes shared their Colonial America research topic and a highlight from their reports. We all learned a lot about Colonial America just from listening to excerpts of other students' work!

Business owner Michael McGee of "McGee Weather Company" asked for students' help in finding out who stole his weather data. Was is Bob Blizzard? Juan Sum Light? Joe Breezy? Ima Vapor? or Debbie Drizzle? Students used their knowledge of the weather and analyzed the evidence to determine the identity of the criminal. 

Here are students piecing together the evidence.

We looked at pond water under microscopes to learn about the smaller living things in an ecosystem. Students saw all sorts of creepy critters up close and personal!

Today students practiced sharing their writing with a partner and giving positive feedback. They did a great job being respectful listeners to each other. Here they are in action!