Photosynthesis

What do plants need to live and grow?

Plants need a lot of the same things that we need to live and grow. They need air, water, food, and space.   Many plants also need soil. However, unlike us, plants make their own food. This process is called photosynthesis.

What are the four parts of a plant?

The four main parts of a plant are the roots, stem, leaves, and flowers.  This week, we've taken a close look at the job of leaves, because leaves are the part of the plant where photosynthesis occurs.

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis happens in the middle of leaves and require air, water, and sunlight to produce sugar. Carbon dioxide (air) is taken in through the tiny holes on the underside of a leaf. Sunlight is absorbed by the plant. Water travels in from the soil to the roots, up the stem, and into the leaf. From the three ingredients, the plant produces sugar (food) and oxygen. The oxygen leaves the plant through tiny holes in the underside of the leaf, and the sugar travels down the stem and throughout the plant to provide nutrients. 

What did we find so interesting about the process of photosynthesis?

Plants need carbon dioxide, a gas that we breathe out, in order to live and grow. On the other hand, we need oxygen, a gas that is given off by plants, in order to live and thrive. We now see the important and mutual relationship between the two.

To take a closer look at the process, you can find this diagram either in your on-line science textbook in Chapter 5, Lesson 1, or you can refer to your green science handout in your red homework folder.

Comparing Fractions

For the past few days, in math class, students have been working on comparing fractions. The students have come up with a list of several different ways to compare fractions. Today we played a game called Capture Fractions. The goal of the game is to compare the fractions. The player with the larger fraction "captures" both fractions.

This anchor chart shows several ways that we know in order to compare fractions.

Which of these fractions is bigger?
 Leave us a comment letting us know what strategy you used in determining your answer! 

Planting in Our School's Garden

Today, we planted radishes and carrots in our school's garden. The morning class planted Chantenay Red Core Carrots and the afternoon class planted Cosmic Purple Carrots. The Cosmic Purple will be spicier than the Chantenay Red. The radishes will be ready to harvest in about 24 days, but the carrots will take 65-70 days. We talked about eating the taproot of these vegetables after we harvest them. We are looking forward to it! 

Planting

 

Pulling Weeds

 

Other Plants Growing in Our School's Garden

Our New Unit Begins... Plants!!

We started a new unit and are studying plants! We'll do many exciting things like planting in our school's organic garden and conducting experiments where we change variables to uncover what plants really need to survive and thrive. We started by activating our prior knowledge and recording in our journals things we already know. Students were asked to draw and label the parts of a bean seed and to draw and label the parts of a plant. In addition, if they knew the function of the plant part, they were asked to record its purpose. It looks like we are off to a great start! We can't wait to reflect on these diagrams in a few short weeks. Stay tuned to learn more about plants!

Yearbook Ads on Sale Now!

The front office is currently selling yearbook ads. A business card size ad, for your child, will cost $10.00. You may include a photo with your ad. Photos will not be returned. You can also email your photo to skipperl@duvalschools.org. Please email the photo in a larger format. Please print or type your message so that we can ensure that your ad is just right.

If you are a business owner and would like to advertise in our yearbooks, each business card size ad will cost $30.00.

All ads are due to Julie Middleton, in the front office, by February 15th. If you have any questions, please call Julie Middleton at 992-6390 ext. 1102. 

Homophones

This week we are studying homophones. Homophones are important to know because if you use them incorrectly in your writing, your reader will be very confused! The homophones we are learning this week are:

there- a place
their- belonging to a group of people
they’re- a contraction meaning "they are"
to- shows the direction, destination, or position of something
two- the number 2
too- as well or more than
where-a place
wear- to have something on your body
we’re- a contraction for "we are"

See if you can find more homophones as you read this week. If you find one and leave a comment on this post, you will earn a reading raffle ticket!