Math and Science Explorers

04/24/2026

📚 Testing Season Is Here! ✏️
We are entering an important time of the school year, and our students are preparing to show all they have learned. Please take note of the upcoming testing dates:

✅ ELA: May 5, 2026
✅ Math: May 12, 2026
✅ Science: May 19, 2026

How can you help your child prepare at home?
There are several simple and effective ways to support your child during testing season:

1️⃣ Science and Math textbooks will be coming home this week. Students can use these books to review key concepts and practice skills.

2️⃣ Student notebooks matter!
Students who have kept their notes and anchor charts all year can use their notebooks as a powerful review tool for both Math and Science.

3️⃣ Canvas study resources
At the top of each Science module in Canvas, students will find three helpful resources to support studying:

🎮 Jeopardy games for each unit — simply download and play at home

❓ Kahoots for each topic to make reviewing fun and interactive

📄 Intentional Review Packets with practice questions students can work through at home

✨ Encouraging our students
With your continued support and encouragement, students can feel confident and ready. A little practice each day, plenty of rest, and positive words go a long way. Let’s remind our children that testing is just a chance to show their growth—not define them. We believe in them, and together, they will shine! 🌟

Thank you for partnering with us as we head toward success!

04/13/2026

Good morning, Fifth Grade families,
As we enter the home stretch of the school year, we wanted to share a few important updates and upcoming deadlines with you.

Fifth Grade Dance
Students will be coming home tomorrow with information regarding the fifth-grade dance. Please be sure to sign and return the form indicating whether or not your student will be attending. This information is needed to accurately plan for food.
📅 Form due no later than April 30th.

Fifth Grade Graduation
Next week, students will receive graduation information along with a ticket request form. It is very important that this form is returned. If no form is submitted, it will be assumed that no tickets are being requested, and tickets will be redistributed accordingly.
📅 Form due no later than April 30th.

End‑of‑Year Field Trip
We have extended the due date for the end‑of‑year field trip permission form until Friday, April 24th, 2026. We currently have a few open spots and want to give every student who would like to attend the opportunity to do so.
If your student will NOT be attending the field trip, please reply to this email with:
Your student’s name
Homeroom teacher
Whether your student will be attending school that day
Students who do not attend will be placed in an alternate classroom.

Below you will find our remaining testing schedule prior to our end‑of‑year exams:
ELA- Tuesday, April 14th
Math- Thursday, April 16th
Science Post Test- April 20th & 21st

Lastly, please come and join us on April 23rd from 3:45-5:00 for our FAST informational night.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.

03/26/2026

Today our 5th graders didn’t just review energy… they escaped it 😅🔐
We ran an Energy Escape Room to a help Doc Brown get the Delorean back
WOW:
⚡ Kinetic energy was students sprinting station to station
🧲 Potential energy was kids frozen, waiting for the next clue
🔥 Thermal energy came from overheated brains
🔌 Electrical energy powered the lightbulb moments
🔊 Sound energy was nonstop: “WAIT—READ THE QUESTION AGAIN!”
☀️ Light energy helped decode clues
⚙️ Mechanical energy moved the parts (and chairs… oops)
🧪 Chemical energy clearly came from breakfast and snacks
Students argued passionately about energy transfer and transformation while racing the clock like scientists on a mission. Nothing says test prep like controlled chaos, teamwork, and someone yelling:

“MISS, IS THIS KINETIC OR MECHANICAL ENERGY?!” 😆

03/24/2026

⚡️🔌 5th Grade Scientists in Action! 🔌⚡️
Today my students turned into mini electrical engineers as we built circuits and tested conductors and insulators.
We had some very serious moments where students stared at an unlit bulb like it was personally disrespecting them. Spoiler: the circuit wasn’t closed. 😅
Our big takeaways:
✨ Metal = conductor
✨ Plastic = insulator
✨ Your teacher’s patience = NOT renewable energy
But the best part? The “THE LIGHT CAME ON!” Proud of my bright sparks today! ⚡️😄

03/10/2026

03/10/2026

✨ Science in Action: Static Electricity Lab! ⚡

Today, our students explored the exciting world of static electricity through hands-on investigations! Using balloons and wool cloths, they created electric charges and observed how a charged object can attract an uncharged object—without even touching it!

They tested their ideas with rice puffs and salt, watching them jump up toward the charged balloons, and used an aluminum can to see attraction in motion. Students also discovered that charged objects can attract or repel other charged objects, depending on the type of charge.

🔎 Fun Fact: Static electricity is the same force that causes lightning—just on a much bigger scale!

Through observation, experimentation, and explanation, students built a deeper understanding of how invisible forces can cause visible effects. Science was definitely sparking curiosity today! 🔬✨

03/04/2026

🔦✨🎶 Science Was Bright and Loud in 5th Grade! 🎶✨🔦

Our 5th graders had a blast exploring light and sound energy! Students used flashlights, prisms, and light and dark cloths to see that light travels in straight lines and can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed 🌈💡

Things really got exciting when tuning forks hit the water! 💦 Students watched vibrations in action and learned how sound travels in waves, comparing high and low pitches along the way 🎵🔊

Hands‑on learning, curious minds, and lots of “wow” moments—just another great day in science! 🔬👏

02/13/2026

🧪 Hands‑On Science in Action! 🧪

Today, our students became real scientists during a mixture‑separation lab! Using tools like magnets, funnels, tweezers, strainers, and more, they explored how different materials can be separated based on properties such as size, magnetism, and texture.

The room was full of curiosity, teamwork, and problem‑solving as students tested, adjusted, and explained their strategies—learning that there’s more than one way to reach a solution! 🔍✨

To wrap up the lab, we added a fun (and tasty!) twist by creating a special mixture that could actually be eaten. 😄🍫 It was the perfect way to connect science to real life—and a big hit with the class!

Learning is always better when it’s hands‑on, minds‑on, and a little delicious! 👩🏽‍🔬👨🏽‍🔬💡

02/06/2026

✨ 5th Grade Science Update! ✨
Today our scientists explored a hands‑on Sugar Dissolution Rate Lab! 🧪🍬

Students investigated three different variables to discover what makes sugar dissolve faster:
🔥 Temperature – Does warm water or cold water dissolve sugar quicker?
🌀 Stirring vs. Not Stirring – Does agitation matter?
🔹 Particle Size – Do smaller sugar particles dissolve faster than larger ones?

After testing, observing, and recording data, students discovered that there are three main ways to speed up the dissolution of sugar:

1️⃣ Heat it up – Warmer temperatures give particles more energy, helping them dissolve faster.
2️⃣ Agitate it – Stirring spreads particles out and increases interactions.
3️⃣ Break it down – Smaller particles (greater surface area) dissolve more quickly.

Our 5th graders did an amazing job thinking like real scientists—asking questions, forming hypotheses, experimenting, and analyzing results. Proud of their curiosity and teamwork! 🚀🔬

Stay tuned for more science fun! 🌟

01/30/2026

🍨 Science is SWEET in 5th Grade! 🧪✨

Today our scientists explored the delicious world of Matter with an Ice Cream Float Lab! 🎉

Using just soda, ice cream, and their curious minds, students investigated:
🔹 Properties of matter – observing textures, densities, and how different ingredients interact
🔹 States of matter – solid (ice cream), liquid (soda), and gas (all those fizzy bubbles!)
🔹 Changes in state – melting, dissolving, and even gas release right before their eyes

Watching them make real-world connections—while enjoying a tasty treat—made the lesson even more memorable! Learning about science never tasted so good! 😋🍦

Proud of these young learners for asking questions, making predictions, and diving into hands-on discovery! 🌟🔬

01/26/2026

Biography Bottle For art class

Project Due Date: February 27th, 2026

Students will learn as they celebrate Black History & Women’s History Month in February/March, by (1) researching facts {biographies/autobiographies/non‐fiction text} to write a 3-paragraph essay, and (2) creating a Biography Bottles Statue/Image, at home, that will be displayed in our school library, during the month of February. It is important that all the deadlines listed below are met so that students do not fall behind and miss the due dates.

Ø The subject for the bio‐bottle project will be a famous African American or Woman that is selected from a given list, by students and approved by the teacher on January 26th-30th.

Ø The reading/research for this project will be done at home. Essay at home.

Ø The completed Biography Bottle Statue/Image is due on Friday, February 27th.

Attached to this document is the grading rubric that I will use for the bio bottle project.

Materials needed for the bottle:

· 1 plastic bottle § For example: · Small water or soda bottle · 2-liter soda bottle · Ketchup bottle · Dish soap bottle

* Please note a minimum size should be at least 16 ounces, and the maximum size should be a 2-liter bottle

· Sand, dirt, or gravel to put in the bottom of your bottle to anchor it.· Sand, dirt, or gravel to put in the bottom of your bottle to anchor it.

· Things to decorate your bottle to look like the person you have researched.

For example:

· Paint, yarn, glue, sequins, felt, beads, feathers, colored paper, pipe cleaners, Styrofoam balls, fabric, buttons, clay, googly eyes, etc.

Directions for the project:

1. Clean the bottle

2. Place sand or dirt inside the bottle so it won’t tip over (just a little…you don’t need to fill the entire bottle)

3. Use something to form a three-dimensional head. Decorate the “head” to look like your famous African American
· Examples of things to use for the head: o Styrofoam ball, wooden spoon, large button, tennis ball, ping pong ball, paper mâché balloon, clay, Dixie cup, stuffed sock, etc.

· Don’t forget to give your person hair!

4. Construct arms for the bottle person by using pipe cleaners, cardboard, straws, or other items and fix them in place. Adding something to the bottom for shoes or feet is optional.

5. Use materials such as fabric, paper, felt, yarn, etc. to make an outfit for your person that would be typical of what was worn during that person’s life. · Glue clothing around the entire bottle · Keep in mind, when this project is finished, it should look like a doll. They will be on display in the library, and people will be able to see all the way around (so the whole thing should be decorated!) Note for parents: your assistance with the following is greatly appreciated!

· Help your student get a book at the library/find reliable sources to use on the internet.

· Help get required materials for the project or ask teacher for assistance with materials.

· Help students with hot glue/scissors.

· Guide them in the research of the paper.

We appreciate your support with this project and can’t wait to see the finished product! Please keep in mind that while your assistance will be needed, we are excited to ultimately see the students’ work. Thank you!

Bio Bottle Research Resources (Additional Non‐Fiction Resources can be used) (Wikipedia or other open encyclopedias cannot be used as a resource) Non‐fiction books (in print or online) Encyclopedia (from a printed book or online) School and/or Parent approved Websites.

This project is worth 2 grades

Lauren Kimbrell
Bayshore Elementary
Team Lead
Art Teacher

Please contact Mrs. Kimbrell if you have any questions. [email protected].

Send a message to learn more