Package the Pringle and Kisses

How many parents thought I was crazy when I sent home the information about our engineering project, Package the Pringle?  We will be working with Mrs. Smith (a former 4th grade teacher here at Klem South) and some of her classes at Hong Kong International School.  Mrs. Smith and her family moved to Hong Kong this July to teach at HKIS as a science/math specialist at the upper primary school.  This project will allow the students to become engineers as they design and create a package that will protect a single Pringle potato chip as it is shipped overseas to their partner classroom.  We will be working with Ms. Abercrombie's fifth grade class.  Throughout the process, students learn and experience the engineering design process,  employ problem-solving skills, and work cooperatively with team members.  We will be creating a video to introduce ourselves to our partner class in Hong Kong as well as document our progress, make spreadsheets to collect package measurement data from each team, and create and analyze graphs of their data.  This week we will be starting by having our groups brainstorm how we can create a package and what materials we will need to create this package.  Friday, September 14th we would like all materials in school, so groups can start creating and building next week!  This is sure to be a fun learning experience, even if Mrs. Burns is a little crazy!!

As we go out to the busses each day, I tell the students that we need to be sure to say good bye to each other.  We spend all day together, and saying good by is not only good manners and polite, but it is a great way to end the day!  As the students go off, we say good bye with a hug, handshake, high five, fist pump....whatever they are comfortable giving.  Fridays I like to do something different.  This past Friday as we were lining up, I told the class that on Fridays, not only do I like to say good bye with a hug, handshake, high five, etc., but I like to give a kiss as well!  You should have seen the looks on their faces!  The shocked lookes on their faces turned into giggles when I explained that the kiss I like to give is a Hershey kiss!  Since I began teaching in 1998, I gave all of my students a Hershey kiss on Fridays.  It was just a little something to say good work for the week and to let them know that I care about them and appreciate their hard work.  Sometimes we run out of time and I can't pass them out, or I forget to pick them up at Wegmans when I am grocery shopping!  But for the most part, I pass out one Hershey kiss to each student who wants one on Fridays.  If you would prefer that your child not have a piece of chocolate, or your child can not have it, please send me a note so I can be sure to do something a little different for them. 

So far, we have been having a great time in 4th grade!  We are learning the routines and getting ready to be back into full swing very shortly!  Thank you all so much for all of the help and support you give your child!  Please do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or concerns! 

Have a great week!!

Mrs. Burns