Our core values:
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Respect
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Self-reliance
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Maturity and self control
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Christian charity
Welcome to the classroom of...
Mr. Hilvers
Grades 5&6, Math and Science
24-Hour Question Box...
Weather from Intellicast...
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Visits |
"It's fun to have fun,
but you have to know
how."
Click
here 
to earn a few extra 24-Game stickers for your team!
Newswire
Dateline Room 207: Well our sixth grade scientists did not disappoint with their Wacky Experiment submissions. Among the most inventive were the Sleepenator Fountain, which promises to let sleep-deprived persons catch up on his or her sleep while a cloned imposter temporarily fills in, the study of left-handed baseball pitchers, and why they are so effective against right-hander batters, and the ever-popular good grade pill, which when taken, insures against Ds and Fs on tests in school. Also worth noting were leg-strengthening shoes, water-powered car experiment, Mentos-in-a-bottle of Coke study, attention-focusing gum, dog relaxation study, hot versus cold water freezing experiment, and mint-flavored gum weight loss study.
For those reading about the Wacky Experiment for the first time, don't be alarmed: these were entirely formed in the imaginations of the students. No actual experiments, as far as we know, were conducted. The exercise was entirely made up so that our students could practice developing studies using the scientific method.
This week, our fifth graders begin work on systems of the body, starting with the skeletal system. Bob, 207's torso model, will be pressed into action as we explore the wonders of the human body. Fifth grades should be prepared to pass around the parts as we discuss them: always an interesting lab, but a bit shocking for some. We hope to demystify the body, and better understand what a tremendous and valuable creation it is.
This week the sixth grade begins Terra Nova testing, and we want to remind students and parents alike that the stakes are high. We must all change our routines a bit so that our sixth graders perform the best they can on these important tests.
What can you do to prepare? Students should get plenty of rest the day before test days (Monday through Thursday this week, and Monday next week), and eat well, especially breakfast in the morning. Although they may not show it, they really do feel the draining stress of these tests, so a little extra emotional support and freedom from unnecessary stress is suggested. The teachers will be assigning less than the usual amount, or no homework the nights before tests to help out. These tests are often considered by high schools and even colleges when choosing candidates for their various scholarships and programs, so we owe it to the kids to help them in any way possible.
The schedule should return to normal for them on Tuesday, October 14.
The inquiry design for a project like this involves asking a question like: "Will the Student Remote Speech Controller work as designed on sixth grade students at St. Lawrence School?" A possible hypothesis may be: "The Student Remote Speech Controller effectively controls more than 75% of St. Lawrence' sixth grade students' speech." The test would involve outfitting the entire sixth grade with the necklaces, and trying the remote to see if it really works. Once the results are analyzed, a conclusion can be reached as to whether the hypothesis was correct. The last step involves publishing the results to interested parties. Such audiences may include teachers, coaches bus drivers, cafeteria workers, scout leaders, electronics manufacturers, and of course, Mom. Based on their behavior late in the week, our beloved fifth grade would benefit a great deal from such a remarkable invention.
The projects are due Friday, October 3, and we look forward to reporting on them next week.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the First in Math website was unavailable to the 207 statistician, so we can't comment on the surely impressive sticker count for last week. But the students know who is leading and who is not. So we'll hold our praise for next week's edition of Newswire.