Mrs.

Shupe's
newsletter
I want to welcome you to the wonderful world of science. I
will be your child's 1st grade science teacher. I am excited to
get started exploring with your child. This newsletter will give
you a brief overview of what we will be doing in the
classroom and what you can do to help your child at home. I
strive to make all my science lessons engaging and exciting. I
also try to integrate other subjects into the lesson to better
benefit my students.. My hope is your child will soon come
home telling you all the exciting things they have learned. If
you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach
out. I have included all my contact information.

Contact
Email: rshup001@odu.edu
Phone: (276)708-6164

Please do not reach out on social

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 What we will learn this year!
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
The students will be learning how to observe,
investigate, and make inferences.

Force, Motion, and Energy

Students will learn different kinds of motion.

Matter
Students will learn how water reacts to different
materials.

Life Processes
Students will learn about plant and animal life.

Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems

The students will learn about the sun and the earth.

Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Changes

The students will learn about the weather and
different seasons.

Earth Resources
The students will learn about our natural resources.

https://doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml
 Our first lessons!
Lesson 1
Students will be learning about natural resources
and how they are limited. They will learn how they
can help save our natural resources by reducing,
reusing, and recycling. We will have a group
discussion about these topics. The students will
work in groups to identify natural resources. The
students will have an individual task of finding
ways they can recycle, reuse, or reduce at home.

Lesson 2
Students will be learning about the basic needs of
animals including humans. The students will
participate in a group discussion where they are
encouraged to participate. The students will create a
book that list the basic needs and they will draw a
picture to represent that need. We will also identify
ways to keep the heart, brain, lungs, and stomach
heathy. The students will give examples of things that
are healthy and non-healthy.

 Integrated lessons
Why I Integrate?
Students can make connections to other subject
areas.
Students can learn about multiple topics in one
lesson.
Students can relate lessons to real world.
Students can gain a deeper understanding of the
lessons (Mezni, 2020).

Integrated Subjects

Health Math Literature

Example: Example: Example:
Students will Students will Students will
learn about learn how to read and write in
recycling while measure many of our
learning about temperatures science lessons.
natural while learning
resources. about weather.

 Inquiry-Based Learning

What is it?
This is a student-centered approach to learning. Students
are given the opportunity to explore and come to their
own understanding. It engages the students in the learning
process (Bulba, 2015)

5E's of Inquiry-Based Learning

Engage
This is the first step in inquiry based learning. This is where
the topic is introduced. I get the students attention. I may do
this with an opening activity or video. Many times I will ask
questions that will create their own questions.

Explore
This is the second step in inquiry based learning. This is where
the students get to explore the topic with each other through
activities or experiments.

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 Explain
This is the third step in inquiry bases learning. This is where
students come up with an explanation for what they have
explored.

Elaborate
This is the fourth step in inquiry based learning. The students
get to develop a greater understanding of the topic by using
what they have learned.

Evaluate
This is the fifth and final step in inquiry based learning. The
students are evaluated on their understanding of the lesson. I
will use a variety of methods to evaluate the students.
Examples: Activities, presentations, paper and pencil test, ect.
(Youtube 2012).

reading
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https://www.plt.org/alignment-to-standards/bscs-5e-instructional-model/
 Parents Corner
Studies show that parent involvement in a student’s education
improves their success in the classroom. You can support your
student by simply encouraging them to do their best. Make sure
you are being positive when you talk about the science class.
Make sure to respond to my emails and reach out when you
have questions or concerns (Parent Involvement, 2020). We are
in this together and we both want your child to succeed in the
classroom.

Science Fun
I encourage you to try some of these experiments at home. This
will get your child excited about science. Be sure to talk to your
child about the science behind the experiment.

Polish a Penny Float a Cork

https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/exp https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experime
eriments/lemon-penny-polish-easy- nts/cork-challenge-easy-science-experiment/
science-experiment/

Matter
Reflection https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/ex
https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone periments/bag-full-of-states-of-matter-
/experiments/upside-down- easy-science-experiment/

reflection-easy-science-experiment/
 Resources

Bulba, D. (2015, November 10). What is inquiry-based science? Smithsonian Science Education Center.
Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/what-inquiry-based-science

Education, V. D. of. (n.d.). Science. VDOE :: Science Standards of Learning Resources. Retrieved
November 13, 2022, from https://doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml

Easy science experiments. Science Fun. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2022, from
https://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/easy-science-experiments/

Mezni, A. (2020, March 30). What is integrated instruction? The Pros & Cons. Teaching Resources and
Lesson Plans - Teaching Ideas 4U by Amy Mezni. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from
https://teachingideas4u.com/2017/06/what-is-integrated-instruction-pros-cons.html

Parent involvement in education: The key to A healthy future. Action for Healthy Kids. (2020, November
17). Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/parent-involvement-in-
education-the-key-to-a-healthy-future/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAyMKbBhD1ARIsANs7rEG2JxWlT-
FiC7a_Z16ksCtoAGA5b7x3F7ZgaEovwebhtAfFTGIeMD8aAgkKEALw_wcB

YouTube. (2012). Bscs 5E Instructional Model. YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is7a3nkoe-g.