<p> Weekly News Week of: December 12, 2016 This Week’s News Dear Families, If your weekend was like mine, it flew by. I anticipate the week ahead to do the same. There will be loads of excitement in Room 108 as we tie up loose ends and prepare for the upcoming Winter Break. This past week, we dove into our Air & Weather science unit considering the question What can air do? The students explored air using straws and balloon pumps to fill and to move a variety of light weight objects. We learned that air is a form of matter, that there are three kinds of matter – solids, liquids, and gases, and that air is an invisible mixture of gases. If all goes according to plan, we’ll create small parachutes, have “air wars,” and construct balloon rockets this coming week. As you know, last Thursday, we traveled to the Lowry Nature Center along with students from three other classrooms. We were an energetic and sizable crew! At the nature center, we observed the sights and sounds of winter first-hand on a lengthy nature hike. We found animal tracks and questioned where animals go and what they do in the winter. A naturalist taught how to use the clouds, wind direction and force, and air pressure to forecast the incoming weather. Back at school, we shared our favorite experiences and used clay to represent one memory from the day. This experience will provide a great base for our future Air & Weather explorations. A BIG THANK YOU to families for supporting this trip. A special thanks to those who joined us for the morning. Your time and willingness to help monitor groups was so appreciated! Also, thank you for your donations to both the Barton Food Drive and to our classroom snack supply. We are well stocked for January. I hope you have a great week. Linda Wilterdink ([email protected]) First and Second Grade/Barton Open Elementary </p><p>Notes and Reminders</p><p> No math packet homework this week. Look for it again in January, 2017  Due to Winter Break, there will be no “Weekly 108 News” until Monday, January 9. ______Upcoming Events</p><p>*Tues., Dec. 13 – Room 108 MEDIA BOOK CHECK-OUT *Wed. Dec. 14 – Room 108 begins GYM, students should BRING or WEAR TENNIS SHOES *Dec. 17 – Jan. 2 – NO SCHOOL: Winter Break</p>