Ithaca North Elementary

Our 6th graders were thrilled to welcome during the first trimester members of the high school Leadership class into our room. They helped with Social Studies reading packets and supported our daily math lessons too. Their mentorship enhanced student engagement, reinforced learning, and created a supportive classroom culture. This collaboration demonstrates the value of peer mentorship in education—developing leadership skills while directly impacting academic outcomes.

Best of luck to our Jacket Builders as they compete in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge this Saturday, November 22! This year’s competition theme is the UNEARTHED Challenge, where teams work to uncover the past to discover the future. Our Jacket Builders chose to focus their project on archaeology and artifact digging, exploring how robotics can help solve real-world problems connected to uncovering the past. They have been working incredibly hard and applying their STEM skills through research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering. Last night, they held a fantastic practice demonstration where they confidently shared their robot runs and project presentations with parents, families, friends, and teachers. We are so proud of all their hard work and teamwork! A huge THANK YOU to Mr. Lincoln for guiding these students and allowing them to use his STEM lab. Your support means so much! Good luck, Jacket Builders! We’re cheering for you!

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Grady Andrews to the Ithaca North family as our new paraprofessional. Mr. Andrews brings dedication and a passion for supporting students—he’ll be a wonderful addition to our team.

4th graders created thoughtful cards and letters for both veterans and current members of the military for Veteran's Day.

Aidan from the High School leadership class collaborated with Mr. DeRosia's 5th grade class this trimester and even taught an engaging lesson to the students!

🔬 Sixth Grade Scientists Rock Day 2 of Reactions! 🧪

What an amazing day in the lab with our sixth graders as we continued exploring the fascinating world of physical and chemical changes! Their curiosity and focus were truly impressive.

Today, we completed four hands-on investigations that really got them thinking about the evidence of a reaction:

1. Ketchup on Pennies: We saw a chemical reaction in action as the acid in the ketchup interacted with the copper oxide tarnish on old pennies, leaving them sparkling clean! Evidence: A change in surface appearance/color (cleaning).

2. Whole Milk and Vinegar: Mixing these two created a quick chemical reaction, forming curds (casein protein) and whey. Evidence: The formation of a new substance (precipitate/solids).

3. Steel Wool in Vinegar: Students observed a classic chemical reaction where the iron in the steel wool reacted with the vinegar, leading to the formation of rust (iron oxide) and the release of tiny gas bubbles. Evidence: Gas production and a color change (rust formation).

4. Isopropyl Alcohol on the Table: This was a great example of a physical change! The alcohol quickly disappeared, but no new substance was formed—it simply changed state from a liquid to a gas (evaporation). Evidence: Change of state (liquid to gas) with no new chemical product.

We are so proud of how our students are mastering these core concepts and safely conducting their experiments! Two days of fantastic science is in the books!

Our sixth-grade scientists were on fire today (figuratively, of course!) as we dove into the exciting world of physical and chemical reactions! Observing these changes firsthand is the best way to understand the difference.

🔥 What We Explored Today
Candle Burning: A classic example showing both a physical change (wax melting) and a chemical change (combustion/burning the wick).

Blowing Bubbles: A fun, simple demonstration of a physical change—water and soap molecules rearrange, but no new substance is formed.

Mixing Salt and Pepper in Water: We saw a physical change where substances dissolve or mix, but remain the same on a molecular level.

Alka-Seltzer in Water: A definite chemical change! The bubbling fizz signaled a chemical reaction creating a new substance (carbon dioxide gas!).

The students did an amazing job making observations, recording data, and discussing their findings. Their enthusiasm for experimentation is contagious!

🌟 Stay Tuned! 🌟

We're not done yet! We will be completing four more exciting labs tomorrow to solidify their understanding. Ask your student what they learned about chemical versus physical changes tonight!

Thank you to Alma Meijer for the wonderful service last night during our Help for the Holidays shopping! Special thanks to employees: Samantha, Melissa, Kurt, Alex, Hannah, and the softlines team for all of your help! Also, special thanks to North and South Elementary staff for volunteering your time to help our families!

Fifth graders constructed and tested Native American sleds in STEAM lab. Using only sticks and fabric scraps, they were challenged to build a travois that could move heavy cardboard tubes down the hallway.

The week of Veterans Day, our 6th-grade students embraced their role as engaged citizens by writing notes to active-duty service members. This individualized learning experience in citizenship, thanks to an invitation from the Rotary Club, empowered students to build positive relationships beyond the classroom, fostering mutual support and respect for all members of our community. By reflecting on the contributions of others, students continue to grow into productive citizens.

Once again, Alma College offered an amazing experience at the Science Blowout! Third graders from North Elementary had a fantastic experience with the variety of activities prepared for us. We are already looking forward to next year.

Thank you to CMU for supporting our 3rd graders learning about geology! The kids were quite excited about the geological items you shared with us.

What a great presentation by a CMU geologist and his future teachers! The students were so excited to hold the different rocks, minerals, and fossils and were extra knowledgeable about the topic since we are learning all about it in reading! Thank you to our PTO for providing this great learning opportunity!

Third graders went to the Alma College Science Blowout and had a blast learning about many different topics from chemistry to animals!

Hello North Families! Please make sure that you are reading The Buzz when it is sent home!
Please make sure to pay attention to our scheduled half days and full days off in November. You
can find those days located in the Dates to Remember.

Swarm Together, Mrs. Rayburn

We are looking for a few good grandparents who would be willing to dedicate some time to our students. If you think that you and someone you know may be interested, please pass this information along to them.

Thank you to our amazing PTO for organizing a geologist presentation for our 3rd and 4th grade students. Rickey, a geologist from CMU and two future elementary teachers studying at CMU brought Yooperlites, iron, meteorite, Petoskey stone, quartz, Megalodon tooth, fossilized poop, petrified wood, and more!

Game day or hunt day? Dress in your Blue & Gold to cheer on Ithaca Football or break out the camo for opening day of deer season tomorrow, Friday, November 14

What a memorable experience for 4th graders! To mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, we were fortunate to have a special guest, Scott Johnson, play his guitar and sing the powerful song about the event. It was a fantastic opportunity for the students to connect with history through the art of music and storytelling!

Feeling that crisp air? Time to break out the flannel! Cozy up in your favorite plaid and celebrate fall — show us your best flannel fit on Thursday, November 13