Congratulations to all the 5th graders for their hard work in the Dancing Classrooms program this year.  I am so proud of their progress and I'm especially proud of how they performed at the semi-finals!  I will be putting together a little DVD with all the videos I took from the dance performances.  If you would like one, send $2 to school with your student.  The two dollars will cover the cost of the DVDs, labels, and printer ink.  Once again...good work this year!!!!  Be proud of yourselves :) 

5th Grade Science

The fifth graders are learning about friction, magnetism and gravitation...the three forces we experience everyday!  Teams had "slow races" in which they added various materials to a ramp and then timed how long it took a marble to roll down.  The team with the longest time won! 

6th Grade Science

The plants are germinating and teams are now collecting data from their plant projects. Some of the independent variables used in the experiments are: 

• colors of light
• amount of soil
• depth seed is planted
• amount of weed killer sprayed around the plant
• amount of salt added to the water

7th Grade Science

7th Graders are studying advances in genetics.   Bill Pilicinski, one of Cabrini's board members and a retired geneticist, presented a well prepared lesson on GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms).  Monsanto was generous enough to provide us with demosntration kids, supplies and and corn plants that had been genetically modified and corn plants that were not modified genetically.  Mr. Pilicinski then led the students through an experiment where each student tested their plant to see if it was genetically modified or not.  The plants we tested were genetically modified to be resistant to corn worms and insecticides.  We then sprayed the left over plants with insecticides and will see if the genetically modified corn plants survive.

8th Grade Science

8th grade teams spent last week constructing a 3 story building with paperboard and masking tape.  Then each building went through an earthquake simulation test in order to see which parts of the building were the strongest.  Congratulation to Team Linda/Prehsi and Team Eli/Tommy who both constructed buildings that withstood the strongest "earthquake."

Mrs. Elizabeth DeBoo

Teaches: 5-8 Science, 5th Grade Homeroom, 5th Reading, 5th Religion

Years at Cabrini: I have been teaching at Cabrini since 2003.

Years of Teaching:  I started my teaching career in 2002.

Previous Teaching Positions: Notre Dame Elementary

Degrees:  B.S. in Elementary Education at the University of North Texas with a specialty in Reading and a focus in Music and Science

Teaching Certificates:

• Elementary Ed Grades 1-8
• Reading Certification Grade 1-8
• Paul VI Religion Education certification

Why do you enjoy teaching at Cabrini?

I enjoy teaching at Cabrini because it pushes me to be aware of the needs of others. I have to constantly reflect on how I teach and communicate with my students. Many times, this means I must adjust my techniques in a way that works for a particular student or class. My students are my inspiration for creating exciting and interesting lessons and they push me to continue to be a life-long learner.

I am also so glad to be working with professional teachers and administrators who take their job seriously and work hard to provide the best for their students. I love the diversity of our student body and the different experiences that each child brings to our school. To me, Cabrini is a wonderful place for people to grow…students and adults...and I’m glad I to be a part of such a dynamic and encouraging environment.

What do students learn in science?

In science, I believe kids make sense of our world by seeing and doing...just like scientists! We do lots of activities and experiments to explore different concepts and ideas. I try to get the students accustomed to a feeling of uncertainty. Scientists don’t have a teacher telling them their answer is right, so I like to plan many activities that don’t always have an obvious answer. This pushes the students to rely more on their data and observations to support their answer rather than my solution. In addition to using their textbook, the students use various websites during class lessons. I also include many PowerPoint presentations and video clips to help in the learning process and to include more current information than the text provides.

How would you describe your teaching style and method?

I believe that students learn best when they are in the cortex of their brain. Therefore, I incorporate many activities into my lessons that require student repetition, hand motions, and class chants that keep the whole class engaged. It is hard to be a passive learner in my classroom because you have to continually turn to your neighbor and tell them what you just learned with hand motions and a silly tone of voice. Then, the lesson concepts are tested and explored during group discussions, internet explorations, or hands on activities. When students are engaged and having fun, it is easier for their brains to retain what they are learning.

However, just like adults, students are not always in the cortex of their brain and can easily get emotional or upset. When this happens, no learning occurs. I help my students identify when they are retreating to their brain stem and teach them techniques that get them back to their cortex. This involves breathing exercises, conflict resolution techniques, energizing songs, team building activities and relaxation methods. I firmly believe that taking the time to teach these skills help students focus at school and get more out of their education.