Where We Get Our Water: It's a Series of Tubes

We had a special visit from Mrs. Meg Tabaksco from the MWRA (Massachusetts Water Resources Authority). She talked with our class about how our water gets to us in Watertown. We learned that in the 1930's, people built a giant reservoir to hold water for the communities near Boston. They had to move 4 entire towns!

Water from rain and streams collects in the Quabbin Reservoir. From there, it is piped in giant pipes all the way to us, where local water mains bring it to buildings everywhere in our city. Along the way, it is treated to make it safe to drink, and they add floride to help keep our teeth healthy.

We listed many kinds of buildings that use water:
- schools
- hospitals
- police stations
- fire stations
- resturaunts
- grocery stores
- pet stores
- hotels
- motels
- houses
- laundromats
- sports stadiums
- and more!

We drew a giant picture to show how the water all connects through a series of pipes back to the Quabbin.

Visit these pages at the MWRA to learn more about the pipes and distribution system:
- How the MWRA System Works
- New Metrowest Water Supply Tunnel

Thank you, Mrs. Tabaksco!

The Lowell Lizard

We have started a new tradition in Room 204. To recognize all of the good things that we do for one another, we are sharing the Lowell Lizard. Every two days, the person who has been holding it gives it to another classmate, naming the kind thing that person did. When it is your turn to have the lizard, you get to hold it during meeting times on the rug and you can have it with you when you read or work.

So far, three people have had it. These three people have been recognized for the small kindnesses they have shown. One person complimented another's careful workmanship. Another helped someone when they felt sad.

What is a kind thing that you have done?

Rolling the Dice

In math today, we played a new game with dice. We rolled two dice. One was a normal die, with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The other die had the numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 on it. Every time we rolled the dice, we added the two numbers together. We kept track of which ones we rolled with a bar graph, to see which one we rolled the most.

At the end of math, we put all of our data together to make a class graph of our results. We learned that the best way to test probability is to get lots of information, lots of data.

Number Race Class Results

7

8

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9

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10

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11

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12

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16

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17

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18

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We had a few questions.

Why were there no 7's?

Why are the numbers in the middle the most likely sums?

A storyteller comes to visit

On Friday, a wonderful storyteller named Len Cabral came to visit our school. He told us three stories:

- Grandmother spider pulls the sky close to the earth
- Connor and the Leprechaun
- Joseph and the bridge-builder

Which was your favorite?
Do you remember what happens in each one?
Do you have your own story to tell?

Election day in 204

In honor of our country's election this past Tuesday, the students of room 204 had an election for the most amazing pie.

First, we registered to vote. We had a deadline, just like real voters do. Next, we asked the candidates why they wanted to be the most amazing pie, what they would do if they won, and other questions. Then, we voted. Finally, we acted as ballot-counting machines. We used our optical scanners (our eyes) to see which candidate was selected on each ballot. The ones with write-in votes had to be read by people, not machines.

The winner was surprising!

something is happening to Cassiopeia...

In the past week, the scientists of Lab 204 noticed some changes happening with our faithful lizard, Cassiopeia. Something was happening to her skin, and it wasn't like anything we had seen from her yet.


First, it turned a dark green.
Next, the skin at the base of her tail turned white and started to come off!
Then the skin on her arms and legs started coming off, too.

What is happening to her?