September 7, 2021
Fall 2021 Issue 3
Weekly activities and lessons to keep your child thinking and progressing throughout the school year.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
The McManus Files
Fall 2021 Issue 3

Hello,
I hope you enjoy the learning activities in this week's issue. This week's issue of The McManus Files contains:
  1. An awesome book recommendation
  2. A decomposition science investigation
  3. Three new writing prompts
  4. Two math problems to tickle your brain

Please share this flyer with your friends and encourage them to join our mailing list by following the links on this page.

Mr. McManus :-)
Great Read of the Week
Loteria
by Karla Arenes Valenti
The turn of a card could change your destiny in this captivating adventure based on the Lotería card game and. It is perfect for fans of the movie Coco. While searching for her missing cousin, a young girl is transported to a mythical kingdom and becomes entangled in a perilous game of chance. This lovely book is a magical, philosophical tale rooted in Mexican lore and the rich and diverse cultures of Oaxaca, Mexico. It will hold readers attention from beginning to end with its vivid language and setting. Every page reminded me of the time I traveled in and around Oaxaca.
Inquiry Quest

Decomposition Discovery
Most people know that when they leave food out on the counter for a few days, it will begin to get brown, slimy, and yucky. However, do they know what really causes this to happen? In this inquiry activity you will get an opportunity to explore how the decomposition of organic matter is affected by factors such as temperature, humidity, storage, time, and type of food.

For this inquiry quest, you are to investigate the science behind decomposition and how organic matter gets broken down into simpler chemicals and molecules. What are the factors that can affect the rate of decomposition. Explore this for yourself. Get a variety of fruits and vegetables (they tend to be less stinky than protein- or dairy-based foods).

Plan an experiment with your fruit and vegetables. Leave some of the fruit whole, cut some into pieces, take the skin off some, and leaving it in a variety of different conditions. These conditions can include open containers, sitting on the countertop, in sealed containers, on the countertop with foil over it, etc. Record your observations along with a theory regarding which factors most affect the rate of decomposition and why.
If you feel your child might benefit from a group or individual tutoring program to close the gap created during summer vacation and to prepare them for the next phase of their education, please contact McManus Tutoring.

Programs are structured so that students learn independence, accountability, and self-possession and they develop a repeatable structure that can be used to build success in the future.

McManus Tutoring has all Summer 2021 issues of The McManus Files posted in the library.

You can visit the site by clicking the link mcmanustutoring.com
or simply scanning the QR Code
.
3 Writing Prompts

These prompts and questions will help jump-start your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!


"I thought my favorite toy was my bear named Brownie until I was given..."



"We were doing another boring science experiment when we discovered..."



"Luckily the aliens weren't evil, they taught the humans how to..."


Problem of the Week

Solve the problem and complete
Parts A & B
It’s a Math Party! 

A mathematician decided to throw a party. Including the mathematician and her husband, there were five couples, which means there were 10 people in total at the party.  

a) After several minutes of mingling everyone meets and shakes hands with every other person in attendance, excluding his or her partner. How many total handshakes were exchanged at the party? 

b) During the party, the mathematician posed the following math puzzle to the group: “I have three daughters. The product of their ages is 72, and the sum of their ages is the same as our house number. What are their ages?” The guests opened the front door and checked the house number. One guest asked for more information. The mathematician responded, “my oldest daughter loves strawberry pudding.” The same guest then announced their ages. What are the ages of the mathematician’s daughters? 

Part A: What is your answer to the problem? 

Part B: Explain your thinking in complete sentences. How did you come up with your final answer?
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