The Cannon Connection
2025-2026 Newsletter for Cannon Elementary Families
February 22-28, 2026
Good morning Cannon families,
It has been another incredible week of growth and celebration at Cannon!
🚌 4th Grade Takes on Texas! Our 4th graders traveled for the ultimate "Big" adventure! They explored Austin and the Inner Space Caverns for a deep dive into Texas history and science. From the halls of the Bullock Museum to the depths of the caverns, our students experienced real world application of our 4th grade Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and our curriculum as it came to life. This trip isn't just about learning; it’s about building lifelong memories and new friendships across our grade level.
We are so proud to announce that Mrs. Amanda Moore has been awarded a $1,000 Schroeder Grant! Thanks to help of a student persuasive letter for compelling advocacy, our second grade students will soon have brand-new, high-quality headphones. These tools are essential for our personalized learning stations, allowing every student to engage with digital lessons at their own pace and focus. Thank you, AJ, and Congratulations, Mrs. Moore!
Please join us in a huge round of applause for our PTA President, Mrs. Debbie Flowers, who was recently honored by the Council of PTAs with the prestigious Lifetime Membership Award. This honor is reserved for those who show an extraordinary commitment to the well-being of all children. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated advocate leading our parent community! This isn't just a "thank you" note—it is one of the highest honors a PTA member can receive. It recognizes an individual who has gone far above and beyond the call of duty to advocate for all children. When you see her, please give her a big round of applause!
Congratulations to our Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st grade STEM Habit of Mind Hall of Fame Inductees for Listening with Empathy!
STEM teaching and learning is an instructional approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through STEM education practices, students develop key skills including: problem solving, creativity, and critical analysis. We are PROUD to honor our scholars for exhibiting STEM thinking, and we can't wait to celebrate our next group of inductees Friday, February 27th for Being Persistent.
If your scholar is selected, your teacher will reach out to you with ceremony details about the specific date and time for each grade's ceremony. We hope you will join us in celebrating our young innovators!
This week is all about building, testing, and creating! We are thrilled to celebrate National Engineers Week, highlighting the curiosity and problem-solving skills our students bring to their classrooms every day. To cap off the week, we open our doors for a night of hands-on discovery for our 🛠️ Family Engineering Night Friday, February 27 starting at 6:00 PM.
Bring the whole family to experience the Engineering Design Process in action! Each grade level will have an opportunity for you to collaborate with your child to imagine, plan, and create solutions to fun challenges. Whether you are building a shape vehicle or designing an attachment for a Rover it’s all about the "Improve" phase and working together. We can't wait to see our community of innovators under one roof. Let’s build something great together!
Thank you for being such an integral part of our school community. Let’s make 2026 a year of kindness, curiosity, and growth!
Proud to be your principal,
Dr. Tina Garrett
#BeCannonProud ☮️💗🐻
This week, we celebrate National Engineering Week. National Engineering Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. While our Cannon STEM mission drives our work each and every day, this week provides a visible showcase of our core beliefs at Cannon - "...to empower each unique learner so that they become real-world problem solvers, creative innovators, life-long learners, reflective thinkers, and empathetic citizens!" ~ Cannon Mission Statement. We look forward to showcasing all of your visible artifacts that highlight and showcase our design work and the talents of our STEMtastic scholars at our Family Engineering Night this Friday starting at 6:00 pm -- It's our open house - Cannon Style!
The Engineering Design Process
Thinking Like an Engineer: The Design Process
In our classrooms, we aren't just teaching students to find the right answer—we’re teaching them to design better ones. Whether our students are building bridges, coding new apps, or solving real-world community challenges, they use the Engineering Design Process. This isn't just a science tool; it’s a mindset for life. It teaches our students that failure isn't an end point—it’s just a data point!
PreKindergarten
3…2…1… Blast Off!
Join PreK on the launch pad to create a rocket and test launch it! Your engineers and mathematicians will need to decorate their rocket with a pattern and find a way to make their rocket fly.
Aeronautical Engineering
Kindergarten
Shape Vehicles on the Map!
Tanks, submarines, and rockets—oh my! Our Kinder Cubs are becoming civil engineers as they design 3D shape vehicles using recycled materials. How might we create a vehicle for Pete the Cat that demonstrates relative location on a map of Cannon? Let’s get building! 🚀
Civil Engineering
First Grade
Super Who? Super YOU! Can you save the city?
Get ready, young engineers, because it's time to become superheroes of construction in our exciting project, "Super Who? Super YOU! Can Your Creation Save the City?" You'll choose one type of soil—sand, clay, gravel or topsoil—and then build a super strong structure, like a cozy house, busy stadium, or tall tower, using popsicle sticks, straws, model magic, cardboard, tape, and glue! The real test comes when you pour one cup of water over your creation in a basin to see if it can withstand the water flow! Remember, your structure must be shorter than a ruler, so be creative and smart in your building! Are you ready to save the day with your amazing design? Let’s get building! 🌊🦸🏻
Civil Engineering
Second Grade
Will your planter weather the storm?
Second graders and their families will work together as Agricultural Engineers and build a 3D geometric planter that will support their plant’s need for survival during a severe weather storm.
Environmental Engineering and Structural Engineering
Third Grade
Survive the Shake: Can Your Tower Withstand the Forces of Nature?
In this hands-on family STEM challenge, parents and students will work together to design and construct a tower using only toothpicks and marshmallows. Your mission is to create a structure strong, stable, and flexible enough to survive the powerful forces of an earthquake.
Once your tower is built, it’s time for testing! We’ll simulate earthquake shaking to see which designs can stay standing and which ones tumble. Teams will observe, adjust, and redesign as they learn how engineers build structures that can withstand real-world seismic activity.
Will your tower sway or stay strong? Can your family engineer a structure that survives the shake?
Join us to build, test, and see if your tower can beat the quake!
Structural Engineering
Fourth Grade
Paul Bunyan Great Divide
Fourth-grade students and their families will embark on an exciting, hands-on adventure to undo Paul Bunyan’s blunder when we work together to design and construct a sturdy barrier that protects the town. Along the way, they'll brainstorm creative solutions, test prototypes, and celebrate teamwork, engineering skills, and community spirit!
Environmental Engineering
Fifth Grade
Rock’n Rover
Students will take on the role of mechanical engineers to solve a real-world problem by designing an attachment for a rover that can move rocks across the rough terrain of Mars. They will plan, build, and test their ideas while practicing teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving — just like real engineers!
Mechanical Engineering
Art
Now You See It, Now You Don’t!
Have you ever seen color disappear right before your eyes? In this "magical" experiment, we bridge the gap between art and physics! Using just a few household items, students will create a vibrant masterpiece, seal it away, and then watch it vanish into thin air (well, thin water!) using the power of light.
Optical Engineering
PreK-2 Music
The Science of Sound 👂
Discovering Sound Vibrations with a Homemade Kazzoo!
Our junior engineers are diving into the physics of music! We will be investigating how sound travels by constructing homemade Kazoos.
Students will use everyday materials (toilet paper rolls and wax paper) to create a vibrating membrane. Through this hands-on activity, they will learn two key concepts: Vibration: How movement creates sound.
Sound Waves: How that sound travels through the air.
After engineering the build, students will creatively decorate their instruments and participate in a class discussion about how their breath turns into music.
3rd-5th Music
Design a Performance Group
Calling All Future Superstars! 🌟
Get ready to take center stage! In our next Engineering Design Challenge, you and your team will become music moguls. Your mission? To design the ultimate performance group whether that’s a high-energy K-POP group, a gritty Rock band, or something entirely new. You will need to engineer every detail of your group's identity: What genre of music do you play?, What is your signature fashion style?, Who is your target audience?, How will you use your success to give back to local charities? Students will bring their vision to life on a Canva presentation to pitch their new band to families. Let’s get creative! Just like building a bridge, building a band requires working within constraints, identifying a target market, collaborating with a team, and designing a product (the band's image) that meets specific needs.
PE
Heart Association Week - Heart Rate Challenge
In PE, students are combining movement and STEM learning by tracking their heart rate during different physical activities. Using timers, they observe how their heart rate changes with rest, moderate activity, and higher-intensity movement. Students then use this data as part of a STEM design challenge—analyzing results, identifying patterns, and thinking like engineers about how activity level affects the body. This hands-on approach helps students better understand fitness, data collection, and problem-solving in a fun and engaging way.
Biomedical Engineering
Applied STEM
Thrills, Splashes, and Skill: An Engineering Adventure
The Main Attractions
Pre-K & Kindergarten: Making a splash by engineering the ultimate water slide.
1st Grade: Defying gravity with custom-built miniature roller coasters.
2nd Grade: Bringing the midway to life with creative cardboard arcade games.
3rd - 5th Grade: Taking on the role of engineers to solve real-world amusement park challenges.
Families are invited to look at prototypes made by students. Then, you can work together to operate hydraulic loaders to get a firsthand look at the incredible power of fluid dynamics. By using simple levers to move these mechanical arms, you’ll discover how amusement parks use high-pressure systems to manage "the heavy stuff"—from moving track sections during maintenance to the massive force required to launch riders at high speeds.
Mechanical and Structural Engineering
The Book Fair is Returning Feb 23–27!
It’s time to get excited! Our next Book Fair is coming February 23–27, and students will be shopping during their regularly scheduled Specials block as well as on Family Engineering Night!
The Best Way to Shop: Digital Gift Cards
To keep things stress-free, we strongly encourage, but do not require, using online gift cards via literati.com/store instead of sending cash.
No Lost Money: No more worrying about cash falling out of pockets or being misplaced!
Direct Delivery: The gift cards come straight to me digitally, so I’ll have them ready and waiting when your student arrives to shop.
Simple Setup: It only takes a few minutes to connect to our school and set a spending limit.
Counselor’s Corner
Guidance
HONESTY is the character trait we are learning about in February. We are talking about it being truthful in what you say and do. Practicing Honesty helps strengthen our relationships and reduce stress. At home you can discuss the importance of being Honest and work together to create a family Honesty pledge. How can you celebrate HONESTY as a family this month?
Play It Safe - Rescheduled for March 2
We must have your permission in order for your child to participate in this program. Please indicate OPT IN if you would like your child to participate. Parents/guardians must provide an OPT IN or OPT OUT for their child on the form linked below.
Play It Safe Opt-In/Opt-Out Form
Contact Mrs. Coburn
If you would like Mrs. Coburn to contact you or check on your student, you can complete the following link: Request to Talk to Counselor
Please be advised: If you make any changes to your Skyward form for Senate Bill 12 (Counseling Services, Health Services, or Club Participation), you must notify the campus support staff either verbally or via email. The Skyward system does not alert staff of resubmissions, so your communication is necessary to ensure your changes are received.
February 23 - 27 - ⚙️National Engineering Week & Cannon Book Fair
Monday, February 23 - Kids Heart Challenge Begins
Wednesday, February 25 - 💗Wear RED on Wednesdays in February for Heart Health!
Wednesday, February 25 - Progress Report 3 Grades Post in Skyward: Progress Reports will be available in Skyward this week. To view your student’s progress report, please follow the instructions below:
Visit www.GCISD.net and click “Quick Links” at the top of the page
Click the Skyward icon and the “Log In Here” box in the middle of the page
Click “Progress Reports/Report Cards” on the menu to the left
Choose 2025-2026 Report Card 3”
Thursday, February 26 - 📸Spring Pictures; Spring pictures include individual, class, sibling, and special groups including our STEMbassadors, Art Ambassadors, Library Ambassadors, First Lego League, KCAN Crew, Choir, Pirates the Musical Cast & Crew, and Safety Patrol.
Friday, February 27- 🐾Cannon Spirit Gear Friday - Wear your Cub Gear!
Friday, February 27- STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (4th & 5th grade, Art) - Being Persistent
Friday, February 27 - Family Engineering Night - 6:00-7:15; This is our Open House/Showcase night Cannon Style! It is a spectacular opportunity for our families to experience our four core STEM pillars (Curriculum, Culture, Community, & College, Career, Military Readiness) and the engineering design process with your Cub(s)! It's going to be a STEMtastic Night!
March 2-5 - Read Across America Week!
Monday, March 2 - Cannon Campus Excellence Committee Meeting 3:30-4:30 (New Date)
Friday, March 6 - 🕵🏼♀️ Hats Off to Learning! $1 wear a hat - All proceeds go toward reducing field trip costs.
Friday, March 6 -☕ PTA Principal Coffee - 8:30 am Cannon Cafe
Friday, March 6 - STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (2nd & 3rd, Art) - Being Persistent
Saturday, March 7 - Cannon Spirit Night with the Brahmas Hockey Team! See below for more details -
Monday, March 9 - Cannon's Got Talent Show Participation Forms Due; More Information Below-
Monday, March 9 - First Grade Musical Performance: 2:20 Cannon Cafe
March 11 and March 12 - Growth and Development Presentations: Girls (4th/5th) 3/11, Boys (5th) 3/12
Thursday, March 12 - STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (PreK, Kinder, 1st, & Art) -Being Persistent
Friday, March 13 - No School for Students/ Instructional Planning for Staff
March 16-20 🌞Spring Break!
2026 Physics and Engineering Festival
Howdy!
We’re excited to announce the Physics & Engineering Festival on Saturday, March 28, 2026! We are hoping to see you and your students at the Festival for some FREE in-person, hands-on science FUN at the Mitchell Physics Complex at Texas A&M University! Please also share this information with your colleagues, families, and friends.
The 2026 Physics & Engineering Festival will feature:
- The Science Circus: Rhys Thomas blends science, comedy, and circus arts with stunts from bowling ball juggling to six-foot-tall unicycling
Michael E. Fossum ’80 Lecture: “Aggie in space” by NASA astronaut and Vice President of Texas A&M University
Dr. Don Lincoln Lecture: “What keeps me up at night: Unanswered Questions in Fundamental Physics” by Fermilab scientist and author
Sir Konstantin Novoselov Lecture: “Materials for the future” by Nobel Laureate and professor
Over 200 exciting hands-on demonstrations!
If you have any questions, the festival website has:
- the schedule
- information about passenger car and bus parking
- photos and videos from previous festivals
a link for downloading the 2026 festival poster for your classroom
For all festival updates, please follow our social media channels.
We look forward to seeing you and your students at the Festival!
Department of Physics and Astronomy | Outreach
Texas A&M University
Cannon Spirit Night with the Brahmas Hockey Team!
We are thrilled to host a Cannon Spirit Night with the Brahmas Hockey team on March 7. This special evening gives families the chance to enjoy a fast-paced hockey game while giving back to our PTA. With our promo code, tickets are only $10, and $5 from each ticket purchased will be donated back to Cannon PTA. We hope to see our community out in full force, showing school spirit and supporting the programs that make Cannon such a special place. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in making a difference for our students and teachers!
Talent Show & PTA Meeting — Mark Your Calendars! Join us for one of our favorite nights of the year—Cannon’s Annual Talent Show—on March 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM! Our talented students will take the stage to showcase their creativity, confidence, and hard work, and it’s always an evening full of fun and school spirit. More information below..
Before the show begins, we will also hold our General PTA Member Meeting, which will include the election of our new board members for the upcoming year. We encourage all members to arrive early, participate in this important process, and then stay to cheer on our amazing performers. We hope to see you there for a night of leadership, talent, and community celebration!
Do you or someone you know want to be a sponsor?
Cink here -
Extended Learning Expansion Opportunities
GCISD is exploring expanding the Extended Learning program to offer more services and opportunities for students. Your feedback through our Extended Learning Survey will help us design offerings that truly meet the needs and interests of GCISD families through meaningful enrichment opportunities and flexible learning experiences.
Additionally, GCISD is exploring the development of an enrichment program designed to serve homeschool families in the DFW metroplex. Please help us get the word out by sharing this Community Feedback Form with any families you know whose children do not currently attend a GCISD school.
Review the 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct, Parent Handbook
GCISD is having a successful start to the school year! Please help us keep that momentum going by taking a moment to review with your students the 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct and 2025-2026 Student Parent-Handbook, which includes dress code and updates from the 89th Legislative Session.
Cannon Elementary: A GCISD STEM School
Email: tina.garrett@gcisd.net
Website: https://can.gcisd.net/
Location: Cannon Elementary School, West College Street, Grapevine, TX, USA
Phone: 817-251-5680
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cannonSTEM/
Twitter: @canSTEM
Instagram: @CannonSTEM