Invitations for Winged Neighbors and Passersby

Science and social studies are the last subjects explored each day, and Friday afternoon's guest lesson was a treat (for kids and pollinators alike). Stacy Smith recruited our class to finish planting a variety of flora made available through a Monarchs Across America grant.

The following list of species planted so far comes from Stacy's blog that chronicles the development the garden. The names are a lot of fun to read...

Butterfly Weed
Whorled Leaf Coreopsis
Smooth Beardtongue
Ohio Spiderwort
Wild White Indigo
Wild Yellow Indigo
Rattlesnake Master
White Top Solidago
Stiff-leaved Aster
Seashore Mallow
Passion Vine
Downy Goldenrod
Parsley
Joe Pye Weed
Phlox
Copper Fennel
Dogwood
Buckeye
Milkweed
Iris
Trumpet Honeysuckle

Carolina Jessamine

Click here to drop by the blog, and discover more about efforts to provide winged neighbors and passersby a nice place to visit. Thanks Stacy!

Week 8 Wrap-Up

The soil and fossils unit ended this week, and the fossil models are still drying in the window.  We coated seashells in petroleum jelly, then pressed them into Play Doh.  Next, glue was poured into the mold.  When dry, they will become casts of the shells.

The screenshot above was taken during the spinner activity following the weekly spelling test.  Evelyn's colorful illustration represents the word "wheat."  She tied science to her creation with the three layers of soil: bedrock, subsoil, and topsoil.  To read more about the role of creative expression and multiple intelligences in our classroom, click here.

Pokemon cards created for "subtraction battle" were the highlight last week.  First, everyone created a character with two attacks, ranging from "Fly Fu," to "Cutie Lazer."  Next, chance determined the health points and attack strength as they rolled dice for place values and digits.  Vying for intergalactic domination (and subtracting while regrouping), Thursday and Friday's competitions were action-packed.  To create your own, click and print the graphic organizer below.

This week during writing, sensory details were the focus.  Above, a blindfolded Katie Sue provides adjectives to describe a mouthful of cereal.  Siena's a brave soul.  After warnings, she volunteered to describe the taste of wasabi peas!  During snack, everyone sampled the fire. 

Next week marks the end of the first quarter, so look for parent-teacher conference forms in Monday folders.  Click the content tabs at the top of the homepage to see what's in store for the second quarter.  

Thanks again to all the families who made it to Friday's parent breakfast.  Make the most of a perfectly fall weekend!

Week 6 Wrap-Up

Storyboards became rough drafts this week, while addition stepped aside for subtraction. In science, rocks and minerals gave way to soils.

Friday morning, during an outdoor read-aloud focused on making connections to literature, Selina's aesthetic eye was first to catch a hidden image in an illustration of clouds.  At once, everyone looked skyward and spent the next few minutes making "text-to-cloud connections."