Peek At My Week

Well, another year has successfully started! I am excited about the new and endless possiblilities with my new Encore staff members. We have to PLC with our "specialists" in music, PE, art, science, and library and we have two new ladies that joined our team! How exciting to get to plan new events and share ideas! Here is a peek at my week thanks to Mrs. Laffin's Laughings...



This week in Kindergarten...

Kindergarten in the garden...being scientists!

I am teaching what is science. Really, they do not know. The are so little. We read the book and then went outside in the school garden to observe and be scientists with hand lenses. We shared what we could learn on our chart. With only 30 minutes it goes by quickly.


1st graders...
Are learning what a scientist is. We read Everyone Is A Scientist and shared the power point from Kindergarten, Kindergarten which is a great first start. We also made a web to show what scientists could learn, went out in

the garden to investigate, and then finished with a picture of what we would want to study as a scientist. Next week, being zoologists.

Firsties finding animals in the garden...animal unit to follow next week...

2nd graders...
We started off with learning about air with our FOSS unit so we started talking about science is all around us even if we can't see it. We discussed what scientists do to learn...by asking questions, forming a hypothesis (I think), conducting experiments, making observations, and then coming to a conclusion. We used the FOSS air bags to test how air takes up space and air moves things. We finished off with a balloon send off.

Air is matter. Air takes up space. Air moves things. 

3rd graders...
We started off our year with measurement so that they will be ready for our Earth Materials unit. We started off with a smartboard presentation on measurement in customary standard unit. Then, we worked on why scientists use the metric system. We practiced using a ruler and measuring in cm. We finished off with a sheet from the Science Penguin that shares how scientists use tools that keep them safe, help them observe, and help them measure. We followed that sheet with a decimeter scavenger hunt in our garden.

4th and 5th graders...
We started off with discussing the scientific process and what that would look like now that they are "big" kids at school. We practiced the process by teams working together to save Fred. I got this great idea from Smart Chick on Teachers Pay Teachers. The kids love this! As they finish up they work on the sheet that is included and then the scientific process science notebook sheet. Great start to the new school year!

Saving Fred! Working as a team! Learning the Scientific Process!

Fred just might be saved! 

It has been a great first week so far. Now, if it could stop raining so we can get outside tomorrow...life would be perfect!