Welcome Back!

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is May 1st!  Where has time gone?  I hope that everyone had a fun and restful break.  This morning I introduced a new app: Scratch Jr., which is new to me.  It is an introduction to programming that allows students to create their own interactive stories.  Here is some more information (best part it is FREE :)

I also read the book The Secret Pool  and we learned more about vernal pools and the creatures that call vernal pools home.  One thing we found very interesting was that frogs become "frogsicles" in the winter.  A frog's body freezes on the outside but a special sugary substance they produce called glycol prevents their bodies from completely freezing even though their hearts stop beating and lungs stop breathing until warmer temperatures arrive.  

Vernal Pools

Before going to the woods this morning we gathered in Mrs. Slack's classroom to learn about vernal pools. 

We immediately saw that vernal pools had formed in the woods and many students found salamanders!  I took some photos and when we returned to the classroom we did some shared writing about what we learned and saw.

Decomposing Numbers

In Math we have been working on decomposing numbers, or finding the parts when given a whole.  Today we worked with the number 8.  Students were asked to draw a row of 8 crackers and then come up with different ways to share with a friend and fill it in on a number bond some combinations were:

8=1+7
8=2+6
8=3+5
8=4+4

In writing we looked a chart to remember how to add lots of details to illustrations and to write a sentence that matches the illustration.

Our read aloud was Fly, Butterfly which a student brought in to share since we have been studying insects.  We learned how a caterpillar hatches out of an egg, forms a chrysalis and then turns into a butterfly.  We also learned that thousands of monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico each winter and that we can help make sure butterflies have food by planting milkweed and brightly colored flowers.

Entomologists at Work!

Did you know that an entomologist is a scientist who studies insects?  We have started reading books about insects so we are all entomologists.  We read the book Are you an Ant?  and learned that all insects have 6 legs, two antennae or feelers, and three body parts.  Some insects have wings.  We will be studying ants, caterpillars, bees and dragonflies over the next several weeks.  Hopefully it warms up so we can observe these creatures outside in the woods and playground!  We also used special "bug goggles" to see how an insect would see.  Insects have compound eyes which means that they can see forward, backward and side to side.

A Worm's Eye View

This morning we welcomed a visitor, Steve Rahm, from Horace Mann into our classroom.  Horace Mann generously supported a project I submitted on Donors Choose for a new easel and big books for the classroom.  Steve came for a visit and read a big book and spent some time in the classroom!

During Math we played the game "snap" with a partner.  One partner holds a tower of 5 cubes (or any number) while the other partner closes his or her eyes.  The first partner snaps the cube tower and puts some behind his or her back.  When they say "snap" the second partner opens his or her eyes and has to say how many of the 5 cubes are hiding.  This game was a hit and also builds understanding of parts and wholes.

This afternoon we had a special visit from our 5th grade buddies who came to help with a special "worm's eye view" art project.  We have been studying worms and read the book In the Tall Tall Grass.  We used this book as a launching point to discussing what the world must look like from down below as a worm.

Worm or Caterpillar?

Last week we read Bob and Otto.  One day, Bob (a caterpillar) looks up into the tree and decides he needs to climb. Otto (an earthworm) stays below, digging in the soil.  Bob eventually turns into a butterfly.  Today we voted on whether we would rather be a worm or caterpillar.  Caterpillar won 13 to 2.  There has been a lot of work on our mural with the addition of more worm tunnels, worms, speech bubbles, carrots and flowers.

In Math we have been talking a lot about addition.  I showed a new app "Subitize Tree" which was a big hit!  Students are using strategies such as counting on to quickly see how many. 

How can you knock down a wall made of concrete?

Today we continued our science unit about forces. Our key idea is that by playing with and thinking about forces, people can accomplish surprisingly big things. For example, this week we solved the mystery, “How can you knock down a wall made of concrete?”  We watched a video showing the Berlin Wall and discussed how if explosives were used to tear it down it could have damaged other buildings.  We then watched some videos of wrecking balls and then students did an activity where they investigated what happened to a “wall” made of cups when they changed the strength and direction of a paper wrecking ball.  Students worked in small groups to make a wrecking ball and were challenged to knock down the "wall" of cups without knocking down the "houses."  It was amazing to hear the language students were using and having them problem solve how to knock down the cups.