Science Experiment: Blubber Glove

We studied the ocean habitat this week.  We learned that some ocean animals have a thick layer of fat called blubber which helps keep them warm.  For this experiment, students put one bagged hand in a bag of Crisco and squished the Crisco around to cover their hand.  They put the other hand in a plain bag.  They then put both hands in a container of ice water.  I asked them to observe the difference between the temperature of their two hands.  The hand in the Crisco was not as cold as the other hand.  Prior to the experiment I did not tell students why they were putting their hand in Crisco.  I did read them the ingredients in Crisco, the first one is meat fats.  After putting their hands in water, I asked students to connect the experiment to ocean animals.  They concluded that the Crisco acted like blubber and insulated their hands.  We got messy and had fun in the process.  Here are some pictures.  I have cute videos of the kids talking about what they learned, but....they are side ways and I haven't figured out how to turn them!

I love Jozey's face in this picture!

Conferences

This year I had 100% of my students represented at parent-teacher conferences.  This is a milestone I always strive for, but rarely reach.  Thank you for caring about your child's education.  I appreciate your time and enjoyed talking to each of you.

This is what my living room looked like as I prepared for parent teacher conferences.  Organized chaos!!

Halloween Party

We had a very fun Halloween party.  Thanks to Mrs. Norton for planning the mummy game!

Red Ribbon Week

This week we are celebrating Red Ribbon Week to raise awareness about the importance of drug prevention.  On Monday, students wore red to show that they are "Red-y" to Say No to Drugs.

We wore silly socks to show we were going to "sock it" to drugs.

I had a student take this picture :-)

Subtracting Two Digit Numbers

Students designed posters to explain how to subtract two digit numbers.  I love seeing how their minds work.  Each of the posters below is different, but each is also correct.  All students did a great job with this project.  It also served as a great assessment for me.  I believe if students can explain the steps to two digit subtraction, they truly understand.

Frogs and Toads

This week students read a non fiction text about frogs and toads.  Students independently wrote down three important details from the reading.  Students shared their important details and as they shared, I compiled a master list.  I think they did a great job of identifying just the most important details.  Here is their list:

• Male frogs use throat pouches to make their sounds.  Male frogs sing to attract mates.
• Frogs can make an amazing amount of noise.
• Frogs leap very, very far.
• Frogs have webbed feet.  Toads don't.
• Frogs can breathe under water.  They breathe through their skin.
• Frogs and toads have jelly covered eggs.
• Baby frogs are called tadpoles.
• Frogs are related to salamanders and newts.   The family is called amphibians.
• As tadpoles turn into frogs, the gills disappear.  They grow lungs.  The frogs can breathe air.
• Frogs live on land and water.
• Frogs have smooth and slimy skin.  Toads have dry and bumpy skin.
• Frogs and toads lay their eggs in the water. Frogs lay their eggs in groups.  Toads lay their eggs in chains.
• There are 5,000 kinds of frogs and toads.
• Frogs catch bugs with their long, sticky tongue.
• Frogs are eaten by other animals like birds, bats and snakes.
• Frogs live in wet places.  Toads live in dry places.
• Frogs have nostrils on top of their head.
• The tomato frog puffs up or leaks liquid if a snake is nearby.

Autumn Acrostic Poems

These poems were just a quick activity that students worked on while I did some one on one work with other students.  I was so impressed with their creativity that I decided to share them to the blog. I am only sharing the poems of students who gave permission, but all of the students did a great job. 

Sequencing and Adding with Regrouping

Just a few pictures from our week.  After reading Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type students cut out a scrambled list of events and put them in the correct order.  We also started learning how to regroup when adding.  We used base ten blocks to help illustrate this concept.

Our first experience with Chromebooks!

We read two different texts (one autobiography and one realistic fiction) about characters who faced a challenge and were able to overcome it.  Students then wrote about a challenge they have successfully tackled in their own lives.  It was our first exposure to narrative writing and our first exposure to Chromebooks.  Many thanks to Mrs. Buchanan for providing an extra set of hands for the first hour of our Chromebook experience.  It was so helpful!  The paragraphs below reflect several hours of work by the students over several days -- brainstorming, writing a first draft, revising and publishing.

  

Soccer  

by Brenden

I like to play  soccer it’s fun but i have a slight problem I keep missing the ball.  I don't know why. The next day  I felt like a joke. No matter how hard i tried I couldn't make a goal I made my team lose. I felt like i was going to cry so I went home and went to sleep. The next day I kicked the ball into the goal cheers i felt happy. So I've loved soccer ever since.

Soccer

Soccer used to be hard for me.  I could not kick very well and I kicked it with my toe.  I   kick  practiced in my yard.  I got better and my brother said   to  kick  with  the  side  of  my  foot.Then  I  got  it  . I  kicked  with  the  side  of  my  foot  and  kick  it  far. Now  playing  soccer  is  fun.

by Chloee.

Riding a Bike

Riding a bike used to be hard for me. I keep crashing when my dad let go. When I keep practicing I got better at it. It is easy for me now.

Lawrence

Softball

Softball used to be hard for me.  I got better every practaice because my coach helped me. The first time I tried I only got to first base.The second timeI got to second base. The  third time I got to third base. Now you know softball can be hard.

 by Macy

Soccer

Soccer was a hard sport for me when I started. Now let me tell you how I got better at soccer.I went to practice. I payed attention. My coach helped me. We practiced dribbling the ball, passing the ball,getting it in the net.The next step was I got my own ball. I practiced at home with it. Then I with it. Then I got soccer shoes. They put good  arch support. I had my mom help me,but most important I never gave up I had confidence, I believed in myself. If something is hard for you just keep trying.

By Aidyn

Riding a Bike

   A long time ago I  didn't  know how  to  ride  a  bike. I  used  to  fall   off  my  two   wheeled  bike.  I     used  to   fall   off   and  scrape  my  arm  or  elbow.  I  ran  in  the  house  crying . My   dad  helped  me.  Now  riding  a   bike  is  fun.     

by   Jozey           

Riding a bike

The first  time I kept on falling but Tina  was right behinehnd me. Some  time’s  I ride  down  to  my  grandma’s and  back. My  mom  helqed me  learn to ride my bike but I am  stil   wroking on it. Now riding my  bike  is fun.

By Madi

Riding a Bike

I was scared to ride a bike without training wheels.I got better at it because mom helped me. I tried it in the grass so it would be safer. Now I'm better at it .I love to ride a bike.

David

Softball

Softball used  to  be  hard  for  me .The  first time I tried to do  softball I could not hit the ball. I got frustrated . My mom and dad got me a bat to practice and the colors was red and black and blue. I like that it is cool colors . My bat  has a cracked in it  but it still works. I use it a lot because I  play with my mom and two sisters were on a team . Dad and I won it was 11 to 17 and I hit it and got a home run and I was proud . Now softball is fun !

By Madelyn

Riding a Bike

Riding a bike used to be really hard . Every time I fell over.I kept trying and trying and I kept falling over and over.My grandma pushed me a couple times and I could only go acrosed one road.The last push I made it over one road.Then we went to the park with the basket ball hoops.Then I got to ride by my self with no one pushing me.I actually did it I can turn I can ride it.It was awsome.Now riding a bike is fun.

By Chris

Riding a Bike

It was a little hard at first trying to rid my bike . Soon I  got better at it.  Soon I did it.

Caleb

Tumbling

Tumbling used to be hard for me. At first when my mom signed me up for tumbling I  didn't get what to do. But I still kept on trying the hardest that i could do . The next day I came in and I got even better . I was very proud of my self .Then the next day I came in I tried to do a handstand and I did it .I was very happy too. The teacher was proud too.  Now tumbling is fun!

By Ella

Riding a bike

I was bad at riding my bike. So I practiced but I fell off. So I up and rode my small bike. But the next day I got on again and I pushed and pushed and I got it! Now I ride my bike everyday. It is fun!

by Nevaeh

Basketball

Basket ball used to be hard for me. So I practiced dribbling and shooting every day. Some times I practiced outside.Every day I tried something new.I tried shooting different ways I kept on trying and trying and now basketball is very easy. by Eli

Riding A Bike

At first it was hard to ride a bike. Then I got better and better.Then my mom let go and I didn’t know how to ride a bike. I was so happy then I was not the only one who knew how to ride a bike. And my friends were happy.

Jacob

Coming Up....

Check back soon for some writing samples.  We are typing them on Monday and they will be posted here some time next week!

Arrays

We are working on number patterns and equal groups in math.  Arrays show equal groups in rows and columns.  To explore this new idea, we made edible arrays using skittles.  Of course, we had to eat the skittles after the lesson was over!

Missing Addends

Today we learned how to find missing addends.  Students have a variety of strategies to use:

• draw a picture
• use counters
• start at the known addend and count to the sum
• use a related subtraction fact

We played an unknown addend game to practice.  You can play at home -- you only need three people and a deck of cards.  Ask your second grader for the directions!

Very busy!

We have been so busy each day that we have not had time for students to write their own blog posts.  Once we become more comfortable with routines and procedures, we will have more time to fit everything in each day! Here are a few highlights of the past two weeks:

• We are reading and writing about pets.
• We are focusing on addition and subtraction strategies in math.
• We have practiced sorting complete and incomplete sentences.

First Day - In Students' Words

We learned a new game.  We were writing on an owl page.  We did a word search.  We did a name game.  We had recess.  

The Room is Ready

I enjoy spending time in the classroom each summer getting it ready for my students. 

I painted the book cases (they used to be red and brown) to make them look a little nicer.

We have so many good books to read!

Informational bulletin board: calendar, birthdays, jobs, procedures....

It is my first year of matching tables, too!

This is the bulletin board by the door.

And our hallway decorations -- just lacking student work

Inservice Day 2

We learned some new strategies for teaching opinion writing today.  Mrs. Hernan, Miss Ricca and I also finished our lesson plans for next week.  I have tomorrow off, and then I finally get to meet my students on Thursday.  

T Minus 2 days.

Today was our first day of inservice.  It was fun to see all of the other teachers again.  We had a lot of meetings! I have one more work day and one day off before students come on Thursday.  I am anxiously awaiting their arrival.