Zoo Animal Research and Alligator Pie

 We've recently studied zoo animals. We used a different thinking map each day to organize our learning before we wrote. Students created a mini book with one page on a different animal each day. At the end of the week we made alligator pie-they thought it was yumo!

Direct Comparisons with Weight

    We began by watching a short video about measurement and the students coming up with a definition for weight. Then students took a marker and found objects in the classroom they thought were heavier, lighter, or the same as. We began by just holding one object in each hand and making comparison using heavier, lighter, or the same as. Then the next day, we got out the balance scales and discussed the purpose of the scale. This time each student choose 1 item from the classroom. At their tables they decided which two objects, they would hold and share their prediction. Then they put them on the scale to see if they were correct. Then they repeated with the last two. They recorded the actual results in their math journal. Then they switched objects with a different table. 

Direct Comparisons with Length

    We began by watching a Number Crew video about length and came up with our kid friendly definition of length. Then we used Twizzlers to make comparisons. We found items longer/shorter/the same as our Twizzler. We also ordered our Twizzlers by length at our tables.

    We read Jack and the Beanstalk. Then we drew beanstalks, cut them out and made comparisons with our partner. Students used comparative language to describe their beanstalks with their partners.

   
We read Arthur's Pet Business and then used our stuffed pets from home to compare length with our partner's.

We also made comparisons by finding things around our classroom that were longer, shorter, or the same as our foot after we read How Big is a Foot?.

 
Here is our anchor chart we worked all week to create.

Pet Research

   We've been working on research-identifying a topic, asking questions, making a plan, and recording facts. Here is our class chart we made for research. Then we wrote what we learned about dogs and created a dog to glue our facts on. We practiced this process using cats and birds. We brainstormed pets before we began our research. Then students voted for the one they wanted to research. We researched the top 3. Birds were the 3rd pick, cats the 2nd. We finished with dogs since it was the one most students were interested in learning about. 

Teachers can find these activities and more in my Pets Learning Fun unit.

Wordless Wednesday: Animal Classification in the Science Lab

Big Balloon Canyon

 The students had so much fun learning about weathering and erosion during the big balloon canyon demonstration. They loved looking for fossils inside the balloon.

Going Buggy!

   We read Step by Step and created repeating patterns in whole and small group. Then we created and labeled our own patterns.

    We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and created positional patterns in whole group and with partners. Then students "pinky" painted and labeled their own positional patterns.

    We used party blowers to experience how a butterfly proboscis uncurls to drink and then curls back when they are finished. We also used straws to sip nectar (sugar water) like butterflies. Then students completed a response sheet about our activity.

    *We read Are You an Ant? and students played an Ants in my Pants addition partner game and recorded addition sentences in their Ants in my Pants book.

    *We used prisms to experience an insect's compound eyes. Then we recorded what insects see and created a chart to compare what we see with what an ant sees.

    We learned about different insects and created bubble maps to record what we have learned.

    *Students played a partner word wall word game.

    We created a vocabulary insect chart for students to use when they were writing. Students choose most of the words for our chart themselves.

    *Student used pattern blocks to create an insect. Then they graphed the pattern blocks they used and wrote about their insects. Then solved and told addition stories using the blocks in their insect creations.

    Students choose an insect to illustrate and write about.

   

    After learning about ants and bees. We created a double bubble map to compare and contrast them. Students illustrated a bee or ant and labeled the parts of the insect on their drawings.

    We learned about the parts of an insect and created an anchor chart. Then we used snacks to create an insect. Students then illustrated and wrote about their insect. Partner's checked each other's creations to make sure they had all their parts.

   For teachers:
      *Activities are from Deanna Jump's insect unit.
     The rest can be found in my Insect Learning Fun unit.