Makeover Madness: Science Learning Fun

     I'm excited to be joining in the TpT Seller Challenge! I updated my Science Learning Fun unit.

      I had updated the class book covers when I used them this past year. I had also created a couple of more measurement activities I needed to add to the unit.  I also updated the product cover and my preview to include every page of the unit.

     This unit will be on sale through Monday, June 22nd.

Weather Anchor Charts

Science Vocabulary

     Today we played a little game to review science vocabulary. The students were pumped because it was a game, and then I upped the ante by making it boys versus girls. I wrote the vocabulary words on the board. Then I made a table to record our game data (points). I chose and read definitions at random. If they knew the word, they simply stood up. (I had them seated on the carpet.) The first person to stand got to answer. If they got it right, their team earned a point (tally mark). If wrong, I choose a student of the opposite team to answer. If they both got it wrong, I told them the correct word and no one received the point.

Second Grade

Bonus: We recorded our data (points) in a table and discussed how we can record data and observations in pictures, numbers, and words. This was actually a little preview of Thursday's lesson on recording and sharing data. 

First Grade

Science Tools

     First graders wrapped up their lesson on tools by brainstorming and creating a circle map together of science safety tools. We are really focusing on safety tools and practices as we are doing more and more investigations.

     Second graders wrapped up their lesson by brainstorming and classifying tools. My afternoon class noticed that thermometers are a measurement and weather tool. We classified it as a measurement tool, but starred it as a reminder that it's also a weather tool. 

I'm Baaack! And Science Skills

     I'm baaaaack! I know it's been a while and inconsistent, but I'm really hoping to change that. Speaking of change, change has happened for me. Again. This year I'm teaching 1st and 2nd grade science. I have two classes of each grade level. This is my second year to have the students that are in second grade and I love it! They walked in the first day of school, sat down, and knew exactly what to do. And I'm the STAAR testing coordinator along with coordinating our tutoring program. I'm super busy, but totally loving what I do!

     We've been working on Science Skills and using our five senses to make observations. 

    In first grade, we wrapped up our lesson by comparing and contrasting an apple and a marker. 

     In second grade, we wrapped up our lesson by using our five senses to observe an apple. We created a circle map using our observations. 

    I'm so proud of my little scientists and how they are using their science skills! 

Science Learning Fun

     I just completed my Science Learning Fun unit. This unit has a lot of the activities I use at the beginning of the year in first grade science! Included are lesson activities, book suggestions, vocabulary, recording sheets, and vocabulary/content quizzes.

     You purchase this unit from my TpT store here. It is on sale for $5 for the next 24 hours! 

First Grade Scientists

     For the first day of science class, I introduced myself to the students by telling them about my family and showing them a picture, telling them about how big a Crimson Tide fan I am, and reading them one of my favorite children's books Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. We talked about rules and procedures for our classroom. Then we read What is Science? and talked about what scientists do and the different things they explore. I gave each child a 3X3 white square to draw a picture of something they learned from our reading and discussion about scientists and science. Then we created a class circle map together. We talked about their homework assignment and then it was time to change classes. 

Science 1A:

Science 1B:

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.

Living and Nonliving Outside our School

    We went outside in the front of the school where some bushes had been dug up. We used a shovel to scoop our soil in a cup. Then we used hand lenses to look with our partners and identify the living and nonliving components of the soil. 

   
    When we returned to the classroom, we illustrated and labeled the living and nonliving components on a T chart in our science journals.

Plant Needs

    We watched a Discovery Streaming Video about plants and their needs. Then we discussed with our partner what plants need and why.

   
    Then students illustrated and labeled plant needs.

The Moon in the Science Lab

    Mrs. Riggins showed us how the moon reflects the sun light by using a mirror and lamps.

     She also used a balloon and a globe to show how the moon orbits the earth.

   
She also demonstrated the moon phases using a balloon and a lamp.

    We also watched a video about the moon. Then we wrote/illustrated something we learned about the moon in our science journals.

Day and Night

    We read My Day: Morning, Noon, and Night. As we were reading, students showed me thumbs up for day or thumbs down for night for each activity in the story. Then students were given an index card and drew a day or night picture. Then we created a tree map with their drawings.

    We graphed which we liked better day or night and then analyzed our data. We also read Little Quack's Bedtime and discussed what we saw in the sky in the story's illustrations. Then we created a circle map of objects in the night sky using the students' illustrations. We added a frame of reference for our learning around our circle map.

Nature Center 2011

We took a trip to the GPISD Nature Center. The kids were so excited to ride the bus. They were good listeners while Mrs. Hollis gave us directions.

We used hand lenses to examine objects we found. We illustrated what it looked like in our hand and under the hand lens.

We read Life in a Tree and discussed the life we could see in the tree. Then we measured the trunk of the tree using links and then our hands.

 Then we read There Was An Old Who Swallowed a Fly and acted our the story as we read. Then we used hand lens to examine insects. We illustrated an insect and answered questions about our insect.

We read My 5 Senses and then discussed our five senses and how they help us learn about our world. Then we went on a five senses walk in the garden. We illustrated and wrote the things we observed using each of our five senses.