Wordless Wednesday...The Magic of Magnets freebie

Teaching isn't always magical. Each lesson doesn't always spark our little kiddos and get them in awe of learning, but...this week...this week...I saw magic...awe...excitement!!!! All due to a magnet. My little kinders are learning push and pull so I decided to add magnetism to the mix.

I showed them two magnets that pull toward each other or attracted. We did hand motions and the whole bit. The first time they saw the power of magnetism they were in sheer awe. Then, I showed how magnets repel or push away. Again squeals of excitement. It was the magic of magnets. After repeating and explaining what the magnets were doing with scientific explanation, I gave them some magnet balls and let them "play".  I walked around to see the thrill of learning and was explained countless times how they push and pull or attract and repel.

Here is a Magnet Freebie For Kinders for you!

We don't do that too much in our busy, focused day...but I love science was said a bunch of times and the hugs I got when they left made a tear come to my eye.

                                                   Magic!

What science activity do you do that gets kids excited?I am linking up with Sugar and Spice. Check out Miss DeCarbo's Site for other great pics and blogs.  So, stop on over and check out some other great pictures that say it all!

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Black Friday Wishlists

I've been making a list and checking it twice and I have been a bit naughty, much also very nice. I am really excited to link up with The Primary Pack for their BLACK Friday  Linky Party and giveaway! I did put together a wishlist of my own that I may purchase on BLACK Friday! Here are some ideas for your Black Friday Shopping...See anything that you like? Check out my store at The Science School Yard TPT Store.

Things on my wishlist...clipart, science, and melonheadz!

Check out my store for some great Black Friday Deals at The Science School Yard TPT Store!

         Don't forget to enter The Primary Pack's Giveaway HERE!

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Sunday Scoop...Widow Weekend!

It's Sunday again and I am enjoying some alone time. One daughter is at work, while the other is at volleyball. My boys are hunting...so I have time to blog, create, and post. Thanks to our blogger friends at Teaching Trio we can share the scoop with each other. Here's my Sunday Scoop!

We have a two day week this week and I am so excited to have some much needed time off! And with all of my kiddos under my roof again...I AM SOOO excited!!!! I also love pumpkin and pecan pie, green bean casserole, and fresh cranberry sauce!  Okay...turkey too, but the other stuff makes it. I almost hit a turkey today as I was driving in the fog...could have been a "free bird"! Cue the music.

So, the Sunday scoop on the deer hunters...they saw 7 bucks and 3 does and a bear on the deer cam before hunting season...ZERO deer while actually hunting. Boo hoo. Still one more week though.

Christmas is coming and I swore this year, no gifts on credit cards...trying to get that puppy down. Not sure if I can do it...but I certainly will try. Well, back to my creations! I want to finish my Water pack this week for my kiddos.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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FOSS...Matters

We use FOSS in our district as our core means to teach science. It is now time to switch over many of my boxes and kits to new ones. One of the kits that I (let's just say...don't care for as much) try hard to love is Solids and Liquids for our 2nd graders. Beans and seeds everywhere, words they don't ever remember...

I needed to work on each grade level...for my PPG/SLO...or I might be SOL. I was under a ton of pressure...(put there by myself)...to finish  a new pack for my second graders by...

Next week! I did it! And I kind of am excited about the fun that will be had with FOSS as the basis. I made a lapbook for them to study...and fun connections for my classroom teachers to do. I only get them once a week:( Here is what I am starting next week!

FOSS Lapbook connections will help my 2nd Graders with Vocabulary

We took the test today and I previewed the packet with them...they are SO excited!

Check this pack out at The Science School Yard's TPT Store! Don't forget...everything this Saturday and Sunday is 20% off!

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Wordless Wednesday...Ice Crystals

                     Okay...so this might sound silly, but...

I hate winter and cold weather and indoor recess! Sounds bad coming from someone who lives in Wisconsin, but I do have to admit that when I was driving with my daughter this weekend...the trees, bushes, grasses...everything was covered in crystally ice. It was pretty breathtakingly beautiful!

Wordless Wednesday...the crystals in the sun were amazingly beautiful! Coming from someone who hates the cold...

As for the type of writing I teach...as a science teacher...informative using Great Short Answer and science notebooks.

                 Today, I am linking up with Sugar and Spice. Check out Miss DeCarbo's Site for other great pics and blogs.

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Weather Vocabulary

Ok...once again I find myself needing to work on bringing science vocabulary into the regular ed. classroom. Our second graders are finishing up their weather unit and so I figure...

hang some vocabulary posters up...let them see those words...let them see the pictures...let them learn to study...

My hopes are high...So here is a freebie for you...just a few weather posters showing weather tools...

Weather Tools Freebie

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Sunday Scoop!

I have a few minutes today to actually blog!!!! I am so excited to read about everyone's week! From dress shopping on one scoop, to laundry on another...

I wish you all well! It has been a busy week at the Heinrich household! My daughter...15 years and counting, tried out Saturday for a traveling winter volleyball team and she made it! Yes!

My son...12...is going hunting with dad this next weekend for the first time and let's just say the deer cam picked up deer for the first time in three years. The boys are excited! So are we! Venison??? Just maybe!

He likes apples...so does the 8 pointer who visited this week! 

19 year old is organizing an event with her land and urban development club to help the city of Mankato! I love to hear her scoop on her week.

17 year old is busy getting ready to interview for a seasonal job...then take a CNA course at our local technical college as she attends high school. Tackling big scoops...

Still have a ton of apples...so today is apple fritter...apple pie filling day!!! I have been freezing everything for the long winter ahead! But here's the scoop...from the Teaching Trio. Love seeing what everyone is up to...

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Variable Vocabulary

I don't know about you, but...I have to work on an SLO and PPG. For my PPG...proving that what I am doing is data driven and proven to improve all test scores...realistic??? Maybe, not, but I am going to die trying. My professional goal is to increase my students' vocabulary to increase knowledge...and hopefully their test scores. I am starting with a few grades...first my fifth graders.

We are finishing up on our variable FOSS unit so I created a quizlet...check it out for your students by clicking on the link! I am also creating vocabulary question cards based on vocabulary and questions for our FOSS assessment. We then are graphing our progress.

These activities are being used with our before school and after school homework help program. I sure hope I see growth. I have also been using google forms and flubaroo to grade the formative tests I am giving. It grades the tests within a minute and prints out percentages, graphs, and color codes it. Great for my SLO or student learning objective. After 23 years, more hoops, but with vocabulary building...hopefully come success. Here is my vocabulary activity my kids have in their 5th grade classrooms. They seem to be getting it and its fun with QR codes!

I can't wait to see how it helps their test scores. We shall see next week! In the meantime, stop on by my store and check out this and other products at The Science School Yard TPT Store.

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Students at our school last week voted for their favorite kind of apple...store bought red delicious or farm fresh from a local orchard,  Helene's,  and the winner is....

Voting day!

Apple one...or apple two????

The winner is fresh picked! 81 for store bought and 161 for fresh picked! Way to exercise your right to vote Jefferson Jaguars! This is another great way to add some Farm to School Activities to your school day! Make it relevant...let kids have a voice in what goes into their lunchroom!

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Rock On! Three Types of Rock...and Light it Up!Fi

There are three types of rocks in geology...igneous...metamorphic...and sedimentary! Sing it folks...

Great song to get kids flowing...I mean going!

Onto the book of the week for rocks...

What a great book for explaining the 3 types of rocks!

Now...onto the hands on part...I got this idea form Momma Owl's Lab. This is the easiest one for me to do five times. Crayons I have! This is just one of the grade level lessons of the week...

Next grade level FOSS fun...Let's see how electricity works...starting with this short, educational video...

Finding electricity conductors and insulators is a fun FOSS activity...but what can we do the rest of the time???? How about this website... BBC Conductors and Insulators Practice and... this great free worksheet...Conductors and Insulators Worksheet. Gotta keep planning...Have a great Wednesday.

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November....Currently! Turkey Time!

Wow...November already. Time for turkeys...time for a bit of a break...time to think about Christmas present lists...time for finishing quarter 1's report cards. Thanks again to Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for hosting this blog! Also...a big Thank You to Apple For The Teacher for sponsoring this month's linky!

October...the month of a very bad virus on my computer and in our house. I have been a sick for almost three weeks...yuck! I am finally able to breath through my nose and talk in class without coughing. Onto my computer virus...oh...my...gosh...it was ugly! A java upgrade virus. It took countless tries to add an anti-virus...last night was a success!

Back on track...I can finally use TPT without a gazillion popups! It is amazing! I am behind on my goals for this month...but I have an hour drive up to our cottage to clean the boats. So...

I am using every ounce of time to work on some new "stuff".

Listening...to someone in the shower means...no more quiet time in the house and...we will have to leave soon to drive up north. No Packer game today...

Loving...that the virus in me and on my computer are clearing up!

Thinking...now I need to really focus on my new products and fixing up an old one...one of my first, YIKES...it needs some help!

Needing...(I wanted to write...a new governor!) Tuesday is voting day. I already voted! But I also need to start working on Christmas lists so that I don't have to put anything on the credit card. One can hope!

Reading...magazines because I haven't had much time to read a good book...but I am writing down your titles...fellow teachers and maybe I can catch up on one this break. I have read some great picture books with my kiddos this week though...Going On A Bear Hunt...Three Billy Goats Gruff...Bird Beaks...The Cloud Book...

Happy November...my friends!

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