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Liquid to Solid...Buttering It Up!

This week, we combined the our FOSS science unit...Solids and Liquids into a fun Farm to School connection! Our 2nd graders learned how to make butter! I first ask the kiddos how milk gets to the store. Then, we show the vimeo video The Milk Maker from the Reading Rainbow found at http://vimeo.com/6240198.  After we watch up to 20 minutes and the cow says "Moo", we stop to work on our sheet that I made.. in my Milk Makers: Let's Make Butter Pack.


This is the poster I made to do a writing project with...How to make butter!


Our Cow Craftity...to add to our recipe writing project!

7-10 minutes is all it takes!
Fresh butter is YUMMY!

Here is all you need to make a liquid into a solid. An udderly fun activity!
Tomorrow...the butter is getting used in our harvest of the month activity...why wheat bread is better for you than white bread...and which tastes better on it...butter or margerine? Stay tuned...

Warning...Be Careful At The Beach

On my last post...I shared a freebie test with you. I am warning you right now...You never know what you can find at the beach... I first marked it wrong...I was shocked...then I realized he was right you can find some really nasty things at the beach...have a good laugh on me!

Sunday Scoop...Out of Commission

Have you ever felt that life has taken you out of commission? For the last four weekends I have NOT slept in my own bed. What we don't do for our children...my youngest daughter...my freshman...is on a traveling volleyball team. We have been to Milwaukee, the Dells, Point, and now my hubby...wanted to go up north to relax....yikes. I really have to get home if you know what I mean. What's for dinner next week is on my mind...my Farm to School Presentation is done...posting my new items when I left my camera at home doesn't help....

 but I have been also too busy getting my daughter's presents ready (I am doing an apartment redo for her boyfriend, and I am throwing in a few surprises for her, too she will be 20 in a week...so it is a double fun treat...time flies!)

 I have been busy making a farm video for my kiddos who will be making butter next week, as we are in the liquids and solids unit! Going to a local farm was amazing! Can't wait to finish it up to share!

I have been busy catching up on laundry and house clean up because of being gone...and not to mention report cards are due this Wednesday.

Sorry...I haven't blogged in two weeks, but funny thing is...I have relaxed on the weekends in a hotel room with my daughter! Catching up, talking, laughing, sharing, watching movies, sitting in the hot tub! This weekend, alone, I have sat on pinterest for hours looking up....random finds. It is good to take a break from school at times, and just breath. Try it sometime. The laundry can wait...

So, here is the scoop...I linked up with  The Teaching Trio for the Sunday Scoop and thought I would get back in the blogging game. I missed it for my two week hiatus.


Have a great last week of January! It is snowball making weather...I think it might be time to build a snowman! 

Beach Week In Wisconsin

It has been a bit cold this last week. We are on a rock unit so... let's visit the beach and learn about how sand is made. Cue the luau music...

Beautiful Hawaiian Beaches for my kiddos to see...

And in the background...the sounds of the beach... lots of great calming seas sounds on youtube!

We make a list of all of the things that you can find or do at the beach. We watch the video and see how close we were. I then talk about sand. I read a great book that really focuses on how sand is made...how it is different colors and why...and how rocks are broken down. This book, and the stations help create a quiz for next week...


I use my sheets from my Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Pack to add to what we are learning about sand.
                           

..as well as this fun sand art project...



Give kiddos some sand and some shells and pretend your at the beach when outside it is -25 degrees and you have instant jubilation! Here is our little art project!

Martin Luther King Jr SCIENCE!

It is another cold day here in Wisconsin and we have only been back for one day so far. We have been off two days due to the cold -40 degree temperature. I have had some time now to create some different and unique science activities that I can't wait to have my teachers use!

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday is a time when we celebrate diversity, resilience, freedom, rights and so much more. What a great opportunity to teach the history...but what about integrating it into science? It should never be a black and white issue...It should be an equality issue. I made some activities based on Dr. King's quotes and integrated it into science lessons based on energy, color, and light...with a spin on black vs. white. Tell me what you think...
Now...more than ever we need to take moments and opportunities to teach about what Martin wanted for all people...

Peace my friends!

Currently...The Science School Yard's Story

Some days...you get to just blog hop...and hop...and hop. Today, is one of those days. YES! I landed upon a fun blog hop and so here it goes...

Art With Jenny K is hosting a What's The Story Behind the Logo hop and it got me thinking...Where did it all start...how did I get here? Lots of self reflecting the first day of 2015.

See below...Farley is hosting a hop...too!

I started checking out science blogs in late 2013. I loved all of the ideas to help me be a better teacher. After 20 years of the regular classroom...I was in a new position as K-5 science teacher and I wanted that passion back. What better way then to force yourself to self reflect and to possibly feel that what you were doing could help yourself and others who might have had no science background...who may put science on the back burner like so many teachers I talked to....who heard from others how boring FOSS could be without extra "fun" stuff to do...

My own children were getting older and I found myself searching desperately to find ways to make extra money besides working until 5:15 teaching after school classes...why not take that creativity that I once had and try to find a way to link it to all of my own K-5 science lessons...finding ways to get my classroom teachers once again excited to teach science was another BIGGIE! Blogging and my store have been a wonderful way to do just that. (I remember first starting out and no one wanted to share their ideas...how refreshing that we have so many talented teachers willing to help each other!)

What to call it...what to call it... Science is FUN...so I thought...I wanted my students and other teachers to find it fun, too! Science words with S's...hmmmm...School Yard! Yes...where kids have fun! Presto...my blog name. On my birthday...in 2014 I got a check from a friend saying that I should use it for my students...little did she know that it would help me, too!

So... I went to Honey Bunch Blog Design with an idea of a playful...fun...colorful blog that would get people wanting to check it out.

After, one full year...and 52 wonderful followers...I always hope that others would see science as a fun playground where kids can learn through hands on exploration. It has certainly made me a better teacher...more creative...and my students are using my products and being successful. I found that PASSION once again. I have been known to want others to feel it, too!

As for the blog...I think it is a great place to share my own thoughts and to have a place to gather what I did and what worked. It is always nice to come back to it!


Would love to get more followers in 2015. Come join me at the Science School Yard! Currently...though....I am connecting with Farley Over At Oh' Boy 4th Grade...told you I was a hoppin' today...


I have been reading how many of you have had your college or grown up children home...it is wonderful! I digress... Okay...so today's list is...blog hop...blog hop....okay...so I really need to figure out what I am doing next week...I have some ideas, but laying around is kinda fun! I am presenting at the Farm to School Conference for the state of Wisconsin...I love to share what we do in our school garden. Take a look at a recent post to see what I am presenting...I maybe...REALLY HOPE to reach 100 followers...please help me:) But I really wish to take my family on a vacation...I first have to pay off the credit card bill...we shall see???

Happy Currently! Hop...Hop...

Happ"BEE" New Year!

Okay...so in my last post I was telling you how I am already planning for the next planting season...right?!! I know...I know... I live here in Wisconsin and I will be lucky if I can start planting outdoors by April, but...I am growing microgreens with students inside in January...with whoever wants to plant with me at recess...I will have a TON o' kids...who wants to be outdoors when it is too cold! Not me!

Well, I got so excited about some of my new book purchases that I had to create a bee unit for this school year...in and out of the garden. Where would our garden be without the bees?

SO...Happ"Bee" New Year...Here is a FREE"BEE" for you!
You can find  the FREE"BEE" HEREor at my Science School Yard TPT Store!
"BEE" Happy, my friends!

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