A Sour Taste in Science...

Yep...friends! Science can leave a sour taste...because of lemonade that is!!! Especially if the recipe is too concentrated with lemon juice or too diluted! This lesson is one I use for many reasons...

1. A wrap up for our FOSS Mixtures and Solutions vocabulary review...
2. A fun way to connect what we learned with Kool Aide and create a way for my students to make their own recipe using math measurements!
3. Connecting reading into my science classroom!
4. Letting my students be facilitators of their learning!
5. A way to assess vocabulary and still have fun!

I have created a freebie for you...everything you will need to make this marvelous story come to life and make science simple! The kids will find that even though it might be sour...science sure is sweet!

George's Marvelous Medicine Freebie HERE

Science is marvelous!

Sunday Scoop

Well, Hello Sunday! It has been wonderful to just relax and spend some time at the cottage...regrouping!

A shot from inside...looking out...oh how I miss that summer swinging! 

 Lots of germs at school and a sick child of my own...but our house is on the mend. That is why it is so nice to get away!  It sure is nice to connect with the Teaching Trio for a fun filled linky.

Here is the Sunday Scoop...Science School Yard Style!

Here's the scoop...












I was at a volleyball tournament and I was so wanting to finish some products when a volleyball landed right on my screen. All of my work...can only be worked on through a TV monitor. I need to buy a new computer...right now I am on my school computer which is a MAC. Not a fan. Any suggestions?

I love seeing how people decorate their rooms to set the stage to engage. In first grade, we are working on our FOSS balance and motion kit. I want to always make it a bit more fun so we use the circus theme to add to our balance activities. So, with balancing crayfish and balancing semi circles...which we incorporate Mirette and The Tight Rope to make the shapes mean something (Mirette is the triangle it looks like a skirt, and Bellini is the semi-circle...it makes it more interesting). Next week however, we are performing some circus acts for their teachers to show them what balance means. Tightrope walking, folder balancing, magic pencils, and more! I will be wearing a clown costume and a top hat...We have elephants...bears...and lions! Oh my!

I am planning for next week's fifth grade lesson and guess what, my lesson from last hear is on my broken computer. I will have to find a way to project it on the TV when my husband isn't watching it. I will find it...I will!

I was told by my two college kiddos that I don't send enough care packages...so I am bound and determined to send a card and goodies! I have to get that ready this week to make sure it gets there by Valentine's Day! Speaking of Valentine's Day...

STEM Valentine's Day Stations!(HERE)! I am getting them all ready for my little sweethearts. 

My...My...does time fly! My oldest daughter will be 21 on the 7th and we are headed to Minneapolis to meet her for a bit of shopping at the Mall of America then onto Mankato for birthday fun! She babysits for some cuties and we are throwing a Princess Party in the hotel!

I am really looking forward to seeing her and celebrating her milestone!

Happy Sunday and have a great week everyone!

We LAVA Science!

For the next two days...check out my TPT STORE for 28% off of EVERYTHING! Don't forget to use Code: Start16 at the check out! Time to be inspired to add some science into your school day!

Here is some motivation...We finished up our rock unit...FOSS Pebbles, Sand, and Silt with volcanoes. We focused on labeling our pictures just like non-fiction books...learning to listen for facts from our non-fiction books....and to connect volcanoes to rocks. Rocks are made because of volcanoes such as basalt, obsidian, and pumice. We learned the difference between lava and magma...and that a volcanologist is a scientist who studies volcanoes! Check out our simple science lesson!

1. We wrote what we already know about volcanoes...
2. We read a fun volcano story and tied it into our pop up book (EPIC books...Volcanoes)

A look at the book we use with our EPIC book...and what you would need to make science simple. 

3. I give them a sticky note to write one thing they learned about volcanoes to add to our chart...

Teaching kiddos text features and writing non-fiction is a great way to tie in language arts into science!

4. On trays...while my students are watching the short Pixar Film, Lava, I set out a tray with two cups...one with baking soda and soap...and one with red dyed vinegar.

Here is the cute...and I mean cute...video...

5. We then talk about the difference between magma and lava. Then...one...two...three...we erupt a volcano!

Volcano fun! Easy clean up, too!

6. Finally, we watch a real volcano erupt and follow it up with drawing and labeling a volcano which we add to our bulletin board...We Lava Science!

Tacky Penguin Palaces

This week, we celebrated with a penguin antics winter fun reward party in 4th and 2nd grades. Second graders learned about working as a team after reading Tacky...then with tape and paper they started their penguin palaces to see who could build one as tall as possible that fits Tacky on top. They could earn bonus items after waddling over to get a vocabulary question...can they remember what opaque means....we shall see!

The planning stage...working together...listening to everyone's ideas before starting is key to successful teamwork! Modifying and adjusting is also important as you take a look at the raft below!

Fourth graders, for a motivational goal, they needed to pass their bones identification test to have an engineering reward. They could pick what materials they wanted to use in order to build their palaces. The other students worked with me on studying the bones...a retest...then an oral Simon says...game to help them remember.

I love the final results...the smiles....the team work!

With melty marshmallows...they decided Tacky could use a raft instead!

This tall marshmallow tower was a hit! Tacky loved his palace!

Love the smiles on their faces when they are successful team members and have fun to boot!

Noodles were a great addition to this tower!

 This activity can be found in my Penguin Winter Antics STEM Station Pack. Check it out...

Digging Dinosaurs!

Okay...so I use FOSS as a basis of all of my units. Let's just say not all of them are completely engaging. Give you an example...Pebbles, Sand, and Silt. With first graders they would eat me alive when I have them for an hour! SOOOOOO.....

I often add my own twist or extend a lesson to something that covers a scientific topic, NGSS, or STEM. That also helps me make it more exciting to teach as well. There is only so many rocks you can wash or rub together before they start heckling you!

This week, in first grade we added fossils! Yes...those wonderful animals and plants that are so old that they turn to stone! They are found in the ground usually in sedimentary rock, and paleontologists dig for them...just like geologists dig for rocks! The connection begins!

Here is my hour long lesson in a nutshell...
1. What is a fossil? anchor chart
2. Read an EPIC book called Fossils
3. Add to the anchor chart
4. Then...visit a virtual museum to see real dinosaur bones! They loved this! And it will be the basis of all of my connections on paleobiology! The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History tour
The real fossil hall is closed until 2019.

5. We then dig for fossil bones in a bucket of sand. Each student gets in a group of 3-4 at a table. They take turns digging for puzzle pieces I had laminated that had a dinosaur skeleton on it! They pass the bucket when they find one. This allows for everyone to have equal turns and a smoother activity!
6. After the dig is over, I take the sand buckets and leave them to take it to the museum they will put the jigsaw together to rig their dinosaur for their exhibit!
7. When they are done...if done early they get to play with plastic dinosaurs at the carpet.
8. We then tour each exhibit (table group) to see their dinosaur. We really dig what they did as a team!
9. We follow up with a reflection sheet



10. We create fossils using plastic snakes, bugs, dinosaurs, shells, and plant leaves. They each get a piece of pottery clay that dried into a "rock" quickly.
11. We finish up our time with a really fun action book...

I hope you were digging this post, too! Finding fun and easy ways to teach science and get your kiddos engaged is what makes learning special!

Building Engineers!

Our school is getting a significant addition for the next school year! We are adding 4-K classrooms, a bigger lunchroom, and more classrooms. Not to mention...I will have my own room!!!!!!!!!! I am currently teaching in the teachers' lounge.

I am taking this opportunity to have my students observe how a foundation is built, how buildings need a plan, and how everyone has to work together to complete the job! This week, our second graders are finishing their solid part of the FOSS solids and liquids unit. What a great time to add a STEM activity...building a skyscraper!
Here are some of their creations...

All you need is Jenga blogs and cardstock paper and this STEM activity is a hit!

The students have to take into account cost. Each Jenga piece they use costs one dollar! We discussed how to get a bid for building...costs of building...and creating a strong product!

They must work as a team and if it knocks down, they must modify and adjust to build a stronger foundation...

First:  I asked them what it takes to create a skyscraper or better yet an addition to a school? We looked at the plans that we have of our new addition and school.

Second: We discussed what they might see when we take a look outside? And what is a foundation?

Third: We went on our field trip! Take a look at what we got to see!

He was inches away from the window! They watched him scoop dirt up...dump it...then pound it down! It was pretty amazing!

Finally: We went back to read a book and build a skyscraper!

This book was a great connector for what we were about to build. Each jenga piece was worth one dollar and they had to build the skyscraper with the most floors! They had to be architects first and create a plan just like the one I showed them of our new addition! They worked so hard!

What a great way to tie in something that is happening around you. What mini-field trip can you take your kiddos on? What can they see on your school grounds? Don't forget to check out the Skyscraper freebie for your little engineers {FREEBIE HERE}!

Sunday Scoop

I am not always great with resolutions, however...this year I am working on some words to be inspired by.  A motivational word bucket list so to speak. On January 1st...I went to Currently and was amazed at all of the great words that are inspiring us this year! I wrote many of those words down and added a few of my own! I now have them posted at school, in my teacher notebook, and even in a little jar! I wish I could take a picture right now, however...one of the words on my list is...

RELAX! So...I am up north at our cottage...sitting by the fire...and thinking...I need to connect with other teachers...CONNECT is another word on my list! Two birds with one stone! So...

I popped over to The Teaching Trio to connect once again with some great bloggers! I have missed posting each week!


Here's the Scoop...

This week...is our first traveling volleyball tournament in Milwaukee. It is a 3 and 1/2 hour trip for us, but I will have two of my girls with me. We are going to make it a memory packed weekend...that is my hope! One of my words is ADVENTURE...I will see what that adventure might be! We will be CONNECTING with family for starters!

I am still setting up for this week's lessons. They are a bit more adventurous as well. We are celebrating with a Penguin Party using my STEM Winter Antics Pack with my 2nd graders to wrap up our solids part of our FOSS solids and liquids unit!  I am also planning with my amazing...wonderful librarian, lessons to go with our Makey Makey boards that I just purchased for science/art/music/library so that we can COLLABORATE ...yes another goal...hope to do that with other teachers in other schools, too!

Also hoping to finish my holiday STEM St. Patrick's Day Pack and STEM Easter Pack, but really love my STEM Robot Pack...so I am aiming for 2 more done this week. GOALS are another one of those magic words and my goals are big this 2016!

So with all that being said...FUN is a big goal in my mind! I think sometimes we are on a hamster wheel ...always doing the same thing. I only have so much time with my children...I must make some fun happen. So...today? Not sure, but I will think of something!

Happy January!