Throwback Thursday

Okay, so I can't count how many times that I have read on a blog that your first few TPT products are funny to look back at. I agree. So this last week, I focused on sprucing some of them up. I started with this post way back in DecemberHuman Body Rewind . Haven't been blogging this long...blogger buds. I am linking up today with The Teaching Tribune and Teacher's Desk 6 for throwback Thursday!

                       

Here is my new and improved TPT unit. I added a ton of stuff that I worked on with my own 4th graders, but didn't seem to have time to add. I can't wait to use it again this next winter. Kids love scavenger hunts and games. The first round all I had was the QR posters which was nice, but now BAM! I am going down the line and learning from all of you how to make my products better. Thanks a ton!

QR Code Skeletal System Review

Have a great Thursday. It is finally a bit warmer. Time for some boating, swimming, and  relaxing!

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No Bones About It

No bones about it, this week the fourth graders had fun with bones. We were doing the FOSS lesson comparing bones. We stepped it up a notch. We have a school forest that our 5th graders always do an owl pellets lesson, so we had to fill it with an introductory lesson. First I read the A to Z book Animal Skeletons. I used my new Ipad to read it and show it.

I then had the kids guess the animal using What's Inside Animals. Coolest thing ever... there are 16 cards that have a skeleton on one side and the animal on the other. If you use a flashlight, you can see the bones inside the animal. The kids love it! This product is by Roylco.


We then shared native animal bones at each table. We had teams guess what animal the bones came from. They used back ground knowledge...canine teeth, ball and socket, antlers...

After the teams were done guessing, they worked on the sheet that wraps everything up.This great TPT freebie did just that thanks to The Teacher's Cabinet . I put it on one sheet to save paper:)

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FOSS Friday

Hey, time to add some ideas that I used to add to the FOSS science program. This week, our fourth graders are learning about joints. You know the lesson, making a joint model...a thumb...a leg...but, the kids really don't really know the new vocabulary. So, here is this week's idea: I show the quick video and the kiddos fill out the sheet. They now have the vocabulary they need. I also have the groups reading a reading a to z book that preps us for next week: Animal Skeletons. I have a 3 question quiz to see if they comprehended the story. Here goes...the reading quiz first.  A to Z reading quiz for Animal Skeletons:)

The video...

And the sheet...

                      Ligaments and Tendons Sheet

Now for our 5th graders... We are working on the FOSS lesson on saturation. I actually use it as a competition between the teams. I have half of the groups test citric acid and half of the groups work with salt. The kids set up the experiment following the packet directions. They really get a sense of the vocabulary as they see,  "Which is more soluble in 50 ml of water, salt or citric acid?" I now make an anchor chart for each class to take back with them that has our vocabulary and information. I only get to see them once a week, so I had to come up with another way to get the ideas to them somehow. Here is the sheet I am using for the  Saturation Quiz. 

When they are done, they will be reading a Science a to z one page reading review based on Mixing Matter. Once again, the vocabulary and some quick questions to read for meaning.

Solutes and Solvents Science A to Z review

FOSS friends, hope this helps just a bit. Happy Friday!

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Human Body Centers

I have been contemplated an idea that I saw on the Science Penguin. Ari teaches science to her kiddos in Texas. Something that she does is set up centers or stations for her students and then as they are working she is able to meet with her struggling students in a direct instruction group. So.... I am trying this next week. I am going to be setting up stations for the students in 4th grade that are working with bones and the human body. I will use the "bones" of the lesson from the FOSS kit, but then have stations to learn the bones, using this sheet from Crayola.



http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/human-skeleton-coloring-page/. I am also using this Cloze activity for them to fill in as they work on learning the bones from boggle.  bogglesworldesl.com/files6/skeletalsystem_cloze.doc‎ 

I also created a scavenger hunt I will be placing around the room as the fourth graders go from picture to picture trying to recall the names of the bones. They use a smart device to check their answers after they studied the bone sheet from the FOSS pack. Check it out...

Skeletal System "Bone" afide Review QR Code Style

No bones about it...it was a busy week. My planning day for next week is on Monday, stay tuned for some FOSS FUN!

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