Digging For Gold...Yukon Gold That Is

Today, we started our FOSS mock rock activities. We observed properties, measured what we needed to measure...then as geologists we dug for "gold". Could it be pyrite or copper or yukon gold potatoes. What a great way to get my second grade planters, who are now our 3rd grade geologists to make connections. We discussed what properties we could use if we found a rock in the earth. How could we safely excavate? Safely, we went out to our dig site to find our "rocks" and then use our geology words to measure the circumference, diameter, and depth as well as use our property words once again. What a golden opportunity to tie the garden into science in a new way again. We even found green rocks and red rocks...potatoes that saw the sun and red potatoes. Golden!

Digging for "gold". Learning how to be geologists in and out of the classroom.

We will be measuring this "rocks" properties. What is its circumference? What is its diameter? What is its weight and depth?
Making FOSS connections!

Digging for gold is fun...so is science!

Here is the sheet we will be using next week to record our data and observations. Digging For Gold freebie!

 

Rock on!

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Pet Rocks, Rock!

I love blog hoppin'. I love when I see an idea and I think...I can do that. I also love when I see comments that help me get thinking, too. My new friend, Mr. First Grade uses FOSS and let's just say the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt unit can really use some boosts. Soooo... I was in the shower thinking about what I could do next week with my firsties. It came to me...Pet rocks. I am sharing this link so that my FOSS friends can connect Science with Writing in a fun way. I can't wait to try this next week when we do our next rock lesson. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pet Rocks, Rock!

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Dig It...and Gobble It...

My I/E group is working on Rocks and Minerals unit. We read our book and learned about the rock cycle now it was time for our Science and Math component. Why not use this great site to get some ideas to learn about archaeology...  http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/history/handsonhistory/dig_partners_english.pdf

 There are some great questions in this book that I have my kiddos working on by using the ipads. They are creating posters that we will hang up to share what we learned. We are also cookie archaeologists. We dug out chocolate chips and compared them to dig sites such as Hot Springs or Jamestown...which I have been to and could share pictures of.  Here are my kiddos working on their dig site. Check out Cookie Archaeology for the unit I used with my kids.

As we shifted into primary sources compared to archaeology we can compare historians using primary sources to tell us about the past, just like artifacts at a dig site. Here are two great sites to use for your students right before Thanksgiving.

First, an interactive site...
http://www.plimoth.org/learn/MRL/interact/thanksgiving-interactive-you-are-historian

Some great videos...
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/webcast.htm

Gobble, Gobble!

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Rock On!

It is that time of year, when our units are ending and new ones begin. I want to share a quick site with my science friends to help make our Rocks, Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Unit ...ROCK! Last year, I found this great site for sheets to enhance our FOSS kit. http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/rocks-and-soil/  Thanks to Kathryn at Kindergarten, Kindergarten... these pictures and sheets, and even books help the unit!
Love this book for an opener! I even give the kiddos a rock to keep in their pocket to take the worries away! Don't forget to set up a rock museum. They will bring you treasures!

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