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!

FOSS FUN and More...

This week, we are finishing up our quarter... so time to assess our kiddos. The snow is falling and it looks like we will be getting around 6-7 inches by the time it is done. Time to get the snowmobiles out. Our kindergarten lessons are new this year. It was a collaborative effort of many people to use the NGSS science standards. This week, we are learning about the moon. We are reading Where Does The Sun Go?  This one had great real pictures of the moon. You could also use The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons. I had the students work on a sheet from my new unit Patterns and Cycles that is being uploaded this week on TPT and Teacher's Notebook. We also tested how craters were formed by dropping rocks, "meteors", into flour bowls.

First graders are learning about fossils to go along with our Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Unit. We started off by watching a little Bill Nye on You Tube...it won't link. Then, we worked on a sheet to see the process of fossilization: live, die, bury, dig up. This is in simple first grade terms and what they seem to get. The Fossilization Sheet helped them organize their thoughts in how fossils are made.

2nd graders are working on solids and liquids so we are doing some hardening and softening of solids. We are observing chocolate and crayons to see the different states of matter and what makes them change. We are also watching a video on how crayons are made on How Stuff Works.

Here is the sheet I am going to start using today with them as we tour the stations. 

Solid and Liquid Stations

Onto third grade. I am working on water activities with the kiddos after their quick quiz to see what they remember. We will be sinking and floating objects to make inferences as to other objects that might sink and float. I found a great open ended sheet for free on a cute blog Really Roper. 

Fourth graders, oh, my fourth graders...what can I say... we took our first round of quizes and sad to say that even with a study guide, going over the vocabulary, studying before the quiz, they still made a lot of excuses as to why they didn't study. I am sad. I will be grading it today, but I told them that I wanted a nurse or doctor or even a waitress to care about taking care of me. What would happen if they didn't know what they were doing or didn't care? I will be working with the students that didn't study to redo the test. Any suggestions for getting kids to care and study when I only see them once a week. (assignment notebook, on board, in take home folder, poster in room already:(

Fifth graders are working with solvents and solutes. We had a friendly competition to see which table's solid reaches saturation first. FOSS has it as a separate, but they seem to understand it better when they see the difference. Saturated solutions, solvent, solute review and then guessing the solid by using similar methods. This week's focus:)

It's Friday My Friends...FOSS Friday

It is Friday, a day four and it is a heat wave here in Wisconsin. This morning already it is a whopping 21 degrees! Warmest day in ...like...forever!  This next week, is the last week of the quarter so it is crunch time for getting in one last quiz. Our poor kiddos haven't seen an outdoor recess in a while so in science we have done as much hands on fun stuff as we can. Our kinder kiddos are learning about the sun. I read...

They learned that the sun gives plants energy to grow. They learned that the sun is a star that looks big because it is the closest star too us. They learned how the Earth rotates each day and how we also revolve around the sun. It sure helps that we have four seasons so they can understand how we lean toward and away from the sun. We rotated, we revolved, we got closer and farther away and tested how something seems smaller as it moves away from us. We also did a drawing to show what we like to do in the sun. We sang Mr. Sun, Sun...

Oh, sun, how I have missed you!!!!

Our first graders are working on the FOSS unit pebbles, sand, and silt. Who doesn't like to go to the beach! I read the book Sand and then we traced the word sand, played in buckets of sand, and even got to take a shell home! 

They drew their favorite thing at the beach. Check out their ideas!

Our 3rd graders are learning the FOSS water lesson on thermometers. We practiced using real thermometers first and reviewed what we knew about reading and measuring temperature.

Fourth graders love the FOSS lesson on immobilized thumbs. I have been giving my bigs vocabulary sheets to fill in as they go so that they can take a sheet with them to review and study. Here is the link to what I gave the fourth graders. Joint Notes and Vocabulary (sorry no picture...I did it in word)

Fifth graders are focusing on solutes and solvents. The only good way that I could thing of for them to remember those words is that a vent must be turned on when you are boiling liquid. Solvent=liquid. We combine the citric acid and salt saturation lessons to do a competition...which is more soluble...citric acid or salt? The competition seems to be a lot more fun then doing the lesson separately. Here is the sheet I gave them. Saturation Sheet

Just some quick show and tell this week and how I made FOSS fun and academically sound.

What's the Matter?

So, today is a "cold" day and I mean it is cold here in Wisconsin. It's -23 right now. BRRRRR! I had a little more time last night to create something fun for the FOSS Solids and Liquids unit. Making FOSS more fun is my game. I made there stations...

STATION 1: Making root beer floats. Who wouldn't love making root beer floats and reviewing solids, liquids, and gases. Solid= ice cream....Liquid=root beer....gas=fizzes. Students will also write the how to which helps with Common Core.



STATION 2: Who doesn't love making volcanoes, but here is the twist. Students will add

Baking soda  +  vinegar = gas   and pop goes the weasel. Students will predict and observe as they review matter.

STATION 3: What's the Matter With Frosty the Snowman. After reading the story or watching the quick video clip, students will watch the teacher collect "Frosty" and mark the tape measure. The class will record what is happening to Frosty as he joins the students in class. The solid Frosty, will soon be the liquid Frosty, and as time goes on Frosty will evaporate into a gas.

Here is the quick story of Frosty as the song is sung. Students can use their deductive thinking as to what happened throughout the story.

Check it out at What's The Matter...Science Stations.

Tomorrow...A Peek At My Week

Back to the grind tomorrow, but feeling ready to go after such a nice break. It's time to remember where I left off so out comes the lesson plan book.  Goofy, my day five starts on Thursday, but I as sooo glad...it's my prep day. I only teach an hour and a half with the rest of the time for getting ready for the end of the quarter planning and figuring out what I am doing next week. Yea, for prep time.

Are you ready????  Today, my goal is to create some fun vocabulary games for one of the stations in kindergarten, first, and second grades. I also will be working on another fun sand activity and also a reading thermometers sheet. Prep before the prep!

Here are two sheets that I made so far that will be part of our sand stations:)

                              Sand Activities

One For Me...

Boy, I have never reflected as much as I have than this year. I found this linky party that really made me think about...good ol' 2013. I am linking up with 4th Grade Frolics, which has been very inspirational. At 44, I am at a time in my life where you do start reflecting a lot. 2013 had me graduation our oldest, no travels, no real highlights. I worked on a Farm to School Grant that I am proud of...it helped so many families and connected me to my new school.

My parents moved out of our home town and with their "new" life they have not contacted our family in over 7 months. I am sure people don't understand, but it is nothing new. Blogging has helped me connect where I sometimes feel alone.  But it is what it is. I am starting to develop a relationship with my sister which has been so nice. Lose one...gain one.

 Switching schools this year...I reflect on how hard it is to connect with a new staff when everyone is so stressed out and working so hard to help our kiddos that struggle. 79% free and reduced... our teachers work so hard, with more on our platter then ever before and plc's, i/e blocks, school improvement. It is often lonely when you are a "specialist". That feeling is new to me, but it is... what it is.  It is nice to feel like you can connect with total strangers that teach what you teach and they can relate to you. Bloggers rock!

Our oldest child is now in college and so this year, sending off one of my best friends, yes, mom and friend, was so hard. I miss her and know she is doing well, but I hope I did a good job preparing her for "adult"hood. I sometimes see me in her and worry that she needs to find joy in her life and be positive.

That my friends is my One for Me. I want to make adult connections and not feel so lonely. Sounds funny maybe, but I put everything into my children, now that they are all getting older, 17, 14, 11, besides almost 19. I want to find joy in the small things, and also be more positive.

My word for 2014 then is ...relationships. I want to make sure that not only do I connect with adults, but I want my little kiddos at school to know that I am there for them, too. Relationships with colleagues would be great, and even finding time for a bit of husband and wife time, too. This February is 20 years. WOW! I have a little niece and another little niece or nephew on the way. I want to develop a relationship with them, one that my own kids didn't have with other aunts and uncles.

Thank you bloggers for making me think about goal setting and knowing that I am not alone. We all have our little baggage. Thanks for letting me share! Happy New Year!

New Year's Resolution

I found a fun link. Makes me think of whether or not I can follow through on that resolution stuff...we shall see???!!!?? So, I am linking up with A Peach for the Teach to share my resolutions. Check out my thoughts for 2014.

Time will tell. I can't wait to hear about your resolutions, too! Happy New Year bloggers:)