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!

New Year...New Paths

As a farm to school site, I have been truly blessed to be watch so many things grow....I growing far more than I could ever imagine. Two years ago, I was asked around this time if I wanted to use a farm to school grant that was just "sitting there". It was my first year in science after 20 years in the regular ed classroom... and I was growing as a science teacher...why not take the grant.

The first year...magic happened. I bought some worms...taught about vermicomposting...planted some seeds with all 400 students...dug some holes...laid some raised beds...and the rest is history. Magic seeds I say! Magic seeds.

 It changed my life...really. I learned to plant a garden right along with my students. The first year, we planted over 15 beds...that number grew to include over 25 this year and over 20 types of herbs, not to mention a strawberry patch. This next year...even more...and other projects to boot!

Each new year...2015...I start formulating in my mind what we want to accomplish for the new garden season. I get really excited...I even bought seeds today...really. Peas, arugula, and spinach. Seeds for our new winter growing season of microgreens and even chia pets with the art teacher! Stay tuned.

Onto my new path...this year, I am presenting at the Farm to School Summit for the state of Wisconsin. I just finished my presentation and am really excited to share how amazing planting a seed can be for students and their teachers. I am including the presentation for you to see and maybe get growing yourself... Let me know what you think...any feedback would be appreciated. To new adventures in the new year!

            Farm To School Presentation

Science: Inquiry Based Learning...Rock ON!

Our new inquiry activity in the library based on what we are doing in science and I love how excited the kids are. This time, we focused on the rock cycle and shells! Check out our corner...

I wonder...the students are writing I wonders, but not based on rocks or shells...so we are reteaching:)

If you were a geologist, what question would you ask about these rocks? Inside the binder, we had some great questions that we will make into a book for the library!

Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Extensions

Don't get me wrong...I like FOSS. I really do. It helps with an organized lesson plan and after 19 years of FOSS in our district, we have added a few updates of our own...

Whether it be lapbooks...my new favorite for my upper grades 2nd-5th grades to study their FOSS concepts, but I have firsties for an hour isn't always fun filled with just the FOSS kit. Pebbles, Sand, and Silt is one that could...in my book use a few fun fillers. I am using this unit now...

So...perfect timing to making some fun fillers! Here is what it is filled with...

Pebbles, Sand, and Silt FOSS extra sheets that go with lessons...

And extensions that are just plain fun...fossils, volcanoes, and dinosaurs!

This is how we prep for our different rock size vocabulary. We make it a game. I take pictures of the sorted rocks, cover the word cards with stickies, then have the kids see if they can match the correct word with the different rock pictures. It really is a fin way to learn their vocabulary. 

Now...it's time to sort. We have the papa bear screen...then the mama bear screen...finished with the baby bear screen. Another fun...and easy way for the kiddos to remember which screen to use...when.

Rock on...FOSS followers!

School Traditions

I read the same version of the Gingerbread Man this year as I did last year. I started each grade level off today by talking about what a tradition is and the importance of them. I shared my family traditions both holiday and not. I get to see each grade level...each year...so over 410 kiddos are stuck with me for their whole schooling...fortunately for them, I am cool!

I love that I do Gingerbread Man traps both in Kindergarten and first grade. Conceptually, that one year really changes their ability to think outside the box. They have one more year of schema and one more year of engineering know how. I think it is so important to see that as a teacher...that we set the groundwork for someone else at times. That as they add more information to their brains, some of it sticks. Sometimes you don't even get to see it!  Take a look at both kindergarten traps vs. first grade traps....

"Look...he'll go in here"...kinders

"He will walk in here and not get out"...kinders

"He will take the path and as he steps on the one step, he will fall through"...first grade

"This is in a tree and will lower on the gingerbread man"...first grade

I just love to see the development...traditions are important in their growth as a learner. This evidence is so amazing to see.

Solving Solutes vs. Solvents!

A solution is a type of mixture that is homogeneous...same throughout...

It is the best mixture between two or more substances...can be separated...

Solutions are made up of a solute and a solvent. Solvent does the dissolving the solute is lesser it is the substance gets dissolved... Let's sing it kids...

Great way to start the best way to remember vocabulary...let's sing and take notes!

Here is a link to a sheet I made reviewing the song and an experiment separating a mixture with a screen, filter, and evaporation.  FOSS friendly!  Mixtures and Solutions Sheet. Another FREEBIE for you!

This is a great way to remember solute...solvent...the three ways we separate a mixture...screen...filter...evaporation. FOSS review for you! And a song to wrap it all up in a bow!