Outdoor Science Antics

This week, right after testing three out of my six grades that I teach... we are participating in stations. My second graders did potato stations...we planted potatoes and still have even more to plant! My third graders worked on echolocation stations...did we have fun playing Marco Polo style echolocation games as well as learning about animals that use echolocation through reading and watching some quick videos, but two of  my favorite activities this week are planting our pumpkins that the kinder "gardeners" planted from seed. Now their babies are growing up and need more space. Take a look my little pumpkins in the patch!

Working as a team, digging, and gently placing their plants in the hole, then making a hill to support the stem. I demonstrated and they did it all by themselves! One of my little pumpkins said, "It was the best day of her life!" One little pumpkin said, "Now, we are really kinder gardeners!"

I love the pride in their own pumpkin patch! This is why we grow a garden! We grow more than plants!

The great thing about stations is that I allow my students to self pace, as well as set a grade goal for how many stations that they can complete. It is very exciting to watch them work harder when their "grade" is at stake. We set it up as a scale of 4, 3, 2, 1 and covert it so they understand if they have advanced, proficient, basic, or minimal. It really does motivate them and the 4's get to the front of the line regardless of line order!

Here is an example of their ant station. We hit the mother lode! An ant colony with eggs, larva, and adults. We lifted the rock and wow whee did we watch them scurry to take the eggs and larva to safety! We then went back in to use the freebie I am including! Ant Antics Freebie is part of my  Insects In And Out of The Classroom Pack on TPT.

See the yellow clump...all eggs. Wish you could see them hustling. It was amazing to watch! What great observations that students were able to be part of!
Enjoy your antics whether you are out of school or finishing up the year!

The Sunday Scoop

The Teaching Trio has another week's worth of the Sunday Scoop. Here is the scoop today...

I was such a lucky mom! I had all of my kiddos home for mother's day at one point. My husband tried so hard to make breakfast. I didn't go grocery shopping yet this weekend...poor guy. It was the thought that counts! I even got some pretty flowers for my pots today from my oldest! AWWW. That was so sweet, too! We finished it off with ice cream at our favorite local shop! Yum for the funky monkey...peanut butter, crunch, and bananas in a flurry!

Happy Mom's Day to all you mommies out there!

This Week In Science...

Every day I teach Kinders through fifth graders. I love it, but each and every hour you have to change gears with a different topic.Here are just a few things we did this week!  I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world right now. It is my happy place! What is your happy place in your job?

Our School Garden Tulips...learning how to be insects!

This week...in space...the moon! 

 Check out this great moon phase song!

We also used EPIC books again! Love the non-fiction book choices! The Moon Book is great! Just enough for 4th graders! Great pictures! Check out EPIC for teachers!
It's 

I love this picture! Look at my kinders looking closely at our school garden. They were looking for treasures!

Here is a FREEBIE for you!

Darkling beetles and drawing a picture of a live specimen.

Looking at the indoor habitat of the mealworm!

I love the new pack I made for myself first...but for all now that I see how it works! Next week, butterflies!

Here is my insect pack that I have been using! Sorry to bug you, but it is a fun pack! Check it out...Insects In and Out of the Classroom.  

The Sunday Scoop

Upnorth...and over 70 degrees here in Wisconsin. My boys are fishing...it's opening weekend, and Sarah and I are relaxing! I can't wait to work on a few of this week's projects. So...here is the Sunday

Scoop! Thanks to The Teaching Trio for this reflective linky!

I love insects. They are fascinating to littles, but sometimes FOSS doesn't have enough..."STUFF". So, I started making a new pack for them and it is going over big! Our painted lady caterpillars are now chrysalis...so next week we get to learn about butterflies! Our school garden is ready for planting...and this year with my 5th graders we are learning about Victory Gardens. I have been fortunate enough to have my father in laws WWII artifacts. Now that I teach science and not social studies...I don't get to use them, but I figured out a way to teach social studies in science!

So does anyone else feel that it is crunch time? I have to really start cleaning and getting ready for my summer classes that I teach for the first two weeks after school lets out. I just have to start my to do list and we are set to go...

This week, is scholarship night for my senior. Wish her luck! She is working hard to earn money for college through being a CNA this summer...she is certified...YES! But, scholarship money always helps!

Have a great week!

Currently May

It's May 2nd...my son's 13th birthday! He is my baby and now he is a teenager. Wow, time flies! It sure does...it is already May and I can't seem to be able to get everything done on my to do list! This month is going to fly by...it always does! Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade is once again hosting my favorite linky! Check out what I am currently doing...and while your at it, check out more of my science blog!

We are up at our cottage. So, let's just say we don't have a lot of options for television shows. So, MeTV has on an old black and white horror movie called Man-made Monster. 

Gotta' love that my BIG boy is now crashed out on the couch after being outside all day at dad's baseball tournament. Fresh air can do that to you, but before the kiddo fell asleep we went out to eat and all had YUMMY prime rib. We don't go out...hardly ever...it was a great treat!

It is time to start planting outside in our school garden. I have to plan what grade levels are planting outside this week! We are organizing a Victory Garden for 5th graders next week, but this week I think we can get our potatoes in the ground! How exciting!

I am needing to plan for my engineering courses that I teach at our local university for summer fun classes! I am really not ready...and I have to also set up the supplies for my oldest daughter to teach STEAM classes as well! Lots of things needing to happen this month...scholarship night this week, and graduation of our second, right around the corner! I need to organize it and so my to do list will need to be created and not lost!

MAY you have a great month!

Cardboard Arcade Fun and Games

Well...the cardboard arcade is upon us! We are in our second round of games. Take a look at these amazing games and all of the smiling faces! The idea of taking cardboard boxes and turning them into amazing carnival games...games that our students play then at our school carnival...making money for books and computers and all those things we have a hard time buying due to budget cuts...is simply amazing. This year's games outdo anything we have seen... and all our kiddos need is a bit of imagination...encouragement...a few supplies and...

Using simple machines...inclined plane and screws!

Battleship! Using pulleys and wheel and axle!

Skee Ball! Using and inclined plane!

This was a fun monster madness game using a pulley system and an inclined plane!

Seriously one of the most creative games, but lacked the simple machine aspect...

Color Dance using levers and an inclined plane to dance ...dance...dance!

The kiddos from other classes came in to play the games and vote for the ones to be in our school carnival! So many amazing games to choose from! This is a fun fishing game!

Here is my absolute favorite! Foos Ball! Using wheel and axle for the score keeping, inclined plane  for the slots, styrofoam handles, and a pickle lid for the foos ball...it was amazing!

Engineering at its best. I am using this for my College for kids class and can't wait to see what they can do!

Garden Time!

It is that time of year here at TJ Elementary! We are getting growing! Our kinder"gardeners" are busy learning about pumpkins and how to plant a seed. Remember these 6 easy words:
1. scoop
2. pat
3. poke
4. drop
5. cover
6. water

It works every time. How fun to have our kinders learning that it  takes time to grow. This video helps them visualize the process and what the pumpkin looks like from seed to pumpkin. Awesome song...time flies by and they can see the date change, see the plant grow and vine out...yellow flowers...then the pumpkin!

         Take a look at my little pumpkins!

 Here is a garden sheet that I use with them...Thanks to Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarden for such a great freebie...