Currently June

Well, I'll be...it is June and the end is in sight...almost! The last day with kiddos is June 9th, but I will be teaching two weeks of Collge for Kids...a summer school program at our local University. I get to teach engineering classes...STEM for 4-6th graders and my daughter this year along with our art teacher are doing a STEAM unit for two weeks for outgoing 1st-2nd graders. Everything from cities, circuses, safaris, and transportation...45 minutes to do the engineering and book connections...and 45 minutes for the art connection! Right after that....I am going to the energy fest...think hippie fest and energy all in one place! Woo Wee!!! I can't wait to post pictures!

Currently...though...I am thanking Farley...over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for hosting Currently!

Here in Wisconsin, we start school after Labor Day due to our tourism industry. Now, it's the 2nd and I still have ONE more week to go!

There are a lot of things to do before the end of this month and then I can breath. Easy Taco Bar...here we come for our graduation party! This should make it a bit easier as I am in class right up until the day of her grad party. Yikes. Pack it in!

I thought it would be easier with the second child going, but I am still sad that time just flew by. I get sad that this is my child that I tried hard to connect to, but it wasn't always easy. I will miss her as she goes off to college!

As for the stressers this year on teachers here in Wisconsin, Teacher Effectiveness has really been a challenge. The computer system it is set up on "Teach Scape" is unorganized and spending countless hours trying to prove that I am a Proficient teacher has taken me away from planning for kids and being with my family. My husband and I both were on "summative" year. Has anyone else felt the pain? Any other states having their teachers show artifacts and write learning objectives? Would love to hear from you...wanting to know if we are all alone... We also have to (in our district starting this year...) having to get credentialed with 8 extra hours of time outside of the school day on classes that they want us to take. One more thing on a teacher's platter.

Summer I see you...and I can't wait!

Wiggling Worms

Worms are slimy! Worms are creepy! Worms are scary! All comments coming from my kinders as they see our opened worm bin for the first time. I usually let them look at the bin, then I grab a huge handful of castings and worms and then watch the kids and worms squirm! I find an egg to show them where the worm comes from, I share facts as we go, and then I find a baby worm for them to see that worms aren't insects going through a metamorphosis... they look the same as an adult...just smaller.

We always find a baby or two...I love it when they say, "Oh, how cute!"

Now, it's time to give each little a plate with a wet paper towel...a worm...hand lens...and a toothpick. I make sure they know they don't have to touch the worm, but I want them to look for...

The worm bin in action...two worms mating...a bit of a lesson!

Do you see eyes? Nose? Mouth? Ears? Segments? Front end and back end? Clitellum? Bristles? Something in the intestines? We talk about discoveries. What discoveries can they make? My favorite discovery is when they figure out worms aren't so bad!

Getting a closer look at worms!

By the time we are ready to share our discoveries...

They are all smiles!
Give them a cut out worm...have them write one thing they learned or discovered...and have them glue it to a picture of the grass and dirt...and you have a great lesson for kindergarteners. Take a look at the book we read along with it...

Great read to help our little wiggling worms pay attention:)

Need some lessons to make science simple? Here is my worm pack... Worm You Way Over To TPT to find it!

Rube Goldberg Visits Our Science Class

For the next two weeks we are finishing up our Simple Machines Unit...FOSS Levers and Pulleys have guided us...but now it is time to have some engineering fun with two weeks left to go we really need to step outside the box!

I created a pack for two reasons...I needed to find some fun Rube Goldberg projects easy enough to finish within our hour...as well as create a pack for my College For Kids Class. The majority of my kiddos are girls this year and I am excited to be teaching engineering classes for 4th - 6th graders at our local university! I used the following videos to guide me...

And...

These are two great examples of Rube Goldberg's for kids to get excited about! And...you got to get the game Mouse Trap to show the kids. It is a pain to set up...but this video is a great example to show if you want to have the kids make a mouse trap of their own!

I provided my kiddos with a bag of goodies. I told them they had to use everything in the bag in order to create a Rube to get a dinosaur onto an X marks the spot on the floor. Each team worked together to make it happen. Love it!

X marks the spot!

Rube In Action...Eyeing it up before it's in motion!

Teamwork to make it work!

Working backwards...helped this team with success!

Our second job was to work as a team to develop a picture that shows a pizza delivery using all 6 simple machines. The teams must work together to draw and explain it once they are done!

I love how this project shows a Rube like cartoon and they have to also work as a team!

Not sure if I would want my pizza to fly through an open window, but...gotta love the creativity!

Check out my Rube Goldberg Pack! What a great way to start or end your school year or anywhere in between!

Mars One

My 4th graders during their space unit are always intrigued with aliens and science fiction. So, this year, we are learning about Mars One. REAL( possibilities) of  Mars colonization starting in 2020 with an unmanned space trip that will take 7 months to travel!  Around 2026, if all goes well 4 Earthlings will travel to Mars to start a colony...never to return. Whether the Mars One plan is true or not, this is a great opportunity to get kids problem solving as well a great way to get kids excited about space travel and the opportunities they may have in the future.

Today, we started our quest by asking what personality traits one would need to be one of 4 people to travel to Mars to never return to Earth. We then followed up with the question, what questions would you have if you were to be one of the four? What would you need to know or learn before you go?

We then went to the  Mars One Site and watched the video and looked at the links to explain some of their questions. Then...after saving a ton of recyclables... we planned as a team of 4 our Mars One trip and what our colony would look like if we designed it. We took into account what we would need such as food, water, shelter, medicine, entertainment... Here is a sheet we used to organize our thoughts before we build next week...

Mars One Freebie

Here are some of their Mars One creations...

Mars One Research and creations!

Mars One Sight For Background Information

Students each take a role in working as a team...just like they would have to do on Mars if it were colonized! We created a list of positive traits you would need to go to Mars and never come back!

Some questions posed..."How would you get air?" "How would you get food?" "How would you communicate with Earth?"
It was a great engineering project and a real science connection!

Live Long and Prosper!

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.