Starry Night

Our kinders are learning about the sky. We have studied the sun and the moon...now it is about the stars in the sky. Here is a great idea that my kinders loved! Popcorn constellations!

After reading Starry Night and learning about Constellations...the kinders got a handful of popcorn, tossed it up, picked up a piece of popcorn, ate it, and replaced it with a star. 

Once done...they tried to figure out what their constellation looked like. We then sat by the fire and told our story!

 We also used Constellation patterns from Full of Great Ideas Blog. Check it out my friends! You are a shining star...our kiddos know it!

Science...This Week

I use to do peek at my week, but wow is life busy...so busy I get my lessons done, get supplies for 6 science preps, and we are full speed ahead! I am sure glad last year I did that. I can look back and get some ideas, find my links and videos and more. So....I figure, I better post a peek so that I can once again get back on track to showing what I do each week in my science school yard!

Kinders- We are learning about the stars. We start with a great online book from We Give Books called Starry Sky. I made constellations from Full of Great Ideas Blog. As I read, I had the constellation cards shining on the ceiling when we saw it in the book. The kinders actually remembered them!

Our project consisted of giving each one a piece of black paper, 6-7 pieces of popcorn, and a piece of chalk. They tossed the popcorn on the paper, picked up a piece, ate it, then placed a star in its place. Then the  kids were able to see a constellation. When everyone was done, I played a virtual camp fire, they got a story stick to pass and share their pictures. We finished with a five little astronauts song.

 

First Graders- Are working on balance once again. I created a pack that took the picture books I could find, the FOSS lesson concepts, but added a fun circus theme to it. There are a ton of great balancing videos that kiddos love to watch as well. Balance: Science Circus Fun is a great way to teach balance, add math, reading, writing, and more to your FOSS balance and motion kit and then some!

2nd graders-Are all about the Non-Newtonian Fluids. We once again used our What's The Matter? Pack to supplement mixtures and solutions. Last week, Oobleck, this week...toothpaste!

3rd grade- My middle children are finishing up on the water cycle. We are working with ice cubes. We used ice cubes to learn the three phases of matter. Here is a great time lapse I showed as they worked on the phases of the ice cube sheet...this fun 15 second you tube video Life Cycle of An Ice Cube.  This sheet is from my FOSS Water Extensions Pack.

Ice Cube Life Cycle FREEBIE

4th grade- The Digestive System...what a fun way to learn about our body... engineer a model of it! Take a look at what they did!

We used the site Kids Health: Digestive System to get information and a fun...quick video...

Then onto the team activity. They got 20 minutes to include the parts of the digestive system and then share it with the class. It was a great way to remember it!

5th grade- We are working on Chemical Reactions. The kids loved theses reactions and could remember examples pretty easily after watching this...

We then did this great penny polishing activity that had the kids reacting, too! Did you know that ketchup is a great polisher? Who knew...We also used BTB to test a color change in water as we blew into it and tested for acids and bases. We always do a ticket out the door...this one was 5 examples of chemical reactions and what does BTB indicate. They got it!

Using BTB...showed a color change from blue, to green, to yellow!

BTB showed cola to be an acid... and it cleans pennies!

But the winner...hands down...was ketchup!

It was a great week in the Science School Yard!

 

Oobleck! Science and more...

Today, I am linking up with another wonderful science teacher over at Teachers Are Terrific. We have amazing jobs teaching science all day!


This is just one grade level idea this week, however my kinders are learning about the moon, first graders are building stable, balanced towers, third graders are focusing on the water cycle, fourth graders are learning about the digestive system, and fifth graders are focusing on chemical reactions.

My second graders however...are focusing on Oobleck...

Solid and liquid...or not? Oobleck is a non-Newtonian liquid...that means...it has qualities of both a solid and a liquid. When you squeeze oobleck in your hand and add pressure it acts as a solid...as you relax your hand it acts as a liquid. What a fun way to add an activity to your solids and liquids unit or even when you study Dr. Suess...

Reading Bartholomew and the Oobleck is a long book...it can take roughly 23 minutes on a good day...but with changing voices my kiddos sit through me reading it...mesmerized. I made a quick pack to go with my science lessons and for my classroom teachers I made math and writing sheets. Love that they use all the extras I make!
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My kiddos use the science sheets to test the oobleck...

Do these items stay on the top of the surface or sink?

We wrap up by writing the recipe and how Oobleck works...what a fun way to take something home and make something with parents!

Check out my Oobleck Pack on my TPT store!

Why Wheat? Harvest of the Month

I know how those kiddos talk...why do we have to eat that yucky wheat bread? Why do we have pizza crust that is wheat instead of white. Yikes. Well, the low down for our kiddos at my school comes in the form of morning message. We create infomercials so that our students can here that nutritional values of what they eat and why it is so important to know what we put in our bodies. In an article by Teen Health, Why is Whole Wheat Grain Bread Healthier I shared with our kiddos the facts in the article.

We even tied in our second grade solids and liquids unit by making butter. We also taught the kiddos the difference between butter and margarine and how easy it is to make butter! What a great connection to healthy lifestyles and healthy eating.

Learning to vote...having a voice...butter vs. margarine....which tastes better?

Setting it up outside of our very busy lunchroom allows us to keep the line moving without stopping our cooks from serving lunch.

Butter wins! 

The Sunday Scoop

Phewww...a big sigh of relief, my formal observation is done. Check. My farm to school harvest of the month activity is done and butter was successfully made. Check. I am sitting here in a quiet...yes quiet hotel room. Check. Life is good. Time to reflect and plan for the week ahead! There are some wonderful teachers over at Teaching Trio that love to link up...Thursday are fun and so is the Sunday Scoop.

Here's the scoop...

Okay...Linky buddies...can't wait to see what your week holds, too! But...now I am off to another volleyball tournament! Enjoy your Sunday...but I have to scoot!

Currently...Late To The Party!

Do you ever have those weeks...where they all blend together...because you have WAAAAYYYYY to much going on? Running for kids, planning for observations, grades, yada, yada, yada...Well, the last four weeks have been like that. A blur! So...I am late to the party! Farley, Over at Oh, Boy 4th Grade is hosting the monthly linky party, Currently!  It is the 7th day of February...my oldest daughter's 20th birthday...and I am currently sitting in a hotel room again.

Loving: What a great testament to parenting when your child thanks you for how you raised them! It makes me cry just thinking about how beautiful that note was today. All four of my kiddos...amazingly awesome...kind...hard working...what every parent wants! I feel so lucky!

Needing: I have never grown microgreens before...but hey...being the School Garden Gal, we should try it! Over 1/2 of all of our 4th and 5th graders are willing to give up their recess to learn and grow winter greens. Wow! How awesome is that. Stay tuned the next two weeks for updates on our indoor gardening project!  Gardening has helped me grow into a better teacher...watching how it has also changed our students' point of view of healthier food choices...and the life skills of gardening...are priceless.

Here is the north...we get "cabin fever"...so we need to get our kiddos excited! Butter making...lunch taste testing...growing microgreens...has made this school garden gal busy...but not too busy to connect with my blogger buddies!

Liquid to Solid...Buttering It Up!

This week, we combined the our FOSS science unit...Solids and Liquids into a fun Farm to School connection! Our 2nd graders learned how to make butter! I first ask the kiddos how milk gets to the store. Then, we show the vimeo video The Milk Maker from the Reading Rainbow found at http://vimeo.com/6240198.  After we watch up to 20 minutes and the cow says "Moo", we stop to work on our sheet that I made.. in my Milk Makers: Let's Make Butter Pack.

This is the poster I made to do a writing project with...How to make butter!

Our Cow Craftity...to add to our recipe writing project!

7-10 minutes is all it takes!

Fresh butter is YUMMY!

Here is all you need to make a liquid into a solid. An udderly fun activity!

Tomorrow...the butter is getting used in our harvest of the month activity...why wheat bread is better for you than white bread...and which tastes better on it...butter or margerine? Stay tuned...

Warning...Be Careful At The Beach

On my last post...I shared a freebie test with you. I am warning you right now...You never know what you can find at the beach... I first marked it wrong...I was shocked...then I realized he was right you can find some really nasty things at the beach...have a good laugh on me!

Sunday Scoop...Out of Commission

Have you ever felt that life has taken you out of commission? For the last four weekends I have NOT slept in my own bed. What we don't do for our children...my youngest daughter...my freshman...is on a traveling volleyball team. We have been to Milwaukee, the Dells, Point, and now my hubby...wanted to go up north to relax....yikes. I really have to get home if you know what I mean. What's for dinner next week is on my mind...my Farm to School Presentation is done...posting my new items when I left my camera at home doesn't help....

 but I have been also too busy getting my daughter's presents ready (I am doing an apartment redo for her boyfriend, and I am throwing in a few surprises for her, too she will be 20 in a week...so it is a double fun treat...time flies!)

 I have been busy making a farm video for my kiddos who will be making butter next week, as we are in the liquids and solids unit! Going to a local farm was amazing! Can't wait to finish it up to share!

I have been busy catching up on laundry and house clean up because of being gone...and not to mention report cards are due this Wednesday.

Sorry...I haven't blogged in two weeks, but funny thing is...I have relaxed on the weekends in a hotel room with my daughter! Catching up, talking, laughing, sharing, watching movies, sitting in the hot tub! This weekend, alone, I have sat on pinterest for hours looking up....random finds. It is good to take a break from school at times, and just breath. Try it sometime. The laundry can wait...

So, here is the scoop...I linked up with  The Teaching Trio for the Sunday Scoop and thought I would get back in the blogging game. I missed it for my two week hiatus.

Have a great last week of January! It is snowball making weather...I think it might be time to build a snowman! 

Beach Week In Wisconsin

It has been a bit cold this last week. We are on a rock unit so... let's visit the beach and learn about how sand is made. Cue the luau music...

Beautiful Hawaiian Beaches for my kiddos to see...

And in the background...the sounds of the beach... lots of great calming seas sounds on youtube!

We make a list of all of the things that you can find or do at the beach. We watch the video and see how close we were. I then talk about sand. I read a great book that really focuses on how sand is made...how it is different colors and why...and how rocks are broken down. This book, and the stations help create a quiz for next week...

I use my sheets from my Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Pack to add to what we are learning about sand.

                           

..as well as this fun sand art project...

Sand Quiz Freebie

Give kiddos some sand and some shells and pretend your at the beach when outside it is -25 degrees and you have instant jubilation! Here is our little art project!

Martin Luther King Jr SCIENCE!

It is another cold day here in Wisconsin and we have only been back for one day so far. We have been off two days due to the cold -40 degree temperature. I have had some time now to create some different and unique science activities that I can't wait to have my teachers use!

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday is a time when we celebrate diversity, resilience, freedom, rights and so much more. What a great opportunity to teach the history...but what about integrating it into science? It should never be a black and white issue...It should be an equality issue. I made some activities based on Dr. King's quotes and integrated it into science lessons based on energy, color, and light...with a spin on black vs. white. Tell me what you think...

Now...more than ever we need to take moments and opportunities to teach about what Martin wanted for all people...

Peace my friends!

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!