Holiday Centers

We had an AMAZING last day before break!!

At the beginning of the week, we read The Polar Express and completed sequencing, vocabulary, and graphing activities. To close this unit, we watched the movie while enjoying hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies. After the movie, the students filled in a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the book and movie. A two paragraph composition was written from the Venn diagram.

The afternoon consisted of holiday centers that the students rotated through while listening to music.

At this center, the students covered an ice cream cone with green icing, placed sprinkles on it, and put a gumdrop at the top.

Students are solving subtraction problems and coloring the picture according to the difference at this center.

Students colored, cut, and glued pieces onto a paper plate to make an elf.

At this center, students put peanut butter on a slice of bread, cut it diagonally, placed 2 chocolate chips as eyes, 1 red hot for a nose, and 2 pretzels for antlers to make a reindeer.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Circuits

To begin the discussion about open and closed circuits, the students were given wires, a battery, and a light bulb and instructed to use these materials to make the bulb shine.

Their circuits were then drawn and labeled in notebook.

Conductors and insulators were explored the following day. We discussed what is a conductor {material that allows electric current to flow} and an insulator {material that does not allow electric current to flow easily}. Using their circuits, they tested various objects to classify them as conductors or insulators.

Saints Training Camp

Students had a great time with Play 60' s Saints Training Camp!
Various stations were set up where the kids practiced skills like tackling, catching a football, or intercepting.

Top Students

Congratulations to the students who received awards for academics and attendance!

Ms. Gros and I are very proud of you all!

New Spelling Centers and Counting Change

The students did well for the past nine weeks with the current centers, but a change was needed. Ms. Gros set up the following centers:

Play-Doh: Students spell words with Play-Doh

Puff Glue: First, the words are written in marker. Then, they are traced with puff glue.

Spin-a-word: Spelling words are written on a spinner. The students spin a paper clip and write the word that is landed on. This is done 20 times. Finally, the students create a bar graph of words spun.

We began learning about money last week. 

One activity the students enjoyed was coin rubbing. I found this activity on Brain Pop Jr. The students showed amounts using coins and made an imprint by shading with colors. 

We also received letters from our pen pals yesterday!

We can't wait to catch up with them!

Wolf Stories

Last week, we studied fantasy. Our story, Wolf!, is about a wolf that comes across a unique farm. This farm is for educated animals, and when he sees the other animals reading he is inspired. Through hard work and practice, the wolf becomes a good reader. 

Two writings were incorporated with this story. First, the students researched wolves using A-Z Animals. Bubble maps were filled in with wolf facts.

From the bubble maps, the facts were organized onto a Flee map and then written as a final copy.

Then, the students were given the prompt "Once upon a time I saw a wolf" and instructed to write a story.

Their imaginations really shined during this writing! Please take a minute to visit their blogs and experience their creativity. Also, they LOVE comments!! :)