M & M Math----Mmm, Mmm Good Lesson!!

We had an interesting math lesson using a small bags of M & M's.  The children sorted them into sets by color, added and subtracted M & M's, and compared their sets using greater than, less than and equal to.  The children practiced estimation and place value using the candies.  We also practiced graphing by making a bar graph to show how many of each color we had in our packets.  The children also made a pie graph to show fractions of each color they had.  After we practiced all of these math skills, we got to eat the M & M's.  I'm sure the children would agree that eating them was the best part of the activity!! 

Using Alliteration in Our Writing

The children learned how to use alliteration in their writing.  Alliteration is the repetition of the same beginning sound in a sentence. (ex.  Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers)  We had some fun with this activity by writing alliteration sentences for "b" words about bats.  Then we made bats to display our sentences.  We also did another alliteration activity using "s" words about skeletons.  We created silly skeletons with q-tips to display our silly sentences.

Learning About Nouns

Miss Parnigoni developed a Smartboard lesson on nouns.  The children had lots of fun with the games she created to identify nouns.  Her interactive lesson allowed for great class participation.

Making and Using a Thermometer

We made homemade thermometers in class and placed them in hot and cold water to see what would happen with the thermometers.  The children observed the water level rise in the straw when the thermometer was placed in hot water and descend when it was placed in cold water.

Open House

Miss Parnigoni and I enjoyed meeting you at Open House.   The children were very excited to have you visit our classroom.  They worked very hard over the last two weeks writing their books and poems and working on their backpack posters.  We think you will enjoy reading their Me Books and Bio Poems.

If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year please feel free to e-mail me or write a note and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

More Science Fun!!

We continue discovering the properties of water through our science experiments.  On Friday we discovered that water flows by placing droplets of water on a slanted surface.  The children experimented with different sized drops of water to see if heavier drops flowed faster or slower than lighter drops of water.  We ended by having waterdrop races!

Marvelous Monarchs!

  We have observed our baby monarch caterpillars transform into beautiful butterflies.  The tiny caterpillars ate and ate on their milkweed plants until they were ready to form their chrysalids.  We watched the caterpillars make their button on top of the terrarium and hang upside down in a "j".  Soon the caterpillar made its beautiful green and gold speckled chrysalis and hung there for about 10 days.  Several of our butterflies emerged form their chrysalis when we were not in the room.  Last week we got to see the monarch miracle.  THe children observed the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis with wrinkled wings and a plump abdomen.  Soon the butterfly pumped blood into its wings and they grew larger as its abdomen got more slender.  So far, we have three female butterflies and one male.  Two more should hartch this weekend. We released the other butterflies on Friday.  We wish them a safe trip on their migration to Mexico.