Japanese Dragons

I wasn't sure if the class was going to be able to do this project and when I showed them what we were going to do, I got some equal concerns from the class!  I promised them we would work on this step by step!  Deep Space Sparkle (Patty) provides excellent lessons to help guide you and your class!  They did an excellent job and they were pretty proud of themselves!!!  Me too!

Not everyone had finished their project when I took the photos.  They are so involved and are really taking their time to do a good job!
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Exploding Paint Bags!


In Science Sleuths we had a blast with Exploding Paint Bags!  I found a lot of posts about this on different pinterest sites.  I ended up kind of doing my own thing.

I used about 1/3 cup of vinegar in a zip-lock baggie.  Then I asked the kids what color they wanted.  I used tempera paint.  I put a squirt in each one.  They mixed it up.

I started with the idea of putting the baking soda on a paper towel square and folding it up like a present and then you pop the whole thing in the bag.   This did not allow enough of the baking soda to make contact with the vinegar quick enough.  The bag expanded but did not blow up.

So... we shook the baking soda out into the bags and bang!  They exploded.  The ones that made a smaller pop I believe didn't shake it all in.  I used about 2 Tablespoons.  We put them on poster board!  Look for a flat spot so you don't have running paint although that looked pretty cool too!  Actually better!

They want to do this again!

Please pin this and follow me on Bloglovin for more great fun!
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Giraffe Art

My K-2 Multicultural Art Class made giraffes with torn paper.  This lesson was purchased from Deep Space Sparkle!  My principal stopped by today and told me she loves what I'm doing with the art classes and why didn't I apply for the art position that was open!  What a compliment!  You need to check out her lessons! So easy to follow!

 This little girl is going into kindergarten in the Fall.  She told me she was tired and didn't want to finish the giraffe.  I started telling her how good she was doing and that I was going to need to take a picture for my blog and boy did she get inspired!  She did a fantastic job!  The author of Deep Space Sparkle does express that students can get tired of the tearing and gluing.  This is especially true with my summer classes lasting 75 minutes long!


I try to hang their beautiful work but I've run out of room!  Check these out!  Please pin if you like!

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Summer Multicultrual Art Class

I'm not an art teacher but I am having a lot of fun getting all messy!  
I bought all of my lessons from www.deepspacesparkle.com.

This week we are work on art from Africa.


We started the week with making mud huts!  They turned out okay.  I like all the bright colors.

Next the older group worked on Maasai Dolls.












I was really impressed with how much time and effort they put into these projects.  I wish we would have stopped with just the coloring.  We put a wash over the top and took away from the vibrant colors.  I learned for next time.


We then made Wildebeests.  What fun and what a mess.  We worked with Chalk Pastels!  Here are some of the finished ones.  We used tempera puck paint for the scenery.  They worked hard on making the sky have lots of colors.





Monday we will finish Africa with giraffes.  The older group really liked the detailed drawings so I started them on an extra project with drawing Chinese Dragons.  Sorry no pictures!

Keep following for more wonderful updates on their artwork this summer!  Remember to check out Deep Space Sparkle.  She is so talented and her lesson plans are so easy to follow!



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Magnet Mania!

Magnets! Science on a small Budget? That is once you make the initial investment you don't need to repurchase! Or better yet ask around the building!  I bet you can get a kit together!

I introduced magnets with this little YouTube video.


Vocabulary: magnetic, predict, attract

Student Activity:  Each group was given a basket of different items where some are magnetic.  Students pick an item and write it on the recording sheet and then make a prediction if it will be magnetic.  Then they will test their hypothesis with a magnet and check the correct box.


 
I'm compiling all these worksheets I'm making this summer into a Science Sleuth packet.  I'll have it available in about 4 weeks!  Keep an eye out!

This is my son, Jordan!
Vocabulary: magnetic force field

Demonstration:  Holding paper clips and using a strong magnet pick up the paper clips without touching them.

Student Activity:  Tie a string to a paper clip.  Tape the string to the table so the paper clip dangles down. Students take a magnet and move the paper clip without touching it with the magnet.

OOPS - Got too close!
Vocabulary:  attract, repel, North, South

Demonstration: Use magnets that are colored blue and red to show North and South.  Demonstrate how the magnets attract when North and South are put together or repel when the same poles are put together.

Student Activity: Then ask them to get together with a partner to try it out and try it on the tables.

This is a short clip of one of my students explaining what he has learned about North and South!  So Cute!


They were all so proud of their work!  Me Too!




Student Activity:  For the final activity I put many different kinds of magnets around the room in centers.  I explain each one and give them about 10-15 minutes to explore and have fun!  They love this part!  It's hard to keep the noise level down!

Use roads to show push and pull!  You can see it in the background.
Floating magnets - Put like poles together and students can see the magnets float with ring magnets.  You can use pencils to do the same thing.
This was a purchased item.  The magnets are extremely strong.  It comes with iron shape pieces and students can build.  It's a favorite!

Water bottle filled with iron fillings.  I think it's time to remake it!  It's a little rusty!
Testing how strong different magnets are by hanging paper clips down without linking them.  This one held 4 paper clips. 
These discs are filled with iron fillings.  Students can move them around with the magnet.
Have a magnificent time with your magnet unit!
Keep an eye out for the worksheets to be available hopefully by the end of July!

Please follow on Bloglovin'



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Worm Habitat

Day 2:  We made our worm habitat.

Materials Needed:
Clear Container (I used a small plastic fish aquarium. Could use a jar for smaller habitats.)
Gravel
Sand
Potting Soil
Oatmeal, Rotten Banana
Strips of newspaper
1.  Put the gravel on the bottom.
2.  Add soil.  Spritz with water. Not too much, Worms can drown.
3.  Moist newspaper but not drenched.
4.  Oatmeal
5.  Repeat the process.
6.  Put the banana on the top between the side and the soil.
7.  Add worms to the top and observe.
8.  Cover with mesh or cheesecloth so they can breath.
9.  Put in dark room or I cover it with black butcher block paper.
10.  Try to observe around the same time each day.




They wrote down their observations about the worms.  They wish the worms moved faster!

Today we also ate worms!  Gummy worms that is!  Each child got one gummy worm.  They measured the worm in inches and centimeters.  They with a buddy they stretched out their worm and remeasured it.  Most of them doubled in size.

We them had a lot of fun with a Gummy Worm Math Experiment where we stretched out the worm by weighing it down with pennies.  We measured the worm length every 5 inches.  We were running out of time so we started measuring after every 10 pennies!  We used 100 pennies.  We were just about to add 101 when it snapped!

I used a ruler instead of a dowel and taped a paper clip to the ruler to keep it secure.  I then attached another clip and then I put the clip through the worm.  The bottom clip went through the tail and the little bucket hung on that clip.  The kids were so excited as we kept adding pennies.

I have a data sheet that I eventually hope to upload for you!  Right now I'm off to bed!  Tomorrow we start exploring magnets!


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Science Sleuths

This summer I was thrown into teaching Science Sleuths without a budget!!  Not so easy!  We're looking for some money.  In the meantime I'm digging in my pockets and begging from others!

I asked the class (mostly boys) what they wanted to learn about this summer!  Overwhelmingly  I heard bugs and slimy things!  How great that we started the week off with a worm unit.  I got a lot of cheers.

The funniest part was that about 4 boys wouldn't touch the worms - including my own son!  All the girls loved it!  Not what I expected!  I guess you just never know.

We filled out a K W L and they had a lot of great questions!  They were curious about tails and mouths. Even how they mated!  Did you know that worms are both male and female!! We started with observing the worms with magnifying glasses, watching how they moved and all the segments.

After observing they drew their worms and measured the worms in inches and centimeters!  Some of the worms did not like being stretched out!  It gave a few of the kids the heebie jeebies!  Longest worm was 8.5 inches!




 




This is a great book full of information!

Tomorrow we finish the worm habitat!


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