Maple Time

Many years ago, my Aunt Rita sent me an article from the Washington Post about a PA Maple Taste and Tour.  I was clueless about this yearly event before this article.  Here is a link to that article from 2009 Washington Post article

This has started a journey of learning for our entire family.  What have we learned?

• We learned about and read "Miracles on Maple Hill"
• We held the actual newbery medal for the book
• We learned about the history of maple syrup
• We learned that mud and snow are great weather for maple sap to run
• We learned that it runs until you hear the peepers
• Most of all, my husband and I wanted to try this ourselves

So...we were thrilled to find a few maple trees on our new property. 

This summer, my husband and I moved from the city to the country.  On our 1 acre lot, we have 2-3 maple trees!  We have contacted our local maple syrup expert Jan Woods, picked up spiels and tubing, and purchased food grade buckets.

Today (in the rain), we tapped the maple trees.  We shared the fun with Tim's cousin and some of her children.  Here's hoping for the sap runs well.

You can check out Hurry Hill Farm online or at the PA Maple tour

Hurry Hill Museum

Look for more pictures and updates about our maple sugaring adventure!

SNOW

Most children rejoice at this word...adults have mixed reactions.

I decided to show the third and fourth graders how SNOW can bring together science, art, and math!

I was inspired by Free Technology for Educators blog this week.  It had several great links about man-made snow, "snowflake Bentley", and more!

I took his videos and the idea of a tinker tray such as this one created by "What Can You do with Paper and Glue" and created my own snowflake creation activity.

Students had access to q-tips, pipe cleaners, two sizes of popsicle sticks, beads, pom pom puffs, construction paper, and glue.  The idea was to create a dendrite or iconic six sided snowflake.

Below are a variety of the creations created by the students this week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday!

If you have not the book entitled "Snowflake Bentley", then you need to add it to your winter must-read list.

Inventors and Patents

3rd and 4th grade learned and tried PAIRED PROGRAMMING with Code.org two weeks ago!  Plus they have been reading about Chester Greenwood.  I bet that you are wondering who Chester Greenwood is!  He is credited as the creator of earmuffs.  You can learn all about his improvements in the book "Earmuffs for Everyone" by Meghan McCarthy.  There is now even a Chester Greenwood day in Maine (the first Saturday in December).  Chester Greenwood Day article

Here is a link to Meghan McCarthy's website - Meghan McCarthy

As we were reading students started asking questions about PATENTS!  After some web searching, I found the US Patent website for students.   US PTO

The students loved the "collector cards" as well as the "Spot the Invention" activity.

In addition, the students learned about patents used at the X Games!

Next week it is onto the topic of TRADEMARKS!

PICTURE STEM

Students in grades K, 1, and 2 are working hard to complete a variety of PICTURE STEM activities.
PICTURE STEM is put together by Purdue University and it a completely FREE curriculum

Last week, Kindergarten read "I Get Wet" and talked about water!  Then students had an opportunity for free choice engineering.










First grade read "I See a Kookabura" and talked about animal habitats.

Second grade are did two separate activities with PICTURE STEM.  Students learned about our engineering challenge, read "Nibbles Guide to Hamsters", and did an animal sorting activity!







Here are the books that were used and a link to PICTURE STEM:

CLICK ON THIS LINK for more information - PICTURE STEM