Halloween fun

 TRUNK OR TREATING

Yesterday, our local elementary school had a TRUNK OR TREAT event.  Think of it as trick or treating in a parking lot with cool decorated trunks!  My kids were able to go around together with minimal adult support. 

Well, after some late night Pinterest searching, my family decided to skip all of the usual ideas.  We picked "Curl Up With a Good Book" as our theme!

My 9, 6, and 4 year old did 90% of the decorating and set up.  I made the big blue sign.  It looked awesome with all of the stuffed animals, blankets, pillows and books.  In addition, I handed out book marks to all of the participants as well as SMARTIES! 

 

Trunk or Treat 2016

 

Partner reading

 

More animals reading

 

 COSTUME FUN

Another fun activity is our yearly "special area" costume extravaganza.   We have done the SUPER TEACHERS, TEENAGER MUTANT TURTLES, SEASONS with Mother Nature, and 2016....the FIVE SENSES!
We love our job and seeing the 500 surprised student faces each year
What should we dress up as next year????

Year 4 as the FIVE SENSES
Art teacher was sight
Music teacher was hearing
Physical education teacher was the "runny nose" for scent
Librarian was the touch (the back has a sensory board)
Life Skills teacher was taste

 

 

Myself as the sense of touch

Sensory board with all different textures

Year 1 as SUPER TEACHERS
2013

 

Year 2 as the Teenage Mutant Turtles

2014

 

Year 3 as the Seasons and Mother Nature 

2015

Bone Bridges and Day of the Dead

I am trying to tie my lessons together between library and STEAM.  I want to be a librarian with a STEAM classroom which is very different than a STEAM classroom in the library.

Literacy is a key piece to my programs this year.  Miss Sally read Funny Bones: Posada and his Day of the Dead Calavaras with many of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders.  From personal connections, she was able to tie in additional information and culture!  In STEAM, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders made "BONE BRIDGES".  In Art, students in 3rd grade are doing a Day of the Dead project.  Our goal is to make the children more culturally aware.

I found this awesome new book through the PA Young Reader's Choice Awards program.  It is a nominated title for 2016-2017.  More information on these books and how to vote can be found their wiki space page - PA Young Readers Choice Awards OR through the Pennsylvania State Library Association webpage - PSLA.

Want to learn more about Day of the Dead - check out these two websites
 National Geographic Kids OR National Geographic

Onto the cool STEAM project...BONE BRIDGES.  I found this idea thanks to Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers.   Here is a video explaining the project.   

 

Check out the author and blog here -  Bone Bridge blogger

I gave the students 30 q-tips, 5-6 pipe cleaners, unlimited craft sticks, drinking straws, glue sticks, and scissors.  In groups of 3-5, the students had 30 or so minutes to construct a "Bone Bridge".  Many groups were wanting more time to improve on the plan.  I was so impressed to see the creativity.  Getting along with others is one of the biggest challenges...how do you disagree politely, how do you involve everyone, how to deal with disappointment when your idea fails, etc... This activity helped to shape the students as thinkers and problem solvers, but also work on collaboration skills.  

What would I change for next year?

1. Bring in tables to work on and permit the use of white glue not glue sticks.

2. Give each group a paper plate to build on to make moving the project easier

3. More time to share, measure, etc...

4. Improved display case display...more levels, better signage, etc...

Here are some of the completed Bone Bridges from the camera...I will add more pictures on Monday from the display cases!

This is what team work looks like!  Hand in Hand working together

Can you make a "Bone Bridge" at home and share your creation in the comments? 

Local Author Feature - Tina Curtis

Connections are essential in teaching...

One connection that I have made is with a local author named Tina Curtis.

She has written many books on local history surrounding Wattsburg, Waterford, and Union City.
  
My students loved doing a book club on Hannah's Heaven several years ago.  I am still hoping to do a book club with Jill's Journey.  Recently, she wrote a Cat in the Basket.

I wanted to  add her awesome new book to the Wattsburg Elementary Center.  She was kind enough to autograph it for the elementary library.

My educational aide was so excited to read the book with the students.  She quickly told fond stories of playing in the basket factory where the book is set as a child.  Plus, she made the connection to have the students in first grade make a basket out of paper and color a cat to go in the basket.  The students loved talking about this story with my educational aide.

It is awesome to see the story to come to life.

Here is more local history information and links to some of Tina Curtis' books. 
Hannah's Heaven

My daughter's basket and colorful cat.

The book's cover

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR:
A Cat in a Basket can be purchased At Greenfield Basket Factory on Monday-Friday 7-3:30. They are $15 and baskets can also be purchased. We have many baskets that come in Christmas colors. 
Greenfield Basket Factory

I am going to do a monthly feature on a local author.  Look for Hillary Barboni's as my November featured author!

E-books/Online Reading

The industry is booming with ways for students and adults to read on any device from a phone to tablet to personal computers.  So what are some of the best FREE choices out there?

Earlier this week, a co-worker introduced me to EPIC.  Create a FREE teacher account, track student data, and more!  EPIC

I found one on Free Technology 4 Teachers blog called ZING!  It has many of the same features at the same cost as EPIC!  ZING

Who has used either one?  Comment below on your pros/cons!  

I also find great online books on HOOPLA.  I can get to this FREE through my library with a public card.  Hoopla also has educational movies like Bill Nye the Science Guy.
http://www.erielibrary.org - then look at the resources on the right!

Other fun reading websites:
Story Line - read by the screen actors guild
International Children's Digital Library
Unite for Literacy
Project Gutenberg - classics
Storia - this involves buying books through Scholastic - there is a charge for most of this site!

Any other favorite e-reading websites or apps? 

Happy E-READING!!!! 

First 4 weeks of STEAM

September has flown by in my new STEAM classroom and in general.

My educational aide, the title math teacher, and myself are finally all knowing who is doing what and when (or getting so much closer).

What have the students learned/completed?
Grades 2 - 4 completed these activities 
1. Sinking/Floating
2. Buoyancy
3. Bill Nye the Science Guy (thanks to Hoopla through our public library)
    HOOPLA
4. Simple Machines - check out this fun online game 
    SIMPLE MACHINES GAME
5. Computer logins
6. LEGO challenge cards (from Teachers Pay Teachers)

Grades K and 1
1. Sinking/Floating
2. Buoyancy
3. READ Three Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks
4. Engineered bridges for the Billy Goats and chairs for Goldilocks - thanks to LakeShore Learning products
   LAKESHORE
5. Math activities including patterns, colors, counting, etc...

What have been the challenges?
Construction of tables and set up of a computer lab while still teaching  in the same space
Computer log in changes
Communication/curriculum alignment with other teachers
Developing a new program with limited resources!

Successes:
1. Students/parents are LOVING the program (or this is what I am hearing)
2. Stepping out of my comfort zone to teach in new innovative ways
3. Increased visibility of library/STEAM programs by administration
4. New fun lessons


Grade K creating color block patterns 

 KEVA PLANKS TOWERS and INCLINE PLANES

 

LEGO CHALLENGE

 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Simple machines folder game