Sunday, June 13, 2021

KITES, BUBBLES, and MORE!

 May = KITES
June = BUBBLES

Kindergarten has been super busy learning about plants, seedlings, and helping to water our school garden/tree seedlings.  It is a big job with the dry weather that we had.  They rocked watering them one cup at a time.  The plan was go out with 2 gallons of water.  Give each child 1 small cup - fill with water - then each child waters 1 seedling.  One of the favorite videos was on Brain Pop Junior about the parts of a plant. Plus we watch Dr. Binocs on plants too.



First grade made BIRD KITES!  This is a fun project, but does take a lot of pre-planning (stapling the birds and tying on the strings).  Plus they helped with plant watering as well.  In addition, we found a new fun website on farming - My American Farm.  It was a bit tricky to use on the touch screen tablets/surfaces.  
Here is how to make a Bird Kite...


Second grade made two kites - which is too many at one time!  Many of the classes also finished up the post kite info sheet.  We made SLED KITES AND BIRD KITES.  Next year...first grade will make bird kites and second grade will make just sled kites.  The tying of strings was TOUGH!  We are going to working tying knots sooner and more often.  Here is a brief video about Sled Kites - https://www.loom.com/share/b2fd98cc39154fa884a1109dc1d2516a

Third grade and fourth grade wrapped up INVENT IT.  Third grade the sled kites since I had the materials and the plans.  Over all this was a fun way to end the year.  Plus we did a bit more coding and EduTyping.  About 25% of third and fourth graders finished the home row!

Fourth grade worked on learning about SWAY and shared their favorite website, favorite activities, what they learned, and what they wished that we had done.  I LOVED READING THEM!!!

HERE ARE SOME KITE PICTURES:









NOW ONTO OUR LAST FUN ACTIVITY OF THE YEAR!  GIANT BUBBLES!


I had the wands from several years ago at field day and extra Dawn dish soap.  So I just need to buy corn starch and baking powder.  We skipped the glycerin.  Here is a video to show how to make the bubble wands and bubble mixture.

Here was my recipe that I found earlier:
1/2 cup of corn starch
1/2 cup of dawn dish soap
1 TBSP of baking powder
6 cups of WARM water

I tried to premake the mixture but will work right away.  It will need to be stirred periodically.  


HERE ARE THE STUDENT PICTURES:








We even did bubbles in the rain under the awning by the playground!

Teamwork bubbles








Just found this cool link and might try this next year~
https://news.emory.edu/features/2020/01/physics-of-bubbles/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2ZM54hlKN-1n-hmGh2gTpvqYQXNtO1SUkm_SobAJ-GEo3F6dxNQiJntS8 

Friday, June 11, 2021

Covid Creativity

 Mrs. Fonzo has been busy in the library.  She just complete a HUGE National Parks Project with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students.  Currently, students who JUST finished 4th grade and 5th grade can get a FREE National Parks Pass.  Here is the link for more information: 4th grade pass (good through summer of 2022) 5th grade pass (good through August 2021).  My fifth grader is using it for cheaper admission to Jamestown near Williamsburg VA.

In Library Kindergarten and First Grade read Little Libraries, Big Heroes.  Then they picked 2 books from our cart of books for the Little Free Library.  They got a cool bookmark with the books.

There are three in the area:  1. Wattsburg Area Elementary Center   2. Greene Township Park (they always need book donations as you are doing summer cleaning)  3. Wattsburg Borough between the park and the social hall.


Then Mrs. Hedderman and Mrs. Fonzo set up a SUMMER BOOK FAIR!  It is being held June 11 and June 12 to help get funds for the library AND supply families with summer reading.  To make it super special, 50 students (2 per homeroom) were chosen to pick out up to $10 in FREE books from the book fair.  It is always fun to work with Werner Books (a local book!)








It has been super fun to watch the students buy books and shop!  I like the extra space of being in the gymnasium too :)

Happy Summer Reading!



Saturday, June 5, 2021

Summer 2021

 SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!

I am not a good independent reader...I prefer a book club type setting or a podcast or a read aloud.  Just too busy to sit and just read for pleasure and myself.

I will keep listening to my two podcasts about my faith.

Looking for new books for my children to read...have a few fun ideas but it is really up to them.  Our school library has a series called "Caveboy Dave" by Aaron Reynolds that look like fun for TJ.  Then I had a friend post a book their child chose at the library and it just looked like a fun kid read for either Bella or TJ.  Lucas will be working through school readers, Dick and Jane, and easy readers - practicing those "high frequency words" or "trick words" as well as sounding out words!  Also need to find something to motivate the 13 year old to read for pleasure too.




For myself, I am reading a book called "Leading from the Library" with a group called 'Future Ready Librarians.' 


 


My first assignment was to create a slide about me!  Here is what I created - my favorite part is the kids on the water edge.


In addition, my family hopes to travel to some local/regional science museums.  I need to finish setting that up.  It will be purchased through a gift from a generous aunt at Christmas time.

I will keep you posted...What are you reading?  What are your children reading?