Magnetic Personalities

We were scientists this week - making hypotheses and conducting experiments to discover what was and what wasn't magnetic. Everyday we gathered together in front of the magnets anchor chart and read a question (this would be the "identify the problem" step in the scientific method). The students would then form a hypothesis based on popular vote.

 Side note, this exercise in reading taught us how to use a new reading strategy - Flippy the Dophin. We've been focused on identifying the vowels and their short and long sounds for the last two weeks.  Flippy the Dolphin reminds us to try the other vowel sound if we've sounded a word out and it didn't make sense.

 Now back to the magnets. After a thumbs up/thumbs down vote on whether something was magnetic or not, we tested the object. Then we recorded the results with a simple "yes" or "no," which just so happened to be our new sight words this week.

We even took our experiments outside to see if a magnet would attract a car. We used Mrs. Taylor's van to find out.

Magnets made their way into some of our centers this week, too. In the word work center, the students played "Read it, Build it, Write it" using magnetic word and letter tiles. 

The students chose between two magnetic games they've played before in the math games center: Build Pig's House and Build a Turkey. 

The number work center was quite a hodge podge of activties - but it kept the students engaged while working with numbers and that's the idea! But there was one activity specific to the theme. Students could use a magnet to drag the right amount of gumballs into their machines. 

In the science/discovery center, the students got to do some hands-on exploration with magnets and random objects.

By the way, if you've noticed cute stuffed animals photo-bombing the last few pics it's because some of the kiddos got to bring one for earning ten Dojo points!

We wrapped up our magnetic week with a two-part journal writing/science activity.  On Thursday, each student picked a different balled-up piece of paper from a basket at their table. Each paper had a picture of a random object: earrings, toy car, screw, safety pin, and a light bulb, The students formed their hypothesis and wrote it in their journals. 

I think a magnet will attract a light bulb. I think it sticks because it has metal

The next day, the basket was full of the items themselves. So they conducted their own experiment and wrote the results.

The magnet did attract the earrings.

The magnet did not attract. It did not attract but it still has metal. 

Tommy writes better than most grown-ups so I'm pretty sure you can read his without my help.

In other news, we have many new Smart Board activities this month. Our January calendar has an ABCD pattern which the kids predict and extend each day. 

On the next page, we've been practicing using a number line to add numbers. I make up a story about one of the student's having a snowball fight with one of their siblings or neighbors and tell how many snowballs each makes/throws (an introduction to word problems).  The students place the snowball on the higher number and move over the lower numbers. From here, we learned how to visualize a number line in our heads, and using our fists as the the snowball, we moved over counting on aloud.  This strategy will lead to them becoming more fluent with addition, using mental math instead of drawing dots or counting their fingers. 

We transition to the next slide by singing the first line of "Do You Wanna Build A Snowman" and one student comes up to spin the two numbers we must add together....

 

so that we can buy something from the snowman shop. The AM and PM classes are racing to see who builds a complete snowman first.  

Next, we track our days in school.  This time we're using marshmallows instead of base ten blocks. As you'll notice, we are just one day away from the 100th day!  There was a baggie sent home attached to your child's newsletter today. They need to fill it with 100 of something and bring it back to school on Monday. 

The next page is full of links to fun math games. One game we play helps us count by tens, identifying the pattern along the way. 

But their favorite game is this penguin addition game.  Fair warning - the song will be stuck in your head FOREVER.

 

This game, along with the raz-kids reading website are great school-substitutes for snow days. (I'll be honest - I wouldn't mind one)!

I'll leave you with a pic of some of the morning class kiddos who earned their yellow belts (for knowing the level 2 sight words). The poor PM kids had to leave beltless. So many of the morning class earned a yellow belt - I had none left for the afternoon. I promised them they'd get it Monday, though. Have a great weekend!