This month the Amazing Ants have been studying outer space. Here is a peak at some of the things we have been up to this week:
I love to play catchy and educations songs for my kids about subjects we are studying. So, of course I was thrilled when one of the wonderful teacher's on my team introduced me to this "We are the Planets" rap by Storybots. It is SO GOOD! The kids absolutely love it! After I played it the first time they started chanting, "AGAIN! AGAIN!" haha
In the writing center, students practiced creating sentences using our high frequency (or popcorn) words along with space vocabulary.
I guess he realized the 1st e was backwards and then self corrected for the rest of the e's! lol Smart little guy!
We also practiced name writing and creating patterns with these cute little "name rockets".
For dramatic play, I turned our doctor's office from last month into a rocket (using an entire roll of aluminum foil)!
Here students perform experiments,
sit back and enjoy the view by looking out the "window,"
create a plan for when they land,
use the control panel to maneuver the space craft,
and record their observations
I found the observation log (above) and these cute little signs (below) for FREE on Sparkle Box! If you have not checked out Sparkle box you definitely should! It is a great resource with tons of educational freebies in every theme imaginable!
On "Science Friday" we learned more about the sun.
After reading several non-fiction books about space and the sun, we watched a Brainpop Jr. all about the sun.
Then, we filled out this graphic organizer with all of the new information we learned:
We also did a demonstration (found here) to show that the sun is not a rock or a big fire ball, but is instead made up of whirling, swirling, plasma.
We created this by mixing orange colored water with vegetable oil. I placed the finished product in our "rocket" and the kids LOOOOVE shaking that bottle up, watching the oil swirl around, and then settle back at the top. It is very calming (for both me and the kids!) and I they enjoy watching it swirl over and over again!
*I did let the students know that when we shake our model up and everything is swirling around, that is the only time is represents the sun. The plasma that makes up the real sun does not separate into layers like the liquids in our bottle after it has been standing still!*
We ended our week by rocking out to another great rap by Storybots!
Now I am hoping to see lots of sun over this next week since it is our spring break! :)
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