Lots More Ladybug Learning
We continued with our rotation through the four ladybug research stations so that every group had done all four. With each rotation the children learned new facts and added a new page of research to their collection.
Once we finished our research, we used what we had learned to write ladybug reports. The children wrote about the ladybug life cycle, what they learned from their models, what a ladybug eats, the body parts of a ladybug, other interesting facts, and even named their reports! It was amazing to see them rise to the occasion to put take on this challenge.
Unfortunately, our time with our ladybugs came to an end and it was time to release them. We used this as an opportunity to talk about fact versus opinion. First we returned to our ladybug bulletin board and added a new category for ideas that were opinions and talked about what an opinion is. The children then had a chance to write an opinion about where we should release our ladybugs using the facts we had learned.
Our ladybug work also continued in Math. We worked on a packet of ladybug themed sheets that helped us practice our counting as well as addition and subtraction. We also did another combination problem with a ladybug theme.
Wind is Moving Air
We have continued our conversations about air and wind in Discovery. First we discussed how objects could hold air. Following this discussion we sorted objects into two categories: objects that did hold air and objects that did not hold air. Another day, we shifted our focus to wind. We learned that wind is moving air and went on a "wind walk". The children discovered many signs of wind including a flag, leaves, ripples in puddles, and even their own hair.
Growing a Garden
We were very lucky to have a visit from the Lincoln garden club. First they read us The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, a story that told the tale of how seeds can (or cannot) end up growing. We then listened to a presentation on many different kinds of herbs and got the chance to feel and smell some of them. Finally, we got the opportunity to plant our own herb garden with all the herbs needed to make a pizza!
Swimmy
Our author of the month for May was Leo Lionni. We read a variety of his stories, including a personal favorite Swimmy. In TEAM Meeting we talked about how swimmy worked together with his fellow fish. In Reading we made our own version of Swimmy and wrote about how each of us would work with our team to create something.
Reading Response
Along with continuing with guided reading groups in Reading, we began to write about the books we were reading. We had one response that focused on character, setting, and problem. Another asked about our favorite part of a book and why we felt this way. This expanded our conversations abut books into writing.
Getting Going with Games
In Math, we are learning new games that help us practice addition and subtraction. The children each have their own card to keep track of the games they've played, and will challenge themselves by going up in numbers.
Diving In to Diversity
We have used the last few TEAM Meetings to discuss diversity in many of its forms. We read The Skin You Live In and discussed how we can celebrate our individuality as well as our similarities. The next week we read a story about Ruby Bridges and talked about her bravery in the face of adversity. Finally, we read King and King and talked about the importance of inclusiveness.