Planting A Cucumber Seed

HELLO!
Last week we planted cucumber seeds in humus, clay, and sand.  We predicted what the seeds would grow in and what type of environment they would grow the best in.  Here are pictures of the growth in 3 days:

The seeds have taken off in all three mediums.  I must admit, I was surprised at the results.

We also discussed the role of roots and if you look closely at the vials, you can see the roots.

We were surprised with the growth that occurred in three days.

Smiles,

Ivorfy Soap Expansion!!!

HEY THERE!!!!!

Check this out?

What Is This?

Taking Notes On Solids, Liquids, and Gases Involved!

What Is Inside the Bar of Soap?

Into The Microwave It Goes!

 What is it?  Yup...Ivory Soap!!!!

Here's the link for the experiment:Lesson

Try it, let me know what happens!!  Next time we are going to add food coloring!!

Soapy Smiles,

Chemical and Physical Changes

HELLO BLOGGERS AND WONDERFUL EDUCATORS!

The sun is out!  Amen to it's colors of hope, joy and love!

Today we used food coloring, milk, soap, and a Q-tip to show physical and chemical changes!

Here is a link to the experiment!
Color Explosion!

Want to see our results:

We discussed and listed the physical and chemical changes in our science notebooks and then discussed the differences between the physical and chemical changes.  We also asked what would happen if we used skim milk?  What would happen if we used Dawn soap?  What would happen if we put our results in the freezer or microwave?

Colorful smiles,

Garlic is Growing!

We are back in session.  After a surprising early out yesterday, at 11:20 A.M., we are back and eager to have a full day of school!  It has been a long, snowy season in N.E. Wisconsin!  How many days till spring?

Last week, one of my students brought in garlic.  I told her it would be interested to put it in water to see what would happen.  Here you go...1 week's growth:

Now, will it keep growing?  The question for the day?

Here is a link I found on growing garlic that might persuade you even further than my post to try a garlic experiments with your kiddos:
You Tube Video

Smiles,
Rosie

Borox Crystals

Happy Thursday Teacher Bloggers!

Today we examined our first set of Borox Crystal Snowflakes!  We were in awe of how the crystals formed on the white pipe cleaners!  The below picture does not due justice to the beauty of the crystals!  

Tips:  make sure Borax dissolves in boiling water

         make sure to use a wide mouthed jar

         make sure to examine and check for crystallization of the bottom of the jar

Borax Crystal Snowflakes

I colored water pink/red, thus the red liquid in the bottom of the bowl!

Shiny smiles,

Streak Test!

HAPPY CYBER MONDAY!

What did you buy?

Me, only one thing but it wasn't marketed as a Cyber Deal!  Did get to make an offer, though and won!!!

Our Rock and Mineral Unit is over half way done.  (I know, that is hard to grasp and makes my lip sink like a bag of granite).  Today we learned how to streak a mineral to identify it's true color.  We used a black plate and one that was white.  Do you think both plates indicated the same streak color?  A resounding, no. Additionally, although some minerals to the eye were black or speckled, they might leave a red or brown spot.  Do you know what some of those minerals are?  Streak a piece of Hematite and let me know the results.

And what are we doing tomorrow-so glad you asked-the light test!!

Rocky smiles,

Rock, Minerals, and Gems Oh My!!!

Happy Sunday!  We are now in the 2nd Quarter.  It's hard to believe....

We are now two weeks into our Rocks and Minerals Kit.  On Friday we compared and contrasted 12 rocks with 3 minerals.  We asked: is this mineral in all the rocks or just one?  What rock has all three minerals?  What are the properties of minerals?  How are rocks and minerals different?  They were awed by the Quartz-"This looks like a Diamond."  

We have 9 more minerals to be introduced to and learn about.  They are going to be Rock Stars!

Rocky smiles,

Day at a Local Nature Facility!

HELLO!
It's the eve of Halloween!!!

Today we spent the day at Barkhausen Nature Preserve.  MUD, MUD, MUD, and of course more mud.  We were head over heals in nature-man, did we love it.  The big questions for the day:  "Will I catch a fish, Where is the Tarantula  What time is lunch  What's this?"  All I can say, is I am exhausted; fresh air is nature's best sleepless night remedy!!!

Start of our day!

Sharing our items that smell.

I guessed what was behind my back!

Nature smiles,

Seed Dispersal!

Happy Monday.
Need to vent-it is COLD here-alright perhaps because last week it was in the 60's and now it is in the low 30's.  We even saw a few crystals flying through the air...aka...snowflakes.

Last week me made seeds that travel by air, water, and humans.  We tested them out by using a fan for the wind and a bucket of water for the water.   Many were amazed at the flight of their seeds and how they needed to transform their seeds to have them travel further. A few tried to make Shooting seeds-plants that disperse of their seeds by shooting them!

Brr smiles,

Pollination Time!!

Hello!
Yesterday we did an activity my Multi-agers have been awaiting-POLLINATION with Cheetos and a juice box.  Can you guess who the bees were?  You are right...we were!  My Mutli's got a die cut flower, a juice box, and Cheetos.  They put the flower on top of the juice box and drank the juice-the NECTAR.  While doing this, they "accidentally" rubbed their hairy bee body on the Cheetos-the POLLEN.  Next they flew to other flowers and rubbed their pollen onto to them.  When they were done, 16 bees had pollinated 16 flowers.  So, each flower was pollinated by 16 different bees!  Here is a link to the WONDERFUL teacher who shared this activity with her fellow blog followers:  THANK YOU 2nd GRADE SHENANIGANS!

Yellow smiles,

Buzzing with Honeybees and Tech Trip to Washington D.C.!

HEY LADIES!!!

It's Friday!  IT'S Friday!  IT'S FRIDAY!!

Yesterday we are all a buzz with dehydrated honey bees!  In our science kit (Plant Kit) we learned about the role and the important part the bee plays in pollination!  We also learned about the different roles the worker bees have, what the queen bee does, and the job of the drone.  Next we all got a dehydrated bee (on a stick), a magnifying glass, and our science journals to draw what we saw.  "Their hairy.  I see 5 eyes.  Look at the wings."  I must admit I thought a few of us would be squeamish and hesitant, but we buzzed right in!  To conclude our lesson, we also watched bee dances on You Tube!

We also got to Skype a parent who was in Washington D.C.  Do you recognize the building in the back?

Buzzing smiles,

Brassica Plants-Oh How You Are Growing!

Friday- the 13th...but you knew that already!  Anything scary?  Out of the Ordinary?  Noteworthy?

Perhaps the weather?  This morning it was a balmy 52 degrees!  Well I am being ironic because Monday morning it was over 70 at the same time!  IT'S WISCONSIN my friends!

Today we entered day 11 of our plant unit.  On Monday we planted Brassica seeds-a fast acting/growing seed that was created in Wisconsin.  4 days later they have sprouted and are looking GREAT!  The focus of today's lesson was on thinning and transplanting!  I was surprised when a few of my students shared with me that they had "did this with their mom."  *this*.  Many intriguing questions were asked about the purpose of thinning and transplanting.  What happens if we didn't?  Additionally, they were inquisitive and concerned about the seeds that did not sprout/germinate!  Inquiring minds want to know.

Here a couple photos of us examining our plants!

Do You See What I See?

It's Wednesday! It's Hump Day-as they say-almost over the hump :-)

Yesterday and today we talked about our role as scientists!  What does a scientist do?  What is he/she searching for?  How does he/she record his/her information?  What tools are used?

Today's tool of focus-a magnifying glass.  We asked:  What side should we use?  Do we bring the object up to the magnifying glass or move our magnifying glass to the object?  Why does one side look blurry?  What can I see with a magnifying glass that I can't without one?

After we discovered how to use our magnifying glasses we used them in our plant unit.  We used our magnifying to analyze a  bean seed.  We noted its color, texture, size, smell, and drew a picture of it.

Tomorrow we use our wonderful tool to help us note what happened to our bean seed after it has been in water all night!

Magnified smiles,

Can you tell what time it is?

Good Morning!!!!!!

This past week we studied rotation, revolution, and the seasons.  With those concepts we also learned how shadows can help us tell time.  We noticed that in the A.M. our shadows were longer than our shadows in the P.M. part of our school day!  They also noticed the location of the sun was different in the A.M. than in the P.M.  WHY?  Was it because the sun moved?  No, we quickly came to the conclusion because the Earth had rotated!  We also discussed which way the Earth rotates.  I wish we could have come back around 6:00 P.M.  Hmmm...what would our shadows have looked like at that time?

Smiles,