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,

Lights! Camera! Amelia Bedelia!

It's October!!!  How, I'm not sure, but it is here!  The leaves are changing ladies!!!  Pictures to come of the colors, but now it's almost presentation time!

Today, my Multi-agers began their skits on Understanding (our word of the month).  We are in charge of teaching our school what Understanding is and how to show understanding!  We decided to use Amelia Bedelia-you know her, right :-)  My kiddos and I love her, plus she is a good example of someone who doesn't understand at first-takes things literally but in the end all things work out as Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers and the other characters help her put the pieces together (not literally) and understand :-)

My kiddos are going to use lines from the texts and act them out and show how they would help Amelia understand-setting an example, role modeling, and empowering.  I hope to tape them and add the production to an upcoming blog post!

Literal Smiles,

1 Minute Run-GET HEART HEALTHY!

It's September 25th just in case you needed a reminder :-)

And 1, 2, 3, and stretch, 1, 2, 3, and 4.  Yesterday we had our 1 minute run.  Each month we add a minute and in May or June we run a mile on the track at the middle school.  Pat our teachers on the back; they join too!  Next month, two minutes!

Heart Healthy 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,

Stamina Growing and Students Are Loving Read to Someone

HEY THERE!
We are half way through September.  I have three more reading tests to do and them all my students current Guided Reading Level will be known!  How are you doing with assessments?

Our stamina continues to grow!  I am so proud of my Multi-agers urgency to read and grow their reading skills!  Today they were able to read to someone and got right to it; now time to lose :-)  When we did check-ins and checked our stamina, many reported that they enjoyed reading to someone and were surprised how well they did.  All the partners choose 1 book to share; now what will two different books look like?

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!

Tears Were Flowing!!!

HELLO FRIENDS,

Today we discussed personal narratives-parts, expectations, leads, etc.  I told my Multi's (Multi-agers) to be ready for me to get sappy because my personal narrative was going to be a true story about my two dear friends that lost their battle to cancer (they were also teachers in our school).  I started out my narrative...It was at the coffee (supposed to say shop) -it was the last time that Sandy and I laughed together before her Cancer came back. Then my lady friends, I bawled...first time ever as a teacher.  Needless to say, when I was done, my Multi-agers understood how one should be connected to their personal narrative and write with expression and voice.  One of my students mentioned and suggested I should hang it in the school lobby.  Additionally, when we reviewed it, another student asked about the other teacher I was going to write about...I admitted I was so overcome by emotion for my first friend...I could not continue to go on about my second.  Thus a revision is in store!  Tomorrow- revise and edit!

Teary smiles,