Here is a quick photo update on what we've been up to these last couple of weeks. Enjoy!
Butterflies!
We've been watching our painted lady caterpillars grow and change over the past week. As we've been making our observations, we have been reading many butterfly books and keeping a journal to track the growth and change. My, oh my...they grow fast! Take a look:
They were tiny when we first got them!
As they eat their food (a plant called "mallow"), they grow and grow.
They attach themselves to the top of the cup using silk thread. They are ready to change!
Soon after, a chrysalis is formed. The caterpillars (called "pupas" at this stage) will stay this way for about 5 days.
We've been observing as they hang in our class butterfly net. We can't wait to see them emerge!
Here are the Somerset scientists!
Check out a cool time-lapse video of the painted lady transformation below:
We are Peacemakers:
International day of peace was on Saturday, September 21st. To celebrate, we talked about the idea of peace at Somerset and how we can make our classroom a safe, peaceful place.
We read "The Peace Book" to start a conversation about being a peacemaker. Then, students wrote their own ideas about how they are peacemakers at Somerset:
Curriculum Connection: "If I were an Astronaut"
This week in Reading Streets, we read a non-fiction story about traveling in space as an astronaut. We learned all kinds of neat facts about life in outer space, and learned about how finding the main idea of a story can help you become a better reader.
This got us thinking...What would we do if we were astronauts?!
To get creative, we read a silly story about outer space. Then, we learned how to draw a super cool astronaut picture! By that time, we were ready to write. The stories are wonderful!
Getting Ready for Guided Reading
Students have been working so hard to become independent learners in order to prepare ourselves for small group reading instruction. While I work with a small group, other students will be working on a variety of independent tasks: working on words, partner reading, silent reading, writing, or listening to reading.
While a student reads, his/her partner holds a "check" sign. This reminds students to check for understanding as they listen.
We learned 4 ways to practice words. Wiki sticks, "rainbow writing", white boards, and "sailboat spelling."
We're ready! I can't wait to start our guided reading sessions next week!
Math Games and Other Fun Stuff:
Well, that's all for now. More pics to come!
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