Plants

I have been doing my pumpkin unit with the children.  This week our story is about how a plant grows.  I decided to elaborate from our pumpkin growth cycle to this weeks story.  I thought it would be an easy connection and something that they would enjoy doing.  They loved the pumpkins and learning about how they form and grow.  I am going to basically do the same with various plants.  We will talk about some that produce fruit and some that produce flowers.  There are a lot of vocabulary that can also be taught by doing this.  That is the part I look forward to.  I love teaching children new words, as I like to call them our sparkle words!

http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~wetlands/Kids_and_Teens_Page/Kids_Teens_Page.html

pumpkins

We have a short week.  For the past 2 days we have been out for a short but sweet "October Break."  Therefore, I get to do a fun week with the students.  We are going to learn about pumpkins.  We will discuss how they grow.  We will learn about the entire  process, which will fit rght in as we will be learning about vegetation in the weeks to come.  I look forward to this week.  I went and bought different types of pumpkins for us to be able to see, as we study them.  I also bought every child their own pumpkin to paint.  They all are very interested in "what is inside of a pumpkin."  I have one pumpkin that we will carve and study it's contents.  This is the type of teaching I enjoy.  I can incorporate all areas of study in doing this theme.  I am able to bring out the creativity that I think is lost among most teachers, due to basal teaching. As I always say, the basal has it's place.  But if that is all we go on, each individual teacher cannot express their teaching style and their creativity into the classroom.  We must find a balance to it all!

http://www.norcalblogs.com/sustainable/2009/10/ffa-pumpkins.html

Good Times

We are going to have a short fall break week after next.  I am trying to plan something fun and different to do for those couple of days.  This is the way I love to teach.  Following basal readers almost bridles my creativity.  I have found tons of ideas involving pumpkins.  Each content area can be incorporated into doing this short pumpkin theme. I understand the philosophy behind using these basal readers.  It gives clear instruction for teaching.  It covers all areas of the curriculum.  It does keep a district on the same pace.  These are all benefits for using them.  I only wish there was more freedom with them.  I would like to mix things up a little like I am planning for the upcoming short week.  I have always said that there needs to be a balance and it is finding that balance that works.  I feel as if we sometimes take methodologies to the extreme.  We must be more mindful of finding a balance and doing what ever we need to to ensure the children are not only learning but are having fun learning.  We want them to be lovers of reading, writing, science and social studies.  After all if they aren't they will only stay with us as long as they are required.  We need to think about the long term, not just test scores!

Snails

I introduced the ecosystem this week.  It went rather swimmingly, if I do say so myself.  Next week we will be working with /s/ blends.  I am thinking about still using our ecosystem and moving the focus towards studying the snails.  The children seem to be enthralled with them, even more so than the fish swimming around!  I am really trying to incorporate science into the curriculum.  However, it is rather difficult to do.  We spend the majority of our days focusing on reading and math.  In spite of this limited time frame that I am constantly working against, I feel compelled to do so.  The children love science.  It instantly catches their attention and also keeps it.  This also breaks up the monotony of the day!:)

http://www.topnews.in/snails-natural-glue-can-be-used-develop-better-surgical-adhesives-2161150

I am introducing the short /e/ sound this week to my students.  I have decided to incorporate science with this by using the word ecosystem.  Although, we typically say it with the long E sound, I researched and actually it can be either.  However, the preferred is using the short /e/.  Therefore, I have decided to use this as new vocabulary for them.  Science is often over looked because we are under such strict guidelines with reading and math.  I just thought that this would be a fun way to incorporate all areas of the curriculum.  I have brought in a homemade ecosystem consisting of guppies, rocks, snails, and various vegetation.  I am truly looking forward to this next week!

http://www.northtexasaquascapes.com/The%20Echosystem.htm