The Scoop on Soil

I LOVE science.

I also love math. And phonics. And reading and writing. Okay, okay, I love everything! It's all fun to teach!

I just finished working on a product that I have used in my own classroom for two years. Before we get into plants, we spend a week or two specifically studying soil and its properties and use. We learn how to identify types of soil and then describe them and compare them to other types of soil.

Here are several great books we read/use during the unit: 

We also use these two wonderful resources to learn more about soil:

And what better way to document our learning than with an itty bitty journal?!

If you are a Facebook follower and was on Facebook last night around 9:30 then you probably got to snag this product as a 15-minute Flash Freebie! If you don't already, follow my Facebook page so you don't miss out in the future! :)

Check out the journal pack in my store. It comes with the 9-page journal, rubric for grading, and explanation (for the teacher) of each page.

Have a marvelous Monday!

SUMMAHHH + a New QR Code Adventure

I can't believe June is already over! I hope July really slows down because I still have SO much that I want to do!

The highlight of my summer so far is definitely the 5 days I spent at one of the Texas beaches! Now, I have been to Hawaii before so I KNEW the beach experience wouldn't be the exact same. For instance, Texas has A LOT of seaweed in the water and on the beach. Still fun, nonetheless!

There's the seaweed--not even the worst of it.

The Gulf of Mexico (with my mini soaking it up)

Beautiful weather!

One of our MANY awesome castles we built!

We did do some sightseeing, but mostly spent EVERY DAY at the beach! And I am SO glad to be back in my own home. :)

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Also, last night I finished up my newest QR Code Adventure, which is just like the Animal one I posted a few weeks ago.

In this pack, students will read a description of an insect and use prior knowledge/evidence to make an inference about what insect they think it is. Here is a sample page (see if you can figure them out!):

And here is one of the recording sheets:

Check out a preview and the product itself in my store:

Have a great one!

More Technology Camp + an Updated Freebie!

Remember this product? I posted about it 2 summers ago.

My "Science Sentence Starter" freebie is one of my most downloaded products. Wellllllll, since it is so popular, I decided that it deserved a facelift and an update! (And don't worry, it is still free!) Here it is:

At least the cover is much cuter, right?? ;)

I updated the fonts and even added a little bonus activity.

Whenever I teach Technology Camp, I want the kids to have fun but I also want them to learn and have a great educational experience. On the first day, we discuss how we are all scientists and talk a lot about what scientists do. We also discuss how scientists share their findings with others. To introduce how scientists can speak with others, I use one of my favorite things--QR CODES!!

I made each sentence starter a QR code. The students use an iPad to scan each code and then record the sentence (if you use the recording sheet on the left) or a missing word from the sentence (if you use the recording sheet on the right).

(This also introduces the kids to using QR codes because most of them have not had experience with them before they come to camp.) They always LOVE this activity and it is WAY more fun that just reading the sentences together, one by one. After everyone has had a chance to scan and record, we then discuss each sentence starter and when/how we can use them. I print and laminate a copy of the sentence starters and display them for the rest of the week. We use the sentence starters in our discussions about our experiments/investigations and in our class discussions. Love them. Here are two examples of how students use them in their camp science journal:

Don't you just love "a little less than medium"??! Lol. Anywho, the sentences can really help scaffold their thinking and explain just what they are trying to say. Click below to download your free copy: 

ENJOY!!

Technology Camp 2014!

Howdy!! For the past two weeks, I have been teaching at a summer technology camp, which is something I commit to doing every summer. It is always a great time because I get to write the curriculum, I have a small class (usually less than 13), snacks are provided ANNNNDDD I have oodles of technology tools at my fingertips, such as iPads, digital cameras, laptops, software, and online programs. Click here to read about Technology Camp from the past few years.

**WARNING! ICK FACTOR ALERT!!!**

For the past two years, I have taught the "Germs, Mold and Other Gross Stuff" camp to entering 4th and 5th graders. This year, the camp moved down to entering 2nd and 3rd graders. We do several awesome/yucky/disgusting/fun activities. Now, I am NOT one that actually enjoys gross and icky things; I am a germophobe and get grossed out VERY easily. However, there is something about teaching it that makes it tolerable! I cannot even explain it. So, here are our yucky activities:

Bird Poop Painting
Probably my most favorite activity! We do a little bird diet research, make a goopy model of the bird poop, and then paint with it.

The BEST part is that they learn how to make a QR code. The QR code is attached to the painting and reveals what the bird's diet is.

Drinkable Blood

Enough said. ;)

The Best Diaper Brand

We tested the two most popular brands of diapers to see which one would hold the most liquid. The result?? You'll have to scroll down to find out!

Couldn't fill up the diapers with just plain water..........we added yellow food coloring. ;)

We poured water in the diapers, 5oz at a time, until it couldn't hold anymore liquid.

That is one FULL diaper!

Huggies on the left, Pampers on the right.

And just for fun--this is what the polymer beads on the inside of a diaper look like. The kids were pretty fascinated with the texture of the beads.

And the winner--

Both diaper brands held about 50 ounces of liquid, but Pampers consistently held a little bit more each round. So, good to know--your baby can have about 50 ounces of pee in his/her diaper before you need to change it! I do not recommend this, however, because the diaper then weighs about 20 pounds!! (among a few other reasons, haha)

Booger Model
Ew. This one was a gross one. I'll just leave you with some pictures and move on.

I warned you about the grossness. ;)

Finally, we make a science journal and several little foldables about all of our activities on the computer. Those items are printed, folded and added to our "Germs" lapbook:

Inside the folder:

And I would be remiss if I didn't include pictures of my camp classroom! It is held at a local tech high school/college so I have no control over the set up. However, it was the right amount of space for the number of campers I had.

Also, this is in the makes:

Be excited. ;)