9-16-16 Five for Friday

TGIF! Right?

It's time for Five for Friday. Here is a recap from.

Whew! This week has been a whirlwind of fun, but also it was lots of hard work. I needed a clone to help me with a lot of things. No clone. Just me. I am sure you can relate. 

We have been finishing up social studies timeline projects. The children created cut paper scenes for the Mississippian Period, the Pilgrims coming to the New World, life in the colonies, and George Washington's crossing the Delaware. I added a lesson on centuries as we worked on them. I was amazed by how quickly they understood this not-so-easy concept for second graders! They were totally into it, and I was thrilled with their timelines. Here are a couple of illustrations:

We added crayon details and labels.

Not sure where this child got the idea that George Washington crossed at Christmastime.

I love our science focus during this time of year. It's life cycles and habitats. For several years, I have been incubating duck and chicken eggs. I ordered a dozen duck eggs. The post office delivered them on Labor Day (!!!). The box sat out in the 95 degree weather that day and until late afternoon when our secretary found the box outside the building. I called the shipper and explained what had happened. He said it was unlikely they would develop, but to try it. So this week, we candled them. Not one was fertile! Thankfully, the shipper is sending a replacement order! They should arrive Monday. I am also getting chicken eggs this weekend, so we'll be in full incubation mode come Monday. In addition to that, we have caterpillars eating their way to chrysalis stage!

To top it off, as I was candling one egg, this one rolled off the table and went SPLAT!

I hate eggs. The smell. The texture. So, cleaning up this mess was near gag-inducing. This time of year, I go strictly vegetarian! No kidding!

Another learning adventure focused on the honey bee and how it interacts with plants for survival. I read The Beeman, by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis. We spent two days reading and researching interesting facts. The children made a cut paper illustration of a honey bee mimicking the illustration of a bee in the book. I modeled how to look at the different shapes in the bee's body, and then cut the pieces. Afterwards, we used oil pastels to add details to the bees. The students wrote facts on the bee's body and added wings (not shown here). They turned out really cute!

Here's a happy from a sweet student. While everyone is getting ready for their Mad Minute math facts test, I suggest that they write me a note on the back (to keep it face down and discourage peeking). I get such a variety and they're all sweet or amusing. This one cracked me up! Apparently, this child thinks I am "hlaris." This one certainly boosted my self-esteem. What is the funniest note you've received? Leave a note in the comments!

Finally, with today being Constitution Day at school, our K-5 student body created a living flag. I suggested the idea last year, and my principal loved it. Our grade got to be the blue section with stars. We used large poster board stars for kids to hold on top of their heads. Here's a picture from a drone our tech department used to video the 700+ human flag. The children recited the Preamble once everyone was in place. It was a very moving event!

That's a peek into my week. How was your week? I hope it was GREAT! I'm going to visit my parents this weekend. I'm looking forward to home cooked meals and spending time with my mom and pop!