Bee Bots

We had a fun lesson about coding and programming simple robots with Bee Bots last week.  Your children worked in pairs to either be a "coder" or a "programmer" to direct these simple robots to go from a starting to an ending point on a grid.  Just like real programmers or coders, if their Bee Bot didn't go where they planned, the children had to start again and try to figure out their errors.  It was a lot of fun and we'll have the Bee Bots around off and on for a few weeks in Room 4.

Future computer programmers!

Hibernation Day

We finished our study of Animals in Winter today with Hibernation Day.  We used our imaginations as the temperature dropped and we went from fall to winter.  There was a winter storm brewing in our room and your children hibernated as ladybugs, frogs, snakes, bears, or woodchucks.

These snakes woke up and had to forage for food.

The ladybugs flew all over looking for something to eat.

It was a long winter, they were VERY hungry!

These two frogs were the quietest hibernators.   Maybe it was because they were frozen at the bottom of the pond!

The Owl Man

On Monday, The Owl Man came to visit us.  He brought a barred owl and a screech owl.  It was so much fun to see them and learn about them.  Did you know that an owl's eyes don't move?  That is why they move their heads around to see.  Also, they have more vertebrae in their neck than we do.  That is why they can nearly turn their head all the way around!

Here are a few pictures.

Then, yesterday your children got to dissect owl pellets in media center.  Here are some bones they found.  Really cool or really gross?  Opinions vary here!!  Most of your scientists thought this was really cool.  Some teachers who came in and saw the bones thought they were pretty gross!

Martin Luther King Day

We learned a bit about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week so your children would understand why we had a holiday Monday.  Your children thought it was really strange that there was a time not so long ago when people with dark skin weren't treated just like everyone else in our country.  We loved this quote of Dr. King's so much that we decided to make a poster and keep it in our classroom.  Here are a few pictures of your kids making it and making their own copies to take home.

Oh, A Hunting We Will Go

We started our "Animals in Winter Unit last week.  One activity we did was to "hunt" all over the school for our winter animals.  When we found the pictures around the school, we read to find out if our animal hibernates, migrates, is active, or is dormant in the winter.  Thanks to Naomi's mom for coming in to take a group of hunters out to find their animals.  Here are some photos of your children hunting and then reading about their animals.

Dance Party

One day this week we were dancing to "Flutterfly" our favorite song on our Mr. Chris cd.  Your children were filled with such joy.  Here are a few fun shots.  At the end they decided to form one big circle and all dance together.  Do any of you have dance parties where you work?

Thank You Note

Yesterday we wrote a (very overdue) Thank You note to Sami's dad, Mr. Chris.  We had been listening to one of his cd's in class and he gave EVERY kid in Room 4 a copy.  I've been hearing about kids listening to these in their parents' cars and at home.  What fun!  Thanks Mr. Chris!!