Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We made snowflakes!

Our snowflake body snowmen!

There is nothing like the surprise of carefully opening up a folded paper with cut-outs to discover the beautiful snowflake it has become! Everyone had fun experimenting with cutting paper to make original snowflakes after reading all about how snow is formed, what a snowy ice crystal looks like, and how snow can help us. We made snowmen to decorate our room with and used a snowflake for the body. We also wrote about ways that snow protects plants and animals, by acting as a blanket and a buffer from wind and cold, and how snow replenishes lakes and streams. Of course it is also provides delightful winter play!
Let's not forget snow globes - we all wrote a descriptive piece about a snow person inside a snow globe, and these will hang out in the hall.

Introducing...snow globe snow people!

 

We remembered the birds in winter too, and after reading a book about decorating an outdoor tree for birds, we got very sticky using honey and bird seed to decorate pine cones. Everyone went out to hang them up in a tree outside our class window and await our feathered friends... however, the squirrels got there first and grabbed each and every pine cone and had a feast!

Drizzle some honey

sprinkle some bird seed

Get sticky!

This is messy!

Decorated tree

Waiting for the birds!

Magic E made a dramatic entrance in phonics work this week! As we introduced words with Magic E/Silent E/King Ed (whichever term preferred) we learned that the vowel changes its sound to the long vowel sound in words. Everyone wore magic/king or queen capes as we cut and pasted silent E words.

Magic E has arrived!

Cur and paste silent E to words

Kings at work!

The power of Magic E

Our mini Silent E booklets

 During writing, we introduced the non-fiction writing genre of 'How-To Books'. After reading Sadie and the Snowman, we wrote the steps on building a snowman, organizing our writing with the words First, Next, and Last. Next week we will make clay creatures and write the steps we used.

In keeping with our winter themes, we have set up all our arctic books and will be learning about animals in the arctic such as polar bears, arctic foxes and hares, caribou, seals, walrus, and snowy owls. We will also make an igloo project which we are collecting cream cheese sized containers for. I've been saving up for a while, but any you can contribute will be great!  

One read - aloud based on a true story that we enjoyed was called Little Dog Lost. It featured  small dog that became lost out on the Baltic Sea, floating on ice. In the end, he was rescued by a fishing boat crew and became their own ship dog. It had everyone's full attention as we read of his adventures!  Here are a few friends reading on their own:

Enjoying a good read!

In science we have been learning about communication technology and have enjoyed slides and stories of astronauts communicating from space, and inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell. We practiced using the Scientific Process of collaborating and testing ideas for something a bit simpler than the telephone. We made paper airplanes and noted which designs stayed airborne the longest. (The one time paper air planes can be flown in class!) 
Here is our own Alexander Graham Bell:

Hello! Can you hear me?!

Will my air plane fly?

Try out this design!

In math, we are working with numbers 11- 19, place value rods and cubes, and skip counting. Practicing counting by 5s and 2s will be very helpful!

We closed out the week reading and learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. who inspired and led people to support fair and equal treatment for all people regardless of race. We made paper doves as a sign of peace.      

"I have a dream" doves.

                                                        


Next Friday we have our first of two PTO school store visits. A note went home with details. 

We also wished Peter a very happy birthday for this weekend! 

Somehow the cold weather is back, so stay warm and enjoy the long weekend!
Mrs. Dagley