Pumpkins, scarecrows, and colorful leaves

Mini scarecrows!

Our read-alouds included both fiction and non-fiction books this week as we read about the life cycle of pumpkins (From Seed to Pumpkin, Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin Pie) and about fictional scarecrows and pumpkin growing contests (The Biggest Pumpkin Ever, Jeb Scarecrow's Pumpkin Patch). We learned how seeds can travel and sprout in new places due to birds, animals, or wind, and we saw determination and creativity in our fiction books on the subject.

Great reads

Making Jeb Scarecrow

Finishing touches on mini scarecrow

Best of all we carved our own pumpkin in school and had a first hand experience of smelling and touching the slippery seeds and goo! Later we used this activity as a writing idea.

It's slimy, squishy, slippery

I'm lovin' this!

"Ohhhhh!"

Our other writing activities this week included using 'sparkle' words to make our writing more specific and descriptive, and everyone completed a 'research' project. Children chose a woodland animal book to look through and learn about their habitat, diet, and physical features and then wrote their findings, working with friends to discuss ideas. The paper was attached to a large page on which they water painted a habitat for their animals. It was fun presenting to the class as well!

Researching together

We chose Garter snakes- they're hibernating!

Squirrels and foxes were our choices

Raccoons!

I'm learning about raccoons

Deer and Wolves

We presented!

How do you like it?!

Our paining and reporting

In science we experimented with mirrors by shining a flashlight on them and redirecting the light as it reflected off the mirror. We held sticky notes against a mirror with half a picture on them and were delighted to see the whole picture reflected in the mirror! We also had a prism which we used after watching the video explaining how light appears white but actually has 7 colors of the rainbow if 'bent' through something like a prism or a rain drop. This was the first week we went to the Maker Space in our Science & Technology specialist and the kids carried on lots of fun experiments with light in there too!

Mirrors and sunlight - where will the beam of light go?!

Reflecting sticky note pictures

The kids took the laptop math test on Monday and really showed off their skill and focus. Topic 4 introduces many different strategies for solving addition problems including learning and using doubles facts or 'near doubles' sometimes known as 'Doubles plus 1'. We have a doubles rap we sing to learn the facts and we have used a double fact as a strategy when appropriate (6+7=? If 6+6 is 12, then 6+7 is just one more than 12...13!). Next week we will work on making a 10 using a double ten frame mat when solving problems with sums that are in the teens. 

Test over - let's get to ABCya site!

Phonics this week has us learning and practicing words with digraphs - ch, sh, wh, th, and we had a great book and poster called, The H Brothers to help us. We also worked on sight words, especially 'all' and had a poster with parts to read that provided a humorous way to learn it.

Digraph fun

We welcomed Sergeant Manning to TES

Taking the part of 'a' or 'o'

 this week to talk to the kids about safety
while trick-or-treating. The reflective bags he gave out were a big hit!

Our young Red Sox fans are ready for the series, although hopefully not for games after midnight! Here they are:

Go Sox!

We will be collecting shoeboxes for a diorama project in November, so send in any you might have. I've been saving up all year so that will help. 

Stay cozy during our rainy weekend,
Mrs. Dagley