Snow Clips!



Hey Science Friends,

I can't stop thinking about snow even though it is more like spring here today. No worries, the weather in Texas can change pretty quick so there is no need to put our coats away just yet. My class has been carefully looking at the weather reports trying to figure out if we will have recess each day. And we were beginning to question if we would even see the sun. Oh, the stories we could wtite about missing the sun shine on our faces. Sometimes we can't decide if we want to see the snow or sun but what we do know is that we want the gray skies to clear! I figures that I needed to gather a few snowy things in case we have a cold front move in and we are stuck indoors just dreaming of...snow! Because if we get it by golly we are going to celebrate! So, this is my snowy video post so that I can be ready when the cold wind blows!

Here we go...let it snow!

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

For a little Number Talking snow fun click on the image above!

 

 

All You Need For A Snowman!



Hey Science Friends,

Over here we have been talking about the weather. And we were wishing for snow and checking the forecast and hoping for a little miracle and when it didn't happen we had to create a little snow fun on our own. All this snow talk really had us wanting to make a snowman especially during those gloomy days of indoor recess.

After we worked in our Weather Notebooks and recorded and graphed the weather we had a few minutes to make a snowman of our own. And the best part is that this took no time at all to prep and prepare. I was able to order these lanterns on Amazon which is my favorite online shopping store for any busy teacher. I shop, click and they deliver. I swear it could not be easier. I was able to cut most of the pieces for the eyes, nose and mouth out of construction paper scraps I had on hand.

The kids finished their work and went over to a back table and put it together independently. Even with precut pieces you could see different personalities emerge when the snowmen were finished.

With these hanging around from the ceiling it kind of made us fell like it was snowing even if it wasn't!  

 

 



Five For Friday!



Happy New Year Science Friends,

I have snow on my mind. I am wishing for just one dusting of snow this year! I think snow is the best part of winter because it makes everything look so magical. I have been busy working on all things snow as the weather gets colder and we expect a little freeze. So while I am stuck inside working, I decided to link up for a little Five for Friday fun with Doodle Bugs!

 So, lets get started with a little Five for Friday and a few freebies too!

Number 5

As I settled in to get a little work done, a nice cup of hot chocolate made it a little easier. I am in love with salted caramel hot chocolate this year.

And when you run out of marshmallows because of this...

You just have to improvise and problem solve and run for the whipped cream!

Number 4

Getting your work done on a super new Surface Pro 3 makes life a whole lot easier when you are on the go. And I am wishing I was on the go right about now...

Sipping my hot chocolate just dreaming of a beautiful sunny summer sky and white puffy clouds...my favorite kind of weather! And as I travel to the next new adventure, I am sure I will be carrying along my new Surface Pro 3 and having a ball snapping pictures and blogging about it. I think I am ready to hit the road now!

Number 3

When we get back to school we will have a little fun with one of my all time favorites...The Mitten. It's a classic favorite this time of year. And I love all of the animals. For more information on this product in my store just click on the image above.

Number 2

Here is a little freebie for you to use as you are talking about winter weather. Just click on the picture above to take you to the freebies you see here.

Number 1

I could not leave a post about snow without my all time favorite kind of snowballs. If you were here I would serve you some because these make a perfect snack for those long winter days. If you need the recipe just visit me HERE!

Happy New Year Science Friends! 

 



The Scent Of The Season!

Hey Science Friends,

Now is the time that we all are thinking about the sights, sounds and scents of the season. So many different ways to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. One of my favorite scents this time of year is peppermint. It is clean and crisp. It just smells like the holidays. Each time this year I make sure I have plenty of peppermint extract on hand to add to paint and play dough. It is clear and won't stain and it is pretty easy to find. You know, just right there by the vanilla extract in your local grocery store.

Just a few drops will transform some dough into a sensory experience sure to get anyone ready to start talking about this fun experience. What I love is that this time of year you could use any color of dough. I have a stockpile of dough that I am ready to use now and toss when we are finished! And what a great way to set the stage for describing properties of objects?

 Who knew Science could be seasonal and fun?

This is such an easy way to grab a quick checklist, engage in a little sensory language and check those items off the assessment list. Can you imagine the words used to describe the dough? What will the scent remind us of? What about the opportunities for comparative language? It's not so hard to think of a little twist to make Science a little seasonal and get our goals accomplished too!  

               If you need a little help with describing properties click here for a freebie!

Have fun investigating!



Science Newsletter Template!

Hey Science Friends,

I have been working on newsletter templates since the summer and have been using them for a lot of different reasons for parent communication this year already. I did not know how much time it would really save me by having a template to organize my thoughts but it really has.

These have been a huge time saver for me.

The biggest reason they have saved time for me is because before I had a simple template, I would spend a lot of time formatting and decorating the newsletter. Now my time is spent on the content of the newsletter. Another reason this has been so helpful for me is because the space it limited and because of that my message is more focused on the content rather than the fluff.

Until now, I have not had a reason to use page two of the newsletter. That is simply because I have not sent any Science news home this year and I had a little more to say. I can easily print this and copy on the back of page one for a two sided letter. If I want to send these as attachments I can send both of them as well. What my experience has taught me is that if I need more space than a front and back newsletter provides, then I need to probably communicate...more often.

I want the message short, simple and to the point because I want the reader to read it and act on it!

The editable weekly newsletter templates are each the same format and have been changed using seasonal graphics because I didn't want to get lost in learning what I could and could not do within multiple different templates because that would defeat the purpose. The purpose is direct and to the point, frequent communication with the families that I serve. When I was goal setting this summer, more frequent and relevant parent communication was on the top of my goal list. And the main reason I didn't do enough of it last year was largely due to feeling like I did not have enough...time. I had to simplify the process so that communicating with parents was less time consuming for me and the template did just that. The seasonal graphics just made me want to send newsletters...more. All in all, this has helped me work towards reaching my goal of more frequent communication and bought me some time to focus on something else!

So, if you are like me and need to take a bite out of parent communication just click on the images above. Until then, have fun investigating!