Tuesday, November 26, 2013

We made our own butter!

Today, we continued learning about different things that the Pilgrims and Native Americans taught each other!  We learned how to make butter, just like they did in Colonial times.
 
We began by adding the heavy whipping cream and salt into our jar.  We each had some time to shake the jar.
 Adding the salt to the whipping cream.
 
Landon was observing the butter to see if it had hardened.

Lake was shaking the butter!

Brandon loved making butter!
 
A sweet video of everyone making butter.
 
After a lot of shaking, our butter was finally ready.  It was so cool to see the smile and excitment on the children's faces when they realized they had made their own butter, just like the Native Americans and Pilgrims.  Below is our finished product. 
Notice the whey that formed around the outside of our butter. How neat!
 
Here are some sweet reactions to their initial tasting of our homeade butter!  I brought crackers for them to taste with the butter.

Learning Club 3 was tasting the butter for the first time. 
 
Learning Club 1 loved the butter! I love the excitement in Landon's "yum!!" at the beginning of the video.
 

Learning Club 4 about to taste their butter!
 
Everyone had such a FUN time making the butter today.  They all wanted me to tell you guys how to make it so that they could try it at home with you!
 
What you need:
Heavy Whipping Cream
Salt
Jar with a lid
 
Directions:
Fill the jar to a desired amount with whipping cream.
Add a good amount of salt.
Shake the jar A LOT!
(Continue to add salt and shake until the butter becomes firm)
HAVE FUN! :)

Monday, November 25, 2013

Candle Dipping

This week, we are learning about different things that the Pilgrims and Native Americans taught each other. Today, we focused on the Pilgrims. We learned that Pilgrim children had the responsibility of making candles. To us, it is so easy to flip on a light switch or shine a flash light if we need light. However in colonial times, they did not have these luxuries. Children and adults were required to make the candles if they wanted light. 

Today, we attempted to make our own candles. The students were given a long wick and had the opportunity to dip it into the pot of wax. Everyone continuously made circles to re-dip their wicks. After a lot of dipping and patience, we were able to make small candles! 












We had so much fun learning to make our own candles just like the Pilgrims!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Hayden was our Bucket Filler



Thank you, Mr. Hooks, for coming to read to our class! Hayden was so excited!

We are authors!

After constructing the Pilgrim's Common House, we illustrated and wrote about the differences between our houses now and their houses.
 
Katelynn N.


Sheron


Landon


Emma


We also learned that many of the games that the Pilgrims and Native Americans played were the same as ours! We learned that they played Tic Tac Toe but called it "Naughts and Crosses." The also played hide and go seek but called it "All Hid." Here are a few examples:


Ciarra



Brandon


Nicholas

Pilgrim's Common House

We learned that the Pilgrim's Common House was a tall and narrow house that many of the Pilgrims lived in together! We decided to construct our very own Common House.



Here is our Pilgrim's Common House and Native American's Teepee!


Way to Read...

Emma and Ciarra read 200 lines! Great job girls!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Constructing our Teepee

Today, we learned that Native Americans used to live in Teepees during the First Thanksgiving. We began by researching different teepes and practicing with a few of the symbols that we were going to paint. Once we were ready, we began painting the sheet that will be the covering of our Teepee. 








They had such a fun time painting the symbols!  


This is our finished sheet!


Here is our frame for the Teepee! Please check back in tomorrow for our final product!

Thanksgiving Lunch

We had our special Thanksgiving lunch at school today! Lots of parents came to enjoy this time with us! Please enjoy a few pictures from our fun time!
Hayden was enjoying his Caprisun.


Austin and Hayden enjoyed lunch with their mom!



Bella Grace was excited that her Papa joined us for lunch!





Dr. Patterson was helping serve our wonderful lunch! Thanks for all you do for our school and class!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Extended Learning-Comparing numbers using greater than/less than

This week, we are comparing numbers using the terms greater than and less than.  Today, we used each other to practice our comparing skills.  Please enjoy the video below.
 
 
Please continue practicing these skills at home by giving your child two different amounts of objects, and having them compare the two using the terms "greater than and less than." Thank you for your support and partnership in your child's education!

We Compared Native American and Pilgrim's clothes With The Clothes We Wear Today

Today, we designed pages in our books which compared the clothing that was worn during the first Thanksgiving with the clothes we wear now. 

Brandon


Jaylen


Sage

Monday, November 18, 2013

Thanksgivng Then and Now Day 1

I am very excited about our Thanksgiving: Then and Now unit that we started today!  Throughout the week, we will compare many differences between Native Americans and Pilgrims during the first Thanksgiving and how we celebrate Thanksgiving today. 

We began our unit by watching a short informational video to introduce and gain information about Pilgrims and Native Americans.  After viewing the video, we made a noticings chart to compare Pilgrims and Native Americans.  As you will see below, we have a lot to learn over the next week!
I was excited that the students noticed different things about their clothing and houses because we will be researching more about those topics throughout the week.
 


For writing, we will begin creating an informational book titled, "Thanksgiving: Then and Now."  Today, the students created their cover and began our first page.  Here are a few pictures of the covers below:

Please notice the labeling that Austin included on his front cover!  I love when the students take things that were previously taught and apply it to their current learning!


Katelyn did a wonderful job writing her title neatly and illustrating her family sitting around the dinner table at Thanksgiving.

Lake has wonderful handwriting!  He said that he was the blue boy and that the two characters that are pink are his mom and sister!
 
 
After illustrating their front cover, the children were asked to create a page which shows what their family enjoys doing during Thanksgiving each year. 

"My family loves to rake up leaves together."- Joshua

"My family loves to eat together!"- Katelynn N.

"My family loves to look at my cat together."-Nicholas