Why is Lilly so different than Hewey and Lewey?

Today, we researched more about the differences in runner ducks and pekin ducks. My student posed a few questions as they observed our 3 ducklings:

1. Why is Lilly smaller than Hewey and Lewey?

2. Why do our pekin ducks walk better than Lilly, our runner?

3. Why is Lilly a different color than Hewey and Lewey?

Based on these questions, Mrs. Daniel and I created an informational article to teach our students more information about the differences between runner and pekin ducks. I had my students annotate over the article using our thinking codes.

After annotating, we went outside to observe our ducklings and notice the similarities and differences. We recorded our observations in our "An Egg Is Quiet" journals.

Eric Carle as Mentor Author

We have enjoyed studying Eric Carle's craft and techniques over the past few weeks. We learned that he writes literary non-fiction books mostly about animals. 

In science we have been researching and learning about 4 types of insects: ladybug, butterfly, cricket, and honeybees. In reading we have been gaining more facts about these insects through Eric Carle books. In writing, we created our own insect literary non-fiction books with Eric Carle as our mentor. 

We learned that Eric Carle makes a tissue paper collage to crest his beautiful illustrations. Of course, we had to try it out!  We began by painting our paper:

Then, we pasted the painted paper into a collage to create the illustration:

The students worked so hard on these literary nonfiction insect books!

Can ducks smell? Do they have a nose?

One student posed the question, "Does Hewey, Lewey, and Lilly have a nose to smell?"

Our class began researching to find the answer to the question. We found that ducks do not have noses but instead have holes on their beaks from which they breathe.  Isn't that cool?

Of course we then had to get our ducklings out to observe their beaks,

Next, we documented our learning in our "An Egg Is Quiet" journals.

I am so excited about all that we are learning with our ducklings!

Our ducks can swim!

Today, we let our baby ducks swim for the first time in their pool! They were so sweet to watch and the kids had a great time! Mrs. Morgan's 1st grade class even joined us to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the ducklings were finished swimming, we had to dry them off with a towel.  We learned from research that ducklings who hatch with their mom receive the oils that causes them not to get wet.  However, since our ducklings aren't with the mama duck, we have to dry them with a towel.

 

After watching our baby ducks swim, we wrote about our experience in our journals.

"We got to watch our ducks swim. I love watching our ducks. I loved it. It was so much fun."

 

"Our ducks can swim. We saw them swim. One tried to get out of the pool!"

 

"We let our ducks swim by themselves and one of them tried to jump out of the pool!"

"We let our ducks swim for fun! Lilly tried to get out of the pool!"