Adopt a Tree

 Our first big science project is called Adopt-a-Tree.  Last week each 5th grader went out into the forest and selected a deciduous tree to call his/her own.  They then spent this week studying their trees in detail.  We looked at bark, leaves, and branches.  We measured circumference and estimated height.  We made leaf and bark rubbings. The students learned about alternate and opposite branching.  They learned the scientific names for their trees (and gave them a name of their own - a tree named Fluffy? Sure, why not?!)

We will visit our trees throughout the year to see how they change with the seasons. 

Monarchs Released

Today we released three monarch butterflies.  Usually our first science unit of the year is studying monarch caterpillars and their metamorphosis process.  Unfortunately, I could only find 6 caterpillars this year and they had each made a chrysalis before school started.  We have been watching these carefully, and three butterflies came out over the weekend.  It was fun to let them go and see them fly south on their way to Mexico.

Oh Deer!

Today we had 5 special visitors at school and only two of them were human.  Steve Porter and his son, Dylan, brought three of the bucks from their deer farm near Lake Bronson, Minnesota.  Dylan taught us about the development of antlers and buck behavior during different times of year.  The class got to see a lot of antlers and three very large bucks up close!

Hopes and Dreams

I took a Responsive Classroom workshop a few years ago, and I use so many components of this wonderful program.  

At the beginning of the year we talk about things we are good at and things we need help with.  These can be subject areas (Math), organizational areas (bringing in homework on time) or social areas (raising hands before talking).  Then each student writes his/her hope and dream for this school year on a star.

To share our hopes and dreams with each other we had a loud and crazy celebration this afternoon.  I am sure everyone in the town of Hill City wondered what was going on.

Now early next week we will sit down together and talk about what rules are necessary so that every single person in our class can meet his/her hope and dream.

Science Inquiry: Goldenrod Galls

Two days of school have gone by.  I am extremely exhausted, but it is a good thing!  I always try to start the year with a big science activity my class can really get excited about.  I usually do a monarch caterpillar/butterfly unit.  Unfortunately, there are very few caterpillars around this fall, so I had to go on to Plan B.  What was Plan B?  Goldenrod galls!

The Canada Goldenrod plant grows all over our area. Many of these plants have a special feature called a "gall."  This gall is a little home for the larva of the Goldenrod Gall Fly.

Yesterday I gave each student a Goldenrod gall to observe.  They drew pictures with accurate coloring and wrote down some observations.  They then had to think of 5 questions.  The most common question was definitely, "What is inside?"  After cutting them open, most students found a small white larva. We are keeping these larva, just in case any decide to go through metamorphosis and we can produce a few flies.  It has happened in other years, so I have my fingers crossed.

Today we went out to the woods near our school forest and found dozens of galls.  The class is to take them home and share what they have learned with their families.

Tomorrow we are going to go out and look for some milkweed.  I'm still hoping to find a few monarch caterpillars yet this fall!

Exploring the goldenrod gall - recording observations, drawing,
coloring, and writing questions.

Looking for galls in the woods by the school

We found a few!

 

Welcome Back to School!

  It is Labor Day weekend and I should be out doing "summery" things for the last time.  Instead, I am sitting at my computer working on curriculum and parent newsletters.  Ah, such is the life of a teacher.

This is my 18th year of teaching at Hill City Elementary School.  You would think after 18 years, going back to school would be easy.  It definitely has become easier, but it still isn't easy.  Every year I decide to change a whole bunch of stuff and as I get older my memory isn't as good. 

I think I have everything ready for Tuesday.  My room looks ready, anyway.  In just over 48 hours, the whirlwind of a school year begins again.  I can't wait, but I think there is still time to go swimming in a lake just once more this summer.