Welcome to the Zoo

We have finished our plant unit in science and have moved on to animals.  We start out our animal unit by talking about the ways scientists classify animals.  As an introduction to this, the students created zoo models. The objective was for the students to show different ways animals can be classified. Students put animals together based on where they live, how they move, and physical traits. The kids also added attractions to their zoos that would make them more interesting. These included roller coasters, dirt bike rentals, and even a Super Bowl stadium!  The fun part of this assignment was showing off the zoos by walking action figures down the paths and giving the class a grand tour.

History Fair

 The fifth graders have been working hard researching different Native America tribes. They each wrote a report with a fancy cover and a map of where the tribe lived. Then they worked hard on a project that taught people more about their tribe. We had a History Fair today so the kids could show parents, teachers and other students what they learned.

Angiosperms

I may be a bit crazy to hand out knives to a room full of 5th graders, but nobody was injured today as we discovered angiosperms.  Angiosperms are the other type of seed plant (remember, gymnosperms?)  They are plants that have flowers and store their seeds in a fruit. Today each student got a different kind of fruit and had the opportunity to explore it in detail. Then they cut it into pieces so we could each taste it.  We sampled the following fruits:  grapefruit, pineapple, kiwi, quince, mango, orange, tomato, papaya, cantaloupe, cucumber, pepper, apricot, starfruit, pomegranate, ugli fruit, and peas.

5th Grade Christmas Party

We had lots of food.

One Direction presents from their Secret Santas.

The lemon juice contest - how long can you hold
lemon juice in your mouth?

The Angry Birds game

Christmas Pictionary

Gymnosperms?

What is a gymnosperm?  Thanks for asking!  A gymnosperm is a plant we commonly call evergreens or conifers.  The word is from the Greek word gymnospermos which means "naked seed."  The seeds of these plants are enclosed in a cone, not in a fruit like the angiosperms.

For the last few days the 5th graders have been taking a close look at the 8 gymnosperms that grow in Northern Minnesota.  I am hoping that the students learn the names of these trees so they can identify them in the woods.  In January we will go out into the school forest to test their skills.

Good Bye Miss Nelson!

Today was Miss Nelson's last day with us.  We surprised her with cake and a scrapbook we made this week when she was observing in other classrooms.  She has been an amazing student teacher and everyone is going to miss her (especially me).  We wish her luck as she graduates from Bemidji State University and starts her job search.

Christmas Time

We are probably one of the last schools in the United States that is allowed to have Christmas trees in our rooms.  I am okay with that.  I know some schools have done away with celebrating all holidays in order to find more time for test preparation.  Ugh, that is so sad.  I am happy to work at a school that knows how to balance work and fun.

The month of December has been full of Christmas festivities.  We decorate our Christmas tree with ornaments made by the kids.  The theme is "Winter Fun" so we make snowflakes, sleds, snowboarders, hats, and snowmen to hang on the tree.  These ornaments will become gifts for the special people in my students' lives.