Investigating Materials for Sails

The girls investigated the different properties of materials that they will be using to build their sails.  While separated into small groups, the girls got a chance to manipulate the different materials.  Some of the materials were: aluminum foil, felt, tissue paper and wax paper.  As a class we listed the properties of each material.  The girls did a great job of describing the different characteristics of the materials.  Your daughters are mechanical engineers in the making!

Mechanical Engineers

Today your daughters became mechanical engineers.  We brainstormed the definition of a "machine" and different examples of machines.  The girls were shown a rolling pin and told that it was a machine. By working together, they found out that a machine is an object that uses energy in order to work--it doesn't necessarily need to be electronic.  They were then divided into small groups and given different machines to observe and investigate.  Be sure to ask your daughter which machines she investigated today!

Nouns, Measuring, Engineering and a Field Trip!

It has been a busy 3 days in our classroom, your daughters should be exhausted!  We started our week by learning about nouns.  We read the book "A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink" and then brainstormed different nouns.

The girls then had to categorize nouns into either a person, place or thing.

In math, we have been discussing the different ways of measuring.  The girls were introduced to both standard and non-standard units of measurements and we also compared the weights of objects.  Yesterday, the girls were introduced to capacity.  We put the girls into small groups and they were given various containers from which they had to make estimates on how many of each container would fill a bucket with sand.

The girls then ventured out to the sandbox where they made actual measurements with their group.  Many of the groups were thrilled that they made accurate estimates.

A big happening in our classroom is the start of our new engineering unit. We started this unit by gathering ideas about engineers and technology (they believed that anything considered "technology" had to have a button, amazing).  The girls were shown a key and told that it was technology--by working together, they discovered that anything that was created to solve a problem was "technology".  The girls were then divided into small groups and given a mystery bag.  Inside each bag was an item that they usually would not consider to be "technology".  As a group, the girls had to answer several questions, including, "What does your object do, what problem does it solve, and what material is it made of?"  The group then reported back to the whole class on what they discovered about their object.  Make sure you ask your daughter what technology she found in her bag!

Of course, our big field trip was today.  The girls were so excited to drive downtown and visit our aquarium.  Here are some snapshots:

Arriving at the Aquarium

Getting "eaten" by the shark--this picture does not do the moment justice

Checking out the fish

Feeling hot and humid in the rain forest

Mesmerized by the jelly fish

A great field trip ends....

French: À la pêche

The girls and I had fun fishing during French class this week. First, they colored and cut out poissons. Then, they attached a number to each one and threw it in the "pond." We gathered around the fish and each girl was given a turn to fish with a magnetic fishing rod (which attached to a paper clip on the fish). When a girl caught a fish, if she could say the number she got to keep her catch!

Rain Forest Celebration

Thanks to all of the parents and special friends who were able to make our celebration and picnic on Wednesday.  We are so proud of your daughters and cannot believe the end of the year is upon us.  Here is the link to their presentations and play.

Rain Forest Celebration

Password: rainforest

Foods from the Rain Forest and measuring

Today was taste test day!  The girls learned about the different foods that the rain forests provide.  We watched a short video on how chocolate was made many years ago by the indigenous tribes.  After the video, the girls participated in a taste test of different spices that come from the rain forest.  The following spices were used:  Allspice, Cocoa, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, and Vanilla.  Ask your daughters what they thought of vanilla!

We also started our measuring unit in math as we talked about non-standard units of measuring.  First, the girls had to draw an animal then measure that animal using their thumbprint.  After that, they also began measuring different parts of their body using unifix cubes.

Catching Up...

Pre-First has been hopping these past 2 weeks.  The girls--and their teachers--are starting to feel the crunch of the end-of-the-school year.  Here is what has been going on in our classroom.

We have been studying 3-D shapes and the girls are getting more comfortable identifying the different characteristics of each shape.  Here they are learning about the cone.

In science, we finished up our experiment on different roots.  Yesterday the girls went outside and had to pull up scallions and grass from the ground to compare the roots to those of the beet and the carrot.  The girls had a great time learning why roots are all different.

The girls spent our language arts block working on capitalization.  We have an anchor chart which has the acronym MINTS to help the girls remember what words get capitalized.  After we completed a whole class activity, the girls worked in pairs to read through a short essay on the Orioles, then go back and find all of the words that needed to be capitalized.

The girls have been hard at work, researching their rain forest animals and preparing a presentation using the Pixie app for you to see during our rain forest celebration.  Here is a sneak preview!