The girls then received their own hundred charts and had to find and shade certain numbers that the teachers called out. We also looked for patterns on the chart. The hundred chart will continue to be a very important part of math in first and second grade.
The girls had a blast in science this week as they learned where penguins live in the world and how they stay warm in less than ideal temperatures. We used highlighters to identify the places on their own personal maps. They were shocked to hear that penguins do not live in the North Pole!
To make the concept of blubber more appealing to the girls, we brought out the big guns--an ice cold bucket of water. The girls were challenged to keep their hands in the ice cold water for as long as they could (we set the limit at 30 seconds, we are not THAT mean). We discussed how their hands felt and if they wanted to go swimming in a pool that temperature--of course we had some bold girls who said they would "definitely" take a dip :-)
Using a plastic baggie, shortening as a "blubber" substitute, and plastic wrap the girls dipped their hands back into the ice cold water. They were amazed to find that their hands were not nearly as cold as before. The girls realized that by having blubber, the penguins are able to survive in the harsh climate of Antarctica.
Yesterday, the girls learned about how penguin parents care for their young in the unforgiving climate of Antarctica. We read a book and watched 2 short movies about what penguin parents have to go through to ensure their chick's safety. Afterwards, we pretended to be penguins and had to learn how to waddle with an egg on our feet and transfer the egg to our partner.
Look who stopped by as our Mystery Reader this week! The girls loved the books he brought in and enjoyed hearing new and fun stories!
