I Didn't Kill the Plants...It's a Miracle

Before break, we started our ever entertaining and enjoyable unit on plants.  This is one of my favorite science topics ever.

While perusing through the W, I found these awesome mini greenhouses from Miracle Gro Kids.  At $1 each I couldn't pass them by.  I got carrots (which we know do not grow on trees), cucumbers, tomatoes, sunflowers and forget-me-nots.


Each group got to set up one greenhouse and I had one to demonstrate.

Everyone had a job: soil dumper, mixer, seed sower and seed coverer.  We set them by a window and...

we had forget-me-nots (and a little mold) popping up!  The next day cucumbers poked through the soil.  By the end of the week everything was growing except the carrots.  Those just started yesterday (about 10 days after we planted them).

I was really worried I would kill these jokers over Spring Break.  Both my parents and my man have beautiful green thumbs.  Mine isn't brown, but more of a wimpy yellow-green.  Ha!

 

Just before break we also planted watermelons.  I told you, I love planting!  Fingers crossed, these will be ready to eat by the last day of school.  More on that later.

 Last week I won a giveaway!  Jana Guerra of WeHeart1st has this wonderful Life in the Garden resource.

The students practiced their reading for details and answering questions skills to complete "Parts of a Plant" in their interactive notebooks.  On the opposite side we used the cut and label parts of a plant, but I didn't snap any pictures.

This pack wrote my science lessons for the next 2 weeks!  We will be learn and observing soil, parts of a seed, plant life cycles and much more.  We'll be using Dirt: The Scoop on Soil by Natalie M. Rosinsky, Oh Say Can You Seed? by Bonnie Worth and (my go-to) Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.  Love me some Buddy Bear.

       

Don't forget about my TpT sale this weekend!

Sale! Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a Freebie

Adorable clip art by Krista Wallden.  New logo by me.

My Spring Break has been really productive!  I love having the time to get the ideas out of my head and onto the computer.  I feel like I am ready.  I'm sure that feeling will start to fade Sunday night and Monday morning.

In honor of the last few days of my break I am throwing a sale in my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Check out some of my newest products:

Spring Math Centers runs the gamut of 3rd and 4th quarter math skills for my firsties.  Activities include:

• Place Value matching numeral, word, base ten blocks, tens and ones and expanded form numbers 12-99
• Measuring length and width with both nonstandard units and inches
• Time to the hour and half hour both digital and analog
• Fractions of circles and squares into halves and quarters
• Related facts find related addition and subtraction facts with part-part-whole (We are going to practice this all Spring. My students are still struggling with this, grr!  They can complete fact families like nobody's business, but many aren't making the connection.)
• Word problems with sums and differences within 20
• Graphing with 3 and 4 categories and questions to analyze the graph

And how adorable are the Crazy Bugs from Graphics from the Pond? Seriously! 

 The Math Anchor Charts for Interactive Notebooks: Measurement and Data is up, too!  (And this weekend it is only $1.60...go get it now!)

 

I use these anchor charts 2 to 3 times a week.  The district I teach in requires us to use Interactive Notebooks in ELA, math and science.  It was definitely a learning curve, but I see the impact the notebooks make.  It is a different from journals.  After I understood that and started teaching students *how to use* their notebooks it made all the difference.

When we do our quick review from the previous day I would see students trying to secretively turn back and peek.  One day I called them out in a good way, they got stickers for using their tools.  That's all it took.  Students take their notebooks with them to math tubs (rotations, centers, independent work...whatever you call it).  I LOVE it!

Each chart has 2 per page for easy prep.  Print, slice, glue, go!

This set covers ALL the first grade Common Core Standards in Math for Measurement and Data.

 It also includes vocabulary cards.  I enlarge these for the word wall and print regular size for student notebooks.  They glue it like a flap on their side of the journal.  Under the word they draw or write their understanding of the definition.  You could even just glue it down and write beside it.  Whatever works for your class.

 

I also use the poster maker at school to enlarge the charts.  We use these in class.  I have students color it and hang it on our Math Strategies Wall.

Ok, so if you're still with me you get a reward!  No, not a sticker.  How about a sight word freebie? 

 Full color version here...

and black line here.

Don't forget about the sale!  Happy Spring!