Away in the Manger

Third graders are working on their challenge based on the story The Stable Where Jesus Was Born by Rhonda Greene. They are designing and building a stable and manager for baby Jesus.

3M Homework

3M will start working on their Away in the Manger project next Tuesday. Each student will need to bring in a Ziplock bag of small, thin twigs, not branches.

First graders are also reading about the Gingerbread man — and the Ninjabread man! They read a version of the story with some friends and made a retelling bracelet to help them remember the sequencing in the story. Next week they will be exploring the five senses!

Prek-4 Maker Space

Today we’re read two versions of the Gingerbread Man and then explored gingerbread stations, including Playdough with cookie cutters and building a gingerbread house out of Legos.

Mary and Joseph’s Journey

4th grade is using Google Earth and other resources to research and learn about Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They’re comparing and contrasting the climate/weather in September (when some scholars think Jesus may have actually been born) to December as well as the terrain along the path they may have taken. Students will be challenged as Joseph’s apprentice to design and create something that will make their journey easier.

2nd grade Reindeer escape!

We’ve been learning  all about reindeer, including the ecosystem where they live, the weather, and so much more. We’re also learning about force, matter, gravity, and friction.

Next the students will start designing and creating their own calf (baby reindeer) out of a balloon to race against a predator. Did you know that calves learn to walk within a couple of being born? Using what students have learned about matter and friction, they will create a calf that will hopefully “outrun” the predator.

Just for fun, check out Santa’s live reindeer cam:

https://reindeercam.com/

We are gifted for something

The conference I attended this week was so informative and exciting! I learned about some new tools I can’t wait to share, have new ideas for lessons brewing, and picked up a new book. It’s actually for my daughters. I always bring them back a “happy” when I travel, but now that they’re teens, it’s not a toy or candy. Both love science, so this book is perfect. As I was reading it, I came across a quote by Marie Curie, and it sums up how I feel about your child...

‘Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost,  us be attained.”

Science Conference

I am attending a Science conference in Charlotte, NC this week. I’m already getting a boat load of ideas and can’t wait to share them with the students and teachers. Stay tuned...