Animal Adaptations

We learned that animals adapt to cold weather in many ways.  Some animals, like polar bears and penguins live in extremely cold weather all the time. To make sure they stay warm, their body's have a thick layer of blubber.  To understand this, we first stuck our hand in a bowl of ice cold water.  BOY was that cold!  Then, we put our hand inside a "blubber glove" that was inside the same bowl of cold water.  Our hand stayed SO warm, we couldn't even tell that it was in ice cold water.    

To make a blubber glove fill a gallon Ziplock bag with Crisco.  Make sure the Crisco coats both sides on the inside of the bag.  Then, put another bag inside, so your hands do not touch the Crisco. 

We also learned that animals in our areas adapt to the cold by either migrating, hibernating, or growing a thicker coat of fur.  Mrs. Wanke challenged us to make a shelter that could fit 5 animals inside.  The shelter also had to keep the cold air out and was insulated.  We came up with some really great shelters.  

New Year = New Math Fun

We are so excited to be back!  The new year brings new expectations, new learning, and new fun!  This week in math, we learned a fun game to help us become more fluent at solving missing-addend problems.  (7+___ =15)

This game can be played with 2 or 3 players.  

2 players: Player A puts a card on their forehead without looking, then places another card face up in front of them.  Player B adds both cards up and shares the total.  Then, player A uses the number in front of them and the total shared to determine the number on their forehead.  After player A solves the problem, the players switch roles. 

3 players: Player A and Player B each place a card on their forehead without looking.  Player C adds both cards up and shares the total with players A and B.  Players A and B try to be the first to figure out what number is on their forehead.  The player who figures out their card first wins the round.  Then players switch roles.  

Also, this week we learned a new math strategy called Make 10.  We teach this strategy to help us build our mental math strategies.  Click here to read an old blog post to learn more about this strategy.  

Lastly, we worked hard and independently at our math stations, putting what we learned into practice!  

Thanksgiving Fun 2025

This week was all about Thanksgiving. On Monday we read the story, Thank You, Sarah Hale. 

This story explained how Thanksgiving became a national holiday. We also learned why so many of us serve the same foods for Thanksgiving dinner.  It is because of Sarah Hale!  After President Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a holiday due to Sarah Hale's persistence, she published recipes in a popular magazine.  Thank you, Sarah Hale!

We talked about Thanksgiving traditions, like the president pardoning a turkey, watching football, making a wish with the wishbone, and watching the Macy's Day parade.  

We then read the book Balloons Over Broadway. 

This story explained how the tradition of the Macy's Day parade began and how Tony Sarge created all those amazing floats.  

This inspired us to make our own balloon floats and have our very own parade.  ENJOY!

Candy Corn Bandit 2025

Candy Corn Bandit

The Candy Corn Bandit stole Mrs. Wanke's candy!  Mrs. Wanke needed those for our math lesson! Look what we found  when we came back from music...

a letter from the Candy Corn Bandit, Candy Corn Bandit booklets for each of us, and a clue!  On the inside we had to draw what we predicted the Candy Corn Bandit to look like.  Then, we had to predict three places we thought the candy corns might be.

   

Finally, it was time to read the first clue and set off on our candy corn hunt!

We made a prediction based upon what we read in clue one.  We predicted the candy would be in the lunch room! When we got to the lunch room...all we found was another clue. 

 After reading that clue, we predicted that we would find the candy in the gym.

When we got to the gym, all we found was another clue.

  After reading that clue, we predicted we would find the candy on the play ground.  When we got outside, all we found was ANOTHER clue!

  After reading that clue, we predicted we would find the candy in the library.  But, when we got the the library, all we found was ANOTHER clue! Boy oh boy this Candy Corn bandit was causing some trouble! 

After reading the clue, we predicted we would find the candy in the classroom.

When we got to the classroom...what do YOU predict we found?

You got it...the CANDY and another clue!

Clue #6 told us to keep our eyes open and our candy protected.  We also had to finish up the last page of our Candy Corn Bandit book before we could get our candy corn.

This activity was great for making predictions and inferences.  Not only did we predict where the candy would be, we also made predictions about how the bandit was able to pull off this crime, did the bandit have an accomplice, how big was the bandit, and what was the bandits motive. 

When we got back to the class, Mrs. Wanke had a light bulb moment.  She said that we could use predictions and inferences when we read!  WOW...she is right. 

We wrapped up this activity by reflecting on our predictions!  We had lots of fun, but hope the Candy Corn Bandit doesn't come back!