Pumpkin Jack

Pumpkin Jack Experiment
Day 1

After learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin from the books Pumpkin Circle and Pumpkin Jack we decided to start our own Pumpkin Jack.

 Today, we placed a Jack-O-Lanterns into a jar to decompose.

What will happen?
Will we see the pumpkin circle right before our eyes?
Will we grow a pumpkin?

We can't wait to observe the changes that will take place over the next few weeks and months.

This box is gonna get messy!

Do you want to do this at home along with us?

Place your pumpkin in the corner of your yard.  When we check our pumpkin at school. Check your pumpkin at home. You will know when we check our pumpkin because I will update our blog with our observations. 

The Candy Corn Bandit Strikes on Halloween

Candy Corn Bandit

The Candy Corn Bandit stole Mrs. Wanke's candy!  Mrs. Wanke was very excited to share her jar of Candy Corns with us.  However, when we came to school today....

  there was a letter from the Candy Corn Bandit, Candy Corn Bandit booklets for each of us, and a clue!  Then, we looked at the Candy Corn booklets. 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!

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.  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 when we read!  WOW...she is right. 

Writer's Cafe

We worked so hard this first quarter of school.  We wanted to show off one of our published pieces of writing.  

So today our room was transformed into Writer's Cafe and we were chefs serving up a sampling of our writing!

We each took turns sharing our favorite piece with each table of customers. 

Subtraction Games

Click the picture above to play some fun subtraction games.

Help Me Grow!

Please take a moment if you can to complete this form. This helps me know how things are going so far this year. I want all of us to have a great year.

 

10 is our SUPER HERO!

We are working on memorizing all the combinations that make 10.  When we know how to make 10, we solve many many problems!

Here is a song that we use to warm up before math!




Here is a fun game that we played in the computer lab to help us memorize our facts to 10! It makes us excited that it has a whale in it. Click on the picture to play the game at home.

Whale of the MONTH!

Our Whale of the Month for September is Jacob!  Jacob demonstrated all month what it means to be a whale. He worked together with others, communicated with his peers, and help out whenever needed!  Way to go Jacob. 

Jacob gets to wear the whale fin around school to let everyone know he knows what it means to be a whale.  He also gets a cookie from Cookies by Design in Rockford.  (Thank you Cookies By Design!)

Can't wait to see who is the Whale of the Month for October.