Happy Easter to our families who celebrate Easter today!
This week in our classroom, we had an egg-citing time with our eggsperiments. We took on the egg drop challenge and I’m thrilled to share that 4 eggs survived without cracking. Our eggs are getting closer to hatching 🐣 and by the end of next week, we may have chicks in our classroom!
In addition to our eggs, we welcomed new friends into our room – 5 caterpillars! We observed them eat and grow throughout the week and reviewed the fascinating life cycle of a butterfly.
On Thursday, we had a special visit from Ms. Cheryl from the Des Plaines library for story time. The children enjoyed the stories and even got to listen to her play the ukulele 😊
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are looking forward to another exciting week ahead. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our classroom activities.
What an eggstraordinary week in our classroom! Today is day 10 for our eggs in the incubator. Eleven more to go!
We’ve become immersed in everything egg-related, from eggsplores to eggsperiments, the chuckles were nonstop as we discovered lots of ways we could include “egg” words in our conversations.
Throughout the week, we eggsplored the anatomy of an egg, its inner membrane, air pocket, albumen, chalaza, and embryo. Each student had an eggscellent opportunity to eggstensively observe and learn about each part.
We also got to stand on eggs, and to our amazement, they didn’t break! Why? The egg is strongest at the top and bottom (or the arch’s highest point). The curved shape of the shell helps spread pressure uniformly throughout the shell rather than concentrating it at one point.
But the fun did not end there! We also got into some eggcellent art projects, creating our own vivid paint from chalk dust and eggs. The colors were eggceptional, and our shared masterpiece is something we are all be proud of.
We got a visit from the prekindergarten class this week, and they talked to us about bees, how they help us, what would happen if there were no bees, and how we can help bees.Their talk aimed to encourage people to plant more pollinator-friendly plants while also raising awareness about bees as an endangered species. On Tuesday, April 30, their class will hold a sale to benefit their service project, Give Bees a Chance. Every class has the opportunity to shop or donate money to help protect the bees! Please send a few dollars with your child next Tuesday so they can shop or donate for this important cause. 🙂 All donations and revenues will be directed to Environment America.
What an amazing week we’ve had in our classroom! As you may have heard, we have started the exciting process of hatching eggs. I brought in a dozen fertilized eggs from Hepzibah Farm this week, and after closely inspecting them, we discovered a stunning range of differences. Each egg is different in terms of color, size, shape, and weight. Ask your child what colors some of our eggs were.
Throughout our exploration, we learned that the outside part of an egg is the shell and that it has numerous pores on its surface. Each student had the opportunity to name their egg before carefully placing it in the incubator.
Did you know there are more than 500 different types of chickens? We also discovered that a chicken only lays one egg each day and that chicken eggs hatch after about 21 days. To guarantee a successful hatch, we keep the eggs warm and turn them at least three times a day, in the incubator, to keep the embryo from sticking to the shell.
Next week will be even more eggciting as we explore the inside of an egg and do some egg-citing activities together. We’ll keep you updated on our hatching adventure every step of the way!
In other news, over spring break, I put my building skills to the test and with some help from my husband build a new easel for our class.
A big thank you to Ms. Maria for her efforts in attempting to transport it; sadly, it was too large for her car as well, and a special thank you to Galin Georgiev for going above and beyond to pick it up and safely deliver it to school. The students really enjoyed it!
We had the opportunity of finally using our overhead projector this week, which has been a great resource for investigating light, color, and shapes. This new addition to our classroom has made it possible for the students to participate in plenty of learning experiences.
Finally, I’m excited to share that we’ve chosen a song for our end-of-year program. Our class will perform “Barbara Ann,” a tribute to the Beach Boys. It’s going to be a great performance!
A few more pictures of our adventures this week 🙂
I am looking forward to another amazing week of fun and learning.
This week may have been short, but it was certainly filled with excitement and learning for our class!
The students practiced, practiced, and practiced some more for our Greek program, and the hard work truly paid off during our stage performance today. The children put on a fantastic show, showcasing all they’ve learned.
On Wednesday, we ventured to the theater to practice for our Greek program. After we had our lunch, we got the chance of feeding Cornflake, our school’s snake, his meal – a thawed mouse. The students paid close attention as Ms. Kathleen explained the process, and they waited patiently as Cornflake enjoyed his lunch.
In our science exploration, we conducted a quick experiment called elephant toothpaste. This involved mixing hydrogen peroxide, soap, and yeast to create a foamy eruption, sparking curiosity and excitement among the children.
Thursday brought another bus trip, this time to watch the play “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.” It was a delightful experience for all, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
With the warm weather, we’ve been enjoying the outdoors and expanding our exploration. This week, the children discovered worms and compassionately returned them to their natural homes, fostering a sense of care for all living creatures.
What a week it has been! Our students have truly outdone themselves with their hard work and dedication. We are incredibly proud to share that we exceeded our goal of $300 for our service project. The students did an amazing job presenting and preparing everything for the sale. Thank you for your support, and a special thank you for the Oreo and Pringles donations.
Throughout the week, our focus was on understanding how our eyes work. We discussed various eye problems and the importance of eye care. Some students shared stories about family members who wear glasses.
We also explored the stories of individuals like Louis Braille and George Mendoza, who faced challenges with their eyesight. The students had a hands-on experience using the Braille alphabet to write their names and creating artwork inspired by George Mendoza’s technique.
On Friday, we celebrated St. Baldrick’s Day, and our class had a brave shavee, John! The entire class cheered him on in the foyer, showing great support and encouragement.
We also had a blast playing soccer, basketball, and volleyball with Ms. Bia’s class during gym time. It was a fun and engaging experience for everyone.
We still made time for plenty of building, playing, and learning amidst all the fantastic fundraisers.
What a busy week we’ve had! We finished our dinosaur world, and all students worked hard. Their efforts paid off. Ask your child what part of the dinosaur world they made. We added finishing touches to our dinosaurs, and we got to name them. After naming our dinosaurs, I sat down with each student, and they told me a little bit about their dinosaurs—how tall they were, what they ate, liked to do, and where they lived. Their descriptions are as amazing as their names. Afterward, we decided to write a story. I started the story, and the students had to continue. Each student had to continue from where the person before them left off and add to our story. While writing our story, a student asked if we could do chapter two. What an excellent idea! We are now writing our very own dinosaur book.
We used our measuring skills by comparing ourselves next to a small and large T-Rex, a duck-billed dinosaur, and a triceratops. It was a silly activity.
On Wednesday, we had a visit from a local dentist and learned more about how to take good care of our teeth. We also received little goody bags to help us care for our teeth.
On Thursday, we started building a cardboard house. It is currently still under construction 🙂
On Friday, we wished Ms. Maria, our school leader, a Happy Birthday and made her a nice birthday poster.
We also celebrated the 1st of March and learned about traditions in different countries. In Greek, the students made Martis, a red and white bracelet that protects us from the first rays of the sun, a symbol of good luck and to welcome the arrival of spring. In Romania and Bulgaria, the traditions are similar. March 1st is associated with Baba Marta, a mythical character that represents the arrival of spring. A grumpy lady with unpredictable mood swings just like March weather. Martenitsa (Bulgaria) or Martisor (Romania) are made from red and white yarn, symbolize health and good luck, and are shared with friends. Thank you, Sami, for sharing Martenitsa with us today!
We played silly math games and continue learning our letters and mastering the sounds they make.
Next week will be another busy week. We are doing our service project. We will raise money for Focus, a nonprofit organization for eyes. In addition to learning about the eyes, we will do a presentation to all classes about our service on Wednesday. On Thursday, we will have a small sale to help us raise money to cover sight-saving surgery on a premature baby in a low-setting country. Our goal is $300.
I hope you are enjoying your weekend. We had a busy, yet fulfilling, short week here in Room 121.
This week, it was our turn to say the pledge, and I am proud to say that our students are doing an amazing job.
Each morning, we kickstart our day with our compliment jar. It’s great to see the children improving their ability to compliment each other, whether it’s about their appearance, how they interacted during recess, or how they collaborated on tasks.
In our classroom, we continued to follow Jack and Annie’s adventures in the land of dinosaurs, learning more fascinating facts.
We’ve made some fantastic discoveries, as the students ‘discovered’ their own dinosaurs, which they will have the opportunity to name next week.
We are mastering all of our letters and sounds, and we are becoming pros at subitizing.
We had the pleasure of visiting Ms. Lisa’s class and listening to their wonderful presentations on Native Americans. Room 109 did an amazing job, and we were impressed with their hard work. We learned a lot of interesting new things!
The weather has been delightful this week, allowing us to enjoy the sports courts.
We are working hard to prepare for Greek Independence Day by practicing our Greek dances.
It’s been an exciting week filled with adventures and learning in our classroom!
This week, we embarked on a journey into the world of dinosaurs by reading a new chapter book, “The Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs After Dark.” The kids are excited to follow Jack and Annie on their adventures in the land of dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. We’ve already discovered fascinating facts about dinosaurs, like why their eggs were so small compared to the size of adult dinosaurs, and we’re eager to dive deeper into the topic in the coming week.
In addition to our books, the children have been busy with hands-on activities related to dinosaurs. They created their own “Jurassic Park” for our classroom dinosaurs and had a blast digging out fossil bones from our sensory table.
Valentine’s Day was a heartwarming celebration filled with love and laughter. From heart-shaped pizzas to baking cookies and passing out valentines, the children had a fantastic time.
We also enjoyed more exciting scavenger hunts to reinforce our learning of letters and numbers.
We introduced a new activity this week to foster positivity and help build strong relationships between the students. During our morning meeting, we added a compliment jar where each child picks a block with a different student’s name on it and gives them a compliment. This not only helps the children recognize each other’s names but also encourages them to focus on the positive qualities of their peers.
Thank you to our special guest for reading to our class this week.
I look forward to seeing you tonight at the Glendi event. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead!
It’s been another exciting and busy week in Room 121. Here’s a recap of what we’ve been up to:
This week, we dived into the fascinating world of patterns and symmetry. Learning about patterns and symmetry helps children develop skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and spatial awareness. Understanding these concepts lays a solid foundation for more advanced mathematical concepts in the future.
Our classroom was busy with hands-on activities focused on numbers, subitizing, patterns, and symmetry.
We read heartwarming books like “Paulie Pastrami” that centered around themes of friendship and kindness, encouraging empathy and compassion.
Students now have the opportunity to sign up for our audio books. This not only promotes literacy skills, and cultivates a love for reading in our students, but waiting for their turn teaches patience and responsibility.
Our journal entries this week sparked their imagination as they explored topics like “If I could fly, I would…”.
We marked the milestone of 100 days of school with a day filled with creativity and reflection. The students had to imagine their lives at 100 years old. It was a joy to hear some of their answers.
From making kites to testing the new sports court, painting, making a new batch of playdough, and let not forget building, students had a great week full of exploring.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support. Here’s to another week filled with exploration, learning, and fun!
Our students have had two out-of-this-world weeks, and we can’t wait to share the highlights with you.
We successfully completed our journey through the galaxy, diving into the wonders of our solar system. From the scorching sun to the icy reaches of Neptune, our students discovered the similarities and differences that make each planet unique.
Back on Earth, we’re still working hard on mastering numbers and letters. In addition to our cosmic adventures the students continue to develop their understanding of numbers and letters through various activities. Recently, we’ve had a series of fun scavenger hunts in our classroom, where the students eagerly searched for numbers and letters.
Our little builders have been at it again! From crafting houses to creating a zany zoo inspired by a fun book, their imaginations know no bounds. The classroom is buzzing with energy as the students express their creativity through these hands-on projects.
We were filled with excitement as we introduced circuits to our classroom. Watching the amazement on the students’ faces as they connected pieces and observed lights turning on, fans starting, or alarms going off was amazing. Science and discovery is so fascinating!
Our marble run adventures continue to captivate the students’ interest. Each day brings new and more complex designs as they explore the principles of physics and engineering. It’s incredible to see their problem-solving skills in action!
Thank the stars for good weather! Outdoor recess has allowed our explorers to stretch their legs, breathe in the fresh air, and discover the wonders of the world beyond the classroom walls.
As we wrap up these spacetastic weeks, I want to wish you all a fantastic weekend. Thank you for your continued support.
