We LOVE learning!

First of all... we welcomed warmer weather this week!  The kids had a great time finally being able to go outside for recess!

In reading and writing we continued our study of amazing creatures... this time focusing on dinosaurs!  It was a great week to really focus on fiction/nonfiction and fact/fantasy.  We did some writing about factual information we had learned about dinosaurs, and some writing using our imaginations to create fantasy around dinosaurs!  Finally, we added a hands-on piece to create fossils!

In science we studied stars this week.  We began by asking "What are stars?"  We watched what Timone and Pumba thought about the stars: Astronomy 101 with Lion King Movie.

Then we did an experiment with a flashlight.  We looked at it close up and noticed how bright it was.  Then I walked farther and farther away, into the hallway.  The students had an a-ha moment when they realized that the light hadn't changed, but the distance from the light made it look much smaller...  "You mean all the stars are really other suns?"  Yep!

Then we learned that stars are different colors because they are different temperatures.  We looked at a flame and noticed the different colors within the flame, just like the stars.  Finally, we made delicious, different colored stars to eat, including Red Giant star cookies!

We LOVED all day Valentine's Day learning on Wednesday!

In math we did tally marks and graphing of candy hearts!

We had our Book Buddies come in and help us with Valentine's Day literacy.  We read a Valentine's book together, had some reading time in the library, and then came back to the classroom for a fun word building contest!  How many words can you make using the letters H-E-A-R-T?  The Kinders had some great ideas and found many popcorn words that they could make!  This might be a fun challenge to try at home!

Finally it was time for our party!!!  (As if we hadn't been partying all day?)  Here are our mailbags!

We played some games, delivered valentines to each other, and had lots of yummy food!  Thank you SO MUCH to all of the families who came, helped, or brought snacks!  It was lots of fun!