The More Important Book

On the first day of school, read to students a popular favorite -- The Important Book, by Margaret Wise Brown. It's a wonderful, repetitive book that tells the "important thing" about a variety of things, such as a spoon, an apple, the wind, etc. After we read the book and discover its repetitive form, we write our own More Important Book. Each child tells about himself or herself, following the format of The Important Book." The children end, as the book does, by repeating the first line, "But, the most important thing about (child's name) is that he or she _____." Each child is responsible for a "most important thing" page, which becomes part of the class book. This is a wonderful and fun way to get to know one another, and the book is read throughout the year.
Susan Wallace, St. Agatha Academy; Winchester, Kentucky

Getting to Know You Venn Diagram

Put students together in pairs. Give each pair a blank Venn Diagram form. The students work together to complete the activity.

"One student writes his or her name at the top of one of the circles, and the other student writes his or her name at the top of the other one," explained Fernandez. "In the overlapping portion of the circles, the partners must list five things that they have in common. In the parts of the circles with their names, the students must each list five things that are unique about themselves."

Time Capsule

During the first week of school, create a time capsule.
Some ideas of what to include:

• a hand tracing
• a piece of yarn cut to the student's height
• a writing piece
• answers to questions, such as what is your favorite TV show?
• Digital photo
  

Syllables

Ideas for teaching syllables:

• name sort
• sound hunt

Pollution Catchers

Create pollution catchers to observe and compare the air in different locations.
To make the pollution catchers:
Take 4 index cards and create a hanging loop out of string and tape for each one. Smear the unlined side of each index card with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Hang 3 of the cards in various locations. Put the 4th inside a plastic zip-top bag as a control. After 2 days, put each index card into a zip-top bag and compare what is on them using a magnifying glass.

Water Habitats Unit

Fall 2008
Duration: 8 weeks

Concepts:

• How do we define living things? They move, breathe, grow, eat, excrete waste, and show sensitivity (to temp, light, etc.).
• Classify items as living or non-living.
• Classify living items as plant or animal.
• Classify animals as vertebrates or invertebrates
• Classify vertebrates as mammals, reptiles, snakes, amphibians, fish, or birds

• Understand that all living things have a habitat
• Describe elements of a habitat (food, water, shelter)
• Classify water habitats as wetlands (swamps, marshes, bogs), ponds/lakes, bay/ocean
• Classify animals as mammals, reptiles, etc.
• Explain why different habitats contain different forms of plant life

• Identify plants and animals in each of these habitats
  

*Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons
*Dolphins and Sharks: Magic Treehouse Research Guide

• Observe, record, and explain observations about a simple water habitat

• Understand the concept of a food chain
• Explain and record a food chain in a water habitat

Soggy Popcorn

Q: How does the amount of moisture affect the size and volume of popcorn?

Procedure:
1. Put 2 cup of yellow popcorn kernels into each of 2 glass jars with lids. Label one "A" and one "B".
2. Close the lid tightly on "A".
3. Add 1/8 cup of water to "B" and close the lid tightly.
4. Put 1 cup of popcorn on a paper towel and spread them around in an even layer. This is sample "C".
5. Leave all the samples in a cool, dry place for 7 days. Turn the glass jars once a day and record any visible changes.
6. Pop all samples 1/2 cup at a time. With each batch, measure the total volume. Measure 10 popped kernels and calculate the average size. Rate the batch as small- less than 1/2 inch, medium-1/2-3/4 inch, or large-more than 3/4 inch.
Compare.

Other ideas: compare different types of popcorn, or popcorn stored in other locations such as the refrigerator or freezer.