Welcome to my new website! I was having some technical difficulties with my old site, so I decided to try making one through weebly.com. I love it! If you're thinking about making a website, you should definitely check out weebly.com. 

This week in the lab...

Kindergartners continued working on their landform projects. We painted our mountain, valley, rivers, ocean, and desert. Once the landforms are dry, students will be taking them home to show their parents! During technology time, students created a picture of the landforms we learned about in Science Lab using KidPix.

First graders learned about teeth! Students learned there are three types of teeth: cutting, tearing, and grinding. Students also learned that herbivores (plant eating animals) do not have tearing teeth, and carnivores (meat eating animals) do not have cutting teeth. Omnivores have all three types of teeth, since they eat both plants and meat. The first graders looked at animal skulls and figured out what that animal used to eat when it was alive. Students also made two "teeth" out of play dough, and took them home to dry and harden. We also played a game called "Swat It," where students had to identify what type of animal was being shown (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore). During technology time, students worked on their typing skills using Dance Mat Typing. Dance Mat Typing is an online typing program through BBC. Students may practice their typing skills at home by clicking on this link: Dance Mat Typing.

Second graders learned about our final simple machine- the pulley! Students also learned about Rube Goldberg machines by watching this video created by kids on the PBS show, Zoom! Students then were given the challenge of completing this online Rube Goldberg machine. We also watched a music video by the band, Ok Go, in which they had built a Rube Goldberg machine. Check out this this video by clicking here! I challenged the students to go home and create their own Rube Goldberg machines using items around the house. This might make a nice family project for Winter Break! Be sure to take pictures or a video and show me, so I can see your wonderful creations! I'll even put them up on this website to inspire other Casita Cougars to try their hand at making a Rube Goldberg Machine! During technology time, second graders worked on their typing skills using Dance Mat Typing. We had one second grade student complete the 12th (and final!) stage on Dance Mat Typing! Tatianna from Mrs. Countryman's class completed all the stages on Dance Mat Typing, and will be joining me for lunch at the end of the month. Congratulations, Tatianna!

This week was the second week of STEM Academy, an afterschool program I'm teaching. We are starting the progam with an Investigation unit. This week, students were presented with the challenge of solving the mystery of "who borrowed Mr. Bear?" My dad, Detective Phillips, created a video message asking the students to help him solve this mystery. To view this video message, click here. Students visited the crime scene and documented all the pieces of evidence. Students also found footprints at the scene of the crime, and identified which suspects were there. Next week we will be receiving more information about the suspects from Detective Phillips so we can begin to solve this mystery! Stay tuned!

Well, that's what's going on this week at 260 Cedar Road. Until next time, stay classy Casita.