IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

We read a How To book called “I Love to Paint” today.  While reading the book one of the pages talked about blot paintings.,  The children thought it was SO cool so we decided to do them during our Free Choice time.  There were some beautiful paintings that were created so I am excited to put them up in the room!

We have a new game in our room called Score Four.  It is a game where we have to try and get four of the same beads in a row to win.  Jonah, Saa, and Isaac just LOVED this game.  It took strategy and thought to try and get four beads in a row!

We had so many friends that wrote How-To books today which is what we have been talking about this week.  We had some How To Draw a Car, How to Draw a Princess, How to Draw a Kite.  They were really getting the concept of teaching someone else the steps to make something!  It was great to see!

Playing Score Four!

Mekhi and Miss Templeton working on the blot painting!

Today we started making grass gloves!  What are grass gloves you say?  Well, you take a clear glove and fill in each finger of the glove with one damp cotton ball.  Then you put some grass seeds in each finger of the glove.  We hang them up on the window and hopefully watch the grass grow!

The friends really were interested in doing these grass gloves so we will see what happens and if anything grows!

Oliver measuring some items while we talk about labeling "inches" after we measure something

Malachi working on the grass gloves

Tags: friendship, project

Last week, we began exploring measurement in math workshop. Students had the opportunity to measure items around the room with their hands, feet, and a ruler. They learned the importance and need for standard units of measurement. This week, we are diving into the way to use a ruler correctly.

Aaliyah uses a ruler to measure a block. She makes sure to start the end of the block at the 0 on the ruler.

Also, today, we began a science exploration. Starting this week, students will have a science experiment as one of their free choices every day. By the end of the week, everyone will be expected to have done the experiment at least one time. Each experiment is designed to focus on one or more science topics. This week, students are learning about the scientific practice of making predictions. They are given a penny and have to predict how many water drops will fit onto the penny before it spills over the edge. At the end of the week, we plan to have a whole group conversation about predicting.

Leah and Paiton carefully add one drop of water at a time to their pennies. Paiton predicted that it could hold 22 water drops, and Leah predicted 20.

DayTwon uses an eyedropper to slowly put water droplets onto his penny. He counts the water droplets as he goes.

Today, Mr. Nored, had his first day with us, and let me tell you he just fit right into our little family!  The kiddos just loved having him there so I am excited for what is to come next with him being in our class now.

So, the past week we have been measuring items around us with various tools (hands, feet, inchworms, and rulers).  This week we are still exploring measuring but looking more closely at rulers (inches inparticular).  Today, we measured the leaves of our plants we planted last week.  We predicted how many inches we think the leaves will grow by next week when we measure them again.  Jamari said, “It’s gonna be 8 inches.”  Jonah said, “I think it will grow 2 inches.”  We will see next week how much more it grew…if it grows. 🙂

Some friends working together to measure and graph our measurement of our plant.

Mr. Nored playing Jenga with some friends as they come into class this morning!