IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

Today, we went outside with a question in mind, What grows? Friends were encouraged to find things that grow and record them on their paper. Friends were very creative in their responses, including ones about people, hair, bodies, chickens, and more. We are excited to see where this conversation leads us…

Also, tomorrow your child is coming home with a permission slip for our field trip. We will be going to the Anderson Apple Orchard on Friday, October 5th to learn about harvesting food and food sources! Please make sure to turn in the permission slip as soon as possible. The kids are so excited!

Tags: curious, garden

On Friday we made pesto. It was delicious! That morning, we learned how to properly harvest basil from our garden. We referred to our video from the day prior about how to make pesto and made sure we had all of the ingredients. All of our friends helped either adding, measuring, or counting ingredients to make sure the pesto was just right! Mr. Henderson and I were so pleased to see all of the kids try the pesto and most really enjoy it. Mr. Henderson led a great conversation after we enjoyed our pesto about how food brings people together.

Do you think that food brings us together? Mr. Henderson

Yeah, cuz like, if you try different things you might like it. But If i asked Mrs. Argus whats her favorite cereal, she may say something. And if I asked Amiah what hers is, its different. They can still be friends. J’Den

I ask my momma can I get some food, and then the food makes you healthy and strong. Makenzi

Like we all have different opinions, like different things. Lucas

Like when you have a night, like Mimi, on Christmas Night, she brings us together because she makes a special dinner for us. And we all come there and she is sharing the food, and that brings us all together. Addie

Tags: capable, cooking, creativity, garden

Through our different science explorations I have been hearing things like “we need to be more scientific,” “we want to learn how to use science tools” and “we need notebooks, scientists have notebooks.” Last week I gave the students some science notebooks and today a few students began to record their thinking.  We have been exploring the idea of temperature and there have been three tubs of water for the students to use the thermometers with.  This morning one tub was warm, one had ice in it and was “freezing” and one was in between.  I asked the students: “Will the water stay the same temperature all day long? Can you keep track in your science notebook?”  Cameron and CJ immediately began taking the temperature of the water and writing it down. I asked them how we could tell if the water would change temperatures and Cameron decided we would have to check it again later in the day.  During morning meeting Cameron and CJ shared how they recorded their thinking in their notebooks.  This sparked more interest and discussion with the rest of our friends.  At the end of the day we had a group of students who checked on the water again.  We found out that two of the buckets were the same temperature and the one with the ice was a little colder.  The students also asked me great questions about using the thermometer that led to a discussion about Celsius and Fahrenheit.  We will continue using our notebooks and learning about science tools this week!

Today we had a great lesson on how to be flexible and patient when disappointing news comes. Nicole Misencik, our visiting meteorologist, had to cancel her visit today due to professional obligations.

When I told the children they were obviously disappointed, but Renna quickly offered, “Well, Mrs. Bucher, we will just have to give the weather reports!” I loved how yes, they felt upset, but it did not dampen the rest of their day. They quickly moved forward and started playing, and we ended up having a FANTASTIC afternoon!

Nicole and I are already scheduling another time for her to come in and talk with the children, and I know it will be an exciting visit when she comes!

This week we read two stories by Peter H. Reynolds: Ish and The Dot.  After reading we talked about what gifts the different characters in the stories had.  Many students responded with the gift of art, creating, or trying their best.  We then moved into a discussion about our own gifts and what gifts we bring to our community.  We have a very wide variety of gifts in our room! Here are some of the students’ gifts:

J’Nayla: “the gift of communicating”

David: “the gift of basketball”

Kaitlyn: “the gift of friendship”

Paiton: “the gift of giving”

Mekhi: “the gift of reading”

The students made watercolors of their gifts.  When we are finished everyone’s painting will be displayed in the classroom!