We are Sun and Earth Experts!

It has been exciting to see the children acquiring science knowledge and seeing them think like a scientist with our new Inspire Science program.  Throughout our unit on the Sun and Earth, I enjoyed hearing them apply their new knowledge as they hypothesized before eagerly completing an experiment and even extended their learning by applying their new knowledge in their own time.  For example, after discussing that the sun can heat up certain things on a playground, the question came up, "How can you prevent play equipment from getting too hot?"  I was surprised during free choice centers that afternoon that a few students had taken it upon themselves to draw what they could do to provide shade to the playground equipment such as surround the equipment with tall trees, create some type of canopy, or have a giant tent around the playground.  Needless to say, I was one impressed teacher! What was also impressive, is that I gave students a challenge of learning the app Explain Everything at the beginning of Kindergarten.  To get kids comfortable drawing on the iPad, we first used the app Drawing Pad to illustrate one of our science vocabulary words and then uploaded the pictures into Seesaw where students defined the science vocabulary words.

  Next, we learned how to draw, import pictures and videos, and record in Explain Everything.  Students were excited to create their own digital books about the Sun and Earth.

To culminate this lesson on Sunlight and Earth's surface, students were ecstatic to learn they would get to become reporters and share all that they have learned about the Sun and Earth.

I introduced the concept of main idea and detail as we began to brainstorm facts we learned about the Sun and Earth.  Of course, a good reporter has to stay on topic and share details that support the main idea.  :)

Next, the kids drew pictures and wrote words in a thinking map to help them prepare what they wanted to say in their news reports.
Right before the big day arrived to record our news reports, the students informed me that they each wanted their own background rather than just a standard one I planned to create.  They presented valid reasons and won the argument.  The kids loved working on such huge paper!

Thankfully, we had an extra set of hands helping with recording.  Our very own principal, Dr. Carreiro, cleared time in her busy schedule to assist with production.  She was impressed with all the knowledge the students learned. Click on each student's video below to watch their Explain Everything projects that conclude with their news reports.
Zachary



Hannah

 
Alex



Emily



John



McKenzie



Payton



Massimo




Scott



Zoe



Jacob



Rocco



Lucianna



Marino



Carolyn

We wrapped up the unit this week with our performance project about sunlight and shade.  Students enjoy learning about the career kids and were so excited to be carpenters and architects! I presented this question to the students:

...and they eagerly got right to work first designing their structure plans with pencil and paper before building. They were very engaged during the building process and time flew by!  At the end, they each presented their structure and described what they built and how it helped solve the problem.

We're looking forward to being meteorologists during our next unit on weather! Leave a comment below to let the students know what you think about their hard work!