Jun 25, 2011

Things That Are the Most eBook

I have been wanting to create this project for the past month but there have been so many others things happening. Report cards have gone home, class video is done so this was next on my list. 
It's taken a while because I've been trying to problem solve the best way possible to create it. See their just isn't problem solving in math. I think I've finally figured it out. Here's what I did, I used Google Docs and created a power point presentation, so you could easily flip through the slides. I then copied and pasted the word documents (next year I'll just have them do the writing in Google, so much easier). Uploaded the images from their work on KidPixs. Published the presentation, embedded the code in 'edit HTML' and here we are.
If you don't know the book it's a great activity to get the creative juices flowing and allow the kids to have some fun with words and their imagination to think of what could be the most in the world. I've done this project many different ways but I think the digital ebook will be my favourite. I hope you enjoy reading it. 


Jun 23, 2011

Teaching Resources

This is my reading material for this summer. I might be out of luck but I'm going to give it a good try. Keep returning for my list of the resources I use and love to teach various subjects in school. 
The top three tech books are for my first course this year. Can't wait to delve into some of them this weekend over several cups of coffee.
What is on your reading list this summer? 

Isn't It Pretty


I think these colors are beautiful. I hope the kids like their present. 
Micheals had the most beautiful tissue paper and bags for wrapping these gifts in. I couldn't resist. 


Last Couple of Days

Last week I thought would never end and this week is going so quickly. I'm trying to enjoy it with the kids and take in as much as I can. I love and dislike the end of the year. I like it because I'm so tired and I'm ready for a rest and I know the kids are. Summer is a time when I recharge my batteries and spend sometime on me. 
I HATE saying goodbye to these little guys. I always cry on the last days and yesterday I found myself crying when I asked my teaching assistant to remove their portraits. I've kept them up all year and I've loved seeing the beautiful colors and smiling faces. I composed myself but it was hard. Tomorrow when we say goodbye I know there will be tears. Prepare yourself kids. 

Here are a couple of final photo's from our butterflies and our picnic. 















Thank you for being great kids. I know the year was hard at times but you did extremely well and I'm so proud of you. I will miss all of you!

Jun 15, 2011

Next Phase

The butterflies finally emerged from their chrysalises today. The kids were so excited to see them. Pictures will follow. Right now I'm working on finishing up the year. Report cards come out next Friday and then it's the end of the year. 
We've got a busy couple of days a head of us. We are finishing up our Mostest Book, our bug research and presentations. 
Monday, June 20th is our Play Day
We'll be going to Muskoseepi Park for our Picnic in the Park afternoon on Tues or Wed or Thurs, depending on the weather. 
Friday, June 24th is O'Brien Park and Swimming in the afternoon. (We will need parent volunteers for swimming) 
Stay tuned for more about our butterflies.

Jun 8, 2011

Day 5 Observations

Predictions
Kasha - Half of them will be in their cocoons.
Hannah L. - They will have more silk in the vials and some might be starting chrysalises.
Katie - There's will be a lot of regurgitated food.
Katleyn - They'll be really really fat.
Christian - All the food might be gone.
Camron - Number 26 might be starting to make a cocoon.
Tuff - Most of them are grown up and the others might still be larva.

Observations
Tuff - Lots are in chrysalises.
Katleyn - Number 28 has silk all over it.
Katie - Two of the caterpillars in the vials are dead.
Kasha - Number 26 is in it's cocoon.
Sophia - There's three in each vial and only one or two of them are in it's cocoon.
Katelyn - There is a lot of regurgitated food.
Maverick - Number 19 has died.



They are just starting to form their J-shape.


 It's been 7 days and this one has turned into a chrysalis. I wonder if it will be the first to turn into a Painted Lady Butterfly?



Thank you Akryn for being such a fantastic photographer.

Jun 7, 2011

Day 4 Observations

Predictions
Camron - They might be in their chrysalises.
Maverick - Their food will be a lot lower.
Katie - The ones that have regurgitated will have double the amount.
Tuff - They will be triple the size since Friday.
Hannah L. - Their food might be chunky.
Katelyn - They are probably very very fat.
Brooke - Some of them might be at the top.

Observations
Hannah M. - Some of the little ones have died.
Katie - They have gotten really big and I think in a couple of days they will be in their chrysalis.
Camron - They are very very fat.
Maverick - One of them looks like they are hanging from the lid of the vial.
Brooke - Number 16 is starting it's chrysalis, we see some white stuff.
Hannah L. - They have regurgitated a lot.
Hannah M - They've eaten lots of food because they are getting bigger.
Katie - They have changed colors (yellow and black)
Brooke - Number 4 has circle regurgitated food.
Camron - Is seeing little claws on the bottom of their feet.
Ms. Brown - Noticed that Number 26 was hanging upside down in the shape of a J.

Questions
Katie - What's the whitish yellowish stuff inside the vials?
Hannah L. - Is the whitish yellowish stuff silk and is it going to be what they hang on the lid with?
Maverick - What is the red stuff in the vials?
Camron - Why is their orange stuff with the food?
Sorry there are no pictures today. Ms. Brown forgot her camera and then forgot to take pictures with her phone. 

Jun 4, 2011

Day 3 Observations

Predictions
Camron - Start to make the chrysalis.
Hannah L. - thinks they will be fatter and longer.
Sophia - thinks they grew
Katie - Lots of them would have regurgitated lots
Maverick - A bunch of them are on the top of the vial.
Brooke - The food will be in clumps.

Observations
Rand - Lots of regurgitated food
Camron - They are getting bigger in a short amount of time.
Carter - They are eating more and they are molting more.
Maverick - There is one hanging by a web
Kasha - they are getting longer
Katie - Some of them have died and they are still really small.

Questions
Brooke - Why don't the caterpillars turn into a chrysalis on the bottom of the vial because nothing will harm them?
Tuff - Why are they regurgitating all of their food?
Christian - Why is little black dots all over the place?
Here are some pictures Katie took. Thank you for being a good photographer.


I am noticing the silk is starting to form along the vial. It must mean the chrysalis will be forming.

I wonder what will happen over the weekend?

Jun 2, 2011

Day 2 Observations

Predictions
Katie - They will be really fat and long.
Brooke - The one hanging from the top will be in a cocoon.
Maverick - He thinks it might be half way in it's cocoon.
Hannah L. - Food will be lower because they've eaten most of it. One might have eaten a whole in the food.
Kasha - A couple will be in it's cocoon and they won't be larva anymore.
Tuff - The caterpillars will be really, really fat.

Observations
Hannah M. - They shedded/molting. Katie thinks it's because they got bigger.
Katie - They are all different colors like red, yellow, black.
Hannah L - They are getting longer and fatter. One shedded more than once.

Questions
Katie - When are they going to form their cocoon?
Tuff - What are they all going to change colors?
Camron - Will they all make it to the cocoon stage?
Kasha - Do they shed more than once?
Katelyn - I wonder if they will get out of their cocoon alive?


The kids think the caterpillars are making there way up to the top of the lids. The kids would really like it if you responded to some of their comments and questions.

Jun 1, 2011

Day 1 Observations

Rand - they will be longer and fatter
Brooke - the food is going to be lower because they will have eaten some of it
Katelyn - lots of poop
Hannah L. - the larva might make a whole to live in
Maverick - they might have tunnels in their food
Tuff - the food is going to be crumbly
Katie - thinks it's going to go onto the lid and make a cocoon
Camron - when it makes a cocoon, it might go through the air holes

Here's what we noticed when we looked at them:
Kasha - some where on top getting ready to make a cocoon
Maverick - some had dug holes
Tuff - the caterpillars were hanging from the top because they are making it like their home on a tree
Brooke - the food was in big clumps
Camron - they had regergitating their food

Questions
Katelyn - Do you think they will eat through the lid?
Hannah L - Do you think the caterpillars go to the bottom and eat and eat and then hang upside down and then return to eat again?
Maverick - Do they only eat moist food or regurgitated food?
Katie - Is it going to be a problem with three caterpillars in one vial?
Brooke - Why would the bigger one make a cocoon first?
Camron - Will the bigger one's break the cocoon first?