Bears...OH MY!

We spent the week learning about different types of bears.  I also add in koala bears because most kids think they're bears too!  Instead, they learned they're marsupials.

We recorded our schema, new facts, and important information about each type.

Today, we switched up our morning plans (because we're flexible) and created some art!  Of course this art involved learning too but they didn't see it that way.  They were just so excited to NOT have morning work.  I even heard today was the best day.  I thought everyday was?!

Students had to pick just one, which was a tough choice.  I had already hot glued the paper bowls onto the plates so we began by painting.  Once painted they added the face, cotton balls, or tissue paper to complete their work.

As you can see panda bears and polar bears were the most popular!

We let them dry and in the afternoon students worked in groups to make a background, add a title, and each had to add one fact.

I think they're adorable and they look amazing hanging up in the lobby.

Ask your child to share some new facts about bears!

Winter Animals and Bears

We have been learning a lot about animals in winter.   We've focused on the words hibernate, adapt, and migrate.  We also took a closer look at black bears, brown bears, polar bears, panda bears, and koala bears.

Students have been reading informational pieces and writing complete responses.

You can find my Bear Unit at my TpT Store (All About Bears).

Today, we made some chalk polar bears.  I showed the kids how to use a tissue to blend the chalk until they liked it.  We used black pastel to add the face and shadowing.

Look how adorable they are!

Readers Ask Questions Before, During, and After Reading

This week we've focused on, "Readers ask questions before, during, and after reading.  We began our sentences with, "I wonder..."

We read the books below and listed questions we had before, during, and after each story.

I read Where's my Teddy?  and the kids wrote their "I Wonders" on a Post-It.  Then they wrote one on a sentence strip and created a bear to go with it.

Of course I had one creative guy ask if he could make it look like a lego.  My answer was, "Of course!"

We have also finished up our unit on bears.  Next up...penguins!

February Recap

Here's a quick look back at February.  Students learned a lot about bears!  We learned more about Koalas because most students thought they were also a type of bear.  They quickly learned that they are not!!  Instead, they're called marsupials.

Basant (Olivia's mom) has opened up a catering business, which has worked out well for us because she bakes delicious treats for us to decorate.  On Valentine's Day she came in to help us decorate heart cookies.  Thank you so much!!

Bears, OH MY!

We've been focusing on bears this week.

Students studied black bears in the fall so we did a quick review and moved on to brown bears and polar bears.

Before reading about each bear, they added sticky notes to the bears. They shared their background knowledge.  After our readings, they added new information to each.

We also completed these science pages which will be added to their Science Notebooks.  You can find my Bear Unit on TpT (Bear Unit)

NEW Bear Unit on TpT

I just finished up a new Bear Unit.  Take a peek if interested!!

Click here: Bear Unit

I also included Koala Bear work to teach students they're not a bear. Instead, they're a marsupial mammal.

Bears Can, Have, Are

We spent the week learning about bears.  After many read alouds the kids helped to fill in the bear cubs in our room.  Each one was labeled (can, have, are).  While I filled in the bears with their facts the kids completed the worksheet.

Oh My...Bears!

The kiddos began learning about bears today.  Before we began we talked about schema.  They knew a lot about them already (sharp claws, good fishers, they're fat, they hibernate, etc)!  They wrote a fact on a Post-It and added it to the bear.

The kids listened to a big book today about bears and we talked about new facts learned.  To wrap up they worked in a Black Bear Book.

My kiddos made sure to tell me they thought my bear looked like a pig.  Oh...to be a teacher.  I explained to them he had to fit in the laminator so his legs had to be short!!