Engineering and Designing Animal Beds

We focused on Engineering last week.  Students learned that engineers look to solve problems by designing solutions.  

After reading, The Very Best Bed, students were to pick an animal (bird, bear, snake, hamster) and design a comfortable bed for them that would have everything they needed.

Here's their work!

Once they drew their design and listed materials needed they were off to work.  I don't give a lot of directions on how to build a bed.  I put out a variety of materials and off they went.  Students reflected on their work, writing what went well and what they'd add or change.

Here are their beds!

And last but not least, Nathan had some fun with the camera.  He was so excited to show his snake, I got some candid photos!

The worksheets (Designing an Animal Bed) are FREE at my TpT Store.

Space and our Sundae Party

Students last week picked their favorite planet and wrote a riddle.  They also created a puzzle to go with it.  Working in groups they each took turns reading their riddles, making a guess, and putting the puzzle pieces together to see if they were right.

We also had our "sun"daes in the afternoon.  They enjoyed the sweet treat!

Designing Animal Beds

We have been studying a variety of animals this year.

Last week I introduced engineering and we talked about animal beds.  Students looked closely at 4 animals (bears, birds, snakes, and hamsters).  We listed what each animal would need in order to have  a safe and comfortable bed.

Students created a plan, listed materials they'd need, and then went to work.

Here are their animal beds.

They look amazing and students had so many great ideas.

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!

Designing and Building Animal Beds

On Friday, students began building their animal beds.  After reading a variety of books on animal homes, students designed a bed.  The animals were narrowed down to hamster, bear, snake, or bird.

After picking their animal they made their design and listed materials they'd need.

Today was the perfect day to let them have a go at it.  With vacation break just hours away this kept them engaged and focused.

I gave them little direction on how to make each bed.  I told them they needed to follow their design and add the materials they needed to create the best bed for their animal.

Here's there work!!

 

After break students will be reflecting on their designs.  They'll work in groups, discussing improvements they can make, and share how that improvement will better their bed.

I've also included these worksheets at my TpT Store for FREE (Designing and Building Animal Beds FREEBIE).