All About Spiders

We spent the week learning more about spiders.  We focused on Tarantulas and Black Widows.  Students created a two page investigation where we worked with informational text features.

Once completed, they weaved a web and made their very own 3D spider!

Creepy, Crawly Spiders

We finished our spider unit this week.  We wrote our opinions, made informational books (on Black Widows and Tarantulas), and today created these creepy, crawly guys!

I only managed to get pictures of two finished projects due to me multi-tasking and helping everyone else!  Phew, it was a lot of work but they look great hanging from the ceiling.

To make these I buy black plates, cut out the middle, and hole punch around.  I have the styrofoam balls already painted so students just need to add the legs.  I hot glue the eyes on and they decided if they want the spider hanging or in the web.

They couldn't stop talking about these and were excited to have their very own!

Creepy or Cute? What's your Opinion?

This week we've been working with creepy, crawly spiders!!

We focused on Black Widow spiders and Tarantulas.  They completed an informational book, writing about the new information they learned.  Students also made spiders and weaved webs.  They're now hanging around our room.  Perfect for this time of year!!

We also completed Opinion Writing about spiders.  Students brainstormed reasons they like or don't like them.  Here are some examples.  Their challenge this week was to write TWO reasons!!

Our last two pumpkins went home!!  

There has been a joke in our class about the baby pumpkin always crying.  I've been telling the class that whoever wins it CAN'T bring it back if it's crying all night.  I'm sure CJ will take PERFECT care of her.

Students have been leaving messages on the board for me.  They've been trying to scare me this month, which is quite fitting with Halloween right around the corner!  Today, they told me to look under the papers on the board.  In huge letters they wrote, "BOO!"  I just can't wait to see what they do next to scare me.

I'm Trying to Keep Up with These Updates

It seems like the days are flying by and I'm in a complete whirlwind. I'm taking pictures throughout the week but can't seem to find time to post until the end of the week.

Here's what we've been up to.  This week we've focused on creepy, crawly spiders!!

I introduced the word "schema" and the kids shared what they already knew about spiders.  We also filled in Spiders Can, Have, Are.

For writing this week, we worked in our Writer's Notebooks in our informational section.  Students wrote an opening, 3 new facts, and a wrap up sentence on what they learned about spiders.

Today we made spiders and webs.  If you happen to come by our room you need to be careful.  A spider just might be hanging from the web.  EEKK!!  They look so realistic and some kids were already asking when they could take them home.

We'll begin learning about bats next!

More on Spiders

Here's more of the work we did with Spiders.  We talked about schema (our background knowledge) and wrote what we already knew on Post-Its.

Then they made webs and spiders.

To make them, it does take some prep time.  I bought black plates, cut out the middle, and hole punched around the plate.  I tape a long piece of yarn to the back and the kids weaved.

To make the spiders, I bought styrofoam balls.  I had to paint them black.  The kids glued on the eyes and pushed the pipe cleaners (legs) into the foam ball.

The kids who wanted them in the web just wrapped the spider legs around the yarn.  If they wanted them hanging, I tied a piece of yarn around a spider's leg and tied it to the web.

I think they look "almost" real and teachers passing by have commented on them!

Eeek...Spiders

We've been reading informational books on spiders.

Today we completed Spiders Can, Have, Are.

The kids will be writing in their Writer's Notebook tomorrow.  They'll be making a spider diagram and writing 3 new facts.

Then, they'll make a spider and web.  Today they weaved the webs.  Look back to see them finished!!