Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Celery and Colored Water


I teach the kindergartners a lot about plants and they really seem to understand it.  This time we were talking about pollution and how if the water is polluted it could get into the plants.  This experiment shows the colored water going up into the leaves of celery.  They thought it was fascinating.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Making Butter




In school, I've been teaching about Thanksgiving and trying to help the kindergartners understand how different things were back then without stores, electricity, and running water.  I was telling them how important it was to have a cow, so they could have milk and butter.  They didn't know butter came from milk, so I brought one cup of heavy cream to school, poured it in a plastic jar, added two marbles and let them take turns shaking it.  Sure enough a perfect ball of butter formed in the jar.  They were shocked!  We spread it on graham crackers and they thought it was good!







Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Annual Turkey Cookbook


”My Uncle Matt and me will go hunting for turkeys in grass.  He will shoot it with a gun.  Then we will take the turkey’s feathers off.  Next, we will take the meat and put it on a plate.  I will put ranch on top of it and bake it in the 40-degree oven for 2 hours.
We will eat it with tacos, nachos, corn, Cheetos, and for dessert we will have vanilla ice cream.”
By L.D.

“My brother and I will get a Wild Turkey from the grasslands.  First, we will cut off the feathers and then cut off the skin.  My daddy will put some oil in the pan and then put the meat on it.  I would put some cinnamon, peppermint and special kinds of leaves on it too.  I would also put blueberries on it.  We will put it on the stove for 7 minutes.  When the timer beeps it is done.
We will eat it with mashed potatoes and green beans from my grandma’s garden because they’re the best!  For dessert we will have turkey pie!”
By E.S.


“Me, Mom and my little sister will buy the turkey at the store.  It will weigh 15 pounds and cost 102 bucks.  First, we will take off the cover and put it in the sink.  We will put hot water on it to warm it up.  Then we will put it in a big pan.  I will put ketchup, ranch, mustard and sour cream on top of it.  Now it will go in the oven.  The oven will be hot!  It will be 20 degrees, but it doesn’t even burn the house down.  When the timer goes off, it’s done.
I would have bacon, waffles, broccoli, carrots, corn, sus-paragus {asparagus}, and celery at my feast.  For dessert, we would have cherry pie.  I haven’t had it before, but I’m gonna ask my mom if we could make cherry pie.”
By W.G.

“My family will get the turkey from the store.  It will weigh 16 pounds and cost $1.00.  First, we cut the turkey up and then we put it in a big bowl.  I will pour some salt on it.  Now it goes in the 4-degree oven for 5 minutes.

We will eat it with grapes with strawberries, bananas, and corn with mashed potatoes on it.  For dessert, I’d like chocolate ice cream with bananas on it.”
By J.A.

“My dad will shoot the turkey in the woods with a b.b. gun.  He will peel all of the feathers off.  Then he will take off the skull and the organs.  Then I will put salt, pepper, pizza sauce and cheese on top of it.  We will put it on a tray and then just let it cook for 20 hours.  Then let it sit for an hour before we eat it.
At our feast we will eat spaghetti, pizza, grapes and lettuce.  For dessert we will eat pumpkin pie.  My mom has a whole tower of whipped cream and we will put it on the pie.”
B.V.L.

“My mom and me will get the turkey at the store.  When we get it home, we will put it on a pan.   I will sprinkle salt on it and put ketchup on it.  Then we put in a 4-degree oven for 10 minutes. 
We will also eat mac ‘n cheese, chicken, soup, and carrots.  For dessert we will have vanilla ice cream!”
By J.B.


“Dad and me will go hunting in Armour for Wild Turkeys.  We will shoot five of them and then we will cut the meat out of it and then take it into the house.  First, we wash it with fresh water and then put it in a pan.  I will put salt and pepper on it and then we will put on the stove for 33 minutes.
We will eat turkey with mac and cheese, cheeseballs, strawberries, watermelon, and chocolate milk.  For dessert we will have chocolate cupcakes and regular cookies.”
By C.R.S.


“My family and I will buy our turkey at the store.  It will cost $8.00 and weigh 50 pounds.  We will take it to Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen’s house. We will stuff it up with stuffing.  Then we will pour ranch and ketchup on top.   Now it will go in the 7-degree oven for 50 minutes.  You will know it is done when it looks tasty!
We will also eat potatoes with gravy, potato chips, peas, and corn.  For dessert we will have chocolate ice cream.”

By L.H.


“Me and Dad will go hunting for a turkey in the woods.  When we get it we will take the feathers off.  I will put it on a pan.  I will put spicy sauce on it and put it in the 34-degree oven for 50 minutes.
We will eat it with chicken nuggets, French fries, bread, corn, grapes and nuts.  For dessert we will have frosting cake.”
By K.Y.

“We will get the turkey from the store.  It will cost $10.00.  We will take it home and put it in the house.  Then we cook it.  We will eat it with pizza, bread and for dessert we will have purple cookies.”
By C.S.



“My dad and me will go hunting for a Wild Turkey at Grandpa’s farm.  He will shoot it with a bow and arrow.  We will bring it back to Grandma’s house in the pick-up.  First, we will go in the kitchen and we will take each of the feathers off.  We will put it on a pan and I will pour on my dad’s white sauce.  It will cook in the 2-degree oven for 10 minutes.
At our feast we will eat grapes, bananas, oranges, apples and for dessert we will have pumpkin pie and cherry pie.”
 By C.H.S.

“Me, Beckett and Papa will go to the store and buy a turkey.  It will be a big turkey.  It will weigh 100 pounds and it will cost $1.00.  First, you take the plastic off and put the turkey on a plate.  I will pour barbeque sauce on top and then cut it.   I would sprinkle on some pepper and salt on it too.  Then I would put it in the oven for 7 minutes.
We will eat it with cookie salad, lettuce salad, watermelon and for dessert we will have ice cream bars.”
B.E.


Me and my mom will go to the store and buy a turkey.  It will weigh 15 pounds and cost $10.00.  We will take it out of the bag, put it on a pan, and then put the good stuff on.  I will put on ketchup, ranch, and salt on it.  Then it goes in the 20-degree oven for 15 hours. 

I would have bowls of oranges, apples, regular potatoes, peaches, carrots and for dessert I’d like to have chocolate ice cream cones.”

By A.R.

“Me and my brother will get the turkey from the wild.  We will bring it home and we’ll take the feathers off.  Then we will put it on a tray.  Now I will put salt and pepper on it.  Then I’d put cheese sauce on it too.  Then we will put it in a 20-degree oven for 5 minutes.  Then they’re gonna check on it.  You know it is done when the timer beeps.
We will eat it with corn, pumpkin pie, and cherry cake.”
By S.B.






Falcon Puppets for the Class


We would to thank Larry and Lea at Fairway Seeds for 
the very nice falcon puppets:  Marietta the Peregrine
Falcon and Kelly Kestrel the American Kestrel.  Using
bird puppets to teach about birds is a great way to get
children more interested.


November Art

Creating these Thanksgiving turkeys was a fun time for
the kindergartners.

Designing birds made out of paper plates for Veteran's
Day was great fun!  They were thrilled to take them home
today!

Dissecting Owl Pellets


Today the "kindergarten scientists" dissected owl pellets to find bones and teeth that were from the prey that an owl ate.  In this case the pellets were from a Short-eared Owl.  Each pellet is from one evening's meal and it holds the clues to what the owl ate.  The kids compared the bones and teeth to a bone chart to see what the prey was.  They were surprised by the orange, front teeth of some mice.  I was surprised at how much they loved this activity!  At first some students did not want to touch them, but that changed.  Some students were very ecstatic and asked many good questions.  The kindergartners also had the chance to use magnifying glasses and they loved that.  They did not want to throw the bones away, so I let them glue the bones and teeth to a piece of paper. They couldn't wait wait to show their family!  Sorry all!











Chromebooks All Around Nov. 5, 2019

On November 5th, the kindergartners were thrilled to receive their first computers.  It is called a Chromebook and students will first use the Starfall program and later learn to use the IXL program.  These young children are learning basic computer skills as well as learning valuable reading and math skills.  During this time when it is somewhat quiet, I work with individuals on skills they need extra help with or I do weekly testing at that time.




Valentine's Day Party

Unfortunately we had a snow storm on the day of our Valentine's Day party, but before we left the kids talked me into letting them ...