We have been busy busy learning about rocks and soil! (I think it's super lame-o, but the kiddies just L-O-V-E this unit!!!!)
Thanks to the teacher bloggy world, I have found some amazing resources to use to engage the kids! My favorite was The Teacher Wife's All About Rocks unit.
Here are some pictures from our afternoons this week.
We went outside to collect soil samples. We learned about living, non-living, and once living things.
We brought our samples inside (BAD idea...what was I thinking letting 20 seven year olds bring DIRT inside!?!?!?!) and sorted what we had into categories based on our vocab words. Some of us even found living worms!!!
Now we've started to learn about the three different types of rocks! Yesterday we learned about metamorphic rocks.
We watched a BrainPop video and visited a website to learn more about these fascinating rocks. (Can you sense the sarcasm...they're rocks people... :)
We wrote about them and then created models of metamorphic rocks using gum and M&Ms (this idea was adapted from The Teacher Wife's All About Rocks unit!).
We chewed the gum to show how metamorphic rocks change through heat and pressure (in our mouths), and then added M&Ms to show they are made of different kinds of rocks. (Again, this was a good in theory, but turned out to be really gross...chewed up slobbery gum mushed on paper with M&Ms...)
Before the ants attacked:
We only had about a million ants in my room the next morning... and the janitor probably hates me. And we had throw our rock models away. So sad. ***Note to self- send these home immediately next year!!!***
Then we used our iPods to go on Google images using a QR code. Have you used these before??? Amazing!!!
We searched for pictures of metamorphic rocks and saved them to our photo library!!!
Then some of the kiddies created iMovies using the pictures to show what they've learned about metamorphic rocks.
Despite the messes we made, I think we're on the right track. And all of the kids agreed: Rocks Rock!
On another fun note, don't forget to head over to Swimming Into Second's I Love Second Grade Giveaway! There are some amazing resources you could win!!!
Happy Wednesday!
Looks like a lot of very meaningful fun.
ReplyDeleteTammy
Forever in First
I did rocks and soil when I taught third and I agree, I didn't love it but the kids sure did! We used a High Aims curriculum that was really fun though! We always made snacks for the rocks, we melted two types of chocolate and let it cool in chunks for igneous rocks, colored sugar cookie dough mixed together for metaphoric and smores for sedimentary rocks. Thanks for taking me down memory lane to my third grade days! :) Have a great night and a Terrific Thursday!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Stories From Second
Sometimes I feel like you are right down the hallway from me doing the same things. =) After we watched the Brain Pop, Jr. video (snore...) I told them that people used to have "pet" rocks. They were almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
ReplyDeleteThey totally think Rocks Rock, too.
Emily
Second Grade Silliness
Haha Sandy, this post just cracked me up. I was laughing out loud in my living room imagining the mushy gum and m&ms. Love the iMovie idea - sounds fun! :)
ReplyDeleteSecond Grade Sugar and Spice
"I follow all 23 blogs." So much Fun!!! millersflipflops@gmail.com (2nd Grade Teacher)
ReplyDeleteI follow all the blogs and tpt stores!
ReplyDeletelisen.wonderlich@gmail.com