Plant Adaptations

3rd grade students have been studying adaptations that focus on the physical and behavioral adpatations of plants and animals. We began our lesson by making a claim about what adaptations are, using evidence to support our response, and explaining our reasoning. The students had a chance to share out their initial thinking. We then watched the brief video below about plant adaptations.

Study Jams - Plant Adaptations

After watching the video we gave the students an opportunity to share their thinking or make any changes to their thinking based on the video. 

Once each group had a chance to share the groups were given a picture and brief reading about plants and their adaptations. 

Plant Adaptations Picture and Reading 

During their reading the students were instructed to have a discussion about the physical and behavioral adaptations for each plant. During that discussion, or after, they were to complete the graphic organizer below to collect data and be placed in their science notebooks.

Plant Adaptations Graphic Organizer

Once the students completed the graphic organizer they were able to use an iPad to take pictures and create a video based on the adaptations of their plant. We used the app PicPlayPost to create our final products. In their final products the students were to share a picture of their plant, the data they collected, and then create a video sharing each adaptation and how it helps that plant to survive.

Ecosystems Research Project

Today we began a research project with 4th grade students who have been studying ecosystems. They have done a variety of learning activities with their homeroom teacher and are now ready to begin some research.

Our plan is to put the students in collaborative groups. We have pulled in a variety of non-fiction text from our library here at school. To take it a step further, I created some Google Custom Searches based on the ecosystems we will be researching. For more information on how to create a Google Custom Search check out How to Create Your Own Google Custom Search by Richard Byrne. It's not only a great post, but the blog is one of my main go-tos.

Today the students will use the Scan app to scan the QR codes below. These QR codes will take them directly to our custom searches.

Ecosystems QR Code Google Custom Search

The students will use the graphic organizer below to take notes. Each group has one ecosystem they are researching. We will then come together to share our information on the other ecosystems to complete our graphic organizer.

Ecosystems Graphic Organizer and Note Taking Sheet

Blogging in Kindergaten, Senses, and Some iPads

Yesterday we had a chance to continue blogging with one of our kindergarten classes using Kid Blog. The students have been studying and doing tons of activities all about their senses. This time around we decided to read one chapter from a book titled You Can't Taste a Pickle With Your Ear, this time around we chose to read the chapter on hearing.

Before the lesson began the teacher began by brainstorming some sounds that were familiar to the students and even some that she had heard just that morning at home. This was a great way to bring the students knowledge front and center for them. The class gave some responses like my dog barking or dad snoring. Once the brainstorming was complete, the teacher read the chapter on hearing. She paused at each point and allowed the students to act out the sounds they might hear if they were in the story. I felt that this was very powerful for the students and gave them more opportunities to have some sounds they could be thinking about.

Once the chapter was finished we had the iPads all set up to their 30 Hands slide that they needed to begin. This was the first time the kindergarten students had used 30 Hands, but we were quite confident they would be fine. One of the many great things about the 30 Hands app is that it's really user friendly, both teacher and student. The classes task was to illustrate one sound they can hear or have heard, some students were able to get to more than one illustration. After they completed their illustration we had the students record their explanation of the picture they drew.

Students then saved their 30 Hands video to the camera roll on the iPad. They did this for the next part of our task. Students were then going to take their 30 Hands video and import it to Kid Blog to make a new blog post. This is always the most challenging part, in particular with kindergarten students. We had the students upload the video first and we were then able to go around and help those who needed help with their titles. There is a link to the final products below.

Mrs. O'Neil's Class Blog

Abiotic vs. Biotic

4th grade students recently began their Living Systems unit and have focused on ecosystems. Yesterday we had the opportunity to discuss abiotic and biotic factors in each. To begin the lesson we had written on the board the words biotic and abiotic. Students had 2 minutes to discuss what they thought those words meant. Students were required to give a reasoning to support their answer. Some of the answers included:

• "I think they are opposites because they look that way from how they are spelled."
• "I think they are like antibiotics and have to do with medicine."

After the students had the opportunity to share and discuss their thinking, as well as share their reasoning we watched the video linked below.

Assignment Discovery: Abotic and Biotic Factors

The students were then given the opportunity after watching the video to generate a list of abiotic and biotic factors to write in their science notebooks. We then shared those out as well which allowed for students to add to their list if they need a little more support with this.

Next the students were given pictures, since it was raining, of animals in an ecosystem. Their task was to identify the biotic and abiotic factors in their picture. After they were able to identify the abiotic and biotic factors, they needed to create a short video, using an iPad, explaining what they listed and how they knew it was biotic or abiotic.

Upon completion of their video, students had a QR code at their desk that linked them to a Padlet page. They used an app on their iPad to scan the QR code and upload their video to Padlet.