What's a matter with you? and Easy Christmas Tree Art

Well my teachers friends - this matter unit is NOT for the faint of heart.  Yes I did use the word viscosity and volume - oh and even properties and matter!  It is important vocabulary and I think that kids need to understand these ideas now before it is too late and they are in high school chemistry and just discovering that water does not actually gain "coldness" - heat is taken away!!!  Aaack!!  I learned so much! 

Click on any of the pictures to check this item out at my TpT store.

 

Above is the front cover our our little matter lab book.  Every demonstration has a little write up to go along with it and a concluding wrap up statement for kids to fill in the blanks.  

Here are pictures from our culminating Science Fair.  It was a blast.  The girls above are doing Baggie Blow Up.  The boys below are doing Floater Boat or Sinker Stinker!!  It was an amazingly FUN mess!!  P.S.  Thank you to my amazing partner teacher Meg who always goes above and beyond for her students.  She helped me make and test out this unit - without her it would not be as wonderful as it is!!

Click HERE for some additional experiments!!

Today we took the Polar Express around the world to Germany.  I am using a wonderful little unit by Amanda Tervoort called Christmas Around the World.  I wanted to make a Christmas tree to go along with it so I came up with this!

You will need: 

blue construction paper

coffee filters

brown construction paper cut into rectangles for trunks

green tempera paint

star stickers and square stickers

sequins and beads for decorations

black marker

glitter glue

glue sticks

glue bottles

First, students will glue on the trunk.  Then, have students fold coffee filters into quarters and glue these one on top of the other.  P.S. Coffee filters are also awesome for holding popcorn while watching movies with your class right before Christmas holidays!!

Next, have students paint their tree with green tempera paint.  Finally, students can use white glue and stickers to add decorations.  My kiddos were SO into this!!!  They even look a little 3D!

Merry Christmas!!

Deck Your Christmas Activity Folder!

Well I think that this whole Christmas spirit thing added with Cyber Monday has almost knocked me off my rocker!!  I am just exploding with new ideas to try in the classroom and I am having a blast teaching about Christmas around the world.  Just posted my 10 Christmas Nativity Plays for beginning readers.  I had a ridiculously good time writing them!  Get them now while the sale is still on!!

Here are a couple of the covers of some of the plays.  Also check out the ridiculously cute graphics by Kari Bolt!!  LOVE!

On a side note I went wreath making a couple of weekends ago - here is what I created.  My sister says it looks like the forrest threw up - lol.  I LOVE it!!  It smells so nice and forresty!!