Bucket Filling, Reading, & Science!

I thought I'd never get back here to post some pictures of things we've been doing in the classroom this week! I am knee in Reading assessments, SIP (Student Intervention Planning) documentation, etc! But, in the midst of all that we have been having some fun! I cannot believe how GREAT bucket filling has been! We check our buckets every Friday afternoon and it is going so great! My students LOVE writing notes to each other and are always so excited to see what's in their bucket. Last week was a 4 day week so we didn't check them and today they were just overflowing!! I was making copies of the bucket filler form I found online until I realized how many copies I was making weekly so now the students use notebook paper that they cut in pieces. We have a limited number of copies so we have to do what works! It didn't bother the kids at all!

Our first unit in Science is weather because it's always a great time of year to study it with hurricanes, tornadoes, seasons changing, etc. This week we have focused on weather tools, specifically thermometers, rain gauges, wind vanes, and anemometers. We made our own anemometers and wind vanes and had the perfect windy day to test them!

Back in the summer when I first started reading Tara's blog at 4th Grade Frolics, she posted how she reads the Humphrey series. I was so interested that I went out and bought them and I am SO glad I did! I have a class full of Science lovers, so when they heard it was about an animal, they were ALL IN! We have finished the first book and started the second one today!

I also read on Tara's blog how she bought the Zhu Zhu hamsters and lets her students take them home with a journal! So, we started that today and the kids were SO excited about it!

I'll be honest, reading about Humphrey *almost* makes me want a class hamster! Maybe one day!!
I also want to thank Tara for the award "The Versatile Blogger"!! Thank you so much!! After accepting this award, there are several things you must do. 1) Thank the person/people who nominated you and provide a link to their blog. 2) Share 7 things about yourself. 3) Pass this award along to 15 blogs that you have discovered.

1) This is my 4th year teaching and every year I have taught 4th grade.

2) I live 7 hours away from all of my family, except for my husband and son. :(

3) I am a huge TN VOLS fan!!!

4) I must have my Chapstick everywhere I go!

5) I started teaching at the age of 21.

6) I used to think I wanted to be a nurse.

7) I love to read! I just finished reading The Help and loved it!