"Oooh, aaaahh! This is cool", was the general response as we continued our exploration of liquids this week. Your little scientists are so excited about mixing liquids! On Monday and Tuesday we found out that food coloring mixes differently in liquids such as plain water, salt water, and seltzer water. You might ask them what the science surprise was on Tuesday. We also found that drops of liquids look very different and act differently. We found out that some drops look like balls, some like domes, and some like pancakes. We may even get to make an ocean in a bottle this week! On Friday, we’ll be meeting with our learning partners. They’ll show us how they made a volcano or something similar to a lava lamp. They are exploring chemistry so our studies bridge naturally together as they are making solutions, too. A couple of vocabulary words this week have been solution and dissolve.

We completed our reading of The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. The children loved this book and were such active listeners. It was wonderful to look at their little faces riveted to every word I read and some were even on the edge of their seats during some passages! Today we made scrappy caps like the characters in the book. Perhaps our scrappy caps will allow our imaginations to run free as well!

As I completed the story, the children asked that I read another book about Stanley. One student even signed it out of the library a couple weeks ago for me. It is called Stanley and the Magic Lamp.

Mrs. W. brought in some snow block makers and plastic shovels for the kids to use during recess. They had such a grand time with them on Monday and Tuesday. Mrs. W. said the children worked very well together to create igloos and forts. I have inserted photos for you enjoyment.

Here are some questions to ask your child this week:

1) What is a solution?

2) What does the word dissolve mean?

3) What was the science surprise? (we made a solution of sugar, water, and lemon juice for lemonade)

4) How did the story about the Whangdoodle end? (the professor created a female whangdoodle and the children went back home)

5) What are you working on in math? (first graders have started a unit on money)

6) What are your new spelling words? (new words should have arrived home on Tuesday with the Spell With A Friend paper, on Wednesday the ABC order paper, and today the paper that has your child write each spelling words small, fancy, and fat)

That’s it for this week. I hope you enjoy your sharing time with your child. I think we’ll be able to try snowshoeing today. Your child will probably have a lot to tell you about this adventure!

DATES TO REMEMBER: