Mrs. McGilvray's Class

Avery and Neeley chose to tell their audience about pollution and recycling through a video. Check out how informative they are!

We are wrapping up our physical adaptation study today by testing out different bird “beaks”. The students researched each type of bird listed on the challenge card and discover what the bird eats; how their beak helps them adapt to their environment; and how their beak helps them adapt to fit their eating style.  Students had to determine if the bird’s beak was most like a slotted spoon, pipet, pliers, tweezers, or a staple puller. They loved to see the differences between carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore beaks.

One of our very talented students chose to write a song about landfills for her recycling PBL presentation. Meghan Trainor is her favorite singer, so she worked to make it looks as though her favorite celebrity was singing her song. Way to go, Isabelle!

*There will be no spelling test this week. We are officially done with all spelling tests. Hooray!

*April 30: Read-A-Thon Fundraiser Begins

*May 2: Group Picture Day- If you wish to purchase, send $10 in the provided envelope coming home today.

*May 7: No more cafeteria changes will be allowed.

*May 16: Field Trip to Tyler, TX Planetarium- See note coming home today.

*May 22: Early Release at 11:30

*May 23: Early Release at 11:30 and LAST DAY OF SCHOOL.

We are combining reading, writing and science again this week as we study animal adaptations. Can I just tell you, this has been one of the most fun weeks ever?!

On Wednesday we focused on animals mimicking others in order to survive. We focused on the Viceroy and Monarch butterflies. (Side note: Viceroys are a sweet tasting butterfly while Monarchs are extreamly bitter.) We decided to “taste” these butterflies. Cup A was full of Sprite and represented the Viceroy. Cup B was bitter club soda representing the Monarch.

Students observed the sodas and decided they looked identical, just like the 2 butterflies, so surely they they would taste identical, too. Right? Wrong! Students were so surprised after sampling cup B that they vowed never to drink a clear soda again… just in case it was the yucky one. I guess this lesson was a success, because that’s exactly what predictors do when they see either the Viceroy or Monarch butterflies. They stay away!

Cup A, representing the sweet butterfly was a hit! Cup B… not so much. You can tell exactly what students though of the bitter, Monarch butterfly.

I am super proud of these individual award recipients, but check out that group photo, too. That’s right! Our entire class worked hard during lunch this past week and earned the GOLDEN FORK AWARD. Team work makes the dream work. Thankfully, we get to hang this prized fork in our room for a solid week. The kiddos are beyond excited, and I am extremely proud of them!

We’ve been making connections to the real world when it comes to shapes. We discovered even tasty snacks can be 3 dimensional. Check out Seesaw to see the 3D examples your child found on the playground.