After our field trip to Grant Nature, we read several books looking for animals that fly. Through our reading, we found several stories that had birds, owls, and bats. The children noticed that owls and bats both “swoop” through the air when flying. We briefly studied owls before our investigation led us to bats. 

We have read several key books over the last month; Where Once There Was a Wood, Owl Babies, Monkey and Me, Bat Loves the Night, Stella Luna and Hello Bumblebee Bat.

The students have spent time researching bats and presenting their findings during beginning circle. The children have found that bats:
• can see in the dark
• don’t land on their feet
• eat fruit, bugs, and moths
• hang by their feet upside down
• have fur
• live in trees and caves
• mommy bats get food for their babies to eat

We have invited a bat expert to answer some of our questions about bats. On Thursday, Ms. Lucy from Washington Township Park District will be talking to us about bats and showing us bat artifacts. We will continue our bat investigation after winter break.

In addition to bats, over the next two weeks, our class will study holidays around the world and how different countries celebrate these holidays. Our investigation will lead us to each continent and many countries. We will be listening to music, participate in activities, and make numerous decorations.
 

Where did all of the butterflies go? Through our research, the children discovered that Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico in the fall because it is too cold in Ohio. To celebrate the end of our butterfly project, we decided to have a Mexico party. After reading several books, we found that communities in Mexico celebrate the arrival of Monarch butterflies. We began researching these festivities and planned our party. The children made butterfly hats that they used in their parade to show other classes how the Monarchs migrated. For snack we ate guacamole, tortillas, quesadillas, and Pico de gallo. We made mosaic tiles using a lot of color similar to the tiles used in Mexican artwork.

After studying Eric Carle for the last several weeks, we started looking through all of the books we read trying to find other things that fly. Through this activity, we found several things that fly in all of his books except Papa Please Get the Moon for Me. We have completed our Eric Carle mural with beautiful animals, insects, flowers, and trees. Thank you for working with your child to create objects for our mural!

Throughout the school year, the children will be involved in projects with topics that involve flying. If you have any ideas, please let me know! We are excited for our field trip to Grant Park. We are hoping to find several animals that fly!
 

Fall is here! The children have smoothly adjusted to a new school year. We have focused on learning classroom rules, routines, and most importantly, making new friends. We just finished an exciting month as we watched the lifecycle of thirteen Monarch butterflies. The children took an active role in taking care of our caterpillars by helping cut milkweed from our garden to feed the caterpillars. The children watched each chrysalis form and eventually hatch into butterflies that we released into our garden.

As we studied butterflies we read several key books: The Butterfly, Waiting for Wings, Monarch Butterfly, and A Butterfly is Born. We have also been singing “Fuzzy Wuzzy Spider” (sang to tune of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”) which helped us remember the lifecycle of a Monarch.

In addition to investigating butterflies, we have been doing an author study on Eric Carle or as a few students like to call him, “Uncle Carle”. The children have discovered important elements of his writing which include: use of color, detailed pictures, illustrating his books with collages, pictures tell the story, faces on suns, moons, and clouds, and use of repetitive text. Through studying how Eric Carle writes, the children have been using these ideas in their own writing. One student said recently, “I’m using lots of color like the caterpillar book.”

We also watched a short video to see how Eric Carle paints and how he makes his collages. Last week, the children made “Eric Carle paper” using tissue paper and acrylic paint. We will begin working on creating a mural similar to the kind Eric Carle uses to illustrate his books.

The Eric Carle books that we have read are: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Mixed-Up Chameleon, Little Cloud, The Very Lonely Firefly, The Very Busy Spider, and The Very Quiet Cricket.

A very special thank you to all of the families that donated numerous supplies to our classroom. Thank you for your continued support!