Writing, Counting, and Inventing, oh my!

As you know, we have been writing letters to friends and family about our opinions on the books we are reading. We decided to make a writer's inspiration wall to help us think when we get stuck. The kids love looking to the wall to get ideas from their peers' writing.  Writing rotates on the wall so that we can all have turns being featured for inspiration. 

We are getting really good at counting, recognizing, and sorting coins.  We learned that $1.00 equals 100 cents, and that we can make those cents lots of different ways.  A flip book we created is helping us remember the most common combinations of coins to make $1.00.  

Before beginning our inventions yesterday, we learned that people and animals can use their bodies as simple machines.  Groups were given animals to research and then present to the rest of the class about how they use their bodies as simple machines.  

Now that we know how the simple machines work, we can focus on these awesome inventions these scientists are creating!  Some use simple machines, and some don't. Either way, we are learning the process of creating something new.  So far, we have 1. Noticed a problem (at school), 2. Made a plan, 3. Chosen materials, and today we got to 4. Build it and test it out.  The kids had SO MUCH FUN building and testing their inventions today! Their was science language flying around everywhere in their conversations- it was awesome.  We will spend tomorrow building and testing again. Here are some previews of inventions "in the works." 

Since we trashed the room while being inventors, we took a few minutes at the end of the day to clean the room and our messy desks!  We are spick and span now :o)