Blog #6 - Grandparent Interview

Blog #6 -   Interviewing a Grandparent or a Great Grandparent or someone they know who was born prior to 1940. 

In May, we celebrate our Grandparents by inviting them to school for the day.   Prior to this day, I have the children interview a grandparent or someone they know who was born and grew up at least 70 years prior to them.   We need parent involvement to help with this family project.  I do a monthly family project in my classroom.  It usually does not take a lot of time but many connections and memories are made while doing the projects.  Here are a few questions that are for the interview:  Where were you born? Did you have any brothers and or sisters?  What was your house like growing up?  What foods did you eat growing up ?  Did you go out to eat ?  If so, where and how often?  What was your favorite subject in school?  What did you like about school?  How did you get to school? Did your family have a car? What was your favorite toy? What did you do for fun?  What books did you like to read ?  Did you have chores growing up? If so, what were the chores?   What did you do after school?   Where did you work?  (context)

 After the children and parent interview a grandparent the next step is to have them use that information to do a Venn-Diagram.  (DOK-1) What are the similarities and difference?  What do they have in common? (DOK-2) The most important lesson here that I want the children to realize is that no matter how many years pass, how much buildings, clothing, technology and transportation change people still have the same basic needs and feelings no matter what time period they live in.   I think this is a very important lesson for the children to learn.  (DOK-3) We will laminate their poster size venn-diagrams after the children add any photographs to the outside picture frame border of their grandparent growing up and present pictures with them. They will create, design, and analyze the Venn Diagrams by explaining things they have in common with his or her grandparent to the class on Grandparent day.  (creative activity)

Standards: 25.1, 25.3, 15.1, 15.4, 4.8, 1.6, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3

Blog #5 - Leaf Rubbings

Blog #5    -   Leaf Rubbings   -  Crystale M. Straub-Moyer

In the fall I do a unit about the season of Fall and we do an outdoor education day at a local park.  There are twelve outdoor activities that the students participate in.  I would like to add a leaf rubbing station to this unit.  We identify the various leaves in our area usually 5-7 different types of leaves.  On our trip, I learned there are actually three types of Sassafras leaves.  I would like to show the children all three leaves.  (Beechnut, Maple, Oak, Sassafras, Birch, Pine, Poplar).  We will discuss the different parts of a leaf. (content)

The children will actually have a list with a picture of each leaf. (DOK-1)  The children will have a scavenger hunt to find the various types of leaves.   ( DOK-3) The children will collect the leaves.  (DOK-2)Next, the children will identify and investigate the leaves. (DOK-3)  Next the children will do a leaf rubbing of each type of leaf on our list. They will compare and investigate the leaves.  (DOK-3) We will label each leaf rubbing for him or her to teach their parents for homework that night and apply what was learned though out our day.( DOK-1and 4) ( creative activity)

Standards:  25.3, 25.4, 15.4, 3.1a, 3.3a, 4.8, 1.6, 10.5, 7.2, 7.420.3  

Blog #7 Mapping Skills

Blog #7  - Mapping Skills  - Crystale M. Straub-Moyer

In October I do mapping skills with our Christopher Columbus unit.  The children learn about maps and globes.  We learn that maps have a key and what the symbols of the key represent.  The children learn about the globe being a sphere shape with water being the blue and the land is colored.  The mountains are bumpy and raised.  The children really enjoy learning about maps.  We have a di-cut of the state of Pennsylvania that each child gets a di cut of our state.  We use this to find Pennsylvania on a large US of America state map.  The children usually can match the shape to find our state. I also teach the song Fifty Nifty United States from 13 Original Colonies.   (content)

Each child will get a 12 x 18 cut out of our state of Pennsylvania.  We will discuss and name the state bird, flower, animal, etc of PA.  (DOK-1) The children will use tissue paper to glue and represent the three rivers in PA – Alleghany, Susquehanna, and the Delaware. (DOK-2)  We will talk about the importance of rivers and how they help us.  We will use cotton to represent the mountains.  (DOK-2)Each child will place a sticker star for our capital Harrisburg.   I will show pictures of our capital and introduce the branches of government through books. (DOK-2) The children will then place a smiley place where he or she lives.  We will also mark Hershey,  Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh on each student’s map. We will compare student made map to our large PA map in our Library. (DOK-3)  We might need to add something based on students critique.  If we need to revise we will.   Each student will create his or her own map of Pennsylvania and be able to design another PA map with his or her 4^th grade buddy.  (DOK-4)   (creative activity)

Standards:   3.3a, 1.6, 10.5, 5.2, 7.2, 7.4, 2.2,

Maple syrup - Blog #4

Lesson #3                  Maple Syrup – Blog 4       by Crystale M. Straub-Moyer

I’m planning on doing this lesson around Earth day when we learn about trees.  I’m moving to a new building and one of our classrooms will be a kitchen that we can sign up and use for special activities.    We will learn about trees and how much they help us and how trees can be an income for some people in Pennsylvania.  After visiting the Somerset Historical Society and being part of a Spotza party.  I really enjoyed and learned so much about Maple syrup that I want to share with my students.   I will show the children what is used to tap the maple syrup from trees.  We learned that 40 gallons of maple sugar water is needed to make 1 gallon of Maple syrup.  We will have posters and pictures of the tools and materials used during the 1800s. (content)

I will boil pure maple syrup from Somerset or Vermont on the stove.  When the maple syrup reaches the temperature of a softball I will remove a teaspoon for each child and put into a Dixie cup of cold water with a popsicle stick.  The children will stir the liquid in the Dixie cup creating Spotza and be able to eat it as long as there are no allergies.   After stirring the Spotza, we  will take the remaining maple syrup and take turns stirring  until the syrup crystalizes and becomes sugar.  Each child will be abe to taste the sugar too.  This will also tie in with our Science unit solids and liquids. (creative activity)

The children will recognize and identify the materials needed to make maple syrup. (DOK-1)  The children will predict what is going to happen when they stir the syrup in the Dixie cup of cold water. (DOK-2)   The children will hypothesize what happens as the crystals are forming from the syrup – going from a liquid to a solid. (DOK-3)  The students will apply concepts and teach our 4^th grade buddies about Maple syrup and have a Spotza party for them. (DOK-4)

Standards :   25.4, 3.3a, 3.4c, 5.4, 4.8, 1.6, 10.5, 5.3 c and e, 7.4, 2.2, 2.7

Farming Lesson -entry 3

Lesson #2      Farming  - Blog 3                  by  Crystale M. Straub-Moyer

Our school district has a lot of acres within our boundaries.   Farming is a large part of our school district.  After being at the Somerset Historical Center I would like to do a past vs today farming unit.  I do farming as a career but would like to spend more time on learning about farming.  I will use our school poster machine to make posters of the displays at Somerset.  I will also have guest farmers in to speak to my class on farming and the changes that have happened during their lifetime.  I also am fortunate to be able to tie in tractors with this unit.  A family friend collects tractors and he would be willing to bring in a variety of tractors and a model A car for the children to see. (content)

I am hoping to visit a John Deere equipment store by Lake Tobias when we do our yearly field trip.  The children will be able to see farming equipment that is used today.  Back in the classroom, we will be able to do a venn-diagram comparing the past to the present farm equipment.  We will also discuss the hard work, dedication, and planning it takes to successfully run a farm.   I will have guest speakers who run a dairy farm, cattle, and crop farm as well as a tractor collector for the children.  We will do a classroom greenhouse and learn about the life cycles of plants too. (creative activity)

Through posters, pictures, and the computer the students will be exposed to farming in the past and present.(DOK-1)  The children will be respectful and create a respectful environment for guest speakers and models of tractors. They will compare and make observations of the tractors.  (DOK-2)  The students will successfully implement a classroom greenhouse. (DOK-3)  We will do a venn-diagram to record what the children know about farming past vs. present. (DOK -4)  The students will also design a tractor for the future in a journal writing by illustrating and explaining what he or she believes a tractor would look like in the future. (DOK-4)

Standards :  25.3, 25.4, 15.1, 3.4c, 5.4, 4.8,1.6, 5.3e, 7.4, 20.3,

Lesson 1 – Blog #2           Transportation

       I will be adding this lesson to my “Proud to be and American – Learning About our Constitution Unit” I do in September.  Some of my lessons include book binding, printing press, stories by the campfire,   hats and clothing center, our first American Flag, and toys and chores.  After visiting the Alleghany  Portage Railroad,  I want to add a transportation center.  I will put together a powerpoint of the pictures I took today to illustrate the improvements in transportation in the 1800s.  Prior  to the canals it  would  take 30 days by wagon to travel from Philadelphia to Pittsburg by  wagon.  With the invention of the canal system it took 3 days.   We will brainstorm ways that we can travel from one place to the next and then rank them in order of the slowest to fastest.  For example:  walking, horseback, bicycle, boat, train, car, airplane. (Content)

     We will go to the gymnasium and the children will have to transport goods from one end of the gym to the other.   The children will work in teams of 4.  First the children will use a yoke that I made to carry water.  Next the children will use a barrel on a wagon going slow enough not to spill the water.  Lastly, the children will pull the wagons behind a tricycle.  (creative activity )

 We will time the activities and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each way. (DOK-1) Next, we will discuss the importance of working together, cooperation, and respecting each other.  What was needed to be done to be successful –cause and effect. (DOK-2)   I will have each team explain how they loaded and successfully got their goods safely across the gym.  ( DOK-3)  When the children have had a chance to discuss, plan, and improve we will do it again and teach the other kindergarten class their improvements and which is the quickest and safest way to transport goods. (DOK-4)

Standards – 25.4,15.1,15.2,15.3,15.4 , 3.3 a, 3.4 c, 4.8, 1.6,9.1, 10.1-3, 10.4, 10.5, 5.2, 5.3e , 7.2, 7.4, 2.2, 2.7

Introduction of Crystale

       Hello!  My name is Crystale M. Straub-Moyer.  I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, coach, and teacher.  I am very  busy and very thankful for every day.  Life keeps me busy but I'm truly blessed.  I have  been married to Keith for 12 years.  He is a very hard working and talented man who has a strong passion for hunting.  My son's name is Cole.  He is 6 years old.  Cole has a very kind heart and is very sensitive.  I was fortunate enough to be his Kindergarten teacher this past school year.  My daughter, Cora, is 4 years old.  She has a dimple and lights up a room when she enters it.  She will help you with anything.  In the past, I coached middle school girls basketball and softball.  The last 2 years I coached T-ball.  I have  been teaching for almost 20 years.  I taught Art in grades K-5 in for elementary schools, First Grade, and Kindergarten for 4 year olds.  I am currently teaching Kindergarten.  I graduated with honors from Millersville University with a dual certication in Elementary/Early Childhool Education.
      My summer began by packing up my classroom.  My building is closing so I spent the first week and half cleaning and packing materials.  The last two weeks I spent being a nurse and waitress to my children who had their tonsils and adenoids removed.  This was very painful for them and we have been inside resting.  Today was the first day they were themselves and we played outside most of the day.  The positive side about the last two weeks was I got to read 4 books.  YEAH!  I love to read but don't really have a lot of time with two small children.  I'm almost finished with The Writer's Guide To Everyday Life in the 1800s by Marc McCutcheon.  I'm really enjoying this book as well as Joy Hakem's book.  I'm looking forward to learning more about he 1800s with the Traveling Caravan class next week.  I'm having difficulty getting on the moodle so I hope everyone will be able to read my post.  I look forard to next week and improving my Constitution Learning Centers about the 1800s.  I implemented them for the first time last September and it was a great and memorable unit of study.