Science Club Lately

A week ago, I taught Science Club. We are still doing birds, so I decided to teach about penguins. I made a big penguin out of constructions paper. To start off the class, I had each kids tell me what they already knew about penguins. I wrote each answer on a sticky note, and gave them to the kids to come and stick on our penguin. This represented what we already knew. Then I read them two books. And we talked about what we had learned. We wrote the new things we'd learned on the penguin's belly. Then it was time for the fun stuff.

To demonstrate how penguins walk, I brought a bunch of bandannas with me, and tied the kids' ankles together. I had them waddle around the classroom like that. When they got used to that, I explained that daddy penguins have to carry their egg around on their feet. Then I tucked a football into the bandanna and had them try to walk from one end of the room to the other without dropping the football.  

Once everyone had given that a try. We talked about how penguins huddle up to keep warm, rotating who is in the middle of the huddle and who is one the outside. We practiced that too. Although the kids weren't too sure about that one. :) Then I gave everyone a paper with a penguin on it, and had them write down one thing they'd learned about penguins.

These are the two books I read to the kids:

The other class being taught was on flamingos. I didn't get to see this class because I was teaching, but my kids LOVED it. They came home spouting all kinds of flamingo facts. Lincoln said they got to walk on stilts. And the had these super cute art projects with them when they were done. Love it!

This week Wynter taught about owls. The kids got to draw these pictures. I thought they did a great job.

It's funny to me as I watch my boys do drawings and different art projects, Lincoln tends to be very precise. He likes things to look realistic and be symmetrical and go go where they are supposed to go. Ivan on the other hand is a lot more messy, but deliberately. He doesn't care about perspective or making things even. It's almost classical vs. impressionistic at our house, and it makes me laugh.