Let's Talk About...The Birds and the Bees (in the Plant Kingdom!)

Since we have finished FCAT, I am thrilled to have time for science again!  This week, we kicked off our unit on heredity and reproduction, starting our study of sexual reproduction in flowering plants.  Here's a sample of the language we've been using:

We'll continue to look at pollination, fertilization, and seed dispersal over the next week or two.

UPDATE 4/25:  Today we used plastic cups, corn starch, sand, cotton balls, and our hands to make a model showing what happens when flowers pollinate:

 We recorded our observations in our Science Interactive Journals.

We discussed what each part of the model represents: cups (flowers), corn starch and sand (pollen), cotton balls (nectar), and our hands (pollinators).  Just like in the natural world, our "pollen" stuck to everything!

We've also learned that different kinds of plants have different life cycles.  Some plants produce flowers as part of their life cycle.  Other plants, such as pine trees, produce cones.  Today we found a female pine cone on the playground.  We're still on the lookout for a (male) pollen pine cone, which looks something like this:

FCAT Week

What a week!  We hope everyone did their best on their tests!  Our students started each day of testing with laps around the track before school to help them wake up and get their blood flowing to their brains,

 

enjoyed receiving pre-test love notes from their parents and post-test treats from PTA, two recesses per day, and daily surprises from their teachers.  By far, the sweetest part of FCAT has been being adopted by Mrs. Croley's first grade class (Remley's homeroom) and Mrs. Brown's kindergarten class (Kirkham's homeroom).  We met up with our buddies every day to receive more sweet notes of encouragement, pictures and posters to pretty up our bare rooms, and even water bottles that were decorated with things the fourth graders like, which the first graders learned when they met/interviewed us last week.

Countdown to FCAT: Get Moving Outside

 

What gets blood flowing to the brain?  Movement!  Take advantage of these beautiful mild, sunny spring days, and get outside!  As little as fifteen minutes of exposure to sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, which has been proven to help your mind to be in a better mood.  Have you had your daily dose of sunshine today?

Countdown to FCAT: Eat for Energy

Every day, we expect our students to come to school ready to do their best thinking.  This starts with a healthy, satisfying breakfast!  Students in grades 3-5 have come up with many healthy breakfast ideas, which the students will receive as a bookmark this week.  A healthy breakfast consists of foods high in fiber, low in sugar, and a source of protein.  Adding a serving of healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, avocados, olives, and egg yolks helps keep your body satisfied.  Healthy fats are also important for the brain to develop properly and help keep you in a good mood.

My favorite breakfast is eggs and sweet potato hash browns.

Mr. Remley is not a morning person, so the night before, he makes oatmeal (with milk for protein).  He mixes in cinnamon, blueberries, chopped walnuts, and sweetens it with a little honey.  Sometimes, if he's in a hurry in the mornings, he makes a peanut butter and banana sandwich!

We love bananas!

(Remember to hydrate yourself by drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up and another with breakfast!)

What is your favorite healthy, satisfying breakfast?

Countdown to FCAT: Hydration

 

The human body is more than 60% water.  Blood is 92% water, the brain and muscles are 75% water, and bones are about 22% water.  So, in order for your blood to flow properly through your body to your brain when you are thinking, it is important to drink enough water.

“Lots of studies have shown that dehydration is linked to poor performance on memory and attention tasks,” says Caroline Edmonds, PhD, University of East London senior psychology lecturer.  Some research has shown, for example, that the fluid-filled spaces in the brain become enlarged when someone is dehydrated, which causes brain tissue to shrink and makes it harder to think.  Thirst can be maddeningly distracting, too.  When it’s gone, the brain is free to focus on more important things.

To test water’s brain-boosting power, Edmonds asked 34 thirsty men and women to perform a series of mental tasks, measuring their reaction time, memory and learning capabilities.  Half were given water; the other half weren’t.  The subjects who guzzled about 2 cups of water before completing the tasks increased their reaction time by 14 percent.  In addition, the water drinkers felt happier, less confused, and more relaxed.

Your body loses water overnight while you breathe (and if you sweat) when you're sleeping, so it's important to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up to help get things moving.  Caffeine also causes your body to lose water.

Plain water is refreshing, but if you want to add a little flavor, slice (with adult supervision) fruit such as lemons, limes, strawberries, or pineapple.  Add it to your water bottle, and let it chill in the fridge.

How much water is enough?  A good rule is to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces.  How much do you weigh?  How much water should you be drinking?  Are you drinking enough? 

Countdown to FCAT: Sleep

 

Did you know that for children to grow properly and perform well in school, they need 10 hours of sleep each night?  Now is the time to make sure you start going to bed early enough, so your body can fall asleep, rise on time, and feel well-rested for FCAT next week.

Other things can also affect sleep quality:

• Stop consuming caffeine after lunch.  Remember, most sodas, some teas, and chocolate contain caffeine, which can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
• Eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime (digestion keeps your body awake).  What time do you need to finish eating?
• Turn off all electronic screens (phone, computer, tablet, TV) two hours before bedtime.  What time do you need to shut down your electronics?

What time do you wake up?  Count back ten hours.  This is what time you need to be asleep.  If you like to read before bedtime, plan on getting in bed a little earlier, so you can get a full ten hours of sleep.

I learned something today too!

In Math Workshop, we've been studying angles and how to measure them.  As I've taught lessons this week, I thought, I wonder why we use 360 as the number of degrees in a whole circle.  It's not a common number.  I was preparing a chart after school today, and while searching for an image of a 360 degree circle, found the answer:

Why 360 degrees? Probably because old calendars (such as the Persian Calendar) used 360 days for a year - when they watched the stars they saw them revolve around the North Star one degree per day.

Also 360 can be divided evenly by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 45, 60, 72, 90, 120 and 180, which makes a lot of basic geometry easier.

Just another example that we are all life-long learners!  :-)