Dear Parents,
On Tuesday we began working on the first four planets closest to our sun. We used balloons and papier-mâché. The children worked in small groups to dip and stick strips of newspaper to each balloon. Everyone worked patiently to thoroughly cover the balloons.
The next day, while half the class was tumbling in the big room, the rest of us added another layer of newspaper to our planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. We also added color using tissue paper.
The children reported that in tumbling they had acted like robots. We read in one of our space books that we send robots to study other planets. Everyone walked like a robot to the big room to play.
During circle, we jumped up on the count of three, leaving Earth all together, if only for a split second. We also read: The Planets, Earth, and A Is For Astronaut.
We made Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune in a day. We used pipe cleaners, styrofoam balls, wooden sticks, bubble wrap, brown paper, and duct tape. We still need to make Saturn, Pluto, and the sun!
We went to the bagel shop — twice. They accidentally double-booked, so when we arrived, there was another class just beginning their turn. We went back to school to play in the big room for fifteen minutes. When we returned, we learned that the temperature for bagels is 500 degrees, the baker arrives at 3am, plain is one of the most popular bagels, and they boil, and then bake the bagels. We noticed some simple machines inside the oven as its wheels turned.
Next week we begin building our space ship for our trip to the moon.
On Thursday, February 12th @9:30am, parents are invited to watch our Blast Off!
It will take about 15 minutes. Other than that, it will be a regular day.
Have an earthly weekend,
Therese