Science Dioramas {Revisited}

Sometimes I'm amazed at the amount of stuff we accomplish throughout the week... Even though at times it feels like herding goats.

Science dioramas

Last week was the culmination of our ecosystem unit. The Friday before the kids took Kleenex boxes and painted the inside, creating a setting/background of for whatever ecosystem they wanted to create.


Then last week they took index cards to make pop up animals and plants to add to their boxes.   I use index cards since we have a ton of them in the classroom and they need some type of cardstock/thicker paper to make the figures stand up.  Last year we used shoe boxes but the Kleenex ones were smaller. Liked the smaller aspect for trying to hang them.


After they were done designing/decorating they had to list the different predators, prey, consumers, producers, living, and non living organisms they added to their boxes.

Last year I had them write all over their boxes, but this year I simplified it since they wrote all that other information on their ecosystem interactive folders.  

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Sunday Store Update: Project Time!

This past week I was focused on uploading projects that I have worked on with my students over the years.  Most of these were projects I did in my primary classroom.  Are you in shock?  I hardly ever discuss my primary years, but I did spend 6 out of my 13 years of teaching working with kids in grades K-3.  :)  

My 2nd graders learned about simple machines and the creation of sound.  I combined both of these into a culminating unit and they enjoyed it!  Students needed to create a parade float (no larger than a shoebox) that had to move in some way.  They also needed to create an instrument to play during the parade.  They had to draw their plan and label the difference parts that moved or created sound.  We then had a parade in the classroom.  This product contains the directions, sketch sheet, and grading rubric I used with my class.  

In Social Studies in my 2nd grade classroom we learned about our families (Ancestors).  Students had a choice to create a visual, picture timeline, or an interview with an ancestor.  I tied this project in with celebrating Grandparent's Day in the classroom, though it could be done anytime of the year.  The projects the kids bring in are amazing!  This product includes the complete directions, an interview sheet, and the grading rubric I used.  

In 2nd grade we also learned about different heroes that have affected our world.  At the culmination of the unit, I had my students choose a "hero" of their choice and they would research that person.  They dressed up as their person and presented in character.  Included in this product is the complete directions (3 different variations), the grading rubric, a planning sheet to use, and a list of heroes with a return slip of their top 3 choices.  

In 2nd grade my students learned about fossils in both our Science and our Reading texts.  In culmination of both of those units, they choose a dinosaur to learn more about.  I gave them a choice of 3 projects to complete - building a 3D dinosaur, making a poster filled with facts, or creating a diorama with both a dinosaur and setting.  The main idea was to get them up front and presenting in front of other kids, to chase away the shyness.  They enjoyed this project!  

I spoke a little about this product on Friday's post.  In my 4th grade classroom, I have my students use this project to create an experiment of their choice.  I have some choices of websites that guide them in a direction as well as science project books in the classroom.  Students use the 3 page directions with the specific steps to complete the experiment.  They must follow the Scientific Process.  I also added a 5 page Project Notes to the product, as it might help some students keep organized.  Included is also a Student Project Checklist with a detailed list of things to include on their project board, and a Teacher Grading Rubric. 

I love projects because learning should be fun.  As a parent I love having my boys do their own home projects - as I believe projects should be what the children are capable of creating themselves.  Projects should be fun and should allow students to be creative.

Do you want a copy of one of these?  Just leave a comment below with your email, letting me know which one you would like.  I'll choose 2 random comments tonight at 9pm PST and will email them out.  As usual, all the images are connected to TPT if you want to check them out. 

Have a great day!

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Science: Ecosystem (Shoebox) Dioramas

Can I be honest and say I'm glad this project is over?  

My students have been studying ecosystems for about 4 weeks now.  We have learned about the different types of ecosystems, predators/prey, consumer/producer, and non-living/living parts of it all.  There is still more to learn with food webs, etc. - but it was time to put this part together.  

3 weeks ago I sent home a note to the families asking/begging/pleading they send in a shoebox so we could create an ecosystem diorama.  

They came in 2 weeks ago.  

2 weeks of navigating around 32 shoeboxes...

Last week we took time and went outside to paint the inside of the boxes.  Each student had to choose what type of ecosystem they wanted to create.  I gave them basic choices and we brainstormed a list.  

Land: Taiga, Chaparral, Forest, Rainforest, etc

Water: Ocean, Freshwater River, Lake, Stream

They had so much fun painting the inside of their boxes.  We had every color of the rainbow out, and they were like little Picassos.  There was much talk over the colors each type of environment would have in them.  Many of them wanted to create either a forest or an ocean ecosystem.  We went through a lot of paint.

This week they have been watching their boxes like sharks for the moment that I would say it was finally time to finish them up.  Today was that day.

To create, I only really gave them the minimum amount of supplies.  Construction paper and index cards to create parts of the ecosystem, and yarn to hang the parts they wanted to move (you can see below the kids just used tape and glue to assemble.)  We had to talk about how index cards are thicker, so the animals and bushes could stand up and become 3D.  I wanted them to showcase their own art work, rather than have them print off clipart to add. 

As they created their environments, they had to focus on the 6 categories that we have learned, making sure they had specific things in their box that would count for each thing.  I didn't grade their art work (as I never grade their art work), I only grade their participation and what they learned.  This little 1/2 sheet of paper really showed me if they got it.  

The categories:

Living vs. Non-living

Predators vs. Prey

Producers vs. Consumers

The half sheets of paper are glued onto the back of their shoeboxes, and their shoeboxes are held up by only 1 pushpin on the wall. (Some students tried to turn it in before doing the paperwork aspect - they will have to finish first thing on Monday morning.)  I'm only going to keep them up for about a week until the next project is ready.  Enough time for them to see everyone else's art work, and to get some compliments on their own.  

I did this same type of project last year.  Last year it was basically the same set up, though I had them do the writing for the different categories on the outside sides of the box.  With this group, it needed to be only one sheet of paper they were working with.  

I'm updating this post so I can share it over at Clutter Free Classroom's Linky Party.

What a week!  

We also had a Math Fact Party that the kids loved.  Just have to say that balloons and streamers always mean so much to the kiddos - even without goody bags and treats of any kind.
Hope you had a good day and week as well!

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