To assess Shooting Star class’s knowledge and thinking skills about small creatures, the children had a fun time collaborating to choose a partner and work on a special project. Each group picked a small creature to learn about, such as spiders or frogs, and they all became curious little inquisitors. They spent time reading books and watching videos together to learn what they could about their creatures. This was not just about gathering facts; they were also practicing how to take agency and work as a team. They build motivation to speak up and discover new interests in a fun way. One goal was to think about how to care for and connect with living things through their homes and needs. The other goal was to build habitats for these creatures and practice sharing their work for their classmates and parents confidently.
Going outside is an even more exciting and hands-on way to see what they learned about living things in a nearby park. At the park, they play and collected all sorts of natural treasures such as leaves, grass, and colorful flowers. They thought about the tricky shapes of different insects and how to build them with the materials and created tiny insects. These little insect creations will be laminated and worn as bracelets and reminders to enjoy nature.
The most magical part of the week came when the second caterpillar finally emerged from its chrysalis. The children watched one more beautiful butterfly unfold its wings and build the strength to flap its wings.This time students noticed that the wings looked wet and wrinkled. They thought about keeping the butterfly in the tank, but they talked about whether it could be a suitable habitat, and remembered that butterflies need space to fly and drink sweet sap from flowers!
Finally, as the students have been observing their spider plants grow, some noticed that the roots were very long. In fact, it was time for the teams to plant them in the soil. Each group dug a small hole in the planters and buried the roots under the soil, then added water. Now, Shooting Star can continue to observe the plants grow in a more natural environment. They also had a special visit from a cricket and got the exciting chance to observe shed iguana skin up close!
