3-4 Science 2025-2026, Wednesdays 10:30 – 12:00
Instructor: Andrea Sylve asylve@hotmail.com
Week of November 19th:
This week, we learned about habitats and the four things that animals need in their habitats. We also talked about a few different kind of habitats and animals that are in those particular habitats. Students played a game called “Swat,” which gave them some practice identifying animals in different habitats. Students also completed a booklet about habitats.
We started a somewhat complicated craft in class. Students may finish the craft for homework. They may also complete the booklet for homework.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I will see you on December 3rd.
The vocabulary word for the week are:
Habitat- the home of an animal or a plant that includes food, shelter, water, and space.
Week of November 13th:
This week, we learned about different kinds of camouflage. We went around the room looking at pictures of different creatures that were camouflaged and identified which kind of camouflage they were using. Outside, some students were hungry birds who ate different colored worms (pipe cleaners) from the grass. We made a bar graph to see which worms were eaten the most. Our camouflaged worms were slightly more protected. We also tried to camouflage a butterfly into a magazine page. Some student may still need to finish this for homework. We finished with one of my families favorite books: Du Iz Tak? It’s written in a pretend insect language. It’s really fun to make inferences about what they are actually saying. They did a wonderful job today and worked so hard!
For homework: Students have a reading passage about camouflage in their notebook with questions to complete. Student may also still need to finish their butterfly camouflage.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Concealing Coloration- coloring blends into surroundings
Disruptive Coloration- coloring breaks up their outline with a strong pattern
Disguise- hides by looking like another object
Mimicry- looks like another harmful animal
Week of November 5th:
This week, we dissected an owl pellet and saw that owls are carnivores. Students had the opportunity to match bones to see what organisms the owl might have eaten. I was really impressed with their careful observations. We completed a foldable about the predators and prey of owls. We finished class by reading Owl Moon, which is a vivid story about a child going owling with her father.
For the optional homework, students received a passage about owls. They can write three facts to earn a stamp.
A bonus or alternative homework assignments is to watch an episode of Wild Kratts about raptors and to write three facts in their notebook that they learned from the episode. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8ir1jk
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Herbivore-animals that eat plants
Carnivore- animals that eat meat
Omnivore- animals that eat meat and plants
Week of October 29th:
This week we explored earthworms and tested to see if they have any of the five sense. It’s always an exciting time when there are live animals in the classroom! We also went outside to release our butterflies. Some of them didn’t want to go and hung around for a bit.
For homework:
Students were given a page with a paragraph about earthworms. There are a few questions for them to answer.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Decomposer- breaks down dead plants or animals
Sense- the ability to know what is going on around you (taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing)
Week of October 22nd:
This week, we learned about the predator and prey relationship and how they help to balance one another in an ecosystem. We played a game and observed our caterpillars… which are now chrysalises and butterflies. We read a classic book called The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
For homework: Students received a foldable with a frog. They are to do research to find out the prey and the predators of a frog. They are to write the names of the creatures and draw pictures. They
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Predator- An animal that kills other animals for food
Prey- An animal that is killed by other animals for food
Week of October 15th:
This week, we learned about animal life cycles and metamorphosis. We completed a foldable for the frog life cycle. We observed caterpillars and will continue to observe them for the next couple of weeks as they change.
For homework, student should number the pages that they have used so far in their notebook and record the title page numbers for the Plant Unit and for the Animal/Insect Unit in the table of contents on the first page of the notebook.
Students may also continue to decorate their title page for the Animal/Insect Unit.
Students received a butterfly life cycle foldable to complete for homework.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Larva- wormlike form
Pupa- when the larva is changing
Chrysalis- the larva in a case
Adult- fully grown
Metamorphosis- big changes in form
Week of October 8th:
This week, we checked out our seeds some more. We talked about the importance of flowers. We also dissected flowers to see the different parts. We read a book about bees and talked about how important they are to flowers.
For homework, student may finish their Flower Power sheet. Also, students are challenged to draw a flower and label the five parts.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Pistil- receives the pollen
Stamen- holds grains of pollen
Petal- colored leaves
Ovary- where seeds develop
Sepal- protects the flower bud
Week of October 1st:
This week, we finished our compost column observations and got to see how our seeds are growing. We learned that we can eat a plant and heard the story of The Carrot Seed.
For homework, student received a foldable. On the flaps there is a bolded line to label the part of the plant. Under the flaps, student should write why those parts are important in their own words. If they get stuck, they can refer to their vocabulary words. Students may also color the foldable.
Students also received a page called “How do people use plants?” It should be glued into their notebook, so they are able to cut the squares out.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Roots- gives the plant support and brings in water
Stems- support the leaves and carry water
Leaves- collect sunlight and make food
Flowers- make fruit and seeds
Week of September 24th:
This week, we learned more about different kinds of seeds. Students made observation of six different kind of seeds. Students also planted seeds and studied a seed packet for information. We will be observing these seeds over the next couple of weeks.
For homework, student were given a reading passage with questions to answer. This should already be glued into their lab notebook.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Sow- planting seeds
Harvest- picking the fruits and vegetables
Week of September 17th:
Today, students dissected a seed to see the embryo, cotyledon, and seed coat. We also discussed the life cycle of a sunflower and put together a little booklet about seeds. We ended by reading The Little Red Hen to see the connection from farm to table.
For the optional homework, students were given a passage to read and questions to answer.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Cotyledon- food storage of a seed
Plant Embryo- baby plant inside the seed
Week of September 10th:
Today we made compost columns with food scraps and soil. We also talked about what makes soil. We will continue to observe our compost columns over the next few weeks. The temperature should be fascinating!
For homework, students received a reading passage about composting with three questions to answer.
Students may also wish to watch the Curious George Season 3, Episode 4 called Mulch Ado About Nothing. If you have Peacock, you should have access to Curious George. It’s also available on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSR5C890gmI
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Humus- Rotting plants that break down into tiny pieces
Decompose- To cause something to be broken down
Compost- a decayed mixture of plants
Week of September 3rd:
We spent the class today talking about what characteristic something has to have in order to consider it alive. We talked about MRS. NERG (Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Nutrition, Excreting, Reproducing, and Growth). Some of these words are kind of big, so we spent some time breaking the words down. We also observed yeast in a bag to see if it was alive. We also cut out pictures from a magazine of living and non-living things. Finally, we wrapped a plant’s leaves in foil to see if it will respond when we return to class. It was a big day!
For homework, students were given a sorting activity for living and non-living things.
As a reminder: Each week, vocabulary words will be posted on the board for students to copy when they come in. Students will not always have time to finish. The words will be posted here for those who didn’t finish. These should be written in the back of their notebook in the glossary section.
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Respire- to breathe
Sensitive- to respond
Nutrition- to eat
Excrete- to remove waste
Reproduce- to make children
Week of August 27th:
Great class today! Here is the homework:
Students will need to have the lab safety contract signed by a parent and themselves.
Students can finish decorating their Plant Unit title page.
Students may also wish to decorate their science notebook. They can decorate them with stickers, magazine cut outs covered with packing tape, or duct tape.
Each week, vocabulary words will be posted on the board for students to copy when they come in. Students will not always have time to finish. The words will be posted here for those who didn’t finish. These should be written in the back of their notebook in the vocabulary section.
Every teacher has their preference on school supplies. I prefer school glue over glue sticks. Glue sticks might be neater, but school glue will hold the pages together longer. I will help them learn how to neatly use school glue :)
The vocabulary words for the week are:
Problem- A question
Hypothesis- A guess of the answer
Data- The information collected
Conclusion- The answer
