Mobile Peas and 3D Glasses!

Today I thought I would just bombard you all with some of my favorite activity randomness from the week...

We have been working on beefing up our "events" section of our fiction retells by reviewing the whole beginning, middle, end dealio.

I thought the classic "La princesa y el guisante" otherwise known as "The Princess and the Pea" would serve as a good solid story for this activity.

Meanwhile...we are studying balance and motion in science and it was the day to create "mobiles" on Thursday. 

So I thought...why not combine these two fab lessons into one...sometimes I am amazed as to how the "teacher" brain thinks these things through. Thus, "pea mobiles" were invented!

First, we read our story and the students wrote the beginning, middle, and ending events on three different peas. Then I passed out a cup with all "mobile" materials to each group as well as the "mobile making posters" to each student. (You can see a copy of one of these on my little blue-sleeved kiddos desk).

The original mobiles called for the students to hang notecards cut in half on each of the paperclips...but our peas were just way more fun!

It was quite tricky to get them to balance just right...

Here is a final product example. I had a few kids share that they were going to give their mobile to their little bro/sis to hang over their crib. ;). Too thoughtful!

In other super class news...we continued our shape review this week by moving on to good ole' 3D shapes.

We started by creating this quick anchor chart together...

As a quick hook, I asked my students who had attended a 3D movie?..nearly all raised their hands enthusiastically as I asked what was different about these types of movies and what they had to wear to be able to see these special effects successfully.

3D glasses of course they all shared in unison!

I then shared that we would be going on a 3D shape hunt around the classroom...and wearing the aforementioned 3D glasses so that we could do our jobs as mathematicians successfully!

Here is one of my cuties perusing the classroom...

And here is a copy of the glasses we used...(snag them by clicking on the image).

I literally just typed in "glasses printable" that day in school so I am sure there are many others to choose from if these aren't your cup of tea!

The students took them home to do search for 3D shapes around the casa for homework!