Teachers pay teachers and Norte Dame Science Units

I have been using teacherspayteachers.com for a while now.  I love the site.  I uploaded my first document tonight.  It was a activity that I made for the performance assessment for one of my science units.  For years I have used a weather wheel for years.  The kids love making them but for the last few years I have changed from the pre-printed ones to this one where the kids have to draw their own pictures.  I don't know what the difference is with coloring and drawing but most of my kids prefer to draw then to color.  I prefer it too.  So, I adapted the standard color wheel.  

I am also looking through the work I have done for years.  The things that I LOVE and that the kids seem to like as well.  I am going to add those once I get back to school in the fall.  So, for now, go get my free weather and seasons wheel.  :)

Part of the training I went to last week with Norte Dame and the Archdioese of Oklahoma had me working on science units for the.  It has been a very LONG and grueling process.  But,  I feel like I am a better teacher for it.  I am going to post a few of the things that I have done as part of it.

Here is one of the activities.  I tried it out on B.  He had a blast.  See how happy he is!!!! 

The Performance Assessement:  Illustrate an animal in its habitat including it's needs and it's life cycle.

The conversation went like this.

Me:What kind of an animal do you want to draw?
B:  A Dinosaur (Green pink and blue image in the middle)
Me:  Now where does he live?
B: in a cave (purple thing to the right)
Me:  What does your dinosaur need to stay alive?
B:  Sun, water and food (orange at the top and the three light blue on the left are  the glass of water and an apple)
Me: If this is an adult dinosaur what was it before that?
B:  Kid
Me: And before it was a kid?
B:  A baby (orange on the bottom left)
Me:  And before it was a baby?
B: an egg (the brown on the bottom left) 

The assessment is designed as a group at activity but each child is doing different animals.  Then once the entire group has finished you can put them into a book and discuss each animal.   I hope it turns out in the classroom as well as it did at home.  I was really able to see what B knew and what he did not.  He knew that a dinosaur need food but not the right kind of food.  He knew that it needed water but it does not drink from a glass.  Can't wait to see what this little guy learns this year in Pre-K.