Sandra Markle's Blog, page 4

CAN YOU MAKE SENSE OF THIS MYSTERY!

                 What is in the bag, Beau?

That is my cat, Beau, using his senses to try and predict what is in the mystery bag.
Challenge your Ss to do the same using their less used senses: hearing, smell, and touch. 
First, make up mystery bags. Lunch sized bags are fine. Use a marker to number each bag: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Make numbers big and in the middle of one flat side of the bag. Use scissors to poke a small hole next to the number on each bag
Put a handfull of one of these Mystery Items in the first  bag, fold the top over and staple shut. Repeat till  each item is sealed in its own bag. 
Mystery Items:penniesunwrapped peppermint candiescotton ballspopcornM&M candies

Next, divide Ss into 5 small groups.  Tell everyone what 5 items are in the Mystery Bags. Give each group a bag. Challenge Ss to use their senses one at a time to collect information about what's in the bag. After each observation, challenge them to use their past experiences and these observations to try and identify the mystery object inside their bag.

Have Ss use their sense of hearing first.  Have them shake the bag and listen. 

Next, have Ss gently poke and squeeze the bag. What do they observe using touch? Does that make them want to change their earlier prediction about what's inside the bag? If so, what do they now think the mystery item might be?

Challenge Ss to use their sense of smell this time and repeat the process.  They'll need to make observations, consider what they may have smelled in the past that had that scent, and decide if they want to change their prediction.
Have each group write down the bag number and which item they believe is in that mystery bag. 

Now, have groups switch bags and repeat the observation tests. 
Once every group has examined all 5 bags, allow Ss to open the bags and see what is inside.

Were they right? Which sense helped most?
AND how did past experiences and knowledge about the mystery objects help!?
Beau guessed right! His mystery bag held Kitty Treats.  Now, he's enjoying a book and a nap.
CLICK HERE and I'll read one of my books.

WATCH WILD INVENTIONS AND SHARE THE ACTION!

 

Readers are already having fun discovering the action in WILD INVENTIONS--my newest book from my Lerner Publishing Sandra Markle Science Discoveries series. Are you?

Here's you're chance to get a peek inside the book at one chapter. Investigate how termites and honey bees cool their homes but in 2 very different ways. 

Honey bees leave the hive, gulp in a stomach full of water (actually 2 because a bee has 2 stomachs), and back at the hive spit the water out to wet the walls. Then they beat their wings to fan the wet walls and cause evaporation that cools their home.

MOUND building termites create huge dirt mounds full of tunnels they build one bit of mud at a time that act like air ducts. They keep remodeling the tunnels day and night to direct air flow. Because of this and changing outside air temperatures compared to those inside, the termite's keep hot air rising/cool air sinking. And the interior temperature of their home stays just right for the termites day and night.

NOW!

Watch the video and share the activity to have fun with air heated/rising and cooled/sinking. 

 Wishing you Happy Reading and Discovering!

TIPS for MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORERS OCTOBER CONTEST

Hey, Markle's Book Explorers!

October's WILD INVENTIONS PAUSE and THINK! activity has a special target audience. So, LISTEN UP everyone working with third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders!

This activity is your chance to challenge your students to power up their reading comprehension skills. Then the whole class can apply their critical thinking skills to have FUN and have a chance to win an autographed copy of WILD INVENTIONS! (Lerner Publishing--just released) Your class could even win a FREE Virtual Visit with ME. 

So we're on the same page. Here are some tips for success.

Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking go hand-in-hand.Reading Comprehension is at the heart of young readers (really all of us) going beyong reading words to:1. Noticing and remembering key details/facts2. Making connections between ideas being shared in the text and things we already know aboutto summarize what we read and gain an overall concept of the topicThe questions in the quiz are designed to push readers to put on their thinking caps (or hats). Then these encourage readers to dig for facts in the text, make connections, and summarize what is discovered.
Next, the CONTEST is designed to encourage readers to jump in to use the information and insights gained while reading and put it to work through Critical Thinking.
That means it's time to sink your teeth into what you read--And I mean apply brainstorming and creativity NOT what my cat Beau does!
1. Evaluate what information was gained while reading.2. Develop an opinion based on that evaluation--and presenting reasons why that is a reasonable opinionCreatively use that opinion to do somethingThe contest is designed to push readers to have an opinion and creatively support it. 
TIME TO GET MOVING and ENTER!
IMPORTANT!I will accept the class making either the honeybee or the termite the winner. But I'll be expecting something creative for the medal design AND some solid, well-written and correctly punctuated reasons for why this insect is award-worthy. Those reasons should reflect facts gained through reading the text part of the activity and then comparing the insect presented as the winner to the one that wasn't chosen. Why did it deserve the award?
You might want to let everyone in the class read, take the quiz, and then vote on a winner. The insect with the most votes wins. Then you could put together a team to create the class entry. Could be extra cool to have that team include members that voted for the losing insect because they will now need to be able to switch their point of view and take a fresh look at the winning insect.
EXCITED YET!?  I HOPE SO! I can't wait to see your Contest Entry!and NEVER FEAR There is a Contest just right for PK-2 coming for NOVEMBER's MBEs
If your school is still missing out on all the FREE Markle's Book Explorers FUN email mesandramarkle@yahoo.com and ask to join. I'll be watching for you!

FOR THE LOVE OF APPLES!

 

October 21st is National Apple Day!Get ready to Celebrate! 

Start by checking out this amazing to machine to help with the hard work of apple picking. It's WOW! 
WATCH IT WORK
Now CHOMP




























You might be surprised to learn there are thousands of kinds of apples. However, only the most popular are grown and harvested. Even that changes as new varieties emerge. Today, the top ten are most often listed as the following:
Pink Lady HoneycrispFujiGolden DeliciousMcIntoshCox's Orange PippinRed DeliciousGalaJonasgoldCortlandCollect samples of any three then compare. 
Do the apples look different? 
Check color. 
Shape. 
Size.

Now wash and slice. Then taste one sample. Rate it from 1 to 4 on crispness with 1 being the softest and 4 being the crispest.
Also rate it on sweetness with 1 being the least sweet and 4 being the sweetest.

Have a swig of water. Next, repeat these two tests with the second apple. Then with the third. 

Which is your favorite? Why? 



MAKE AN APPLE HEAD!

In pioneering times, apples were carved and allowed to shrink and dry to make heads for dolls. You can carve an apple head to create a spooky shrunken head. Just follow the easy steps.




1.  First, peel the apple. Leave some peel on top for "hair". 
2.  Plan what you want the face to look like.
3.  Pour 4 cups of water into a bowl and stir in a teaspoon of salt.  Place the carved apple in this for about two hours.
That soften's the apple's flesh. 
4.  Next, use an unsharpened pencil or a popsicle stick to push in eye sockets. Also carve the shape for a nose and mouth.
5.  Push raisins into the eye sockets for eyes. You may also want to poke unpopped popcorn kernels into the mouth for teeth.
6.  Set your complete apple head on a plate. Check daily to see how the face changes as the apple dries.
The dried apple head usually won't mold. That's why people used to preserve food, like apples, for winter by drying it.  The lower water content helps prevent bacteria and mold growth.

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Did you know when an apple studied its family tree it learned its grandma was GRANNY SMITH!?  HA! HA! That's a kind of apple.


MORE FUN!
Cut and Print
Apples make great print blocks. Cut a nice firm apple in half. Use a sturdy plastic knife or popsicle stick to cut away parts of flesh. Pour tempera or finger paint on a sturdy paper plate. Touch the cut apple to this to coat. Then press firmly on paper. Repeat to "stamp" your design all over the paper. If you want more than one color, wash off the apple and pat dry with a paper towel. Then keep on stamping with a new color of paint.

TALK LIKE A DOLPHIN!

 

Hi, Readers! Did you have a chance to share my newest Scholastic book on Storyvoice? I've had lots of requests to share the steps for the activity. 

And even if you didn't have a chance to share the live Storyvoice action, I know you'll want to share this FUN ACTIVITY. 

You'll be able to make sounds the way dolphins do--by moving air. You can also do what I did to make up your own dolphin name.

CLICK TO PLAY

Don't miss reading to share all the FUN! 

BEFORE WE MEET ON STORYVOICE

 I invite you to get to know me.

Link to interview here. https://

Then join me for discovery FUN on Scholastic's Storyvoice when I'll be featuring my newest book.  Tuesday September 12 at 2pm-2:30pm EDT.  
Link to Storyvoice here!
It will be recorded and available through September 14th.

SHARE SCIENCE MAGIC FUN with WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL TEETH!

Hi READERS!

Click on this link to join me and share some science magic FUN!
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqy4xHHM28

This goes with 

So, read the book for even more FUN! Here's the link to having your very own copy.

COMING SOON TO SCHOLASTIC STORYVOICE!

 Don't miss joining me for a FUN visit on Scholastic's StoryVoice program

September 12th at 2pm EST

Then recording will be available for 2 days 

See you there!

BOOKS AND HANDS-ON ACTION for a PERFECT END OF SUMMER!

 SUMMER is going FAST! So here are 4 things to enjoy while it lasts.
1.  Make something out of mud. Even better do it after it's rained. What is that mud like? How is different from dry dirt? Is there one way it's still the same? 

And then read Mud by Mary Lyn Ray with illustrations by Lauren Stringer.

2. Play flashlight tag in the dark. 

Go on a shadow hunt to find the following shadows. But take an adult along because grown-ups need to have fun too:

a. Find a shadow with a bright hole in it.

b. Find the biggest shadow you can. Figure out what made it.

c. Find the littlest shadow you can. Figure out what made it.  

And then Read Flashlight Night by Matt Forrest Esenwine and illustrations by Fred Koehler.



3. Fly a kite. But make one first. Here are sites with easy how-to instructions.

Easy Paper KiteKites For EveryoneHow To Build Kites
And read The Emperor's Kit by Jane Yolen with illustrations by Ed Young

5. Make a FOOT painting. Sure, you've probably done 

fingerprinting. But have you ever painted with your feet? It will really let you STEP UP as an artist. Try mixing your own paints first. Here's some how-to sites to help you. 

 

How To Make Your Own Fingerpaint

Homemade Edible FingerpaintHomemade Fingerpaint

And read  What If You Had Animal Feet?! by ME Sandra Markle with illustrations by Howard McWilliam.

Have a GREAT rest of the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S TIME TO SIGN UP FOR MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORERS!

  DON'T MISS OUT! 

DON'T LET YOUR SCHOOL MISS OUT!

If you are a school teacher, librarian, specialist, or principal, you are welcome to become a MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORER. Join the over 500 schools across the U.S. already members and ready for the 5th exciting year of MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORERS. 
Every month, August through May, MBE members receive a personal, theme-based resource-packed email from me. PLUS, they receive a FREE, ready-to-use-and-share activity. These vary in what learning experiences they feature but you can count on having reading, writing, science, and discovery-learning opportunities to share throughout the year.
I think it speaks well of MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORERS that it's grown yearly and many members have been MBEs since the beginning So, if you're not already a  
MARKLE'S BOOK EXPLORER, DON'T LET YOUR Ss MISS OUT ANY LONGER
Sign up now!
Use my Blog's comment feature to leave your name (position or grade teach), School Name and your email address.Or email: sandramarkle@yahoo.com and share that info. Then you'll be READY FOR DISCOVERY-FUN when August arrives!? Below, as a sample, I'll paste May, 2023's MBE email and activity. ENJOY!

Dear YOUR NAME HERE!

 

It’s MAY!  MOTHER’S DAY is this month. So, mothers and family are spotlighted and celebrated every day—especially on the featured dates.  

 

May 1 Save the Rhino Day 

Jubela by Cristina Kessler (Simon & Schuster) is based on the true story of a baby rhino cared for by an elderly rhino after her mother is killed. AND don’t miss the story of how Lammie mothers an orphaned baby rhino in my book Animals to the Rescue (Lerner). Also, Here are some great kid-friendly activities for this holiday. Don’t miss the crossword puzzle. https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino-in...

 

May 13 National Babysitters Day Read aloud How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan (Knopf Books for Young Readers) It’s fun, funny, and a discussion starter. 

 

May 16 Love A Tree Day For younger Ss share Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak by Bridget Heos (Crown) It’s the life of a tiny acorn becoming a tree. A good recommendation for older independent readers is Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (Feiwel & Friends) This amazing, award-winning story centers around the fact that on the first of May, people wrote down their wishes on pieces of cloth and put them in the tree, giving the tree nicknamed Red a special place in the community. And I also suggest they read an awesome brand-new book--Big Tree by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press). This is an epic tale about how the fate of all life on Earth may depend on a mother tree and the bravery of two little tree seeds she produced. For even more fun, here are 5 activity ideas for this day from the National Wildlife Foundation https://blog.nwf.org/2011/05/the-five...

 

May 18 Visit With Your Relatives Day This May date is about spending time with those you count as family. Dolphins do that, so along with this event my coming soon book Could You Ever Dive with Dolphins!? (Scholastic) inspired this month’s activity. And I also recommend reading aloud The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant (Atheneum). 

 

That’s all till AUGUST. But don’t forget there is always more action on Write On! Sandra Markle!  https://sandra-markle.blogspot.com    

HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL SUMMER!    Sandra Markle

Could You Ever Talk With DOLPHINS!?

If you lived with dolphins, you could talk to them. Read to see how dolphins talk.

Now, what would you most like to ask dolphins about living in the ocean? 

__________________________________________

 

What is something special you could tell dolphins about what it’s like to live on land?____________________________________

__________________________________________ 

 

How will talking with your dolphin friends be easier than talking with people?____________________________________________________________________________

 

How will talking with your dolphin friends be harder than talking with people?____________________________________________________________________________

This is just a peek at the FUN packed into the first book in my NEW COULD YOU EVER!? Series. On Amazon NOW—Hardback and Paperback!

Sandra Markle © 2023 Could You Ever Talk With DOLPHINS!?