A Week with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This week we are learning with the book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and it's video.
 

Circle Time - After reading our book, we decided to investigate a real coconut.  We felt it (rough and hairy), we listened to it (we heard the milk inside shaking around), we smelled it (hmmm)...

Germ Experiment - During journal time we took a peak at our bread from our germ experiment.  We saw that 2 pieces were starting to grow little mold spots.  Ewww!

Celery Tree Experiment - We chatted about trees and plants and how they suck water up (like a straw) to get nutrients out of the soil.  To see this working, we decided to investigate with some celery "trees".

Check out our celery trees!  They have really slurped up the colored water! (2 days)

Silly Tree Snack - The kiddos chose a celery or graham cracker trunk.

 

Coconut Bowling - During snack, a kiddo asked if we had ever heard of bowling with a coconut.  We hadn't, but we decided we should try it!  The kiddos had a blast!

Tp Tree - The kiddos loved putting letter stickers all over their coconut trees!  I cut a hole in the center of a styrofoam plate and taped the paper towel roll in place.  That made a nice base for the kiddos trees.

 

An Excavator?! - We hopped outside to meet our moms and we saw that our neighbor has an excavator!  How cool! The kiddos wanted me to ask if they could drive it!  Ha!  Hopefully the workers will use it during preschool time so we can watch.

Paper Plate Coconuts - The kiddos added texture to the plates they painted Monday.  We forgot to add the three dark spots that go on a coconut.  Drat!

Germ Experiment - 1 Week Later - Check out our mold growth....

 

Even our control had mold!

 

Coconut Cracking - The main event of the day!  The kiddos were so great:  they took turns, they cheered on their friends and they stayed safe!

First we poked a few holes with a nail so we could drain the milk out.  We were surprised to find that the coconut milk was clear!  We tasted it too, it was pretty good.  

 

Next we cracked it open.  The kiddos whacked it with a mallet.  Notice the fabulous splat marks as more milk came out each time the kiddos whacked it.

 I love the splash marks from the milk.  Here we are tasting bits.  It was pretty good.

Texture Tree - I was opening up a coffee cozi to see how we could use it for a boat next week, then I noticed the lovely shape it had.  Perfect for the trunk of a coconut tree laden down with letters!

 

Paper Punches - Back by request.  A kiddo asked if I could get out some punches for him to work with.  The the rest of the kiddos greatly enjoyed the suggestion.

Balloon Letters - The kiddos have been dying aaaaall day to pop these balloons and free the letters trapped inside. 
Once they popped a balloon (& threw away the bits) they brought the letter to the puzzle to match it.  They also told me the name of the letter and the letter sound if they knew it.  When we finished, they wanted to do it all over again.  Ha!  Sorry kiddos.  Blowing up 26 balloons once this morn was plenty!