Naked Mole Rats!

We started a final project to wrap up our science unit on Seasons. I read my class a story called Naked Mole Rat gets dressed by Mo Willems. The kids liked the story ALOT! Mostly because the author, Mo Willems also writes Elephant and Piggie stories which they can not get enough of!
I then read a non fiction book about real naked mole rats. The kids were interested in these weird little creatures! Then I said that we would be "pretending" that a naked mole rat was coming to visit where we live for one year and he needed a complete "wardrobe" for each season.

Each child made their own pink, naked mole rat. Then they began designing the clothes their naked mole rat would need to live in our area. We have 4 complete seasons. We talked about the seasons and what the weather is like in each season and some possible clothing items our rats would need. I placed out lots of different scrapbook papers and other items for the children to use in their creations.
I think if I do this again, I may need to show them what paper dolls are. Many of them did not know what they were. So I did a mini-lesson on making tabs on the clothes so they can hang on the little rat. It took a but of experiementing, but they caught on and it started to be FUN! They are now excited to create all kinds of outfits for their naked mole rats! I am planning on having a Naked Mole Rat fashion show, where each child will showcase their "best" rat outfit on the "red carpet!"

"Wilbur" the Naked Mole rat

Night gown for a rat

Jeans and a shirt and shoes!

A Onesie p.j's !

Shirt and pants!

A sweater!

It is a fun project! Perfect wrap up for the end of the school year! 

We can be creative!

STEM challenge!

I challenged my kids to build a paper chair that would hold one of our classroom stuffie pals; Elephant, Piggie or Penguin. They were only allowed to use paper, toilet rolls and tape! Nothing else! It was fun to see how they think and work out the problem. We decided that the chair had to have a back on it and be free standing on it's own. I was amazed at how different each chair was and how each child approached what to do with the limited materials. I was mean, I didn't even let them use scissors! The kids who never gave up and kept right on building and trying different things will be GREAT problem solvers in the future! 

This one even has a cushion on the back made from the student's own backpack dangle thing!

(it looks and smells like a cookie!)

She was very proud of her "barstool"! I was amazed it could stand! 

This little guy made a couch! 

It was a fun science challenge!