Lots of Fun in Kindergarten!

We have been busy, busy, busy in Kindergarten.  Yesterday morning we made cinnamon applesauce ornaments.  They smell wonderful and Kindergarteners are excited to hang them up somewhere special at home.  Some asked for me to send the ingredients and they are pretty easy to make:

1 Cup of Apple Sauce
1.5 Cups of Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons of Glue

Mix up all of the ingredients, roll out and cut into your desired shape.  These then need to dry at least over night and then can be left plain or decorated.  If you want to attach a string you want to be sure to poke a hole before it dries - we used a straw!

We have been reading books about animals in winter and while outside some students found animal tracks - how cool!  They guess that these are raccoon tracks based on the size and shape.

Today our wonderful interim Math Interventionist Mrs. Gregory (a "retired" second grade teacher) brought in some winter crafts for us to do.  It was a wonderful activity enjoyed by all!

Snow Globes and Block Creations

Happy Monday!  We didn't get outside again due to the cold and ice but are hoping we will be able to get out tomorrow (fingers crossed)!  We started our day with one of my favorite games: Coseeki or Follow the leader.  One player is the guesser and leaves the group so he/she cannot see who the leader is.  The leader is chosen and starts a movement which the others follow.  The guesser returns and has three chances to guess who the leader is.  This game is not only fun but requires great listening and observational skill as well as cooperation from the whole group because even if you're not the leader or guess you still have an important role in the game!

During Play this morning some students chose to paint beautiful snow globes with q-tips and white paint! They really came out wonderfully.  Some students were busy building with blocks and decided after they would like to make one so we will see if we have time later this week.  In Math we continued to talk about 3-D shapes and then students got to choose a favorite math game to play.

Our book today was Tracks in the Snow by Wong Herbert Yee.  The poem for this week is a favorite silly one by Shel Silverstein:

Snowball

I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first it wet the bed!

These are 3-D shapes that I know...

Due to the extreme cold, it was unfortunately the first day we were unable to go outside to recess or the woods.  This morning we read one of my favorite books Snowmen at Night and thought about what happens to snowmen when we go to sleep!

Today during Math I introduced 3-D shapes with a fun song and then students thought about real life objects that are cubes, cylinders, spheres and cones:

During Reader's Workshop I read a Rebus Book, a book in which a familiar noun is replaced with a picture, The Jacket I Wear in the Snow.  Kindergarten enjoyed joining in the reading with me.  

Simon Says...

It was our coldest day yet but that didn't stop Kindergarten from playing outside.

Mrs. Guillmette joined for guidance today and talked more about empathy and then it was time for math.  In math students used what we have learned about shapes to play a fun "Simon Says..." game.  After I was Simon for a few rounds students took on the role and described shapes for others to find. 

Our book today was Tracks in the Snow by Ratu Mataira.  Kindergarteners had fun making predictions about what animal made the tracks.  Hopefully we will be able to find some animal tracks outside in the woods.  During Reader's Workshop we also worked to sort words by the number of syllables, or parts.  Knowing how many parts a word has helps in hearing the sounds and writing them down. 

A Busy Tuesday!

Today was such a busy day I realized I forgot to take any pictures - whoops!  The day began again with outside play.  Kindergarten teachers really think that this is helping with the flow of the rest of the day.  We then transitioned into play where some students chose to complete a hibernating animal craft.  We continued talking about 2-D shapes during math today and then switched things up with our weekly math groups.  Yesterday I introduced a new shape matching game on the computer which has been quite a hit in the classroom if you would like to access it at home:

https://illuminations.nctm.org/Activity.aspx?id=3563

After Math we transitioned into Writer's Workshop.  It is wonderful to see students grow as writers and many are taking risks and beginning to add more letters and words to their drawings.  I like to remind students: "if you can say it, you can spell it!"  with the focus being less on conventional spelling and more on the sounds that they hear in words.

Our read aloud today was another non-fiction text about animals in winter.  It was new to me and connected very well to our Thursday's in the woods: Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart.

Snowy Monday!

It was a fun and snowy Monday in Kindergarten.  We started the morning off by playing outside in the snow and fun was had by all!

Today during Math we talked about what we noticed about rectangles and squares.  Students noticed a rectangle has four straight sides and four corners and so does a square!  A square, therefore, is a special kind of rectangle in which all four sides are equal.  Students then had time to build shapes with pattern blocks and geo-boards and rubber bands.

Our book today was inspired by our trip to the woods last week, Not a Buzz to be Found: Insects in Winter by Linda Glaser.  We learned about how 12 different insects stay warm and safe during the winter months.  Our poem this week is Mittens.

Mittens

Red mittens, blue mittens

Mittens for cold weather.

Wool mittens, knit mittens

Fingers all together.

Green mittens, orange mittens,

Yellow mittens too.  

Furry mittens, soft mittens

Which ones are for you?

Winter Animals

Yesterday we began discussing what animals do in winter.  Today in the woods students noticed that there are not as many squirrels, spiders are insects as there were before.  However, a few students found spiders eggs hidden under logs and thought that this might be a warm, cozy place for a spider to hide from the cold.  During Reader's Workshop we read When it Starts to Snow by Phillis Gershator and then students drew where they think certain animals may go in the winter: in a burrow, in a hollow of a tree, under the ice in a lake or pond or in a cave.  Yesterday, students shared that some animals adapt to the cold and do not hibernate or migrate.  Arctic Foxes, Weasels and Snowshoe Hares are three animals that we learned grow a warm white coat to both keep warm and hide, or camouflage, in the snow.  Some students chose to work in small groups to add a "winter coat" to these animals.  We will continue discussing and sharing our noticings over the coming weeks.

Lots of shapes in Kindergarten!

It was lovely to be back in Kindergarten today.  We did something new today and started our day outside at the playground in order to limit our inside to outside transitions and best utilize our time (as you can imagine it takes quite some time to help 20 kindergartners change into winter gear!).  We will do this as long as it is not too cold out there.  We will also end our day outside (except Wednesday we have Art to end our day) in place of our 11:00 recess.  Kindergarten really enjoyed this time this morning. 

We began our second math module this week on shapes.  Today we focused on triangles and determined whether a set of shapes were triangles or not.  Kindergarten was able to explain that a triangle has 3 straight sides, no curves, and they must be closed (no holes!).  Students then worked in small groups to build shapes with rubber bands and geoboards. 

During Reader's Workshop we started a unit on Winter Animals.  Today I introduced the word migration and discussed how certain animals move, or migrate, to warmer weather during the winter.  We learned that geese and monarch butterflies are a few animals that migrate.  The day ended with art with Mrs. Hawkes.   

 

  

Double Rainbow

After our Community Meeting this morning 5th grade joined us for Book Buddies.  This is always a favorite time during the week.  Today 5th graders brought books they took out from the library especially to read to their Kindergarten buddy.

Yesterday we joined in a shared reading of the big book Mrs. Wishy-Washy and many students asked to read this book today.  The classroom is a buzz with eager readers.  It is wonderful to watch their excitement for books and learning new letters and words!  Our book today was a silly one Goldilocks and the One Bear.  We also read a new poem: Winter Animals as a preview for a unit we will be beginning next week on winter animals.

We ended the day outside and saw a beautiful double rainbow!

A New Math Game: Garbage!

Today during Math I introduced a card game that was new to most members of our class: Garbage (you may also call it "trash").  It was quite a hit and I was asked to keep playing it all day.  I thought that I would share the rules in case your child wants to play at home (or you are wondering what they are talking about...)!  

Playing Garbage 

2 players use 1 deck of playing cardsA-10 are in playJokers are Wild CardsKings and Queens are Garbage which means your turn is over!3 players or more use 2 decks of playing cards

1) Dealing:

Shuffle, then deal each player 10 cards face down, no looking!Like this (it looks like a ten frame!):The remaining deck is placed in the middle.The point of the game is to line up your cards from Ace (1) through 10 before you opponents do.

2) Playing:

The first player draws a card from the center deck.  If it’s an Ace through a 10, place that card in its correct location.  For all remaining turns, each player chooses from the deck or the discard pile.Example: In this photo, I drew a 2, so I am flipping up the card in the 2 position…..Whatever card you flip, may also be played!  I just flipped a 3 that I can use as well in the 3 position… Jokers are wild and may be played anywhere in your hand at any time.You keep flipping cards like this until you get a number you cannot use, then discard and your turn is over.

Example: Under the 3 position was an 8 I didn’t need because it was already filled with a flipped 8, so I discarded it and my turn was over. If you flip over a King or Queen you have "Garbage," your turn is over and the card goes in the discard pile.

3) Winning A Round:When a player has assembled all cards Ace through 10 in front of her, she wins that Round.Remember, you can win with Wild Cards in place too! 

A Rainy Tuesday

We began our day with Writer's Workshop and listened to the book A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen for inspiration.  The little boy in the story wants to write words like his big sisters but he tells her there's a problem.  He knows letters but he doesn't know any words!  His sisters encourages him to start with a letters and he is able to create an amazing story!

Kindergarten writers are really working hard and beginning to think about adding words to their stories just like the boy in this book!

During Math we continued work on 1 less playing a game with a partner where a dice was rolled and students said the number that was one less. 

Our read aloud today was Todd Parr's The Earth Book and Kindergarten shared ways that they can help to protect our Earth!  During Reader's Workshop we have also been focusing on matching words that begin with the same initial sound.  One of our favorite ways to do this is through a Bingo matching game.

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful week and Thanksgiving if your family celebrates.  Today was a wonderful Monday in Kindergarten.  We began our day by talking about what we notice about the illustrations in Todd Parr's books.  Kindergarten noticed that Parr uses bright colors and does the outline of his pictures in black.  We used this as inspiration for some art work this morning during Play.

During Math we worked on building Math stairs and discussing what we notice when we count backwards from 10 to 1.  We then used the language of "one less" to identify the number that comes before when shown a numeral.  We will continue to work on "one less" this week before moving on to our next Math Module on 2D and 3D shapes.

For Reader's Workshop I read the book It's Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr and observed students taking on this language right away in the classroom.  It's important to understand that it's okay to make mistakes and that this is what helps us to learn and grow!  Two new stations were introduced: "Rhyme Time" where students match pictures that rhyme and an alphabet game: "Race to the Top" where students roll a letter dice and practice writing letters.  Whichever letter is rolled the most 'wins!'

Thursday in the Woods and Turkey Hats!

Thursdays are always a busy day with music in the morning and our trip to the woods!  With Thanksgiving coming up we read a silly story for Reader's Workshop, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, and some students chose to make fun turkey hats this afternoon. 

Peace is...

We began our morning with Writer's Workshop.  Kindergartners are working on telling and drawing stories that are important to them.  Dramatic and imaginative play is a big part of being 5 and 6 years old and we are working on sharing stories that are unique to us.  After having time to work in our drawing and writing books, most days, we have time for at least two students to share their stories.  Today during our share students listening asked questions and gave suggestions for how the story could be even better.  They are really working hard!

During Math we continued working on identifying the number that is one more and then we split up between the three kindergarten classrooms from 10:30-11:00.  The group that worked with me played a fun math game called "Bump."

Our book today was The Peace Book by Todd Parr.  I began the book by asking what is peace and many students had thoughtful responses to share such as peace is everyone being happy and kind, peace is being quiet or calm, and peace is being nice to one another.  After reading the book each Kindergarten student thought about what peace is to them and drew a picture illustrating their sentence.  Their understanding of peace reaches far beyond many.

Math Stairs and Todd Parr

Today we "met" Todd Parr.  Todd Parr is one of my favorite authors and illustrators.  His book teach us all to be who we are, that it's okay to be different and the importance of being kind.  It's important for children to see themselves as readers and writers and to find mentors in the book we read.  Todd Parr's books are not only relatable for children but pass on some amazing messages.  Today we watched this video and read the book It's Okay to be Different. We will continue reading Todd's books for the next few weeks.

In Math today I introduced the concept of "one more," through 'math stairs.' Making a stair of cubes going from 1-10.  After discussing what we noticed students practiced the language of "one more than ___ is ___," and we played a game where we rolled the dice and told the number that was one more. 

Woods and a Math Play!

I apologize for no post yesterday but here are a few pictures from our day:

Yesterday during Math I worked with a small group to put on a play!  First we arranged large number cards in order from 1-10 in a path and then students acted out a math story about walking to a birthday party as I read the story.  It was quite fun!  During play some students also used straws and paint to blow paint on a piece of paper.  We are going to cut these out and add googley eyes and make them into monsters.

Today we began morning meeting with a compliment circle.  We talked about how a compliment is when you say something nice that you like or appreciate about someone else.  It was a great way to start our morning with kindness and think about what we appreciate about our classroom community.

Students noticed that the woods are changing!  The ground is completely covered with leaves.  After the woods and lunch we read our second to last book in our Ezra Jack Keats' Author Study: My Dog is Lost.  Students quickly noticed something different about this book - it had an illustrator that was not Keats.  We talked about how sometimes two people can work on a book together and maybe this is something that Kindergartners will do in the future.