Thursday in the Woods!

Thursdays are always super busy as we go to the woods, have music and PE!  This morning in the woods we were able to find some chestnuts and talked about what they look like and why they might have a spiky outside.

This afternoon I read A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham about a neighborhood who comes together to care for an abandoned bus.  We had a wonderful conversation about working as a community, making sure to keep things beautiful so others can use them and how sometimes people donate things like food or clothes that don't fit to people who need them.  It is a great read!

Our Music teacher, Ms. Schwerin has been teaching Kindergarten the Vermont Kids Anthem from: http://www.letsgrowkids.org/kids-out-loud

It's an AWESOME song!

Apple Picking!

We had a GREAT day apple picking at Allenholm Farm today!  Thank you so much to the parents who joined us on this hot late September day.  Kindergarteners said their favorite parts were: petting the animals, eating the apples, playing in the park and riding in the tractor.  When we got back to school we relaxed, ate more apples and virtually traveled to Mexico via National Geographic Kids: Are We There Yet!  These are great short videos narrated by kids who travel the globe visiting different landmarks and exploring different cultures: Are We There Yet?

A HOT Monday

It certainly does not feel like a Fall day today!  We went outside for morning recess but stayed in this afternoon as it was so hot out.  This morning Kindergarteners got their Writing and Drawing books!  We talked about how we were only going to use one page and tell one part of our stories so that we could really focus on including all of the details.  There were lots of great stories started: picking up my cat from the humane society, going to the park with my cousins and going swimming a the beach to name a few!  I look forward to reading more stories by Kindergarten Authors.

During Reader's Workshop I read The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree  and we talked about how apple trees change over the seasons.  Kindergarten also worked to illustrate their second poem in their poetry books "Apples, Apples."

Apples, Apples

Apples juicy,

Apples round,

On the tree or on the ground.

Apples yellow,

Apples red.

Apple pie and juice and bread!

Apples crunchy,

Apples sweet.

Apples are so good to eat!

Our first Thursday in the woods!

Today was our first morning in the woods!  We started with a meeting at the 'famous' Chestnut Tree, which one Burlington's Awesome Tree Contest last year for being so rare.  Today I read the book A Log's Life by Wendy Pfeffer at our woods meeting and talked about how logs our both shelter and food for animals.  Kindergarteners then had time to explore and found slugs, chipmunk holes and mushrooms!

We also had Music, PE and learned a new math game: Garbage.

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… 

Jacks 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! 

I read the big book Mrs. Wishy-Washy twice and Kindergartners helped me read it the second time around.  I then talked about how sometimes readers write about what they read and we wrote what about what happened first in Mrs. Wishy-Washy.

A Happy Wednesday!

It was so wonderful to be at school today.  We started our day outside, ate snack and had a little inspirational "pep talk" from Kid President.

After Morning Meeting we worked on some writing, remembering the correct way to hold a pencil and to start our letters from the top!  Today we worked on writing capital F's using the language of "big line down, frog jump back to the top, little line, little line."  After Writing I read another 'Sally book' by Stephen Huneck Sally Goes to the Mountains and we learned that many of us have dogs or other pets at home.  I was so excited to hear that Kindergarteners were looking forward to reading their library books they chose last week.  So we spent some time enjoying those books before going to the library this afternoon.  Tomorrow morning we will adventure across to Ethan Allen Woods with the other K class from 9:30-10:30.

In Kindergarten we don't say "I can't!" just "I can't...yet!"

We have been talking a lot about having a growth mindset.  While I haven't used the term "growth mindset" with the students (yet) we have been reading books and watching short videos on learning from our mistakes, never giving up, and trying again and again.  Today I read the book Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae about a giraffe who thinks he can't dance but learns he just needs to find his own special tune to dance to.  The conversation led by Kindergarteners was truly amazing!  They immediately recognized that the other animals were being "unkind" and "bullies" by telling Gerald the Giraffe he can't dance and made connections to the "mojo" videos we've been watching saying things like "Gerald shouldn't leave the dance!  He's acting like Mojo when we thought he wasn't smart and was going to leave school."  This work is so important as I want all students to feel safe, comfortable and willing to take risks.

This year we are piloting a new handwriting curriculum: Handwriting Without Tears.  Today I showed Kindergarteners who to hold their pencil correctly using the "pinch and flip" method.  We then practiced making big lines, little lines, and curved lines.  

  

Press Here Book by Hervé Tullet

This morning after recess, snack and morning meeting Mrs. Guilmette joined us for Guidance and read Tacky the Penguin.  She talked about how it's okay to be different and that we should celebrate the things that make us, us!  After Guidance I read Sally Goes to the Beach by Stephen Huneck and talked about how Stephen Huneck writes LOTS of books about his dog Sally because he knows and loves her!  Then some students orally shared stories about things they know and love that can make great books.

After Writer's Workshop Kindergarteners read independently at tables while I introduced ABC center to some small groups.  Students found their name and then worked to build it with magnet letters and then return the magnet letters to the box in ABC order.  This week I am introducing Literacy Stations one by one and next week we will start moving to stations with our assigned groups.

After lunch I shared one of my absolute favorite books Press Here by Herve Tullet if you haven't checked this one out before I highly recommend it!

First Monday!

Happy sunny Monday!  Kindergarten was happy to see the sun shining and we were able to spend time outdoors at the beginning and end of our day.  After morning meeting, I introduced Poetry Journals which will become a station during Reader's Workshop.  Last week we read the poem "September" from Chicken Soup with Rice:

In September
For a while
I will ride a crocodile
DOwn the chicken soupy Nile.

Paddle once,
Paddle twice
Paddle chicken soup with rice!

After reading the poem together several times we talk about the picture we get in our brain from reading the words.  Students then got the chance to cut and glue the poem in their poetry journal and illustrate it.  We will do this each week with a new poem:

We also read a social story to learn about what to do if someone is annoying or hurting us.  We talked about putting your hand up "in a stop sign" looking at the person and saying "I don't like it when..." and saying what the person is doing.  If you do this and ask the person to stop and it doesn't work then you can ask a teacher for help.

Busy Thursday in Kindergarten!

On Thursday we have our 30 minute music class with Ms. Schwerin before lunch and PE with Ms. Souliere after lunch which makes for a busy day!  Thankfully the rain stayed away and we were able to have two recesses - at the beginning and end of the day.  Today I read the book A Quiet Place  and we talked about how sometimes our body, or 'engine,' may be running too fast or too slow and an energy break may help our body return to 'just right' which allows us to learn.  This is something we will continue to talk about as we work on figuring what helps out our bodies feel just right sometimes it's 10 deep breaks, a drink of water or some jumps up and down.

Happy Picture Day!

There was lots of smiles today as Kindergarteners got their pictures taken including a class photo. We did not get outside to recess, unfortunately, due to the rain but enjoyed sometime to play in our classroom this morning.  After lunch Kindergarten had their first library class with Ms. Beth and Ms. K.  Kindergarten did not check out books today but will next week.  For the first few weeks we will keep the books in our classroom and as students get more comfortable with the routine they will be allowed to go home.

Today we talked about our 3 big school rules which are to be safe, responsible and respectful.  Together we decided that to be safe means to keep your hands and feet to yourself, to be responsible is to take care of each other and our classroom, and to be respectful means listening to the person who is talking.  It is important to do this things so that we are all safe and are able to learn!  These rules will be posted in our classroom and Kindergarten will sign a 'contract' agreeing to follow them. 

This afternoon I read a book How to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka and we talked about how some things may be tricky but it doesn't mean we give up.  We need to try again and again and again and again...until we get it!  We connected this to the ideas that our brains are muscles and the more we exercise them or try tricky things the stronger we get and the more we learn!  We also watched this short video:

First Full Day!

Happy first full day of Kindergarten!  Thankfully the rain stopped for a bit this morning so we could get outside to recess for a bit this morning.  After recess we ate snack and had morning meeting.  During snack we listened to the book Leo the Late Bloomer and talked about how sometimes we might feel sad  or upset that we can't do something (Leo the tiger couldn't write or read or eat neatly) but as we grow up we'll learn how to do more things!  Mrs. Guilmette, our school counselor, visited for Guidance and talked about how her job is to keep us safe and happy at school.  We practiced what lunch would be like with Mrs. Dolson in the cafeteria and then had our first Writer's Workshop.

Before students starting recording their stories with pictures and words in their special 'writing and drawing books,' I read a book and talk about how authors and illustrators write and draw about what they know and love.  Today I read The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin and talked about how Grace Lin was able to write this book because it was about something she knew a lot about - growing Chinese vegetables with her mom as a child.  I then told a story about helping my grandma cook a special dinner for Christmas Eve when I was little.  Oral storytelling helps students think about stories that can then be recorded in pictures and words.  We will take our oral stories and begin to record them on paper in the coming weeks once all students have the chance to orally tell a story.

We also had our first P.E. class and had did some independent reading practicing choosing one book from a bin and quietly reading for 5 minutes.  We will continue to add time throughout the school year as our stamina increases.

 

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday and First Day of September!  This morning we started our day outside at Recess and then came in for Morning Meeting.  We greeted our friends with a fist bump, shared an answer to: Why do we come to school? and then did our first song from GoNoodle - Rollercoaster.  GoNoodle’s movement videos and games help to keep us moving inside the classroom. It makes it easy to be active, the kid way – silly, energetic, playful, and fun! “Research shows even short bursts of movement deliver big benefits for brain health and academic performance, relative to sitting quietly.” -Dr. Laura Chaddock-Heyman, research scientist specializing in movement and the adolescent brain. You can also play GoNoodle at Home!  Go to www.gonoodle.com, click sign-up and pick parent or kid to create an account.

After that it was time for snack and a story, Stellaluna and some word work.  We worked with our names again today and created some beautiful name mosaics practicing using scissors and glue sticks correctly!