Thank you for such a great turnout to our Winter Festival yesterday! Sorry if I didn't connect with you. I tried to make sure I greeted all children and family members. I hope you all had a wonderful time!
Last week the children dived into our second expedition and discovered through a series of engaging activities that their first "living thing" is a bulb. Each child received his bulb, observed the bulb and created a detailed drawing of the bulb. Did you see the work on the wall in our room? Amazing drawings for kindergarten children! Below you will see the sequence of learning experiences which are taking place in our room.
Sequence of learning experiences:
1. Mystery container observation and prediction (done)
2. Mystery bulb observation and prediction (predictions included: praying mantis sack, lizard egg, some kind of plant, grass, onion, garlic)
3. Mystery pictures (tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocus, onions, trees, bushes, sunflowers, roses, potato) (after viewing all the possibilities all children decided that the bulb was some kind of living plant e.g., baby tree, onion, baby bush, a plant that would grow and have flowers)
4. Scientist observation and drawing of the bulb (children also used the iPad to photograph their bulbs).
5. Predicting what needs to go in the pot to support a living thing (done)
6. Plant bulb (each child planted his own bulb)
Roy and Owen planting their bulbs
Rachel and Henry planting their bulbs
7. Care for bulb - starting week of January 30, 2012
8. Document growth-
9. Bulb Experiments
1. Upside down bulb - start on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
2. Bulb in the dark - start on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
5. Hydroponics - start on Thursday, February 2, 2012
9. Seed Investigations
1. Seed observations and sorting
2. Growth and comparison of different seedlings
10. Plant Propagation
If your child is so excited that she wants you to come to the classroom and see the plants, please know
you are welcome at any time.
Writing Focus
Children are learning how to make a How To book. They have planned a first book e.g., How to
Brush my Teeth. Each child chose what he would write about. Tomorrow we will create the plans for
a How To book which shows how to plant a bulb.
Reading
We are listening to and reading lots of nonfiction, short books connected with our expedition e.g., The
Life Cycle of a Carrot. In addition, I meet with small groups for reading every day.
Math Focus
We have embarked on a unit of measurement, both nonstandard and standard measurement. Last week
children measured each other using feet as the measure. We discovered that people have different sizes of
feet. I read a book, The King's Feet, to the children which illustrates this difference in sizes. Now we are
measuring around the room using rulers. On Friday each child found, drew, and labeled something that
was longer than a ruler and something that was shorter than a ruler.
This week we will:
- measure our bulbs using cubes
- compare foot sizes (longer/shorter)
- count by fives
- play a money game where children exchange pennies for dimes
- play a money game where children exchange pennies for nickels
- we are practicing writing numbers the correct way (many children still reverse numbers when they write them)
- we are talking about the 100th Day of School which is coming up this week. I encourage you to help your child count out 100 small objects e.g., buttons and send them to school for the 100th Day (I will check which day it will be).
IAs
This week the children go to P.E. Please send appropriate footwear for running around.
Have a Wonderful Week,
Kathy
