Heat and Cookies

We've been exploring heat in science. We read a book about heat and its sources and then created a circle map.

We discussed with our partners what happened in our popcorn experiment. Then we passed around sugar cookie dough to explore. We illustrated what our cookie dough looked like in our science journals and watched a short video clip about heat causing change on Discovery Streaming while our cookies baked.

 When they came out of the oven we looked at our cookies and discussed what changes we observed. Through interactive writing (where the students and I share the marker) we created a tree map to record our observations before and after heat. Then students illustrated what our cookies looked like after being heated in the oven.

Pumpkin Time!!!

We started by talking about what schema is and then discussing with our partners our pumpkin schema. We corrected misconceptions and added new learning throughout our study. We also reviewed the characteristics of nonfiction/informational text. We reviewed identifying the topic and details of informational text.

We learned about the parts of a pumpkin and each part's purpose. Students worked in small groups to paint a part of the pumpkin for our pumpkin brace map. After the paint dried, students work together to build our brace map and label the parts. Students then shared a part of the the pumpkin and it's purpose with their partner.

We used pumpkin candy to create positional patterns. Students identified and extended patterns I modeled for them. Then they worked with their partner to create a positional pattern. Then we shared and extended patterns partners made. Of course what's the fun of working with candy if you can't enjoy a little bit of it! Then we created and recorded patterns using our thumbprint as the pumpkin shell and our pinkie print as the stem. We labeled our patterns and identified the core (the part of the pattern that repeats).

We also sequenced the pumpkin life cycle. We illustrated and labeled the life cycle on a flow map.

We created a circle map using descriptive words for pumpkins as a class. Then we created our own pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns and used words from our circle map to write a pumpkin poem.

Light, Color, and Sight

We went to the science lab and explored with our sense of sight, color and light. We used prisms and peeps and recorded our observations in our science journals. Then we watched a short video about light.

Go Away Little Pattern Monsters!!!

We read Go Away Big Green Monster and practiced making AB patterns using pattern blocks. Then we made them with our partners. Then we created these pattern monsters independently and wrote about them!

Firefighters

We started our firefighter unit by making a KWL chart about firefighters. We started by sharing what we know and wanted to know. We read I'm a Firefighter.

As we learned throughout the week, we added the information we learned to the learned section of our chart. We also read A Day in the Life of a Firefighter and Clifford and the Firehouse.

We also created a class bubble map about firefighters, and illustrated fire safety rules.

We've been working on identifying the topic and details from informational texts, so we read Russ and the Firehouse. We illustrated the topic and wrote/illustrated 3 details from the story.

Christopher Columbus

We started by reading Deanna Jump's If I Were a Pirate and taking about explorers. We made a bubble map as a class about explorers. Then we wrote about what we would explore.

We started a schema chart on Christopher Columbus to see what we knew before we started our study. Then we went back and moved stickies to the misconceptions sections or added stickies to new learning the rest of the week.

We read A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus and created a tree map about Christopher Columbus.

We read Christopher Columbus and created a circle map about Columbus as well.

Literacy and Laughter Giveaway!!!

Attention Teacher Friends! Literacy and Laughter is hosting a giveaway! It includes an autographed copy of Square Cat  by Elizabeth Schoonmaker and a $15 gift card to Lettering Delights. Here on over to Literacy and Laughter to enter!

Sight and Color Mixing

We've been learning about using our sense of sight as an observation tool along with color and light. We mixed red, blue, and yellow play doh to see what new colors we could make while singing a color mixing song. We recorded our observations in our science journals. This has been one of our favorite science lessons so far this year!

Ordinal Numbers

We practiced lining up according to ordinal positions 1st-10th. Then we talked with our partners about where we hear and use  ordinal numbers. Then we created a circle map about ordinal numbers. This was a circle map the first day. Later, we went back and added the ordinal numbers to our circle map as well as other times we thought of that we use ordinal numbers.

We reviewed good listening skills and as a class voted for the 10 best listeners. Then we handed out ribbons with the ordinal number written for which place they got. The students voted for the Best Listener awards.

We read Ten Trick or Treaters and located the kids according to their ordinal positions in line. Then we used our critical thinking skills to line up our monsters in our books according to the clues given about their ordinal positions.

We read The Berenstein Bears and the Spooky Old Tree. We focused on sequencing their walk through the tree and then their obstacles on the way home using ordinal numbers.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree

Here's the coconut tree Mrs. Loftus, Mrs. Reed, and my class made. We painted paper plates brown and used construction scraps to make tear art letters on our coconuts. We made the letter our first name begins with.

10 Black Dots

We have been working on one to one correspondence to 10. First we practiced making sets of froot loops on a plate with numbers 1-10. Then we read all, but the last couple of pages of  Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. After reading numbers 1-9, I passed out 10 dots stickers and a piece of paper to each student. They were to use their dots to create a picture and complete the sentence Ten black dots can make.... We came to the carpet and shared our pictures and counted one to one to show our ten black dots. Then we read the rest of the story and compared our pictures to the what ten black dots made in the book.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk

We read It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw. Before reading, we talked about looking at clouds and how we can see pictures in them sometimes. Students talked with their partner about what clouds looked like. After reading the story, we painted with white paint on one half of our paper to make a cloud. Then we folded our paper on top of the white paint and smoothed it with our hand. Students were given a few minutes to study their cloud and think about what picture they saw in their cloud. Then we came to the carpet and shared our cloud and the picture we saw.

Candy Corn Counting

We've been working on making sets of numbers 1 through 10. We used an autumn story mat and told stories to create sets up to 10 using candy corn. The students loved counting and eating the candy corn!

Who Took the Apples?

We read Deanna Jump's Who Took the Apples from the Apple Tree?. As a response of our Friday, we made our own version of the story. Students illustrated their self and wrote their name. I kept the ending a surprise until we finished our book and read it aloud. The students loved the surprise ending!

Heat Causes Change

We've been learning about how heat causes change. We looked at a popcorn kernel and discussed it's properties and added them to our circle map in brown. We microwaved our popcorn and then discussed it's properties after change and added them to our circle map in blue.

Firefighters Visit

The firefighters on Engine #3 visited our kindergarteners today! They talked to us about fire safety and the importance of having a fire safety plan at home in case of a fire. Fireman Brantley dressed up in his fire fighting gear to show us there is no reason to be scared of them.

Then they took us outside to show us some their tools and their fire engine.

Here's my kindergartener.