We Dream of A World...

    Ms. Riner and our third grade reading buddies came down for a joint social studies lesson. Ms. Riner read the book We Dream of a World. Then she talked with them about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his dream. Then the kinders got with their reading buddy and talked about what their dream is. The third graders wrote the kinders' dreams and sketched them. Then the kinders colored the pictures. Our students had so much working together and were so proud that Ms. Riner displayed their work in the front school hallway for everyone to see! Ms. Riner was also kind enough to give me the gift of time to take care of a few lesson preps things for the following week while she taught our classes!

Day and Night in the Science Lab

    In the science lab, Mrs. Riggins used a globe and a lamp to demonstrate how the earth rotates and why we have day and night. She also talked about how this is a model to help us understand.

    Then we talked with at our tables about day activities. A spokesperson from each table shared an activity as Mrs. Riggins charted. Then we talked about night activities and shared.

    Then Mrs. Riggins showed us a video clip about day and night. It showed how we rotate around the sun as we rotate on our axis. When we got back to our classroom, we illustrated 4 characteristics of day and 4 characteristics of night.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    We learned about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of our study on ordinary people who had a great impact on our nation. We watched Martin's Big Words and talked about his dream and what it meant. Then we wrote together about Dr. King's dream.

    We read Martin's Important Lesson and then discussed our dreams. We wrote about our dreams and put  together our I have a dream projects.

    To finish up our study of Dr. King, we read Martin Luther King, Jr. Then we created a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting our class with Dr. King.

Comparing Numbers 15-20 on Ten Frames

    We started our lesson by identifying numbers and using the students as manipulatives on our ten frames I taped off on the floor. Once they organized themselves on the ten frames, we practiced making one/two more/less and identifying the new number. Then students went to the tables where I had put ten frames mats, manipulatives, and a number. They had to represent that number on their ten frames. While they were doing that, I worked with one table making one/two more/less and comparing the numbers with the emphasis on the students using comparative language to describe the relationship between the number they started with and their new number. They rotated through all the tables. I noticed after I worked with each group the students began asking each other to make one/less, two more than their original number. I love when the students mimic what we've worked on together without being asked to!

Following Pictorial Directions

    We've been working on reading and following pictorial directions. We started by looking at examples of pictorial directions. I brought directions from some of Logan's toys and games. We also talked about how pictures help us understand what to do. Students were shown the steps to illustrate a snowman and then they created their own scribble art snowman.

    We also used the pictorial directions on the back of the Trouble game box to play the game Trouble together.

    I also created cars and building with the boys' Lego's. I took pictures of each step and printed them out. Then I handed out a baggie to each table that contained the pieces they needed and the pictorial directions. I think building with Lego's was the students' favorite lesson! I wish I had remember my camera that day.

Numbers 15-20 on Ten Frames

        We've been working on identifying and creating sets using numbers 15-20 on ten frames. I taped off two ten frames on our classroom floor. We started by using flashcards to review numbers 1-15. Then I mixed the cards up and held up a card, the students had to identify it, and work together to represent that number using themselves on our ten frames. They loved being the math "manipulative" and were all so quiet and still because they each wanted a turn. 

    After making about half the numbers using the students as the manipulative. We went back to our tables and I passed out ten frames mats to the students and a different manipulative to each table. Then I held up a number, and the students had to identify it and represent it on their ten frame.

    Then students took turns calling out numbers at their tables and representing that number on the ten frames. After they made the number and counted to check, the caller checked their work as well.

Sensory Details in There Was a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow

    We reviewed our five senses and sang I Have Five Senses by Dr. Jean. Then we discussed how sensory details help us picture the story in our mind like black hat or steaming hot cocoa. Then we read There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow. We stopped to discuss things we could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch in our story. Then students were given a sticky note and a sense. They went to their seats and illustrated something from the story they could experience with the sense they were given. We came to the carpet, students shared as I labeled their pictures. Then they sorted their pictures by sense on our chart. 

Patterning with Snowmen, Snowflakes, and The Mitten

    I modeled making and extending several patterns for the students. Then I started a pattern and choose students to continue my pattern. We identified the type of pattern it was. Then I choose students to start a pattern and they choose who continued their pattern.

   
We read Then Mitten by Jan Brett. Then students colored and labeled a mitten pattern book.

Fair Shares and Part Part Whole with Percy Penguin

    We read Mary Clare Likes to Share and discussed the examples of fair shares and part part whole in the story. Then rolled a die, counted out that many pieces of bubble gum, and then shared them between two students. We identified the parts and the whole and recorded on the whiteboard. Then we identified if it was a fair share or not.

    Then we learned the Percy Penguin sharing song. Students took turns drawing a fish from my "fishbowl" (blue plastic cup). Then students counted out that many fish and put at the top of their penguin mat. Then we sang the Percy Penguin sharing song as students shared the fish crackers between the two penguins. We identified the parts and the whole and if it was a fair share. Then students recorded on their recording sheet.

    Then of course we enjoyed our goldfish snack when our math lesson was over.

Making Connections with The Mitten

    We read The Mitten by Jan Brett. We retold the story with our partner. As we read,  I modeled making my own connections to the story. In the story, Nicki looses one of his white mittens in the snow. I talked about how earlier this week, I lost one of my earrings and how Logan (my kindergartener) found it and brought it to me. When we finished reading, the students shared with each other I time they lost something or had to leave something important to them behind. Then the students went back to their seats and I gave them a white mitten. They wrote and illustrated about a time they lost something important to them.

Snow Fun Graphing

    We read Huggles' Snow Day by Ted Arnold. We talked about the different snow day activities in the story. Then we talked with our partner about which one of the the following three activities we would want to do: build a snowman, have a snowball fight, or make snow angels. We lined up and made a graph on the carpet. 

Then the students put their name cards down to graph the activity they chose.

    Finally, we collected data by making tally marks to represent those who chose each activity. Then students created their own graph. We discussed the data represented on our graph and wrote about the results.

Naming Words with The Jacket I Wear in the Snow

    We reviewed naming words. Then the students found objects in the classroom. They had to tell us the naming word and classify it as a person, place, or thing. They found:

a computer-thing,

the class library-place,

and a friend-person.

    Then we read The Jacket I Wear in the Snow stopping to discuss the naming words on each page and classifying them as a person, place, or thing. Then we used interactive writing to write the naming words and label the clothes on our girl cut out and wrote about what we wear in the snow.

    When I take our writing down, I will make them into a class book and add to our class library for the students to read.

Seasons in the Science Lab

    In the science lab, Mrs. Riggins had pictures that represented the seasons hung around the room. We walked around and looked at the pictures. Then we talked about the pictures and what season it represented. We also talked about how the seasons are a pattern called a cycle that repeat over and over.

        Students created a seasons wheel on a paper plate. They had to draw 5 different pictures for each season and label correctly.