Due to events booked in the library, we will not be having library this week, Monday March 26, 2012.
Friday 23 March 2012
Dinosaurs
This week we started a new unit on Dinosaurs. I have found in the past this unit really encourages even the most reluctant of readers to take an interest in books. To build excitement I presented the students with an egg and told them that we would be learning about whatever was in the egg. Once placed in water it took about two days for the egg to "hatch".
As scientists we asked the question, "What is in the egg?" and provided a number of different hypotheses. (We even learned that the word hypothesis was a fancy, or million dollar word for a guess made by a scientist.)
Several students drew pictures to either illustrate their hypothesis or to describe what they saw as the egg was "hatching".
In the end there was in fact a dinosaur in the egg. (Thank goodness for the dollar store!)
As scientists we asked the question, "What is in the egg?" and provided a number of different hypotheses. (We even learned that the word hypothesis was a fancy, or million dollar word for a guess made by a scientist.)
In the end there was in fact a dinosaur in the egg. (Thank goodness for the dollar store!)
My Many Coloured Days
This book, by Dr. Seuss, gave us a chance to look at feelings. We made our own pictures to illustrate our we were feeling on particular days.
First we examined the feelings associated with particular colours.
Then we charted (4 students per day) how a child was feeling.
Finally we coloured in our own characters and selected an animal they felt best represented or reminded them of that feeling.
First we examined the feelings associated with particular colours.
Then we charted (4 students per day) how a child was feeling.
Finally we coloured in our own characters and selected an animal they felt best represented or reminded them of that feeling.
Post Office
Our dramatic play centre (house centre) has been transformed into a Post Office. The kindergartens have been busy creating signs for the post office including signs indicating the prices of stamps and envelopes and other things you might purchase in an post office. During this time students have been actively exploring their knowledge of letters and sounds while using invented spelling on their signs. The centre encourages students to visit the writing centre to write letters to friends and family.
Invented spelling and dramatic play centres help students to develop as writers and readers as they are more willing to take the time to think about the letters they hear in a word to get their message across....they aren't doing it because a grown-up wants them to !!!! I am strongly encouraging them to use their knowledge of sounds to do "kid" spelling rather than giving them the "grown-up" or conventional spelling. Many students start with giving the beginning and sometimes the ending sounds of words. That is perfect and on track for JK expectations. The middle sounds will follow as students become more comfortable with writing. Other students are still writing random letters or the letters in their name to represent all words...again this is also developmentally appropriate.
Also, if you happen to have extra envelopes (e.g. from junk mail) we would happily take them for our post office centre.
Invented spelling and dramatic play centres help students to develop as writers and readers as they are more willing to take the time to think about the letters they hear in a word to get their message across....they aren't doing it because a grown-up wants them to !!!! I am strongly encouraging them to use their knowledge of sounds to do "kid" spelling rather than giving them the "grown-up" or conventional spelling. Many students start with giving the beginning and sometimes the ending sounds of words. That is perfect and on track for JK expectations. The middle sounds will follow as students become more comfortable with writing. Other students are still writing random letters or the letters in their name to represent all words...again this is also developmentally appropriate.
Also, if you happen to have extra envelopes (e.g. from junk mail) we would happily take them for our post office centre.
Sunday 18 March 2012
Thursday 8 March 2012
Lost and Found
Recognise any mittens, sweaters, water bottles. If so please slip a note into your child's notetote and the items will be returned.
Wednesday 7 March 2012
PJ Day Friday
To get us in vacation, relax mode, the Kindergartens (only) will be having a PJ Day on Friday March 9. So, wear your favourite PJs and enjoy the last day before March Break!!!!
Friday 2 March 2012
Math Graphing Activity
Another activity we finished up at the end of last week was analyzing our mitten glyph. Students had to create a mitten according to the following parameters:
Blue mitten for boys and red for girls
Number of polka dots indicated their age
Cotton balls at the bottom of the mitten (or lack of) indicated whether or not they like to play in the snow.
Blue mitten for boys and red for girls
Number of polka dots indicated their age
Cotton balls at the bottom of the mitten (or lack of) indicated whether or not they like to play in the snow.
Then we sorted the finished mittens to find out different information about the students in our class.
Science Centre
My apologies for being so late in posting to the blog.
Over the past weeks we have been learning about magnets. We have been exploring and observing using magnetic wands and various materials. Part of our learning included recording our observations, because that is what scientists do, in order to share what they have learned.
Over the past weeks we have been learning about magnets. We have been exploring and observing using magnetic wands and various materials. Part of our learning included recording our observations, because that is what scientists do, in order to share what they have learned.
Library is on Monday
Day 4 now falls on Monday (that is until Easter holidays) therefore, Library is on Monday.
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