Happy Fall! Today in science we explored the five senses using a pumpkin seed. I loved seeing the expressions on our friends faces who tried a pumpkin seed for the first time today. Victoria said that a pumpkin seed LOOKS like an oval. Maddox said that a pumpkin seed TASTES salty. Camryn said that a pumpkin seed SMELLS like honey. Owen said that a pumpkin seed FEELS hard but also soft if you touch the top. Of course you can not hear a pumpkin seed unless you crack in half, drop it on the ground, or eat it. Wow! I am blown away by our amazing scientists. By our classroom you can see our wonderful work displayed on the FALL bulletin board. Come by and take a peek!
Next week I will post pictures and work from our wonderful Mathematicians, amazing Authors, and beautiful Illustrators.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Meet Tinkerbell and Tiger Lilly...
I love their expressions!!!
Today, our class had a surprise waiting for them when they returned to class. They were so excited when they saw that I bought two class pets (I am so not a gerbil type of person but it's a favorite class pet for kids). Our class pets are female gerbils named Tinkerbell (white) and Tiger Lilly (nutmeg) . Peter Pan is obviously one of my all time favorite Disney movies. The class was able to see the gerbils play on their spinning wheel, eat their food, and run in and out of their tubes. We have to remember not to be too loud because we don't want to scare them and make them hide. Feel free to come by and see our class pets in the morning when you drop off your child. I know they would love to show you. How exciting!!
Oh! Look at Tiger Lilly trying to show off by standing on two legs.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Fun Friday :)
At the end of every Friday we have a dance party to let out all of our sillies and celebrate our time together. It is a great way to get the class moving and become more comfortable with each other. If a student gets GREEN the whole week then they are awarded with positive reinforcement. They may get a Popsicle, pick a prize from the treasure box, or eat lunch with the teacher next week. Remind your little one of the great reward they will get for staying on green the whole week. I know they can do it!
What is a book nook?
A book nook is a safe, quiet, distraction free, and enjoyable place for your child to read. It is a fun place because they get to pick the place they read all by themselves. In the classroom while students are independently reading they have a choice to sit on the carpet, on a stool, at my desk, at their desk, criss-cross on their table, etc. During independent reading time I am making sure they are reading the book the right way, pointing to words, looking at the pictures, and sounding out words. Does your child have a quiet book nook at home? If not, find a quiet space for them to read without any distractions. You will see how much they enjoy reading when they have their own place to read!
Monday, September 20, 2010
The 5 Senses
This week and next week our class is learning about the five senses. Of course everyone knows that you smell with your nose, touch with your fingers, taste with your tongue, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears but do you know how to observe each sense? WE DO! Today we practiced tasting, looking at, smelling, and touching a Cheez-it, orange slice, pretzel, cool whip, and chocolate chip cookie. Zuko learned that an orange is squishy. He said that he never realized how it felt before. Amadou learned that cool whip, although it looks gross and runny, actually tastes yummy and sweet. Cornelius reminded the class that when they draw their picture of the Cheez-it they really need to look at it closer and draw the rough edges around the whole Cheez-it. Wow! I am so impressed with everyone. Ask your child what they learned today in science? They are such a wonderful group of scientists to work with.
While you are cooking one night this week, ask your child what it looks like, smells like, feels like, hears like, and taste like. Remind them that you can hear the food when you eat it, slurp it up, or break it in half. Enjoy being a scientists with your little one.
While you are cooking one night this week, ask your child what it looks like, smells like, feels like, hears like, and taste like. Remind them that you can hear the food when you eat it, slurp it up, or break it in half. Enjoy being a scientists with your little one.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
This is what we are working on this nine weeks:
Communications
*Name letters-capital and lower case: You can help your child learn their letters by letting them make the letters with play-doh, boiled spaghetti, yarn, in the sand, tracing your letters, or playing alphabet bingo.
*Recognize letter sounds: You can help your child learn their letter sounds by saying a letter and thinking of words that start with that letter together, ask them the learning letter sounds A to Z song that we sing in class, and visit www.starfall.com.
*Recognize/create words that rhyme: You can help your child learn rhyming words by pointing to body parts and thinking of words that rhyme with the body part (knee-free, nail-pail, head-bed, lip-dip, nose-pose), read a Dr. Seuss book and ask them to tell you two words that sounded the same, make a memory game out of flashcards (draw the pictures on the flashcard instead of the word), or draw a picture and have your child draw another picture that rhymes with that word (make it easy words star-car, bed-red, shoe-blue, cake-rake).
*Sight words (I, see, the, can, a): You can help your child learn sight words by clapping out each letter in the word, asking them to make a sentence that has a sight word in it, go on a hunt for sight words (use a book or newspaper and let your child highlight or underline the word when they see one), or make a poster with sight words on it and have your child try to swat the word that you call out using a fly swatter. Remember sight words should not be sounded out.
Mathematics
*Name numbers 0-10 /counts orally: You can help your child learn their numbers by going on a hunt for numbers, drawing them in the air, making them in the sand, or ask your child to name the numbers on your phone.
*Match numbers with groups of objects: You can help your child match numbers with groups of objects by having objects in your house in a pile and asking them to put a certain number in another pile, count how many trees they see outside, or play an "I spy" game (I spy three spoons. Can you tell me where they are?).
*Names colors: You can help your child name their colors by playing an "I spy" game (I spy a red toy), everyday ask them what color shirt they are wearing, or using colors ask them to color with a certain color.
*Names day of the week in order: You can help your child name the days of the week in order by asking them every day what day it is, looking at a calendar with them, or asking them to sing the days of the week song that we sing in class.
Science:
*Identify the body part that is associated with the 5 senses: You can help your child learn their five senses by popping a bag of popcorn and asking them what it sounds like, what it taste like, what it feels like, what it smells like, and looks like, say a sense and ask your child what body part is associated with the sense, or go on a nature walk outside and practice using your five senses.
*Name letters-capital and lower case: You can help your child learn their letters by letting them make the letters with play-doh, boiled spaghetti, yarn, in the sand, tracing your letters, or playing alphabet bingo.
*Recognize letter sounds: You can help your child learn their letter sounds by saying a letter and thinking of words that start with that letter together, ask them the learning letter sounds A to Z song that we sing in class, and visit www.starfall.com.
*Recognize/create words that rhyme: You can help your child learn rhyming words by pointing to body parts and thinking of words that rhyme with the body part (knee-free, nail-pail, head-bed, lip-dip, nose-pose), read a Dr. Seuss book and ask them to tell you two words that sounded the same, make a memory game out of flashcards (draw the pictures on the flashcard instead of the word), or draw a picture and have your child draw another picture that rhymes with that word (make it easy words star-car, bed-red, shoe-blue, cake-rake).
*Sight words (I, see, the, can, a): You can help your child learn sight words by clapping out each letter in the word, asking them to make a sentence that has a sight word in it, go on a hunt for sight words (use a book or newspaper and let your child highlight or underline the word when they see one), or make a poster with sight words on it and have your child try to swat the word that you call out using a fly swatter. Remember sight words should not be sounded out.
Mathematics
*Name numbers 0-10 /counts orally: You can help your child learn their numbers by going on a hunt for numbers, drawing them in the air, making them in the sand, or ask your child to name the numbers on your phone.
*Match numbers with groups of objects: You can help your child match numbers with groups of objects by having objects in your house in a pile and asking them to put a certain number in another pile, count how many trees they see outside, or play an "I spy" game (I spy three spoons. Can you tell me where they are?).
*Names colors: You can help your child name their colors by playing an "I spy" game (I spy a red toy), everyday ask them what color shirt they are wearing, or using colors ask them to color with a certain color.
*Names day of the week in order: You can help your child name the days of the week in order by asking them every day what day it is, looking at a calendar with them, or asking them to sing the days of the week song that we sing in class.
Science:
*Identify the body part that is associated with the 5 senses: You can help your child learn their five senses by popping a bag of popcorn and asking them what it sounds like, what it taste like, what it feels like, what it smells like, and looks like, say a sense and ask your child what body part is associated with the sense, or go on a nature walk outside and practice using your five senses.
Below are pictures of our class in centers. These centers are during Reader's Workshop and help them to learn their skills for the year.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Did you know we have scientists in our classroom?
This week students have been learning what a scientist is and what they do. Today, we went on a nature walk outside our classroom door to observe the ground and objects around us. We also practiced observing objects inside the classroom. Students used magnifying glasses to really SEE what was around them. We looked at blades of grass, ants, cracks in the ground, carpets, rugs, and so much more. For the rest of the week we will be exploring tools that scientists use. We will learn how to observe, measure, record, describe, and sort things just like a scientists does. I am very excited about the many adventures we will have together.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)