Monday, October 14, 2013

Exploring Our Five Senses

We have been exploring our five senses. Students had the opportunity to feel different objects in disguised bags. Students felt into these bags and tried to describe each object. They compared their thinking with others at their tables.  Then students recorded their thoughts in their science notebooks.  Students also experimented with different smells. Each student was called up to close their eyes and take a smell from a disguised container. Students discussed with their friends and then recorded in their science journals. We also did a tasting experiment with several kids and their reactions and describing words were fun to see and hear.  

Sunday, October 13, 2013

The baby chicks have hatched!

We were invited on Friday to come see the newest developments in fifth grade-baby chicks!! The students were beyond excited to learn this news and to actually get to see them.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Math Time!

The students learned how to play a new math game called "Grab and Count Compare." An earlier game called "Grab and Count" requires students to grab one handful of math manipulatives (linking cubes or colored tiles) and count them out. This game helps students practice one-to-one correspondence and rote counting skills. Students built upon these skills by partnering up with another student. Each student grabbed one handful of math manipulatives, counted them out, and then compared their handful with their partner. Students had to decide which person has more by comparing numbers. The next math game that will build on top of this one will be when students grab two handfuls each and count each handful, then compare one of their handfuls to the other handful. Students then try to decide which handful had more. Students have fun learning these math skills and practicing with their partners.

Science Buddies

Our class partnered with Mrs. Szerba's fifth grade students last Friday. These amazing fifth graders are our science buddies. We will be partnering with them throughout the year. The fifth graders showed our students their garden and also allowed them to plant some seeds. They also taught them about embryology- YEP, you read that correctly. The fifth graders are incubating chicken eggs and explained the whole process to our Kindergarteners! We will be invited back once the chickens hatch to observe and learn about them. It is such an awesome opportunity for kids to learn from other kids. We are so thrilled that the fifth graders took the time to partner up with our kiddos! You definitely cannot reproduce these valuable lessons from any textbook!

WOW Day!

Kindergarten students participated in their first WOW day last week. They got to rotate through the different resource classes: P.E., Art, and Music. A huge thank you to Sophia G.'s mom and Max's mom for volunteering and assisting our class. Here are a few pictures of the kids having a great time.