Fun in Kinder-garden!

To finish off the week on plants, we planted 3 seeds in a small baggie filled with Miracle-Gro potting mix. We soaked the beans in water about 24 hours prior to our activity and then placed them in our bags today. We are excited to watch our seeds start to sprout roots and hopefully even leaves before we take them home!

Plants as a Mini-Lesson!

During one of our Daily 5/CAFE mini-lessons this week, I mixed in what we were learning in science. I placed six sentence strips in the pocket chart that taught different types of plants. After reading each line, we discussed what we would think using our prior knowledge of the words in the sentence, as to what the plant would look like. After a good discussion, I revealed a picture of each type of plant. We then put new table names up using those same types of plants!

Daily 5 Math Mini-Lesson Subtraction

This week we reviewed and practiced three ways to solve subtraction problems. Just like with addition problems we practiced using a number line but instead of counting forwards, we hopped backwards to find the correct answer. We also used manipulatives and the strategy draw a picture to solve other subtraction problems. Two of the three strategies have been introduced into one of the Daily 5 math choices; the third will be available next week.

Parts of a Plant

This week we have been learning about plants. We took a bean seed, string, a pipe cleaner and tissue paper to show the different parts of a plant. We showed off the seed, roots, stem and leaves by using a flip book to store each of the items. 

Overdues!

Our poem this week is one of favorites. It was written by Shel Silverstein and the class did an excellent job reading the poem using wonderful expression without being reminded!

Review Mini-Lesson for CAFE

Our first CAFE mini-lesson today reviewed how to retell a story using specifically the main idea, characters and the setting of the story. We read the story The Busy Jungle during our morning calendar time and revisited the story during Daily 5. I first showed each of the three ways we were going to retell the story and then went through each one individually. We started with describing the setting of the story. I had the students turn and talk to a partner(s) next to them and discuss what the setting was using detail. After a minute or so, we shared what each group discussed about the setting. After the setting, I put the characters strategy on the board and the students discussed with their group who the characters were and what they did in the story. Again, after a minute or so groups shared with the class. Lastly, I showed the class the strategy "Main idea in a story". Each group again shared with each other what they thought the main idea, what the author's purpose for writing this story was and we then shared whole group. I was beyond excited to overhear the discussions between the groups about each of the strategies, but my favorite by far was when they shared what the main idea of the story was. Several groups thought of the main idea I was thinking, which was "The story was about how busy the animals in the forest were." One other group thought the main idea was "The author wanted to each us about what each animal in the story does in a forest." Both answers were exactly right, but said in different ways. The best part of it all was the students came up with these ideas all on their own by discussing with their peers. Way to go! 

Welcome Back!

Spring break is always a week that is needed for both the students, teachers and families. I had a wonderful break filled with relaxing and eating yummy food. While I was on break I always had my little students always somewhere on my mind. This year I brought 3 seashells back with a little bit of sand from the beach for each of them. I loved hearing the conversations between each other as they were exploring with their new shells. One of my favorite quotes was "I can hear a bald eagle in this shell!". Kindergartners....always adorable.

 

We are Learning About Plants!

To introduce our next unit I wrote six blank lines on the board and had students guess letters from the alphabet to reveal what we will be learning about next. If they got a letter correct, I put the letter in the right spot on the board. If a letter was guessed that was not in the mystery word, I wrote it underneath. After several guesses our new unit all about PLANTS was revealed! We went on to discuss what we already know about plants, what we want to learn and then read a story about how a plant grows from a seed into the plant. We are looking forward to the fun we will have with plants this week!

 

Cloudy With a Chance of......

Before we left for Spring Break, we studied all about weather and read two books that we fell in love with! Most of the class had seen the movie or heard the book Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, but everyone had not heard the sequel Pickles to Pittsburg. After reading the book several different times, we completed a predictable chart writing what we would wish to have fall from the sky for one of our meals for the day.

After we wrote and read our sentences throughout the week, we cut the words apart, glued them in order on a piece of paper and illustrated a picture that went along with our sentence.

We put the final illustrations and sentences out in our hallway on display for our friends and family to see!