GOBBLE GOBBLE!

This week the kids created these adorable and silly-looking turkeys! I just loved how they turned out! To create the turkeys the kids participated in a directed drawing and followed step-by-step drawing instructions. The kids had to focus on listening skills and following directions. We did a few practice rounds and then the kids created their final turkeys using a sharpie on canvas. During free choice, the kids had an opportunity to add patterns and details to the feathers and then used watercolor paint to add color. Even though all of these were created following the same directions, they each are unique and beautiful!

Journals: What are you thankful for?

STEM Challenge: Create a Turkey Hideout

The students were challenged to help a turkey stay where it cannot be seen during Thanksgiving by building it a turkey hideout. The kids used scissors, tape, glue, thin cardboard strips, and leaves! The requirements included 1.)There must be a way for the turkey to get in. 2.) Make a way for the turkey to look out. 3.) Make the hideout taller than your turkey.

Math: Pattern Block Puzzles

The purpose of this lesson was for students to put together shapes to form larger shapes.

The puzzles are in black and white and only have the shape outline. The students needed to reason abstractly and quantitatively in order to make the connection between the pattern blocks and the large shapes.

Math: Describe and Match Shapes

The purpose of this activity was for students to learn the new math center called Match Mine. Students used positional words (above, below, next to, and beside) to describe the location of pattern blocks within a larger shape. Each group of two students had access to pattern blocks.

One partner built a shape using 5 pattern blocks. They were instructed to use positional words that would help their partner put each pattern block in the right place. During the activity, they had to keep their shapes hidden (behind the dividers) and when the partner was done making the shape, they checked to see if their shapes matched. Throughout the lesson, they took turns building and describing shapes with their patterns.

Math: Animal Print Making

In this activity, students used shapes to compose animals. They practiced describing their animals using shape names, positions of shapes, and the number of shapes.

Fundations: Building Sentences & Letter Formation

The kids are continuing their work on building sentences and letter formation. This week the kids learned the proper formation for the final lowercase letters - v, w, x, q, z. These letters are called plane line slide letters. In the upcoming weeks, the kids will begin to learn about digraphs and Magic "E." We will continue to work on phonetic spelling and begin to introduce blends.

Art: Pablo Picasso

Inspired by Pablo Picasso the kids created their own flower bouquets by tracing their hands and painting with tempera.

Music & French:

Madame and Ms. Redmann are teaching the children numbers in french and the words to a famous French nursery rhyme.

PE: Time Challenge, The Floor is Lava, Steal the Bacon, Build Your Score, Turkey Escape & Turkey Roundup

Library:

Free Choice:

Reminders:

-Please make sure to bring in a warm jacket, winter hat, and gloves for recess. We recommend bringing in a hat and gloves to keep at school throughout the week. Please make sure all items are labeled. Once we get snow, the kids will also need to have snow pants, snow boots, and thick waterproof gloves. Please make sure to practice zipping and putting on winter gear independently. The kids are all expected to be able to fully dress themselves.

Apple Jenga!

The highlight of our week was by far our STEM Challenge! We decided to call this activity "Apple Jenga!" The students just LOVED this and I know that we will bring this challenge back again! Apple Jenga is a block-building challenge with an apple theme and some measurement. The students worked with their math partner and were given a bag filled with 12 keva planks and 30 wooden cubes. Each pair of students were instructed to build the tallest tower they could that would support an apple. I didn't show any examples because I wanted the children to figure out how to build the best tower without me telling them how. They were immediately excited! As the children kept building and the towers kept tumbling down, there were screams of laughter and delight and lots of whooping! They built and measured, and built and measured, and built and measured. This activity went straight into pickup time and even then the kids didn't want to stop! Beyond the level of engagement, the best part was that the kids kept working on improving their designs and kept making their towers taller and taller through trial and error. Throughout the activity, the "record" for the tallest tower kept changing and all the kids rushed over to see the latest design to see how they could improve their own tower. As tempting as it was to show the children how to build a taller, strong tower, during STEM challenges learning happens when they figure things out on their own and through working with their partners. I did give hints such as:

• “Think about how you can make this taller.

• Are you using every block you have to make this as tall as it can be?”

• “Maybe someone who is building a taller tower has a different idea. You might want to go take a peek at some of the ways the other children are building their towers to see what they are doing.”

• “Your tower is very wide, but it needs to be tall and high. What can you do differently?”

• “The tower you are building looks very thin and skinny to me. Before you spend more time making it taller, do you want to see if it will hold your apple up?”

Fundations: Spelling Rule K vs. C

The kids worked hard this week learning their first spelling rule. When we are talking about beginning sounds, C is used when the first vowel in the word is an A, O, or U. We use K when the first vowel in the word is an I or E. The kids learned - "K takes I and E, C takes the other 3" (referring to the other 3 vowels - A, O, U).

Fundations: Writing CVC Words

Math: Flat Shapes All Around Us

This week we started a new math unit. The unit goals include students identifying, describing, analyzing, comparing, and composing 2D shapes. Throughout the unit, the students will also recognize and describe shapes in the environment and use informal language to describe and compare shapes and their attributes. The students will also explore shapes by putting shapes together to form larger shapes.

Math: Which One Doesn't Belong

The students were introduced to a new routine called Which One Doesn't Belong. This routine is used as a math warm-up. The students compare four different images or shapes and analyze the characteristics of the items in comparison to one another. The shapes are designed so that students may compare the color of the shapes as well as geometric attributes. The students were taught there is no right answer but it is important to explain their choice. It was interesting to hear the students create an argument and use or revise their language to make their argument clear to others.

Math: Which One, Shapes

During this new math center, the students took turns with their math partners choosing a mystery shape and asking yes or no questions to determine the shape. Does your shape have more than 3 sides? Is your shape colored in? After each question, the students shared which shapes they can rule out based on the question. When the students felt ready to guess their partner's shape they did, and then explained why they thought it was the mystery shape.

Math: Build Shapes from Straws

In this lesson, students worked with their math partners to compare the length of straws and then use the straws to build shapes. The students took turns telling their partner what they knew about the shapes.

Math: Describe and Draw Shapes

During this activity, the students worked in pairs to describe and draw a mystery shape. Students learned that they needed to be precise in describing the shape in order for their partner to draw the shape accurately.

Art: Fruit Wreaths

PE: Basketball Unit

Music:

During music class, the kids went on a Bear Hunt and practiced playing a steady beat.

French: Numbers & Counting

Eraser Club:

The eraser club is a student engagement activity that is designed to motivate students to pay attention and work hard! Here's how it works: Each student has an eraser club card on their table spot. As I teach a lesson I watch for kids who are working hard and are on task - I put a mini eraser on their card. If students start to slack or become off task I remove the eraser. Anyone that has an eraser at the end of the lesson gets to keep the eraser and put it into their eraser club collection container.

Recess:

Pumpkins, Spooky Science, & Carnival!

Throughout the week the kindergarten kids experienced so many special events and activities that helped get them into the spirit of Halloween. There were science experiments that involved ooze and flying ghosts, spooky stories, pumpkin decorating, and exciting carnival games!

Let's take a closer look at all the festive and fun activities this week:

Halloween Carnival:

It is a school tradition that every year in late October, all Upper School students work together to present an all-school carnival for the Middle and Lower Schools. Carnival provides an opportunity for all Upper Schoolers to work collaboratively on a school service project and to have fun designing booths and decorating. The kindergarten kids had a wonderful time playing the games and collecting candy!

Spooky Science:

The kindergarten kids got to make clay volcanoes with the Upper School students. Listening to the kids squeal with excitement as their volcanoes erupted was very fun! (Live videos on the Roycemore Kindergarten Facebook group page).

Ghost Rockets:

This week the students created flying ghost rockets. To make the ghost rockets we used film canisters, corn starch, alka seltzer tablets, and water. After carefully following the directions and combining the ingredients, we quickly put the lid on, flipped the rocket over, set it down, and watched the ghost rocket immediately go flying into the air! (Live videos on the Roycemore Kindergarten Facebook group page).

Halloween BINGO!

Fizzy Science

The kids had fun using pipettes to suck up the orange vinegar and squeeze it onto the baking soda. Not only is it great practice for fine motor skills but the chemical reaction is so exciting to watch!

Teacher Costume Design:

When students are asked "What Should My Teacher Be For Halloween?" their answers never disappoint! This Halloween activity was so much fun for both students and teachers. It was amazing to see the students’ imaginations run wild with this fun Halloween project!

Pumpkin Decorating:

What would you like to turn your pumpkin into? A scary witch, lion, superhero, or seal?

STEM Challenge: Jelly Pumpkin Towers

The kids loved creating, designing, engineering, and building structures with candy pumpkins!

Reminders:

Next week are Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please make sure to sign up for a time slot if you haven't done so already.