Art

On Fridays we typically have art class.  This week the students put their bare feet into white paint to make foot prints on paper.  Then we transformed them into ghosts and each child painted a Halloween scene around them. 

Show and Tell

"Show and Tell" is a great opportunity for children to speak in front of their peers about something that interests them.  It also is a good time for the others to be good listeners.  We discuss good speaking and listening rules each time before we begin.  Usually by the end of the year they have it down. 

This sunflower is from the seed that I and Fairway Seeds gave the kids at Kindergarten Round-up back in April.  I was so surprised to see how huge it had gotten!  That is pretty amazing!

Turtle Unit

I teach the students about different animals in our area.  In September I teach about frogs, butterflies and turtles.  We discuss their life cycles and needs.  These are science standards that kindergarteners need to know.  They love it!  I forgot to take photos of the frogs.  Oh well...enjoy these!  They crack me up!

Quiet Time

We have quiet time every afternoon after story time.  The kids have a chance to lie down and stretch out.  Research suggests that during this time the material taught to them previously has a chance to sink in.  I know that they like this at the beginning of the year, but not so much after a few months, so we usually stop having quiet time at that point.  They do not have to sleep, but just relax and unwind.  I use this time to work with students who need extra review.

Hiking at the Lake

Anyone who knows me knows how I love nature.  Luckily for me, many of the kindergarten science standards revolve around teaching little ones about nature.  On this day we discussed the seasons and how the trees would soon be changing.  We walked out to the lake and hiked around it.  We saw lots of things to discuss including a swimming snake, a real Common Nighthawk, frogs, turtles, and huge cracks in the ground.  We discussed all of these things and they had lots of questions about their surroundings.  Also you will notice that we have a new student in our class and he fits in nicely!

Painting Fall Trees

We had been discussing plants and their needs in Science class.  We also had been discussing the parts of plant, so I integrated that lesson into this art project.  The students painted the tree trunk and branches with a paint brush and the sponge painted the orange, yellow and red leaves.  Each tree is as unique and beautiful as each child.  They really enjoyed this project!

Wacky Watermelon Wednesday

For "Wacky Watermelon Wednesday" we did reading, writing, math, art, and music all centered around a watermelon.  The children each made their own little booklet.  I think their favorite part was eating the watermelon outdoors.  We had a fun day!

The First Day of Kindergarten

August 21, 2012 was there first day of kindergarten!  The nine students and I  had a fun time together!  I am excited for a great school year!