We have enjoyed exploring pumpkins this month! We picked our pumpkin at the Dixie Maze field trip then brought it back to the classroom. After reading the book Pumpkin Jack we talked about the parts of a pumpkin and the pumpkin life cycle. We were even able to taste roasted pumpkin seeds! The class helped carve our pumpkin and we waited eagerly to see some signs of decomposition in him. As soon as we saw mold we took him out to the garden beds where we can watch his full decomposition! On Friday we gathered ingredients and made our own pumpkin pie (in a cup). Students are always able to pick which ingredients they would like to avoid. Most found that they actually liked the taste even if the looks of canned pumpkin threw them off a little!
Mornings can be a little busy in kindergarten. Students may not even be fully awake yet but a full day of learning is starting. I need them to come in and get to work relatively quickly, quietly, and independently so that I can handle all of the issues that pop up in the morning. Ideally, I also want them engaged, excited, and working on important skills. Our Morning Work Drawers fulfill ALL of those things! Students come in and find their name on a drawer then pull that drawer out and get to work. Each drawer works on an important skill like number, letter, and name recognition, sight word knowledge, patterns, counting, etc. But perhaps more importantly the drawers all work on fine motor skills that are often weak in today’s students. They are excited about all of the fun finds in their drawers and I am excited about all of the hard work that they are doing before 8:00 in the morning!
I love to curl up with a book! Learning to love books and reading is a skill that can be cultivated for a lifetime of enjoyment. In kindergarten that happens through reading books over and over again, especially our favorites. Flashlight Fridays are a chance to do just that. After a busy week we get to turn off the lights, find a cozy spot, and enjoy some of our favorite books. Kindergarten students don’t like to stay in one place for very long so we try to stretch that time by letting them bring a stuffed friend, take off their shoes, and use a flashlight! We made it about 20 minutes today!
We’ve had a great start to kindergarten! We’ve spent a lot of time getting used to our new routines and learning what kindergarten is all about. We ended our week with a fun STEM activity based on the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The students worked with a partner to build their own Coconut tree and then get their alphabet to balance without falling. It was loud, it was chaotic, and many letters fell but the students learned to work together and listen to each other’s ideas!
Mommy Spa is an event I look forward to every year! It is such a sweet gift of spending time together for busy families. Kindergarten worked hard to prepare this special day for the ladies that work so tirelessly for us all year. The students styled hair, painted nails, gave massages, served snacks, and showed off their artwork.
