Harvest Week

This week we learned more about pumpkins, Halloween and harvest. We did a few projects throughout the week, but Friday was our best day! Not only did we dress up (some in their costumes and some as scarecrows), we also made our Harvest Mix from all the secret ingredients we brought in our paper bags. Plus, the kids got to watch our teacher skit of The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything.

Each class got a pumpkin to decorate. We chose to make ours look like the Pigeon from the book Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late. The students could help decorate it if they wanted to during our free time. They must have done an amazing job because ours won for the story book category!

                    
We each got some orange, black and white paper to decorate a pumpkin however we wanted to! Some made scary faces, some silly, some happy... They turned out great. I wish I would have taken a picture of them in the hall before I sent them home!

Carmen celebrated her birthday this week! Happy birthday, Carmen!

                                        

These are pictures from out centers for this week. 

We sorted which letters were in our names and which were not.

We had to match the picture with each student and write their names. We are doing great at being able to recognize everyone's names!

Any word they found around the room they could write it! 

We also had a center with iPads where we practiced spelling 3 letter words.

These are their scribble journals. These will not be coming home for a while because we have 5 pages to finish. I made a "scribble" on each page and the kids get to pick one each week to make into something new. Then they write about it! They are just starting with one or two simple sentences, but soon they will be adding details and labeling their pictures!

Math trays!

Our costumes on Friday!

We had some teammates and doubles!

The teachers performed the skit down in front of the office. The kids loved it!

Our Harvest Mix!

The Scarecrow! He is now in front of Mrs. Otte's and Ms. Fenstermann's doors... I haven't gotten used it him being there yet! Not fun when everyone is gone and the lights are off in the hall after school! :)

More Leaves!

This week we learned more about fall and pumpkins. Friday we took the day to learn about leaves! We sorted them into different groups at our tables (by color, size, shape, etc.) We even got to use magnifying glasses. Later we talked about our senses and leaves. We had some good answers. The smelling one was interesting… most had a little trouble describing what it smelled like and if they smelled good or bad. And tasting… we had a few volunteers that would have tasted one for us! We just imagined what they would have tasted like!

 This week our buddies made a spider project with us! We either got to stay in our rooms or go to theirs with them. We will be hanging them up in the hall for a few days until I send them home in time to decorate your houses for Halloween!

 Today I finally officially checked which kids can tie their shoes! I have always known that many could, but hadn't taken their picture and added their name to the board. I am getting to the point now that I will not tie shoes unless I can sit down... so if we are in the hall or out at recess, my response is always "Ask a friend." :) These girls sure do a lot of shoe tying for me! Hopefully we can get a few more to add to the list soon!

 We had to borrow a foot for Carmen to show me on! :)

 I finally started using iPads during center time and playtime. It is always such a fun thing for them to play with right away. We are working on sharing and taking turns. This is what playtime looked like today! Most were playing with iPads, but a few were writing on the white board or building with legos. Don't worry, this will only last a week or two and they will be back being SOCIAL during playtime!

Falling Leaves

This week we learned about fall. We definitely started feeling it with the cooler weather this week! One of the books we read was called Autumn’s First Leaf.  It was about how the leaves gradually change colors, so leaves can be a couple different colors while changing. On Friday we used water colors to paint our own leaves. There now is a big leaf pile hanging on the wall in the hall!

                                   

                                   

See if your child can pick out their leaf from the pile!

This is one of the choice the kids have if they finish something early. They love reading from their book boxes!

                                   

On Thursday we had 2 birthdays! Jaelyn and Luis both turned 6!

Happy birthday!

Trees

This week we learned about trees. Eady day we focused on a new “treat from a tree.” On Monday we learned about cherries and saw an amazing video on how they pick cherries in an orchard, Tuesday was coconuts and how they pick them and make coconut milk, Wednesday was pistachios and how they crack open when they are ripe and Thursday was maple syrup and how you can “tap” a tree to get the sap out. Each day we also got to try that treat!

I realized I didn't take many pictures at all this week! These pictures are of us seeing how many kids were afraid of spiders, and how many were not. This time we used tallies instead of using a graph. I think some of the kids were just trying to be tough saying they weren't afraid of spiders... or maybe I am just a big chicken! I guess I know I will be safe if there is ever a spider at school!

Looking Ahead

October 14th- The kids will have a sub so I can do PALS testing with them. (This is the same test they did last year, just the Kindergarten version. I will be seeing how many letters and sounds they know and checking beginning book awareness.)

October 30th- Early Release/ End of 1st Quarter

November 1st- No School (teacher inservice)

November 5th & 10th- Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30- (more to come later about signing up.)

Specials This Week

Monday- C- Art       Tuesday- D- Music, PE( M), Library   Wednesday- E- PE(R)     Thursday- F- PE (M)     Friday- A- PE (R)       

Monday B- Music, Guidance, Art      

Bugs

This week we learned about insects and bugs. Insects have 6 legs, 3 body parts and sometimes have wings. On Friday we did something special and switched classes! Each class had each Kindergarten teacher for 30 minutes and learned about a new bug! It is so much fun for the kids to go to a new class, and for the teachers to get to know the other kids, too! They will be bringing home a ladybug, an ant, a firefly and a dragonfly project soon! (We want to put them in the hall first!)

We had two birthdays this week! Happy 6th birthday, Ava and Ezmae!

This class is so great at Reading to Buddies! They are very patient if someone is stuck on a word, they let them try a few times before they tell them the word. Here they are reading their bug book to each other.

And notice the finger pointing that both partners do! One points and reads and the other points as they follow along!

Specials Next Week

Monday- E- PE(R)      Tuesday- F- PE (M)     Wednesday- A- PE (R)       

Thursday B- Music, Guidance, Art      FRIDAY- NO SCHOOL  

Monday- C- Art