Kites and Walruses

MATH      We played bingo to practice number recognition from 10 -20. As part of K week, we practiced "subtraction" using Kix cereal. They were given a number to count and given a number to eat. Then, they would count what was left! We build a wonderful web using yarn. This activity practiced number identification.

SCIENCE     Koalas were our focus in Science. We talked about their habitats, food, and behaviors. We built an ocean in a bottle!! We talked about bodies of water....puddle, creek, pond, river, ocean. We located water on the map and concluded our lesson by demonstrating the ocean movement with oil and water in a bottle.

SOCIAL STUDIES    We located Australia on different maps and talked about climates. We located oceans and rivers on the map of the world that corresponded with our science activity.

CIRCLE/LANGUAGE      The letters K and W were introduced. Individually, I worked with the students as they created Beginning-Middle-Ending stories. They have made such progress.  We continue to review opposites and rhyming/word families.  We completed a portfolio page entitled "If I Had Three Wishes...".  Using the newspaper, each child was a letter detective as were practiced beginning sounds. A child's dictionary was used in a vocabulary lesson. We talked about how to use a dictionary.

ART      We had fun filling our groggers with sand. They liked to do a pattern of colors. Kites were cut and painted using "symmetry"---putting paint on one side and folding paper. There were oohs and aahs when they "opened" the kites.  We practiced our cutting skills when we made koalas our of hearts. Blue whales complete with a "spout" were made with lunch bags. Walruses were painted and adorned!

BOOKS/SONGS      "The King of Karate", If I Were A Kite (Wax), The Most Beautiful Kite in the World (Spalding), Koala and the Flower (Murphy), Purim Surprise (Simpson),Koalas (Hoft), Koalas: Habitats, Lifecycles, and Food (Leach), Follow the Water from the Brook to the Ocean (Dorros), Walruses (Weber), Watermelon Day (Gottlieb), "Who, What, When, Where"

SHABBAT      Obviously, we spent a great deal of time on Purim! This week and next, our focus is the Ten Commandments. To introduce it, we made our own Moses "doll" this week. As always, Laura does an exceptional job relaying the information in a fun, appropriate manner.

THANK YOU    A huge thank you to Rockwern 5th graders and Jen Rubin. The performed a puppet show in our classroom about bullying. The children were enthralled and enjoyed having input at the end.  A huge thank you to Debbie for providing us with cupcakes. We decorated the cupcakes for a belated "C" week activity.

CELEBRATIONS     Thank you to our drivers for our field trip to Season. The children enjoyed making the residents smile. They sang beautifully and were very engaging.  Purim was such a celebration. The children paraded for the entire school and they loved the attention.

REMINDERS   Our seder is scheduled for Tues. April 12th in Mayerson Hall at 8:30 a.m.  Sharing begins in 2 weeks....any Passover related item.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK     After complimenting a child on his strength while putting up chairs, he told me it was his karate muscles.

ducks, dinosaurs, cupcakes, and cookies

MATH      After reading the book, How Big Was A Dinosaur (Milbourne), we discovered that the longest dinosaur measured 173 feet. So, we ventured into the hallway and used our "tools" to measure 173 feet. This was followed up by a poster that showed everyday objects in relation to the longest  dinosaur. After reading the story, The Doorbell Rang, we re-enacted the story by using our own cookies. It was a lesson on sharing/dividing 12 cookies among friends. Then, we were treated to chocolate cookies for snack!

SCIENCE    Dinosaur facts were discussed all week. Thank you to the P.T.O. for our Mother's Nature visit. The program was all about dinosaurs and the children sang, danced, and pretended to be dinosaurs. I explained that carrots are a root vegetable. We planted carrots in sand. A carrot top contains almost everything the plant needs to grow. We will water it and see what happens! (It should produce leaves!)

SOCIAL STUDIES      We talked about fossils and how were learn about our past from studying fossils. I attempted to explain the time line and how people were not around when dinosaurs roamed the earth. It was difficult for them to comprehend!

CIRCLE/LANGUAGE    The letters "D" and "C" were introduced using Handwriting Without Tears. Individually, I used a dinosaur story prompt with the children and wrote their creative thoughts. Also, I practiced sequencing using 4,5 and 6 card sets. We have been practicing the days of the week and the months of the year. I'm sure they would be happy to see the songs for you!

ART    Yellow paper plate ducks complete with feathers were created and hanging on our bulletin board. Dinosaur "fossils" were "cooked" up using a salt/flour dough.  We painted and attached "plates" to a stegosaurus. Clocks were painted and constructed using paper plates. We even added "hands" to our clocks. We decorated our own cupcakes and gave them "delicious" titles.

BOOKS/SONGS    "Dum Dee Didddy Diddy", Make Way for Ducklings (McCloskey), Fantastic Fossils (Pererson), "C is for Cookie", The Clock Struck One (Harris), The Doorbell Rang (Hutchins), Cupcake (Harper), Little Mouse Big Cupcake (Taylor), Clowns on Vacation (Laden)


SHABBAT     Our lesson was all about Hamsa. We showed pictures and talked about some places where we may see a Hamsa. To finish the lesson, we made our own Hamsa bracelet!

REMINDERS     The field trip to Seasons is on March 15; Purim early dismissal March 18

QUOTE OF THE WEEK     During a circle, I was showing the students dinosaur pictures that illustrated how they defend themselves. One child simply stated, "you don't mess with dinosaurs!"