Colorful Critters

The students really enjoyed studying colors. We focused on learning about primary colors, reading color words, mixing colors, and noticing the colors that illustrators choose to set the mood of a story. We read several fun color stories. The students' favorites were Mouse Paint and Pete the Cat.

The children also loved Little Blue Truck. I snuck this one in... it's main focus isn't color - but kindness. We have read it a few times as a class and it has quickly become a favorite choice during our Daily 5: Read to Self time.

After reading Mouse Paint the children used primary colored oil pastels to draw mice. It was fun to watch how each child approached the task and to observe their reactions as they mixed the colors to make new ones.

I love being greeted by these colorful critters as I walk to my classroom each morning.

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Kindergarten Afternoons... a special message from Hunter

This is my kindergarten friend, Hunter.

He wrote me this special message last week:

Hunter's message made me smile. :)

It made me think of all of the fun activities that we get to do together in the afternoon.

The students enjoy:

Daily 5- Read to Self, Read to a Friend, Listen to Reading, Word Work, and Work on Writing

Drawing Journals

Games

Special Activity

Cooking

Art

Building

Math and Science Notebooks

Painting

Computers

Read Alouds

Writing Celebrations

Nature Walks

Sculpting

Singing and Dancing

Free Choice

and so much more!

Check out some of our adventures:

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KINDERGARTEN FRIENDS:

Leave me a message! What is your favorite part of our afternoons together? I can't wait to hear from you!

Mrs. Rider

Scrapbook Santas, Mrs. Claus, and Elves, Oh My!

One of my favorite bloggers, from First Grade Parade, posted her students' Scrapbook Santas last week. They are adorable!

I couldn't wait for my kindergarten friends to make these because I knew how much they enjoyed creating their Scrapbook Turkeys and I loved how unique each one turned out. I knew this activity would allow my students to be creative. Sure enough as I showed them the idea for Scrapbook Santas they immediately asked if they could make Mrs. Claus and/or the Elves too.

I love all of their creative ideas and I love my Growing Artists!

Gingerbread Houses

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The children enjoyed building and eating Gingerbread Houses this week.

SNOW!

It was such a delight to watch my kindergarten friends play outside during our first official snowfall today. The mulch on the playground was just covered a bit- but they all danced, ran, and laughed with the greatest excitement as the snow fell. It was a joy to watch!

Count and See

Please check out one of our newest class books:

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The students were inspired by Tana Hoban's book, Count and See.

They enjoyed finding and counting fun objects around the room and loved being in charge of taking the photographs.

Great job kindergarten friends!

Thanksgiving Celebration

I am so thankful for the wonderful children in my class this year. They amaze and inspire me daily. We hosted a fun Thanksgiving Celebration on Monday. All of the kindergarten children sang and played xylophones and then we welcomed families back to the classroom to make a craft and eat special snacks together. It was such a special time for all!

A few highlights from the celebration:

This scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

Thankful Wordle

We are THANKFUL for so many things...

Check out the wordle my students made today:

*Click on the wordle box to zoom in. Ask your child which word they used. *

Alphabet Under Construction - Now Complete!

Alphabet Under Construction ...

Our Alphabet is Complete!!

The students worked really hard.... and have learned all of the letter sounds. As a class we brainstormed a list of objects to glue onto large cardboard letters and then the students went to work! They really enjoyed this project and it was wonderful to watch each student take ownership of their part of the project- from choosing their letters and collage materials to deciding how to showcase their letter with a fun pose. It was a lot of fun and a great learning project for the students!

Check out our Awesome Alphabet:

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The Cutest Turkeys on Planet Earth!

My son, Scott, and one of my kindergarten friends, Emma, said that these are "the cutest turkeys on planet earth" so it must be true!

The students used fun scrapbook paper to make their turkey's beautiful feathers.

They all just L-O-V-E-D creating these funky turkeys and I love the fact that no 2 turkeys are the same.

Some of the students wrote signs for their turkeys to hold.

Some of their signs said:

Please don't eat me.

Eat more insects.

Eat cake, not me.

Eat other turkeys.

Eat more candy.

Don't eat me.

Eat lollipops.

List Books

I am so proud of the work that my Kindergarten students are doing in Writer's Workshop. I love the fact that they write EVERYDAY about topics that interest them... no wonder they LOVE WRITING so much!! (Hooray!!!)

Here are some pictures from our List Book Celebration. The children enjoyed sharing their list books with their friends in our beautiful butterfly garden and eating the special snacks that they requested.

Way to go Kindergarten Friends!! I am so proud of all of you!

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Totem Poles

*image from: totempole.net

We've been studying Native Americans and their traditions.

The children were very interested in learning more about Totem Poles so we conducted some research.

Here are some of the websites that we used to gather information:

Multiculturalism in BC

Common Totem Pole Figures

We decided to build our own totem pole, so we watched a couple of short clips from You Tube to get ideas.

Amazing Totem Poles

*Be careful: Emily said she loved these totem poles so much that she almost fainted!*

Totem Poles

After watching these, we listed some of the animals and designs that we found the most interesting. The students then divided up into groups according to their interests.

Next, students sketched their ideas.

Today they all painted their beautiful designs.

Tomorrow we will celebrate by having a Totem Pole Raising Ceremony.

We can't wait to share our finished Totem Pole!!!