Totem Pole Stories

     We had such fun learning about totem poles and creating Totem Pole Stories this week!  You can find this lesson on our "Writing in Kindergarten" lesson book.  This is one of 20 lessons in this book available at Teachers Pay Teachers for $9.00, https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Writing-Activities-An-Entire-Year-of-Lessons-651208

     This year I found an additional book , Whale in the Sky by Anne Sidwell, to use with the lesson.  These and some videos and informational books about totem poles began our understanding of the poles and stories associated with them.

     Once children understood the concept of a "story pole" they each developed a character to portray.  I placed children into groups of 4 and chose one recorder for each group.  They sketched a story using their combined characters.  I then worked with each group separately to revise, edit, and type their story.  They were very proud of this work - we sent a copy home so they could share the work with their families.

     Next, each group developed a dance that ended with a totem shape!  We practiced these and performed them for some of our 6th grade buddies.

     As art extensions, we also made  totem poles with carpet tubes and displayed them along with our stories.  We used designs from Totem Poles to Color & Cut Out: Tlingit by Stephen Brown to color and display.

Enjoy!

     Molly and Laura

     

Hot Chocolate and Ice Cream

     We typically have healthy snacks in our kindergarten classes, but we allow for the occasional treat.  Last week we made and ate ice cream and hot chocolate for a delightful hot and cold snack!

     We make hot chocolate by pouring chocolate milk in a crock pot and warming it up.  Serve with marshmallows!  You might want to have some warm cider available for any children unable to have dairy.

     We made ice cream in a bag by following this recipe:

• In a quart double zip baggie place and seal well 2 T sugar, 1 t vanilla, 2 T evaporated milk, and 1 .cup milk (use almond or coconut milk for any students unable to eat dairy)
• In a gallon freezer double zip baggie place 4 cups of ice and about 1/4 cup rock salt. Place the quart baggie with ingredients in it inside the gallon baggie.  Zip it up well
• Have groups of children shake and pass the baggies - they might want to wear their mittens!  Shake and pass until the milk mixture turns to ice cream.
• One baggie is enough for about 3 children.  We usually make a couple extra baggies worth just in case some of the salt mixture seeps into the inside baggie.  

     As we make and eat, we talk about the ingredients that went into making ice cream.  We talk about our "observations" of the process.  Freezing of the ice cream and melting of the ice cubes and marshmallows are usually top observations.

    

 Then, children wrote about the process in their journals.

     Later, for math, we used a great idea from Mrs. Wood's Kindergarten Class Blog for hot chocolate addition.  Students made a cut out picture of 2 mugs of hot chocolate and place 5 or less marshmallows in each mug.  Then, they write an addition sentence about how many marshmallows they have in both mugs together:)

 

    You may copy our printables below for your class:)

Enjoy!

     Molly and Laura

Martin Luther King, Jr.

     It may seem difficult to teach young children about such a harsh reality as segregation and ignorance of human rights, but the positive spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his kind, powerful words ring true for five and six year olds.  Our classes read and learned some about his life.  They are always amazed that he is a "real" person who was once young too.

     We focused on his "big" words - peace, caring,sharing, together, freedom, love . . .

      After understanding some of the significance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s actions, we began a project to help us show and share our understanding - making faux stained glass art pieces including these important words.

     Our students are very proud of their work and we have been using these words in many school situations since the lesson.

      You can find this complete lesson and 19 others in our book, "A Year of Lessons using Informational Text in Kindergarten" at our Tpt store.  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/An-Entire-Year-of-Kindergarten-Activities-based-on-Informational-Text-1004717

Yours truly,

     Molly & Laura

Experimenting with Matter in Kindergarten

This week we talked about snow and snowflakes and today we conducted an experiment using artificial snow (the just-add-water kind).  

First the children looked at the white matter in their cups and used describing words to tell about it.  Together, we wrote these words on chart paper.  

Then students added a bit of water to their cups and watched the magic happen!  As the matter absorbs thewater, it GROWS to 

"soft and squishy".  

We made another column on our chart paper and again recorded our observations of the matter.  

After a great discussion about the way the matter had changed, children recorded their findings in their writing notebooks.  

Some wrote down the steps we followed in the experiment and others wrote some good adjectives describing the process.  Being a scientist is FUN and hard work!

"I Can Read" Math Problems

    Our students have used the language of story problems and math over the past few months many times.  We are now moving toward solving simple problems independently. One strategy is to give students problems they can read on their own!  
     First, make sure they understand the problem.  Try a similar problem together with a different set of numbers.    Offer manipulatives to help them think through the actions in the problems or drawing materials.  Then, after they know the problem, ask them to solve and show you the problem on their own.
     After their work, try to have time to share their ideas with each other.

        Two sets of "I Can Read" Problems and over 20 more lessons are available in our new book, A Year Full of Understanding Addition and Subtraction.  

     You can purchase it at our Teachers Pay Teachers store:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Right-To-The-Core-Kindergarten



Enjoy!

     Molly

Bulletin Board Ideas

Here are a couple ideas for cooperative art bulletin boards:

Using Wasilly Kandinsky for inspiration, kindergarten students painted using primary colors. Then, they cut a circle from the dry painting and framed it.  Beautiful year-round piece of cooperative art!

While studying texture, students glued uncooked pasta to a light cardboard square.  Later, they were sprayed silver and gold to reflect the song and display the texture.  Great way to bring in the new year!

Enjoy!

Molly C

Three Bears - Informational Text

     My students returned from Holiday Vacation ready to go!  We had learned and retold the story of "Goldilocks and The Three Bears" before vacation.  So, I read a new story, "Alaska's Three Bears" by Shelley Gill and Shannon Cartwright to start this lesson. We compared this book's appearance to those of "The Three Bears" read earlier.  We talked about folktales being a fictional or imaginary stories.  Then, we talked about non-fictional books being about actual facts.  This story is both a story, and has facts about polar bears, grizzly bears, and black bears.  We also found Alaska on our globe and I pointed out the different parts of Alaska that would have polar, grizzly, or black bears.   As we read, we took notes on a chart to help us organize the facts we discovered. 

    After recall and discussion, we broke into groups to draw about the facts we discovered.  I asked them to draw the type of bear we discussed and where it lived including what it needed to eat.  It is really quite amazing how they can get the colors and feeling right about these animals.

     We shared our drawings with each other and made a display for our classroom.  The colors of the polar bear scene made a good introduction to north pole/south pole appearance and our study of penguins!

          For snack, we made bear biscuits!  We took one whole refrigerator biscuit, and 3 small pieces cut from another biscuit rolled for ears and snout to make the bear face.  Then, we used raisins, chocolate chips or craisins to add details.  We served them with honey and they were delicious!!!

     You can find this lesson and 19 more in our Informational Text Book - check it out!  

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/An-Entire-Year-of-Kindergarten-Activities-based-on-Informational-Text-1004717

Enjoy!
     Molly