Friday, May 28, 2021

Flying fish presentation

 


Livio was happy to take his position in the blue chair and share his expertise on flying fish.
What eats them, and what they eat.  What part of the world you can find a lot of them and most importantly how they fly.


We made a variety of smoothies today using fresh fruit, juice and yogurt.  Everyone got the opportunity to help chop up fruit and switch the blender on.



Ms Vandervorste,  Mr Goeddeke the Kindergarten teachers, and Ms. DeRosa one of the teaching assistants joined us on the playground and answered all of the questions that our PK children had compiled.


Ms Vandervorste

Mr. Goeddeke
.                                                       



Ms. DeRosa



QUESTIONS
What fruit did we add to the smoothies?
What facts do you remember about flying fish?
What did you learn about Kindergarten?

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Boats

Friday morning the Kindergarten teachers will be joining us to answer questions that PK students have regarding Kindergarten.   Usually we set up a time where we can visit their classrooms and spend time playing with the current Kindergartners.  Of course this year that is not possible.  

We understand  our students can become a little worried and teary as they realize we only have a few days left before the end of school,   Dealing with change can be hard for all of us. Worry can creep in about how things will be different and the same.   We will continue to talk about Kindergarten addressing friends questions and concerns as we go. 

This is the list we have compiled to ask Mr Goeddeke, Ms Vandervorste and Ms DeRosa on Friday.   We will continue to add to it tomorrow.

Lucy: Are we going to do art in Kindergarten?

Charlotte: Do we go to the Library and do we do clay?

Farrah: Do we get to ask for a hug?

Max: Do they have big blocks?

Charlotte: At birthdays do we do anything special?

Jenna: Do we do writing?

Charlotte: Do they have small blocks?

Anne: Do they have lofts?

Lucy and Kaia: Do they have dress up?

Livio: Do they have inventions? Whiteboard and projector?

Jenna: Do they have cots?

Max: Do they sleep on mats?

Farrah: Do they have animal cards and animals?

Grace: Do they have snack?

I am assuming you may also have questions about next year.  Please feel free to email me.

           

 First thing this morning  Livio decided to build a boat in big blocks, Max and Eli helped.              Coincidentally we had set up a boat making station at the sensory table.  



We discussed what would make a good base for a boat and what else we would need to add to make it stable.  Did it float or sink?  How many gummy bears or people can get on the boat and still float?



Quite a few students came over throughout the morning to test their engineering skills.


Harlan and Max transferred their love of ship building in the small blocks to the water table.  Having a battle with their boats.  Asking if they could borrow a couple of their friends boats to complete their armada.



We opened the playground up as a work choice.  Mila has been working hard trying to hang from the bars upside down, no hands.  She was so proud of her achievement and has blisters on her hands to prove how much work it took to achieve her goal.  Mila also shared the need to keep her shirt up over her belly.  I'm still not sure how her shirt managed to defy gravity.



At the end of the morning we read a book about red pandas.


We learned what red pandas eat, and what eats them,  where they live, how big they are and how many cubs they can have.

Eli: Also they eat celery.

We discussed that humans were cutting down their homes so there are endangered.

Max turned to Eli: You need to talk to everybody when you're grown up about them being endangered. 

Anne: I didn't know they ate bamboo

Charlotte: I didn't know anything about red pandas

A lot of friends agreed with Charlottes comment

Grace: How many pages are there? 
















Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Grappling hooks


Grappling hooks continued to be a popular choice.  Grace decided she wanted to make one and showed Anne how to create one.   


 Then the moment of truth testing them out. 

                               Grace and Anne managed to throw their grappling hook  into the loft going between the bars.  Impressive!  Grace was very happy, as she noted "It took a long time, but I did it."









The class has enjoyed working with clay wanting to continue creating with this medium even after completing their animal.  Lucy made blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. while others made cookies and tacos.


                                             

                                         At story time we read a book about black panthers and about pigs.






QUESTIONS

What did you have for snack today?

Can you remember one of the Z words we added today?








Monday, May 24, 2021

Black panther presentation


We continued work on our clay animals.  Moving from an option to a have to.  We should complete them by tomorrow.  Giving them time to dry before firing them in the kiln.





 

We had a group of students that were having fun deciding new ways to escape from school.  We discussed what items they would need and they came up with a plan to make grappling hooks.  



          Using popsicle sticks, duct tape and ribbon or twine.  Successfully testing them out on the loft.  







At the end of the morning Farrah did her Black Panther presentation.  Sharing what she had learned and answering friends questions.


QUESTIONS

Name one fact that Farrah shared about panthers?

How do you use 'slip' when working with clay?


If you look on Seesaw you will your child's self portraits in a video clip alongside their friends.  All 4 self portraits are displayed.  Play-doh, collage, model magic, and painting. The class did an amazing job!












I added a few photos from last Friday



Practicing with cellos and violins





Wednesday, May 19, 2021

ANIMALS


Today friends could choose to come over to the clay table and make a representation of their animal.  
We had a lot of interest.  

Flying fish



kitty

                                      







Max created the Minnesota zoo in big blocks.  He made a tiger enclosure.  
One for adult tigers and one for their babies.  




Problem! There was not enough space for everyone to play.   


Max agreed to make the area larger so that all the tigers could be together.  Friends cooperated with each other to rebuild.


They were so happy to squeeze into the enclosure together. Happy tigers!







Yesterday we celebrated Lucy's 5th birthday at school.  Her real birthday is on the 23rd.




       Everyone sang Happy Birthday, and gave birthday wishes mostly involving unicorns.  
We ended our celebration with a strawberry popsicle.





The last couple of days we have read books about Koalas, Pandas and we found another version of the Three little pigs called The three little Superpigs. This version started where most of the three little pig books ended.


 




QUESTIONS
What wish did you give to Lucy for her birthday?
Why were the three little pigs Superpigs?
What happened to the big bad wolf?


Henry and Maxi practicing their lightsaber skills

Grace and Maddie practicing their writing skills

Ren and Farrah researching lots of different animals


What happens to soap and water when you mix it for a long time?



                                                                       Lots and lots of bubbles!




Mustard and ketchup laser eyes defeats anybody with a lightsaber


So many different ways the marble can go


Playing house

Reading


Setting the table for dinner






Questions of the day "What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?" and "What is your favorite number?"