Kindergarten Class Summaries |
February
Landforms
Our Kindergarten scientists have continued to explore landforms, a topic they began in their classrooms. To date, they have focused on these basic forms:
rivers, oceans, hills and mountains.
It will be interesting to see how they create the one of the landforms using clay. Look for pictures of this lab coming soon.
Landforms
Our Kindergarten scientists have continued to explore landforms, a topic they began in their classrooms. To date, they have focused on these basic forms:
rivers, oceans, hills and mountains.
It will be interesting to see how they create the one of the landforms using clay. Look for pictures of this lab coming soon.
January
Five Senses
All the science lessons this month have been related to the five senses. Our young scientists have identified common scents like cinnamon, vinegar, vanilla and others using only their nose. The nose knows! They have also explored the sense of sight using a paper lens that hopefully arrived home for further exploration. What's that sound? They were great detectives identifying recorded common sounds like doorbells, sneezes, and each others' voices!
One connection you may like to try at home is a blindfolded walk near home to heighten awareness of the senses other than site. Guiding your child to listen, smell, and feel all there is to experience encourages good scientific observation.
Five Senses
All the science lessons this month have been related to the five senses. Our young scientists have identified common scents like cinnamon, vinegar, vanilla and others using only their nose. The nose knows! They have also explored the sense of sight using a paper lens that hopefully arrived home for further exploration. What's that sound? They were great detectives identifying recorded common sounds like doorbells, sneezes, and each others' voices!
One connection you may like to try at home is a blindfolded walk near home to heighten awareness of the senses other than site. Guiding your child to listen, smell, and feel all there is to experience encourages good scientific observation.
December
Our Five Senses
The kinder-scientist are using their five senses to explore their world and become more aware, an idea from the book My Five Senses by Aliki. They began with a day of relying on their sense of touch. Blue feely bags held a variety of small objects with unique textures and shapes. Click on the Kindergarten Gallery botton above to see some the objects as well as the expressions of wonder as the children guessed what they were touching.
Home connection
Kindergarteners brought home a bonus activity to explore objects and tape them to their paper. The "Feely Board" is now displaying some of their findings! It's not too late to join in. Extra sheets of the "Home Connection" are available at the Kindergarten information white board in front of the classrooms.
Our Five Senses
The kinder-scientist are using their five senses to explore their world and become more aware, an idea from the book My Five Senses by Aliki. They began with a day of relying on their sense of touch. Blue feely bags held a variety of small objects with unique textures and shapes. Click on the Kindergarten Gallery botton above to see some the objects as well as the expressions of wonder as the children guessed what they were touching.
Home connection
Kindergarteners brought home a bonus activity to explore objects and tape them to their paper. The "Feely Board" is now displaying some of their findings! It's not too late to join in. Extra sheets of the "Home Connection" are available at the Kindergarten information white board in front of the classrooms.
November
Sessions #6 and #7
Our Kindergarten scientists explored the textures, shapes and colors of a wide variety of leaves. They looked closely with a magnifying hand lens. The technique is tricky, but they're learning to hold the lens close to the object for a clear, magnified view.
They also colored their own leaves, wrote in their notebooks about fall, explored books about leaves, and reviewed the pumpkin life cycle with a game with a partner. They've been busy!
A special thank you to Erin Whiting and Steve Gerken for their faithful help in the Exploratorium. The Kinders really thrive with a bit of extra help, especially when it comes to writing or using a microscope.
Sessions #6 and #7
Our Kindergarten scientists explored the textures, shapes and colors of a wide variety of leaves. They looked closely with a magnifying hand lens. The technique is tricky, but they're learning to hold the lens close to the object for a clear, magnified view.
They also colored their own leaves, wrote in their notebooks about fall, explored books about leaves, and reviewed the pumpkin life cycle with a game with a partner. They've been busy!
A special thank you to Erin Whiting and Steve Gerken for their faithful help in the Exploratorium. The Kinders really thrive with a bit of extra help, especially when it comes to writing or using a microscope.
October 18
Session #5
Lesson #2 for the pumpkin life cycle included examining the contents of a harvested pumpkin and creating a sequencing activity. They have cards to put the each of the stages of a pumpkin's life cycle in order.
Have a moment to stop by the science lab? You'll find a huge pumpkin vine bulletin board featuring the many pumpkins made by our Kinders.
Session #5
Lesson #2 for the pumpkin life cycle included examining the contents of a harvested pumpkin and creating a sequencing activity. They have cards to put the each of the stages of a pumpkin's life cycle in order.
Have a moment to stop by the science lab? You'll find a huge pumpkin vine bulletin board featuring the many pumpkins made by our Kinders.
October 11
Session #4
The life cycle of a pumpkin
Kindergarten scientists observed the unique attributes of several pumpkins and learned that they grow from a predicable life cycle:
seed - sprout - vine - flower - green pumpkin - ripe pumpkin
Parent helpers assisted students with the microscope so the details of the seeds and flowers could be seen up close. They take their work very seriously when they wear their lab coats!
Session #4
The life cycle of a pumpkin
Kindergarten scientists observed the unique attributes of several pumpkins and learned that they grow from a predicable life cycle:
seed - sprout - vine - flower - green pumpkin - ripe pumpkin
Parent helpers assisted students with the microscope so the details of the seeds and flowers could be seen up close. They take their work very seriously when they wear their lab coats!
October 5
Session #3
Check out the incredible new arrival to the milkweed just outside the Exploratorium in Room 20! A monarch butterfly chrysalis! The Kindergarten scientists learned many more details about the life of butterflies during their session this week.
Next time your family visits the library, have a look at the great assortment of Magic School Bus books. I've been told I have a striking resemblance to Ms. Frizzle!
Session #3
Check out the incredible new arrival to the milkweed just outside the Exploratorium in Room 20! A monarch butterfly chrysalis! The Kindergarten scientists learned many more details about the life of butterflies during their session this week.
Next time your family visits the library, have a look at the great assortment of Magic School Bus books. I've been told I have a striking resemblance to Ms. Frizzle!
September 20
Session #2
The Kinders second week in the Exploratorium included their first use of a science tool - a magnifying hand lens. They studied a fabric leaf up close and drew the textures they saw. Their mini-lab report was added to their science notebook, a collection of all their science discoveries throughout the year.
The milkweed at our door has attracted some adult monarchs. Some our our Kinders showed the chubby caterpillars to their families after school. Thankfully, science learning doesn't end with the bell to go home!
Session #2
The Kinders second week in the Exploratorium included their first use of a science tool - a magnifying hand lens. They studied a fabric leaf up close and drew the textures they saw. Their mini-lab report was added to their science notebook, a collection of all their science discoveries throughout the year.
The milkweed at our door has attracted some adult monarchs. Some our our Kinders showed the chubby caterpillars to their families after school. Thankfully, science learning doesn't end with the bell to go home!
September 13
Session #1
The kindergarteners did not want to leave the Exploratorium! They were ready to use the microscope, the scales, the binoculars - you name it, they wanted to try it!
They prepared a title page for their science notebook, an interactive notebook modified just for them. They'll use it throughout the year to record their learning and discoveries.
Session #1
The kindergarteners did not want to leave the Exploratorium! They were ready to use the microscope, the scales, the binoculars - you name it, they wanted to try it!
They prepared a title page for their science notebook, an interactive notebook modified just for them. They'll use it throughout the year to record their learning and discoveries.