We enjoyed a rich lesson about ecosystems in Four Winds early in the week. We learned that trees are important, even after they've died. They provide habitats for animals. Over time and through different stages, different critters benefit from the dead trees. A dead tree becomes a new ecosystem over time.
Certain animals play a big part in decaying trees. These critters find homes and food in dead trees: salamanders, sap sucker bird, worms, carpenter ants, termites/
A very important scientist brought her time machine into our classroom to show us what happens to a dead tree over many years.
She put a log in the time machine...
Over the passage of time, 4 years, and with the helpf elements and insects, the log changed.
4 more years and many more changes...
...4 years later the tree is decomposing and turning into dirt.
We ventured outside to explore some dead trees! We found bugs, worms, and other signs of ecosystems.
Mrs. Brady joined us for a literacy lesson early in the week. She read, I know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. She talked about how it is an "Adding on" story with lots of rhyming! Children love to read books that are repetitive and predicatble.
A theme/literacy activity. Cute turkeys and a fun poem.
Putting sentences into order.
There were several new 123 activities this week. Forward and backward counting (starting from random numbers) strengthens number sense and carinality.
We are also working a lot on teen numbers, and the main idea that they are made of "ten and some more".
We learned the word "can" this week. In ABC children practiced writing by finishing sentences that start with "I can...". They are paying close attention to adding spaces between words and ending sentences with periods.
"Which Bug Will Win" was a new math game the children enjoyed this week. The main mathematical concepts include counting on from 5, probability and collecting data.
Numerals and Number Racks was another new math game. Children practiced building quantities after drawing numeral cards from a deck.
Mrs. Brady visited again to read a follow up to her first lesson. The children were delighted to see that this book followed the same pattern as the original book :) It was also and adding on, rhyming book.
Mrs. Brady also brought a book for the book making station during work board. The children illustrated their own "I Know and Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" books.
We enjoyed a puppet who on bullying. The children were engaged and soaked up some important take aways on how to be kind friends and what to do if they see or experience bullying.
Children practiced "before number" work in 123.
In ABC children practiced reading and writing sight words in the "Word Wall Roll" group.
A fun literacy activity!
And yet another follow up literacy time with Mrs. Brady! This book was really silly!
The children were excited to label the parts of a turkey during Morning Message time!
Later in the week during math, the children matched ten frames, numeral cards and tallies.
In FUNdations we are practicing kindergarten letter formation.
Thank you for a fun and BUSY week!!!
