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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Clifford's Birthday


 The CLIFFORD & Friends Unit is one of my favorites.
The major emphasis of this unit is "friendly letters". The unit kicks off when a HUGE envelope and letter arrive at school. The children are elated to find out that CLIFFORD, the BIG, RED DOG has written to them asking for them to be PEN PALS. The children are elated and quickly write a letter back to Clifford in which we "mail" from school. A few days later, another letter from Clifford arrives, but this time, it comes by way of the US Postal Service to their home. 
 
Since Clifford's birthday is on Valentine's Day, it only seems natural to celebrate both holidays together. After all, Valentine's Day is the biggest card writing day of the year AND it is FULL of RED. The kinders dress up like little puppies and enjoy a snack of "PUPPY CHOW" that they have to eat without using their paws.
 
 


Dr. Seuss' Birthday Celebration

 
 

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Friday, March 21, 2014

WELCOME to the JUNGLE!


 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 





Kindergarten Survivor Tribes

Tribe Challenges
Each day the children earn points for working collaboratively to complete tasks that focus around reading, writing and math.
The tribe with the most points at the end of the week, earns "Clean Up Immunity" for the day.
 
 
Rainforest Research Reports

The KinderCuties were asked to research a rainforest animal of their choosing at home with their family. Then, their information was published and they illustrated it. The final step was to present their information to their peers.


 
Labeling the 4 Layers of the Rainforest & Postcards from the Jungle

 

Evaporation Experiment

Precipitation Experiment


 


Jungle Shakers


TPT RESOURCES
Click on the Pictures
Rainforest Math and Literacy Fun
Rainforest Math and Literacy Fun by Melissa Freshwater
 

Fun at the Zoo! Math and Literacy Activities
Fun at the Zoo by Growing Kinders
 

Addition and Subtraction: Common Core Kindergarten Math- Unit 4
Wild About Addition and Subtraction by Kindergarten Squared
 

Monkey Memory (Math Concentration Game) 
Monkey Memory by Andrea Knight
 
 
 
 
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Monday, March 17, 2014

From GIANTS to LEPRECHAUNS


We started the month off with a mysterious beanstalk sprouting in the middle of our classroom. I have a REALLY hard time just reading the traditional version of Jack and the Beanstalk, because Jack gets away with being lazy and stealing, so....I use the pictures in the book, Look Out, Jack! The Giant Is Back!, to tell a different version.

 
 

In my version, the giant gets his golden treasures back and the children discover that the only reason the giant seems so grumpy is because he is in desperate need of a pedicure. The children problem solve ways for the giant to take care of his ENORMOUS feet and then they send him a letter of suggestions.

The giant is so grateful that he sneaks down the beanstalk at night and leaves the children some magic beans and a golden egg, along with evidence of TWO POWDERED FOOTPRINTS. The children make predictions of what the beans will sprout, and the day that they do...they hear a MYSTERIOUS STOMPING on the roof of the school ( Shhhh....Thanks, Janitor Jim!).



As soon as the giant returns to his castle in the clouds, our classroom was invaded by tiny little green footprints and lots of MESSES! Every day that we came in, there was more evidence of mischief. Soon, the children decided that enough was enough.  They made a plan to catch the leprechauns with traps.
The KinderCuties learned all about engineering during our science time and then drew their own blueprints for Leprechaun Traps. They took their blueprints home and built traps to bring to school. It took some work, but they finally caught their leprechauns who paid for their freedom with GOLD CANDY. The whole unit is filled with excitement and great problem solving activities.
 


 
 
 
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