Classroom Visitors

 We had some special visitors from the Brownell Farm! We are learning about chickens and eggs and our visitors were a perfect hands-on interaction.

Land, Farms & Me

The Land, The Farms and Me is an interdisciplinary unit of study with a goal for students to gain an understanding and appreciation of the many local agricultural and natural resources of the South Hero region. The LFM began in 2002 as a volunteer lead program of field trips and at school “hands-on” activities. The LFM’s activities and trips are planned to enhance the K-4 social studies and science curricula while incorporating literacy, writing and mathematics, while also helping to meet Vermont Grade Level Expectations.  

Last week we began a study of chickens and eggs. Parent volunteers Maia and Meg came in to talk about what we know about chickens and eggs, what we use them for (meat, eggs and feathers) and to do a number of hands-on experiments with eggs.  In our class over half of us have chickens at home! Our next LFM topic is seeds & plants. We will be working in the classroom and outside in the school garden. If you have any early seeds (spinach, peas, etc) please let me know.

 

All About My Egg

 Prediction, observation, data collection, and measurement were our focus in a variety of small-group science activities today.

How Much Space?
We filled a clear cup with water to a line and recorded the level of water. Then we carefully placed an egg in the water and observed what happened to the water level. We talked about how the egg and the water cannot take up the same space at the same time. So the egg pushed the water  out of the way. Then we recorder the new water level.

How Much Weight?
In this exploration we used a balance scale to discover how many bears our eggs weighed. It was tricky to find the perfect balance. We found out that the size of the bears mattered a lot!

How Many Squares?
At this station we looked at a graphed square on our papers and guessed how many squares an egg would cover - whole and partial - and recorded our guesses. Then we traced our eggs and counted to see the actual number of squares.

Spring Weather

 We enjoyed the warm weather we had in March and are hoping it returns soon! Until then, we are celebrating Vermont Spring weather with poetry. Here is the poem we read today:

April Snow

Snow slipped quietly down last night
When the world was fast asleep.
This morning jonquils and hyacinths
Waked up and tired to peep
Over the feathery blanket of white
That covered all the ground.
Branches, bending its weight,
                                                                                     Complained with creaking sounds.
                                                                                     North Wind blew a blustering blast
                                                                                    "I'll chase the snow," he said.
                                                                                    But he couldn't and finally,
                                                                                    Warm Mr. Sun smiled it away instead.
                                                                                                           Jean Horton Berg

                          

Shelburne Farms

We had a fabulous time at Shelburne Farms yesterday! We were divided into two groups and each group was able to participate in a variety of hands-on activities inside and outside to learn about sheep and lambs and what we use from them. Outside activities included observing and interacting with the lambs and sheep as well as other farm animals, feeding a baby lamb, touring the farm-yard, and playing farmer/sheep tag. While inside we were able to make our own felt balls with wool and then rotate between many stations replicating the process of  wool from sheep to product (washing, drying, carding, spinning and selling wool products). Thank you to Shelburne Farms for the fantastic, informational  field trip and to the many parent chaperones who were able to join us!

Poetry in the Kindergarten

We wrote our first poem together today! Here it is:

Easter, Easter, so much fun,

A holiday, my favorite one.

Finding eggs; 1, 2, 3,

There is one up in the tree!

I visit family Easter day,

We really like to play!

When the day is done,

We think about all the fun!

When we finished writing we made bunnies with out feet as the tracer for the body. I am sure they will earn a spot on refrigerators in many homes tonight! Have a happy weekend!

Fundations

 We are building CVC words during Fundations! All year we have been working on letter identification, sound-symbol correspondance and formation. We will continue to practice these skills, while also adding a few more like building words. In this activity students listen to a word, tap the sounds in the word, echo the word, spell it with letter tiles, check it together and clear the deck to start a new word.