Winter

Happy New Year!  Everyone was excited to be back at school after a long winter break.  We celebrated with a new year's countdown in which we held onto a parachute, counted backwards from ten and then shook the parachute tossing balloons into the air.

Winter

This month's theme is winter.  So far we have talked about the winter season and our observations, winter weather and clothing we wear in winter.  We did an in depth study of snowflakes learning how they are made and watching a slow motion video of a snowflake forming.  We talked about how snowflakes get their shape, the different types of snowflake shapes (star, plate and column) and how a snowflake's shape determines the type of snow (wet, fluffy, packable).

Math Concepts:

While we are always practicing number recognition and counting, this month we are also focusing on shapes.  We have reviewed different shapes and their names through games such as "Simon Says Shapes" where children perform different activities as they move to a shape (tiptoe to a square).  We have also performed some rhymes and gone on shape hunts.  Students explored how smaller shapes can be combined to make larger shapes as show below with squares.  The children are practicing drawing shapes in their workbooks, but also drawing shapes to make representational pictures.  Below, some students traced shapes on our light table to make pictures.  Finally, we have used shapes in our art projects.  Students created snowflakes using pattern block shapes.  

 

 

 

Literacy

This month we have focused on a variety of literacy concepts.  While we continue to learn our letters and sounds during Fundations lessons, students have also been introduced to compound words, syllables, and beginning sounds.

In addition, this month we have been discussing how letters, when put together make words and these words make up sentences.  Through poems and songs, the children have been pointing to words in our pocket chart.  Also, we count words in a sentence orally, using chips or having the students stand up for each word.

During storytime, we have focused on story retell and sequencing.  Using pictures and objects, students work together to retell a story in its correct sequence.  This skill is also used as students tell how to build a snowman or how to make hot chocolate.  Below, students retold the story of The Mitten by Jan Brett using toy animals.

 

 

Circle Time

During circle time the students engage in theme-related activities.  Below students sorted between clothing worn in winter and clothing not worn in winter.  Students also created a graph comparing who wears mittens and who wears gloves to school.

Free Play

Students fished for letters to spell out winter words from our word wall.

Children played our large version of Candyland.

Each student in the class helped to make snow for their sensory bin using fake snow and water.  The children enjoyed watching the snow "grow" with water.  We talked about how the snow feels- wet, cold, fluffy.

Children put their engineering skills to work as they created marble runs.

Our class loves puzzles.  They were eager to try some of the new puzzles of Disney characters.

The children tried to recreate winter objects using rubber bands on the geoboard.

They also practiced number recognition and counting skills as they counted snowflakes on cards and matched the total to numbers on a snowman.

 

Puzzle and Book Time

After snack each day students have the opportunity to explore books in their book box or put together simple wooden puzzles.  They enjoy this independent, quiet time.

Art

The children completed many winter related art projects these past two weeks including painting snowflakes and winter scenes, designing snowflakes, and following steps to create a "catch a snowflake" picture.

 

Martin Luther King Jr.

In an effort to introduce students to Martin Luther King Jr. and to spread his message of kindness and equality for all, we watched a video as a class, listened to a song about MLK Jr. that included photographs and read the story I Am Enough by Grace Byers.  See links below.

After discussing the videos and book, and focusing on being kind to everyone, I asked the children what their dreams were for how people should treat one another.  Below are the pictures the students drew and what they said.  The children also made heart shaped dream catchers to hang up and remind them about their dream.

Resources:

 

Civil Rights video

MLK Song

I am Enough

More Holidays Around the World

We concluded our study of our five senses with scented paints and a discussion about our sense of taste. The children had the chance to participate in a taste test to see which tastes they enjoy most- sweet, sour, salty, or bitter.  Below are pictures of the children biting into bitter black licorice.

This is our class graph showing which tastes were favored by the students.

Centers

During centers the children had a variety of activities to choose from including water beads, a roll and cover math game, beginning sounds, activities, creating patterns, counting and cutting.  Below students are at the writing table creating cards for family members.

Students also practiced letter identification as they went on a letter scavenger hunt around the room.

Our math discussions led us to talking about the concepts of heavy and light.  The children were introduced to a balance scale as a way to compare two items.  

Also available during free play were Magnatiles (with jingle bells), and a present wrapping station.  This provided great fine motor work between cutting, folding and taping.

Students used playdoh to create letters and cookie cut outs.

New this past month, the Leader of the Day has taken on the responsibility of leading the class in reciting the letters of the alphabet, their key words and their sounds.  Children then use magnetic boards, chalkboards and wooden pieces to make letters.

Our Holidays Around the World study opened our eyes to the African American holiday of Kwanzaa.  As with previous holidays, we made the connection to lights and the children learned about the Kinara, which is lit each of the nights of Kwanzaa.  They then created their own Kinara out of paper. Finally, the children took turns lighting the candles on the class Kinara as we learned what each one stands for while reading the book My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz.

During our study of Hanukkah, we played the Dreidel game.

Our study of the holiday Las Posadas also included a tale about the origin of the pointsettia.  Students then created their own star-shaped flower using tissue paper.  This is another great fine motor activity to strengthen finger muscles needed for writing.

It was certainly a treat to have snow to play in for so many days!

We had a wonderful time during our winter party just before vacation.  The children enjoyed building structures with gumdrops, played bingo, broke open a pinata, decorated gingerbread cookies and celebrated a friend's 5th birthday!

When we learned about Las Posadas, we discussed how each night neighbors and family had a fiesta and during the party the children would get to break open a pinata.  The students and I made our own pinata out of crepe paper and a cardboard box.  We stuffed it with treats and then the children had a blast trying to break it open.

The children also decorated gingerbread cookies.

Finally, they all practiced their drawing and listening skills as we did a directed drawing of a reindeer.  It is so amazing to see how different each of the reindeer turned out.