Our first full week of school was awesome!
We kicked off Monday with our first Writer's Workshop. I gave the students their writing journals, and asked them to write or draw any type of story they wanted. We also began learning about the block corner. Each day this week we learned how to take out, play with, and put away a different material or block. By the end of the week, the students were experts at the block corner!
We read the book How Full is Your Bucket. The book talks about how everyone has an invisible bucket that you can fill by being kind and a good friend, or you can dip by being mean or not following directions. The students really understood this language, and I heard many of them saying "you filled my bucket today!".
We kicked off Monday with our first Writer's Workshop. I gave the students their writing journals, and asked them to write or draw any type of story they wanted. We also began learning about the block corner. Each day this week we learned how to take out, play with, and put away a different material or block. By the end of the week, the students were experts at the block corner!
We read the book How Full is Your Bucket. The book talks about how everyone has an invisible bucket that you can fill by being kind and a good friend, or you can dip by being mean or not following directions. The students really understood this language, and I heard many of them saying "you filled my bucket today!".
On Tuesday we began learning about our names. We read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, and talked about how our names make us special- and how everyone is different and unique! We counted and graphed the number of letters in our name, and then made our names by tearing and gluing colored paper. They turned out great, you can see them at Open House! We then had more block corner and free play time.
On Wednesday we read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. The students took turns putting letters on our coconut tree as we read them. They then made their own coconut trees, putting in order the letters of their name. Again, you can see their creations at Open House. We ended our day with time outside.
Thursday we read Only One You by Linda Kranz. Each student said something that was special they could do such as swimming in the deep end or helping take care of their little brother. We then talked about how even though we all were special and different, we all have things in common also. We painted our rock fish and they turned out so cute! We also learned how to play outside on the courtyard (our KinderGARDEN) and enjoyed the cooler weather and playing in nature.
Friday we read a Hawaiian story called "Humu", about a fish who wanted only one color like all the other fish in the ocean. In the end, he realized all his colors made him special, and all his friends liked him no matter what he looked like. We talked about how we all look different, but it is what inside of us that counts. The students drew and painted their own unique fish! We ended our week with play time.
It has been so wonderful getting to know the students and watching their friendships with each other blossom.
Our next two weeks will be "colors, a study in identity". We have a lot of fun projects coming up!
Our next two weeks will be "colors, a study in identity". We have a lot of fun projects coming up!