We Love Apples!

For two weeks we have been learning about apples and doing apple themed stations in Math and Literacy.  Check out some of the fun things we've done!

Johnny Appleseed came to visit!

We made applesauce!

Green apples are the favorite!

Our class practiced reading this poem every day.  We made a class book, too!

Science Station:  Observing an apple

What will happen when an apple is put in water?

 

Finally Five!!

Happy Birthday, Lauren!

Apple Picking!

We had beautiful weather for our trip to Ricker Hill Orchard today.  Boys and girls had fun playing in the corn box, hay maze, tunnel slide, and bouncy balls.  We fed bulls, donkeys, and goats.  We had a tour of the packing plant and cider making facilities.  But best of all...we picked yummy apples.  We were taught to twist and roll when we pick apples.  This prevents next year's apple from being picked now.  Look at all the fun we had!

We had a great trip!

Reading Workshop

During our daily Reading Workshop we are learning about how the workshop will be structured.  We start with a reading mini-lesson and then readers go off to "read" their books.  We have learned how to take care of books, the parts of a book, and how to select just right books.  Next we will be learning about the three ways to "read" a book...by looking at the pictures, retelling a familiar book, and reading the words.  After a mini-lesson readers then go off to a quiet spot to enjoy the books from their book basket.  This week I introduced the Listening Station, which will also be an option during our Reading Workshop.

Conner "Reading to Self" from his book basket.

Lewis and Cassius at the Listening Station

Our New Volunteer!

This week our new volunteer, Mrs. Wilson, started helping us.  She will be in our classroom for Literacy Stations and Writing Workshop on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  She also helps in the cafeteria during Kindergarten lunch.  Mrs. Wilson is a HUGE help to us!

Bess the Book Bus visits Oxford

Do you LOVE books as much as I do?  How about FREE books?!  Bess the Book Bus will be at the Citgo Big Apple on route 26 in Oxford on Saturday, September 14 from 10-1.  I visited the book bus when it was in South Paris on Wednesday and got two great new books for the classroom.  Children of all ages can get a free book and bag!!

New books from Bess the Book Bus!  Thank you, Citgo!

Math Stations

Our Math Stations this week are focusing on the Common Core State Standard Counting and Cardinality.  Boys and girls are working on counting and writing numbers.

Sorting buttons

Putting numbers in the correct order on the ipad

Practicing counting with the counting jar

Number writing practice

Exploring color tiles

 Reading Workshop 

During Reading Workshop boys and girls have been learning how to look at books quietly, be book lovers by caring for books, and how to respect other readers.  This week we have been practicing how to Lean and Tell and Turn and Talk with our classmates that sit near us.  The classmates sitting next to each other are called "Elbow Partners." These are important skills for boys and girls to learn so that we can communicate with each other while sitting on the carpet during whole class instruction. 

We Lean and Tell to answer a quick question like:  What's your favorite book?  We Turn and Talk to discuss something like: Why is that your favorite book?

Madison and Tredon practice "Turn and Talk"

More Guest Readers!

Mr. Manjourides, our assistant principal, reading Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons

Matthew, Mrs. Fleming's son,  reading Knuffle Bunny, Too!

Mr. Sincerbeaux Read to Us!

If you haven't read the book Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, you should!  Today Mr. Sincerbeaux read this book to our class.  It's definitely a book to read again and again!!

 Today we practiced a poem that we learned last week.  We put each student's picture into the space as we read the poem.  We then made our own page to put in a class book.

I'm Going to School

I'm going to school.

I'm going to school.

I think I'll see __________ there.

I'm going to school.

Katie's work!

 Day Number Two with my Sweet Sixteen!   

Today we added Literacy Stations to our day.  Our stations this week are  1.  Name Station:  We practiced writing our names with a CAPITAL at the beginning and lower case for the rest of the letters.   They also had to unscramble the letters and glue them back correctly.  2.  Word Work Station:  We are learning the word "I".  3.  ipad Station:  Boys and girls used the Letter Factory app.

This afternoon we practiced handwriting in our Handwriting Without Tears workbooks.  Today's letter was F:  big line down, frog jump, little line at the top, little line in the middle. 

Happy Birthday, Cayson!!

First Day with all of our Kindergarten Friends!

The gang was all here today for the first time.  Everyone did a great job!  
In Math we explored pattern blocks, connecting cubes, and used the ipads.  During Literacy Station time students put stars on the letters in their names.  These will look great on the wall in our classroom!
During Reading Workshop we discussed my expectations...eyes on the teacher, ears listening, being quiet as a mouse, and sitting criss-cross applesauce.  Boys and girls practiced and then drew a picture of themselves "ready to learn"!
Our class had Physical Education today for the first time!  Everyone remembered their sneakers!!!
I'm exhausted...I wonder if the kids are too?!

Star Names