Hair!!

One of our friends from our class was in the paper this week because she cut her hair and donated it for cancer research. We brought the picture to school to show the class and we also brought in the ponytail of hair. We decided to measure the hair to see how long it is. We used lots of different objects in the classroom and found out that the hair is:
1. 4 hands long
2. 8 dragonflies long
3. 13 squares long
4. 8 spiders long

It was great practice for measuring. Some of the rules we discussed when measuring the object are:
1. measure from one end to the other.
2. We found out how important it is not to leave a space in between the objects you are using to measure with to get an accurate measurement.

PRACTISE MEASURING AT HOME!! USE OBJECTS (BUTTONS, CARDS ETC) FROM AROUND THE HOUSE TO MEASURE A SPOON, HAIRBRUSH!! BE CREATIVE!!

This led into the story of Repunzel. The children dramatized the story at the block centre and our co-op student helped them make beautiful locks of hair for the children. They made castles and we could hear the children saying "Repunzel, Repunzel, let down your long hair!"

Here are the Crickets!!!

We are investigating the crickets!!

Crickets!!

Earlier in the week, some children caught crickets during recess time and brought them in to put at the science table. Some of us were standing at the table looking at them with magnifying glasses and heard a chirping sound. During discussion time, I asked the children the question, "How does a cricket chirp?" These are some of the responses:
1. With it's arms
2. It uses it's wings and legs
3. It talks to chirp.
4. A noise comes out of it's body.
5. It uses it's wings that it can't fly with. It has the wrong wings for flying.

We then read the story, "The Very Quiet Cricket" written by Eric Carle and the children discovered through the story that the cricket rubs it's wings together to make the chirping noise. The children brought more crickets into the classroom today and we are listening and hoping that we can see the chirping noise in action!!

Apples!!

Some of the children have brought an apple to school and told us of their apple picking experience. They are very interested in apples right now, so I am asking for your help. We would like to have apples at school to use at painting, at the science centre and to bake with. We will be making apple crisp at school on Monday, Oct. 3. Please have your child bring 2 apples to school for us to use. Thank you for your cooperation!!

Patterning!!

During the last few days, we have been reading the story "Press Here" by Herve Tullet. It is a great story about a little dot that does it's magic when you press or rub the yellow circle. It introduced us to the concept of patterning. We are discussing very basic patterns right now and the children are realizing that a pattern says the same thing over and over again in the same order. At home, continue to discuss patterning around your house. Have your child practise patterning using odds and ends and things around the house. For example you can pattern spoons and forks, big and little buttons etc. Some of the children patterned with paint and with coloured tiles during activity time!!!

We Painted the Shoes!!!!

Pete the Cat

Today we read "Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes" story written by Eric Litwin. The children love the song that goes along with it. You can get a free download of the song and story if you visit the website www.harpercollinschildrens.com/petethecat

Thank you for sending in old pairs of shoes. We are still looking for a few more. The children are going to paint the shoes and then we will be acting out the story Pete the Cat. We sorted the shoes and counted them. So far we have 21 shoes and we sorted the velcro and non-velcro shoes. During the week will be discussing other ways to sort all of these shoes!!

We also graphed how many girls and boys in our class. We discovered that we have more girls in our class. We included Mrs. Shepley and Mrs. Oshar and found out that there are 16 girls and 13 boys for a total of 29 people in our class.

Syllable Awareness

The children are learning about syllables in names and words. We use the song "Head and Shoulders" and it goes like this:

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head and shoulders knees and toes, show me how long the word goes.

We have been practising the syllables in the children' names to see how long the name goes. For example Mrs. Shepley goes all the way to the toes. As you say the name touch head, then shoulders, then knees and toes. Some names stop at the head because it only has one sound. Some stop at the knees because there are 3 sounds. Practise this at home using the names of family members. Try using other words too!!!

First Few Days of School!!

We are off to a great start! We have been very busy exploring the school environment. The children have been in the gym, music room and library. We are learning all of the routines and rules and the children have done very well!!

Reminders:
1. Please label all beongings (containers, shoes etc)
2. Please allow your child to bring a water bottle to keep in their cubby as there is no fountain in the room.
3. Please send in the bag of extra clothes and label it.
4. Return all completed forms as soon as possible.
5. If you pick up your child. please be sure to let one of us know before you go home.
6. Please write a note in the note tote is someone else is picking up your child.

MRS. SHEPLEY'S AND MRS. OSHAR'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS

Welcome to our Kindergarten class blog!  Be sure to check out our blog an a regular basis to see what we are doing at school and for other important information!