Important Dates

Please check out the "Important Class Announcements" Section for a list of important dates in November. It's going to be a busy month.

More Meal Worms

Our meal worms are beginning the process of turning into beetles again.

The students are very excited. Check back soon to see our beetles.

Writing at the Block Centre

Since our discussion with the class about architects and what they do we have been seeing a lot more writing occurring at our block centre.

See updated pages

The November newsletter is posted and also a few important announcements. Please see the correct sections to get further information. Thanks.

New Important Class Announcement

Please check under New Important Class Announcement for an important note.

Green Acres

The students had a wonderful day at Green Acres today! The weather was sunny and it was a beautiful, crisp, fall day. Thank you to all parent volunteers that came with us. We could not do these trips without you. So once again thank-you.

We saw some goats.

I got to hold a bunny!

The kids enjoyed a wagon ride.

We saw how pumpkins were carved.

There were so many pumpkins to choose from to take home

The Inquiry about Birds Continues

Today we the students read a book about birds and all the things they use to make their nests. The students learned that birds often use anything they can find to build their nests including: twigs, sticks, dead leaves, yarn, string, animal hair, feathers, pine needles, straw, spider web silk, pebbles and even dental floss! The students went outside and were given another challenge. Today's challenge was to build a nest that would protect an egg when the wind blew. Students were given some string this time to help build a stronger nest.

Adding string to make his next strong

 Students were given plastic eggs to put in their nests. We used a folded box as "the wind" to experiment what makes a strong nest.

 B.W. put his egg in the middle of the nest. This led to a great class discussion of what birds do to protect their own eggs in their real nests. After seeing this, M.C. decided she would protect her egg by making a nest under the picnic table where no animals would find it!

The discussions we had were amazing. What was even more impressive was the learning that happened and how students built on each others' learning.

Creating Surveys

Today two different students created class surveys on their own. They went around the class and asked what everyone's favourite colour was. Afterwards, the 2 students presented the information they found. We had a class discussion on what their next steps could be. Also, we had a conversation about how surveys are used in the real world (e.g., Earl Beatty is surveying parents if they prefer to get mail via the Thursday folder or via email).

Other Examples of Making Connections

Over the past few days we have been reading some "Bear" books and the students have been making many text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections.

Ask your child about the connections they thought of when we read the following books:

Halloween Haunted House

Today we received a very special door for our Haunted House centre. The students were very excited to see this new door. Thank you to J.M.'s parents for thinking of us. It's much appreciated!!!

Making Connections

The students have been focusing on making connections when reading. This is a strategy all readers (including adults) often use. Students are learning that when they read a book it may sometimes make them think of another book. This is called making a text-to-text connection. Often when we read, it makes us think of something in our own life. This type of connection is called text-to-self. Finally, there are also text-to-world connections that readers make when the book they are reading makes them think of the world around them. Use the picture below and see how well your child can remember some of the connections we made in class.

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Please Check the Important Class Announcement Section

There is a new announcement under the "Important Class Announcement Section". Please check.

Paperless Communication

Just a reminder to parents who have said that they would prefer to have classroom communication communicated through our website:

Please remember to check under the "Important Class Announcements" section of our website. 

On our main page you will see the title of our website (Kids Learning Through Play) and under the headings:

Home - which is where all the posts of the learning that is happening in our classroom is located
Calendar - where you can find our calendar
Newsletters - this is where the class newsletters will be posted each month
 Classroom Schedule - where you will find our schedule
Important Class Announcements - this is where you will find any important notes/requests that we would normally send home

Unfortunately when we add and update any section of our website other than the "home" page (which is where all the posts of the learning in the classroom section is) you do not get a notification email. So please check on a regular basis the other sections of the website so you do not miss anything! :)

The Beginning of our Inquiry About Birds

Since so many students expressed a curiosity about birds, we began our bird inquiry today. Ms. Alannah began by asking the students what questions they had about birds. 

  

 The students were then given a challenge to build a nest outside.

 Students then discussed what strategies they used to build their nests. They were asked if thought their nests would still be there tomorrow. G.F. said "yes, I think my nest will be there tomorrow as I built my nest around the roots of a tree".

We will continue our inquiry of birds in the next few weeks. Stay tuned........

Writing

The students often go to the Reading and Writing Corner and pretend to play school. It is amazing to observe the things they say and do. It makes you realize what learning is happening. Today one student wrote a morning message to "her students", just like we do everyday.

SmartBoard

Today the students enjoyed using the Smartboard. We explored the Starfall website.  If you are interested please go to www.starfall.com

Starfall is an eduational website that explores letters and numbers.

Outdoor Time

Today we had a great time outside. We allowed our students to explore and become involved in whatever they found interesting. Take a look at what some of the students engaged in:


Many of the students continue to show an interest in birds and their homes. Ms. Alannah (our student candidate from U of T) is going to do an inquiry about birds.

Some students continued making bird nests with the leaves they found.

 

The students pretending to be birds in their nests.

The "birds" flapping their wings in their nests.

Mommy and Daddy birds bringing food back to their nest.

Some of the birds sleeping in their nests.

Others students made more nests.

 

 

Some students wanted to explore other animals' homes. They made different animal homes in the dirt. 

 

 A few students had fun exploring what happened when they threw leaves up into the air and what happened when the wind blew.

Some students having a race back and forth between the school and the fence. They got so much exercise.

J.M., I.I. and R.G had a camp out. Take a look at their sticks and how they used the colourful leaves! It looks like a real camp out! What imaginations!

M.D. wrote his brother's name in the leaves. So creative!

As you can see, many students explored different things while outside. This is one of the main goals of Full Day Kindergarten: Observing what the students engage in and extending their learning in these areas.

Less Commerical Things = A More Personalized Classroom

This year we are trying to use less commercialized products in our classroom and as a result make the classroom more personalized for our students. 

One way we have done this, is to begin to replace our commercialized alphabet charts with ones that the students have been involved in creating. Take a look at how we have begun to replace our alphabet charts:

The students used their bodies to create the letters of the alphabet.

Students used their hands to create the letters of the alphabet.

The students were extremely excited when they saw their finger and body alphabet letters up on the wall!

Making a Unique Pattern

Today one of our students excitedly called me over to see the pattern he made at our light table!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: "I made the pattern pumpkin, skeleton, pumpkin, skeleton, pumpkin".
Me: "What would come next in your pattern"?
Q: "A skeleton".

Not only did this student create a pattern, he could also extend it!