Five Senses: Science Exploration

This year our schedule is very, well, scheduled. We are expected to plan our instruction based on the districts scope & sequence driven by the standards for all subject areas. The concept is great, especially because they have given us the approval to use what ever curriculum or resource we think directly teaches and correlates with the standard at the time. The problem we're running into is our schedule not allowing time for transitions, while we're managing to teach all content areas we fall short at some times because of the time it simply takes to go from point A to point B. Here is our Kindergarten schedule. 

Science is the last part of the day and is expected to be taught for 30 minutes, not accounting for any clean up time, or packing up for dismissal (they want us all the gate for dismissal at 2:15). So I found during my science time I needed something that could be done either 1) as the kids pack up - like a science video, or 2) and short and sweet experiment that taught the subject but had keeps messes to a minimum so we could pack up quickly at the end of it. 

In the first 10 days, we talked about what science is and what a scientists does, and have now moved on to the next 14 days of science instruction; Our 5 Senses! The kids are pretty receptive to this and enjoying exploring our science tools and things around us using our senses. Here's a summary of what we did for this unit. 

Learned the 5 senses song. This is based on the song Frere Shaka Tune (credit to chart paper from First Grade Parade)

We watched the BrainpopJr Video on the 5 senses, watched Sid the Science Kid talk about our 5 senses, read a few senses books and have done experiments for each sense individually. 

Day 1 Experiment: Hearing

I filled old photo canisters with the following objects: bells, marbles, google eyes, buttons, and raisins. I had the kids predict what they believed was inside and we recorded it on our chart paper. After we listened to all 5 canisters, we revealed what was inside. The kids really enjoyed doing this! 

Day 2 Experiment: Seeing

I had them use magnifying glasses to observe 4 objects; twigs, leaves, pinecones, and rocks on their Sight recording paper. They again did a great job with this and really enjoyed it! We talked about the adjectives that described what we saw such as shiny, smooth, bumpy, color words, stringy, etc.

Day 3 Experiment: Touch
For this experiment I put 4 different types of materials in brown bags and I passed the bag around for the kids to touch the object inside without looking. They had to predict what they thought it was. They actually knew each object except for the pink paper, that one threw them off! We discussed the adjectives that described how they felt to touch (smooth, cold, soft, bumpy, rough, spongy, crinkly, etc). 

Day 4 Experiment: Taste

For this experiment I wanted the kids to try all 4 different components of taste (even though there is technically 5): sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. 

To do this, I gave them each a taste of the following: Fritos (salty), baker's chocolate (bitter), sugar (sweet), lemon (sour). We talked about each of the tastes and used the words, sweet, salty, bitter, and sour and asked what other foods they think might fit in these categories. Their responses to this experiment were priceless. They HATED the chocolate!

Day 5 Experiment: Smell

I filled 4 containers with different things: onion, cinnamon, coffee, & citrus (lemon). I covered the tops with tin foil and poked 7-8 holes in the top with a sharp pencil. We took turns passing the cups one at a time around the room and recorded our predictions of what they were! They did a good job predicting what each one was, and had funny responses to the stronger scented items (onion for example)!

We also did a Johnny Appleseed 5 Senses experiment, we talked about how apples, look, feel, smell, taste, and sound (when you cut, bite, or eat them). 

Lastly, we did a 5 senses cut & sort activity to wrap up the unit. Some other things I would have enjoyed to squeeze in are nature walks; observing the outdoors with their senses and recording it as a class! 

The First Week...EEK!

OH mylanta! The first week of school was...hm...exhausting, overwhelming, intense, and surprising! I cannot believe how little these little munchkins are and how varied their experience with letters, sounds, numbers, names, and school they are. I have a three students who have NEVER been in school before, one child who speaks no english and just moved here from Mexico, and several who have been to pre-school (which is GREAT!). They sure are cute, but boy. Kindergarten is SO different from First Grade. I know it's only a 1 year gap, but going backward in time makes a huge difference to going forward. They're quiet a talkative and moving bunch, so I'm going to have to try a lot of different strategies to keep them safe, engaged, and focused on learning. 

Here's a short summary of what we did this week. Forgive me for not taking more pictures, as I mentioned they are quiet the busy bunch and it's just me in my classroom. No helpers, aids, or parent volunteers so I snag pictures when I can. 

On the first day, I had the kids write their names. About half of my students can write their names, half don't know ANY letters and just scribble. This was a really good informal assessment that allowed me to grasp each student's current letter knowledge and ability to write and read their name. 

We learned about the safe spot as always. This year, I read the books. They liked these a lot. 

I had to make our safe place book a little easier for the children this year, but I think the lesson went really well and I've even had 3 kids use it since we discussed it. They breathed, hugged our stuffed animal, chose their emotion on the "how they were feeling card", and came back to the carpet when they were calm. It was pretty cool! I do have one girl who goes to it for the right reasons, then plays....so there still is work to be done! 

We also decorated our safe keeper sticks and have started that as a part of our morning routine. 

We practiced sounds and letters of the alphabet with song, dance, and was introduced to the letter of the day worksheet they will be doing in reading centers once we get going. 

We took a tour of the classroom, of the school, library, and met our guidance counselor and new librarian. 

We also started our sight word poetry instruction. Each week we have a new poem we focus on. We read it every day. Act it out, Do Hickety Pickety (focusing on the sight word from the poem), Illustrate it, and do activities based on the sight word for the week. They liked this a lot - especially the one with play dough. 

We explored our Math Materials and got a chance to just "play" with our manipulatives. On Wednesday we learned about math journals, (pictured below). I gave them a small cup of buttons and they had to count them writing the number they had and drawing a picture. Friday we practiced a mock up centers rotation where they sorted by shape, color, and size. It was rather intense and if I could change anything from this week it would have been this! 

Of course we practiced rules, good and bad choices, and ways to be helpful. We did a good choices bad choices sort as a class after reading "No David!" then had them work at their seats sorting their own pictures. 

Lastly we learned about science, who and what a scientist does. We did a skittle experiment which they LOVED! They were super calm and engaged. Then we learned about science tools with Sid the Science Kid and the next day predicted weight with a scale, estimated how many drops of water could fit on a penny, and explored our hands with a magnifying glass. 

All I can say is I'm glad I made it through my first week. It was a TOUGH. I saw this awesome meme online and I just had to post it because it's exactly how I felt Friday afternoon as I left school. 

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

So I've been extremely nervous about this school year starting. It's a lot of firsts for me even though this is technically my 4th year as a classroom teacher. It's my first time with Kindergarten, I have a new team, new classroom, and new curriculum to learn. I typically felt pretty confident as my kids walked in the door because I knew what to expect. This year - there is no expectations. I have no idea who my children are, what they know, where they come from. To be honest I don't even know who will be on my roster on Monday!

With that being said. I'm trying my best to prepare for the big first day of Kindergarten as best as I can. Here's a look at what I've done to prepare for my Kindergarten friends and plans for my first week of school (even though that will probably change)!

Plans

We're getting started on instruction right away this year. Wednesday is when we dive into our curriculum. Standard base instruction is huge at our school and district this year, so we're using multiple curriculum and resources to teach the district's standards. 

Material/First Week Preparation

I've found these awesome "BEE Binders" from A Cupcake for the Teacher that I love! These binders will hold their homework, forms, agenda, and this great reference guide I got from File Folder Fun to help study and learn at home.

I created their writing folders, which will eventually have a portable word wall added inside when we teach about the word wall. I created these early, but they won't be used for about 1 week.

I've printed out the worksheets I will be using this week, and have compiled it into my weekly organization folders with each book I will read by day. It makes it really easy to make sure I have everything I need.



They will be using a "literacy learning folder" to hold their weekly center's work. In the pronged area, I will keep their poems from the year. These will not be removed. To the left will be centers work that they are working on. As we introduce centers they will stay at their seats and the centers will rotate to them, this makes keeping everything in their folder nice and easy.

I got my promethean board calendar time ready to go. I finally had these perfected from my 1st grade class and had to change a lot of it to fit the standards and teaching points of Kindergarten but it worked out!

I also made a playlist of songs I will use in the first week or two. Lots of brain break songs, morning meeting songs, or math/alphabet songs. 

Meet the Teacher

 I have a checklist for the parents to follow, sign in sheet, and transportation sheet I have each parent sign immediately when they come in!

Next I will have the kids estimate how many whale goldfish they believe are in the jar. This is one small activity they can do while their parents fill out forms. 

I have my student info sheet, "About Me" info sheet, and a back to school pamphlet for the parents to take that tells them about our class, pick up/drop off times, breakfast/lunch, school rules etc. This is at everyone's seats so each parent can fill this out.

The last thing I leave them with is a "treat", which is both in the form of whale shaped goldfish and a sweet little poem for my new student's to read before they go to bed. Inside the manilla envelope is a poem their parents will read to them with a glitter packet to sprinkle under their pillow!

My New Kindergarten Room

Hi Again! After a few weeks of hard work, shopping, taping, gluing, and organizing the room is ready to go, and boy does it look great! Here's before...

I am so pleased with my new room. I love it's size, paint colors, windows with natural light, and the layout. It's a nice upgrade for me (from the portable) and I know I will greatly enjoy being here. If you can't tell it's ocean themed, something the previous room teacher had decorated. She was the one that chose the paint colors and painted the walls, made/bought the window curtains, and  created a few of the bulletin boards. All in all, it's about 50% her, 50% me. While she luckily left me some stuff, a lot of it I recycled from my own room, or bought/created new things. I hope you enjoy taking a look around the room.

AFTER!

My teaching area. Down below are my rules, "Give my 5 Signs, Listening Center, and Coloring Rubric.

 Our Rules

View from my guided reading table. 

I love my sea animal table markers! 

Our class bulletin board! It says "Whalecome to Kindergarten!"

 I made this "Ocean Themed" job display which you can download from teacher's pay teachers here!

 Our Library

 I love my book labels! 

 These were left from the previous teacher, and are AMAZING. Such a nice organized way to store their backpacks.

The rest of the wall is our Birthdays, and Storage closet, kid's work display!

I made these "Ocean Themed" word wall letters and words that will go up as I teach them! Download them here. 

My Teaching nook, art supplies, math work table, and the blue bulletin board will be our standards/learning goals!

Close up of my standards, learning goals. They're on rings so I can flip them to the standard we're focused on that day/week/unit.

 My math center and supply area. To the left is my science table/area.

 This will be filled with the kids pictures as the school year goes on. 

Our Schedule, while this is from my old classroom chalkboard theme, It went well with my chalkboard door to the left and black border on the bulletin board to the right.