Rocks Rock!

Did you know that we all live on a rock? That's right!  Earth! Earth is a big rock!  Kindergartners have been working hard learning about rocks.  The children became investigators learning about the different characteristics of rocks.  Rocks have different textures, colors, and sizes. Our student teacher, Miss Hannah, took charge leading the investigation!

First, the students brainstormed a list of what they know about rocks.  Then, Miss Hannah read the story, If You Find a Rock, by Peggy Chistian. To continue the investigation, Miss Hannah had the students make connections to the 5 senses.  They made a chart of how rocks touch, see (look), hear, smell, and taste (what?!).  

In small groups, the students got to experiment with the rocks they brought in.  

Using string, they measure the length of their rock and circumference.   Then, they  measured the rocks using a ruler.

Next, the children got to predict and estimate which rock would roll the farthest.  They also got to predict the height of the ramp would create the fastest and furthest roll. 

This was a favorite by all! CCSS: Science: Uses scientific method (observes)  Knows concepts of the following: seasonal changes, properties of objects, transportation technology & engineering, living and non-living things

We Are Readers!

The children have been working so hard this year learning all about the alphabet in Room 121!  We know that the alphabet is made up on consonant and vowels.  Consonants are any letter that is not a vowel.  So, what is a vowel?  Did you know that vowels have 2 different kinds of sounds?  <

Watch this cute Scratch Garden video about short and long vowel sounds!

Watch this video: writing words with digraphs!

All year students have been working on identifying the letters of the alphabet, the corresponding sound, and a picture associated with the beginning sound since the beginning of the year. We have been reading c-v-c words and building our fluency! C-V-C words are consonant-vowel-consonant words in which the vowel is always a short sound.

These writers are learning how to writing real c-v-c words and nonsense c-v-c words.  What are nonsense words?  Words that don't make any sense at all!

Happy Reading, Kindergarten!

RF.K.2: Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

RF.K.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.