Winter Field Trip to Foster Woods

On a beautiful winter day in January, the K-A Kids enjoyed a field trip to Foster Woods. The weather was just right in the 30s and the snow cover was perfect for our activities.

We met Pam Holz the Washington County Naturalist and discussed how the woods had changed from our fall trip.


K-A Kids as migrating monarch butterflies! Can they make the trip from Iowa to Mexico safely? There were dangers along the way.



Then we played a fun hibernating game -"Don't wake the bear!"




We walked the trail to look for tracks, animal homes, droppings, food eaten by animals, and animal body parts.








A class photo before heading back to school.


We were treated to hot chocolate and a cookie cake when we got back to school!
It was a fabulous afternoon.

Disappearing Train - a math game using addition & subtraction

It's Winter!

Pam Holz, Washington County Naturalist, was invited to kindergarten this week to do a lesson on “footprints in the snow.” We had fun being detectives to see where the prints went and whom they belonged to.

K-A Kids learn about maps and map symbols

Studying maps and map symbols can be so much fun! Green frosting on a sugar cookie with blue frosting for rivers and lakes started this project. Then chocolate chips were added for mountains and m & m’s for cities. What could be better than learning map symbols, creating the map, and then EATING it!








A finished (cookie) map complete with land, water, mountains, and cities.


Cookie maps are yummy!

Newsletter - 1/21/11

READING
We read a rhyming, counting big book, “Ten Little Puppies.” The song tells the story of a boy with ten puppies that leave him, one by one. Then he discovers ten more. We identified the beginning, middle and end of the story. The illustrator of this book, Scott Nash, was featured in the other big book selection.

MATH
Using addition and subtraction the students learned to play a game, Disappearing Train. The counters in the train were added or taken away by reading the number and symbol on the dice. It was a great way to practice.

SOCIAL STUIES
We continued with “Land and Water and Maps” study. After discovering that maps use symbols to show land and water, the students made their own maps using simple picture symbols. We examined a variety of maps and described ways these maps are used. The highlight of this week in social studies was making COOKIE MAPS. I’ll get some pictures posted soon on the blog. Green frosting on a sugar cookie with blue frosting for rivers and lakes started the project. Then they added chocolate chips for mountains and m & m’s for cities. What could be better than learning map symbols, creating the map, and then EATING it!

Pam Holz was invited to kindergarten this week to do a lesson on “footprints in the snow.” We had fun being detectives to see where the prints went and whom they belonged to.

Newsletter - 1/7/11

The K-A Kids’ Newsletter

READING
We started a new theme called “Let’s Count. This week we read a rhyming big book “Feast for 10”. In the first count to ten, a family shops for food. In the second count to ten, they prepare the food, and then share the feast with ten people. In our reading we found ways to group things.
Pippa Pig was introduced for the letter P. We added a new word that “pops” up often – and. We continue to work on blending words with the short a sound and are very good at decoding the word families for –at and –an.

MATH
We practiced counting on from different numbers. Practice was provided with number writing. We continue to work on correct formations and correcting number reversals.
Subtraction was introduced along with the terminology and symbols for that. Using counters the students solved number stories.
We worked on sorting in many different ways. I went “fishing” and caught some of the students and they had to guess how I was sorting to get that group.


SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
As we finished up the “Children Around the World” theme we discussed holidays here and everywhere. We found similarities and differences in how people celebrate special occasions. We located these places on a map.
We especially noted New Year’s Eve and Day. We learned to put the months in order, made and read a booklet “Welcome to the New Year”, made and wrote resolutions, and created a clock.

Body and Rope Shapes

The understanding of shapes was developed through cooperative movement activities. We created shapes with bodies, ropes, and straws.




Using a long rope the K-A Kids worked together to make shapes.



Using straws the students created shapes.

Pinata PARTY

Our Christmas party had a Mexican theme and the fun centered around the pinata that we made.




Waiting, watching, waiting for the candy to drop out!


CANDY!






The class-made pinata was sturdy but conquered by the K-A Kids.