We've been busy!

Wow!  We have been so busy over the past few weeks!  The weather has definitely kept us on our toes and the air pressure can be felt inside the classroom:)

In centers, the children have been busy writing about favorite JK memories in their journals, drawing their last self portraits of the year, picking out their favorite pieces in their portfolios (a collection of their work since the beginning of the year), writing thank you cards to their 3rd and 7th grade reading buddies, and so much more!

The 7th graders came in for their last reading buddy session and so did the 3rd grade.  We really enjoyed being a part of the Roycemore community and loved seeing our friends in the hallways!

Both sections of the 7th grade class came in to interview the JK students a few weeks ago and as a part of their curriculum, they wrote a fiction story for the JK kids.  Each 7th grader came in to read their story and give the JK kids a copy to take home!  The stories were all about one JK friend and all the things they like to do.  These stories are so special and I am sure the kids will treasure them for a long time.

Happy Birthday Lily! Our last JK student to turn 4!  Thank you for reading to us Jill and for the yummy cupcakes:)

Max had a fun birthday celebration in our room too.  We ate delicious cupcakes and enjoyed a story from Marina.  Thank you!

We celebrated Anisa's birthday and her mom, Jasmine, came in to read us a story.  Thank you so much for the yummy cupcakes and the fun story!

As much as we can, we've been getting outside!  We released our butterflies into the courtyard.   One flew out almost immediately.  We coaxed another out of the house with the banana tray.  But the rest came out in their own time.  It was really a great experience seeing them metamorphoses from caterpillar to butterfly!

Our work time and circle time has been focused on all the things we've learned this year, and our favorite memories.  We've shared favorite themes, books, center activities, and about our favorite friends. 

It has been such a wonderful year!  The kids have all grown so much.  Look for one more post on this years JK blog!

Week of May 9 - 13

Another Busy Week in the JK classroom!

We had a wonderful surprise on Monday morning!  Four of our butterflies emerged from their chrysalis.  This week's observations have been so fantastic.  The children have enjoyed taking turns being the butterfly keeper, making sure the butterflies have fresh orange and banana slices, and fresh water sprays to keep them moist.  The children have been learning about the life cycle of the butterfly and how the butterfly life span is 2-4 weeks.  We are waiting for one last butterfly to emerge and then we will release the butterflies so they can lay their eggs and the butterflies life will continue.

In addition to learning about the butterfly, the children have been exploring other insects as well.  The JK kids have been fascinated to learn that most insects all have 6 legs, a head, a body, 2 antennae, and wings!

Our field trip to the Nature Museum on Friday tied in our lessons this week and will give us more to explore next week.  The children started their trip in the Nature Museum classroom, where they learned about ladybugs.  They investigated live ladybugs, heard a story about what makes a ladybug a ladybug, explored pictures of ladybugs, discovered that ladybugs love aphids, and hunted for aphids around the room.  Then they each made their own original ladybug.
After investigating in the classroom, we enjoyed our lunches then headed into the butterfly haven.  The children loved exploring so many different species of butterflies from the Buckeye to Cabbage White Butterfly.  It was amazing to be among the flittering creatures and to investigate their natural habitat.
From the butterfly haven, the JK kids went to the water works area and explored building dams and rivers and also had some plain fun:)  The trip was jam packed with learning and adventure.  It was a great trip.

This weeks centers were again testing the children's prior knowledge and building on it to further enhance their learning.  In the math center, the children explored bugs!  Colorful and creepy bugs!  They started by counting a variety of bugs, some children grouped the bugs and skip counted with them.  After each child counted the bugs, they made patterns, first by extending the patterns they saw then were given rules such as making an ABC pattern with the colors, then AB pattern with the bugs, then ABB patterns, etc.  The kids made up their own patterns and then rotated to each others places to investigate the patterns and then continue them.
In the Language Arts center, the children learned two new popcorn words: run and said.  They read a book and looked for old popcorn words too.  The children have really gotten good at identifying and reading their popcorn words.
In the fine motor center, the JK kids made colorful butterflies with clothespins, pipe cleaners, and tissue paper.  They enjoyed ripping the paper, twisting the pipe cleaners, and pinching the clothespin for the final touch, and then flying them around the classroom exploring with their imagination what it would be like to be a butterfly!
In the independent center, the children worked together to build amazing structures with waffle blocks, ladder blocks, and circular building blocks.
Our 3rd grade Reading Buddies came on Thursday to read to us.  We love when our buddies visit!
A Peek Ahead:
We will continue our investigations of butterflies and insects through books, songs, and word play.  We will take our investigations of bugs in the math center and explore subtraction facts.  We will explore more patterns in words in the language arts center.  Everyone will get a chance to make an insect of their choice in the fine motor center.   In the independent center the children will listen to a DVD of sight (popcorn) words for review of the ones they've learned all ready.
Our 7th grade buddies will visit us this week.