Five for Friday

So it's my 1st:

We've been up to so much in Room #3 & here are some photos of all the FUN:

Kindergarten went to the farm, the kiddos loved our field trip - it's such a fun tradition!

Yesterday was Pumpkin Center Day - I wrangled up 4 volunteers & together we weighed, floated, wrote, labeled, counted, measured, tasted, & planted all kinds of pumpkin goodness.

We read the best story - No Moon, No Milk! & disused properties of solids and liquids.  Then we made ice-cream.  This reminds me of my childhood camping, we used to make ice cream in metal coffee cans & roll it around between the 14 "grandkids" - we barely got 1 cup each, but it was SO MUCH FUN.  My kiddos thought so too:

 

I got this wordless picture book today at our Scholastic Book Fair - so excited to find another to add to my collection.  Kids love these books - it is a great way to teach mental images & "how to read the pictures" as a strategy for emergent readers.  In the beginning of the year, I used to hear over and over "I can't read yet!"  So now, I direct the kiddos to my '3 Ways to Read a Book' anchor chart & they find all sorts of ways to read, even if they can decode yet.  This story is all about the journey of a girl & her red crayon.

If you're interested, check out David Wiesner.  I almost bought 2 more, Mr. Wuffles! & Bluebird but I had to be selective.

In a side note: a parent bought the FUNNIEST book for me too - How to Get a Girlfriend, it is written by Kindergarteners & sold out (I got our last copy)...can't wait to read it to the kiddos and see them rolling on the floor laughing.  I love how books do that!

YUP - 2 weeks of amazing NOTHINGNESS!  So excited that I actually cooked/ate a homemade meal tonight, I must have eaten out every night this week *Parent/Teacher Conference problems*!!

Thanks Doodle Bugs Teaching for a great linky.  Have a good one,

Miss Kristan King

Pumpkin Patch Parent Center Day

So, I am attempting to do a Quarterly Parent Center Day - 1st up, Pumpkin Patch Center Day.  I asked for volunteers & had 3 show up.

I put my student-teacher & para professional each in a station, that left 2 remaining - so I ran those 2 myself {combining seed initials & seed planing}!  There were 3-4 kiddos at each center, so it was very manageable.  The rotations were:

1. Estimating - Pumpkin Weight & Circumference
2. Estimating/Counting - Pumpkin Seeds
3. Writing - Pumpkin Labeling
4. Planting - Plant a Pumpkin Seed
5. Buoyancy & Emotions - Sink/Float a Pumpkin, Draw Pumpkin Faces
6. Writing - Use Pumpkin Seeds to make Initials
7. Tasting - Ice & Eat a Frosted/Sprinkled Sugar Cookie

It took us from 8:45-11:20 {with a break from 9:30-10:15, for enrichments & snack/recess}.

The 3 parent volunteers loved it & here are some photos of our FUN:

Estimating Weight/Circumference

Tasting a Cookie

Initial Seed Writing 

Label a Pumpkin

Pumpkin Emotions

Estimating/Counting Pumpkin Seeds

Buoyancy 

Each kiddo carried a Pumpkin Measuring Book from center to center, recording various things in the book.  Our pumpkin had 285 seeds - it took all 7 rotations to count 'em!

I am so excited - 1. to have 2 weeks to relax {re-tile my master bathroom} & just BREATHE!  2. My para was offered a contract - Ms. Susan is AMAZING & I get to KEEP HER {we *HEART* Ms. Susan}!

Glad my district has Parent-Teacher Conferences completed before break...TGIFB {as a 4th grade pal said, "Thank Goodness It's Fall Break"},

Miss Kristan King

It's Pumpkin Week!

Well hello, I am in the thick of Parent-Teacher Conferences, but wanted to update about the fun things we are doing this week.

In the mornings, for literacy block we're doing lots of Fire Safety!

In the afternoons, we're learning about the life cycle of a pumpkin.  So of course we had to sample some pumpkin treats:

Mini pumpkin pies, baked in muffin tins!

Pumpkin cookies with maple icing.

Tasting some pumpkin products.

After we sampled the bread, pies, cookies, & seeds we took a Pumpkin Poll {voting for our favorite pumpkin product}.

On Thursday we are having Pumpkin Center Day, I asked for 7 volunteers & got 4...thank goodness for student teachers & para professionals!!

In the afternoon we are doing a fun fire experiment, a 10 frame seed counting book, &...if time, making a mini book/life cycle pumpkin envelope.

On Friday, I get a WORK DAY {whoot, whoot!}...then a 2 week, YES 2 WEEK Fall Break & I'm so excited.  When I return from break we'll be learning about nocturnal/diurnal animals {focus on bats, owls, & spiders}.  I will have pictures to share too:

1. we have Pumpkin Book Projects to share - our Fall Break homework!!
2. we have Owl Pellets to dissect with our 5th grade buddies
3. we will have some fun Q-tip skeletons to make

Have a great rest of the week!

Miss Kristan King

More Farm & Butter!

Today we took our annual trip to the Farm/Pumpkin Patch.  It was windy, but the rain stopped early in the morning, so it wasn't HORRIBLE - just cold!

Here's how our morning went - in pictures:

Once we returned around 12:00, we ate lunch.  In the afternoon we graphed & wrote about our favorite farm animals.  Then, we made butter {I forgot to buy mini bagels to serve the butter, but my WONDERFUL Dad, who is on furlough, ran to the store & delivered them to my room - just before we went on our trip, XOXO Padre!!}

Here we are shakin' what our mommas gave us:

It was a great day - didn't leave work until 7:45pm - cleaned up farm & set up for pumpkins next week.  Plus, I had to get my ducks in a row...next week is Parent/Teacher Conferences & I have a 7:20am one scheduled on Monday!  {What was I thinking?!?!  Well, obviously it's not "No!"}

I'm headed to the bath with a warm chai tea latte - TGIF indeed!!

Miss Kristan King