We're BUGGY About Learning! - Post 4

Here is our finished web about bees! The students were so interested learning about bees and generated so many questions! After reading a nonfiction text and recording our new facts, we searched the internet to answer all of their questions. The 30 minute lesson ended up taking 50 minutes! I love when that happens....it is amazing to watch little kiddos be so interested in a topic. 

Here is an example of the nonfiction writing the students completed on bees after we read a nonfiction text.

Here is an other example of the nonfiction writing the students completed on bees after we read a nonfiction text.

They are getting bigger and bigger!

The caterpillars are beginning to form their "J's" at the top of the container, which is the first step in making a cocoon!

Our ant farm.

The cocoons!!! Only one more week until they hatch into butterflies!

We're BUGGY About Learning! - Post 3

So our caterpillars and ants finally arrived! The kiddos were so excited and were shocked that they were actually alive! It was pretty funny. I am looking forward to observing the insects with the students. Next week, the students will be having a writing lesson, learning how to write facts in an observation journal. I have a feeling that the kids are going to run with it and just LOVE writing about what they see, wonder, and learn about the new addition to our classroom!

Our caterpillars! Once they make their cocoon, I will transfer them to the butterfly nursery.

Our ant vial. The picture didn't come out too clearly, but you get the idea!

This shows the ant farm right after I poured the ants into their new home.

Another picture from a different angle.

When we came back to school the following day, we saw all of the ants' hard work!

They started digging the tunnels!

By the end of the day, this is the progress they had made. I can't wait to see the ant farm on Monday after they have all weekend to create their tunnels and chambers!

They are just as busy as the kids are during the school day! :)

On Thursday afternoon, we made these adorable bug headbands. The students wore them the entire afternoon and played "bugs" during free choice time. It was so cute and they all did such a wonderful job making their bug colorful and unique! 

Rather than create a typical web for facts, I decided to write our new ant facts on the shape of an ant so the students can distinguish the facts they learn about different bugs. We created this project whole group after we watched the Magic School Bus "Ants in the Pants" video and read a great nonfiction text about ants. The students were raising their hand over and over to contribute new information! I've got some smart kiddos in my class! :)

After watching the Magic School Bus video about ants, the students wrote two facts they learned about the interesting insect. They also drew an ant colony in the box below their writing. Before having the students write their facts independently, we generated a list of facts and I wrote them on the Interactive Whiteboard. That way, those students who needed assistance, could use the board as a reference. They did a great job! 

We're BUGGY About Learning! - Post 2

Each quarter, we have our kindergarten families create a family project focusing around a theme or holiday that we will be learning about in kindergarten. Last year, the students each decorated a kite made out of poster board and we hung them in our hallway to display. This year, we decided to go with our bug theme and have the students decorate a butterfly, ladybug, or ant. I passed out the project right before spring break, which would give the students something to do over the long week.

After spring break, the students (no joke) came running toward my classroom with their bug flapping in the air above their head! It was so cute! I wasn't quite sure whether they were happy to see me or show off their adorable project! The students excitingly shared their bugs with their classmates before I hung them outside of our classroom to display for everyone to see! Below are some pictures I took of the finished projects.

A student used stickers, pipe cleaners and pom-poms to decorate his butterfly.

A student used glitter, coffee grounds, and this awesome red foam! *I asked her what the foam was called, but she couldn't remember. Can anyone help me out? I LOVE this bug!

This butterfly was very different from all the other butterflies. The student who created this used beautiful flower petals, pine cones, long grass, and some dried flowers. It smelled like spring! 

The students don't know this yet, but we will be getting ants and caterpillars to add to our insect area in the classroom! Below are some pictures of the insect area I created over spring break.

Here are a couple of nonfiction texts about ants, an ant farm, and in the pink bag there are magnifying glasses and bug glasses. The bug glasses show the students what it would be like to see the world with compound eyes!  

Here is our butterfly nursery. The caterpillars haven't arrived yet!

The students will use these insect words during Daily 5 and during science when they are writing in their insect observation journal.

The students will use these insect words during Daily 5 and during science when they are writing in their insect observation journal.

The students will use these insect words during Daily 5 and during science when they are writing in their insect observation journal.

A view of all the insect words.

These three prompts will help the students begin their sentences in their insect observation journal.

Five Senses

Our first science unit of the year is Five Senses. This is by far, one of my favorite units because there a million activities you could do and it's fun to change them up every year! When we teach this unit, we focus on one sense each day. We have purchased many nonfiction books that we read about each sense in addition to checking out books from the school and public library. As we read each book on a different sense, we create a concept map with the students. When we create concept maps, I always print out pictures after the students generate a list so that they can refer back to it and also remember what we discussed. I find that the students have a tendency to use the posters more in their writing and during free choice time. 

On the last day of our five senses unit, we have a Tasting Party! This is an exciting time for the students as they get to explore the taste buds on their tongue and decide how the food tastes. We use pretzels for salty, Hershey chocolate bars for sweet, a lemon wedge for sour and an orange rind for bitter. It is funny to watch the students' reactions as they try each food. Of course the pretzels and chocolate are always the favorite amongst the little ones!

Here is a picture of all of our completed concept maps. It is hard to read from the angle of the picture, but hopefully you get the idea!

Nocturnal Animals

During the fall, we study nocturnal animals. To start the unit, I check out a plethora of books from the school and public library. We read nonfiction books during science and discuss the difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals. We do a great deal of activities, but unfortunately, I have only captured some of the things we completed during this unit.

We made owls using brown paper plates.

We made bats for our classroom door. 

We created a list of facts about bats after reading a nonfiction text. 

We created a list of facts about owls after reading a nonfiction text. 

As you can see, this ended up being a Venn Diagram!