Snow Unit Kick-Off

Hi Friends,

I've been trying to kick off an inquiry-based unit on snow since we arrived back to school last week. Well, with one snow day already, a skating field trip, and supply teacher time to do extra literacy pull-out, I feel like I'm still just barely getting started.

I wanted to share the activities we've done so far, but there are many more ahead!

This is the beginning of our inquiry project. I had the kids think of a "wonder thought" about snow. I recorded it and they illustrated. We'll post these on our "Wonder Wall." and hopefully answer many, if not, all these wonders before our unit it over.

Our bookshelf full of snow-related texts. I also traveled to the public library this weekend too beef up our selection of non-fiction texts.

On my trip, I found this wonderful book called "Who Likes the Snow" by Etta Kaner. Each page has a wonder question, and then flips out to answer the question in kid-friendly science language. I can't wait to share this with my students, especially because some of them had difficulty thinking of a wonder thought of their own.

A little Literacy fun: A rhyming snowball fight! I threw a snowball to each student. Then they had to find a partner who had a rhyming word that matched theirs on their snowball. The kiddies always love this activity, and we can all use some rhyming review!

That is all we've accomplished for now, but I will keep you posted on our progress!

Sadie and the Snowman and Craft

Today we read one of my all time favorite books, Sadie and the Snowman, to kick off our unit on snow and snowmen. I love the repetitive structure of the book and Sadie's great attitude. This was a book we had when we were little, and I was so pleased to be able to share it with my students. I am thinking I will read it several times and create a felt board story so they can re-enact it during center time.

Along with Sadie, I also did a craft using shaving cream mixed with glue (I first saw it at OT Cafe). The kids had a ton of fun creating their snowman, as well as adding their own snowman accessories. Our classroom has a large bucket of funky buttons, so that was an exciting addition to the craft. I'm just hoping that they will stay stuck on the crafts!

Here are the finished products my cuties made today:

I love this last little guy's mouth! He forgot to add buttons, but it is so cute!

I have a ton of extra shaving cream paint leftover so later this week, I am hoping to do a melted snowman craft from The Primary Pack.

Also on for this week: Starting a "Wonder Wall" to showcase our wonderings about snow, growing snow crystals and potentially making a class question and answer book about snow (ok, that might be next week).

Do you have any favorite books about snow? Did you read Sadie as a child, or to your class?

Classroom Tour

Hi everyone,

I thought I would give you a glimpse inside my classroom. These pictures were taken right after Christmas Break, so please excuse the empty bulletin boards. I had already took the students' Christmas projects down. New student work will be going up when school starts tomorrow!

This is where the magic happens! The kindergarten classes are extra big at our school. We are so lucky to have room to spread out!

These are our cubbies, where lunchboxes and snacks go. Homework bags are stored on top.

I use this bulletin board for our morning meeting and other materials because we don't have a mounted whiteboard. Here is our calendar, as well as behaviour chart, center board and visual schedule.

Continuing this bulletin board. These frames are where I record outcomes and learning targets.

My one small whiteboard with our morning message. We are working on beginning and ending sounds.

Our classroom sink and storage area. We are lucky to have a sink right in our classroom for washing up!

Our Jolly Phonics word wall as well as writing and art material storage.

Toy area <3 We make use of this area every chance we get.

Math Center Storage

Literacy Center and book bin storage. Labelling both the bins and the appropriate place on the shelf has been a game changer in my class. 

I love this bulletin board! The pencil cut-outs  have clothespins behind them. This makes it so easy to change the children's artwork regularly!

My classroom library. I always struggle with fitting all my books into one confined area.

We are starting a unit on snow! So excited to begin.

Sensory Table 101

Sensory Table 101

---

My teaching partner and I received an exciting last-minute Christmas present. Our resource teacher has given the task of spending some money in our budget with a deadline of less than a day, and she agreed to buy the Kindergarten team and brand new shiny sensory table!!!

A sensory table has been on my wish list since I began teaching Kindergarten. Unfortunately, in the early 2000's when the Kindergarten Curriculum in New Brunswick was revamped with heightened academic expectations, a lot of the play-based learning toys and tools were thrown out with the bath water. I actually only just discovered a kitchen set from the nineties hiding in the back of a store room.

Since then, I have experimented with many other sensory experiences with my kindles, such as mini sensory boxes, explorations like this one with pumpkin insides, and good old fashioned play-dough.

Aside from the obvious water and sand, I am so excited to start brainstorming on what I can fill my sensory table with. I have been stockpiling confetti packing paper from Juice Beauty online purchases, so that will probably be my go to for the time being. I would love to hear suggestions from others on some economical options!