This week the kindergarteners explored the world of corn, popcorn, Indian corn, sweet corn, and more. We started with learning about the life cycle of corn. We did a couple of experiments with an ear of dent “feed” corn. We found out that our ear of corn floated in water, weighed about 18 blocks, contained around 500 kernels of corn, and the inside looked like a flower when it was cut in half. We also experimented with popcorn. We found out that popcorn is created when the water inside the corn is heated. The steam (pressure) makes the kernel turn inside out. After watching popcorn pop from an air popper with the lid off, we taste tested different kinds of popcorn toppings. We decided that our favorite topping was cinnamon and sugar. We also wrote a story about eating popcorn. We finished the week with Indian Corn. We noticed Indian corn has lots of different colored kernel. We created our own Indian Corn out of tissue paper squares. Along with our corn fun, we celebrated the 50th day of school on Thursday with a Back to the Fifties Party. We counted to fifty, wrote fifty word, listened to fifties music, and learned a few fifties dances. We ended the day with a Sock Hop and Rootbeer Floats!
Monday:
We started our day by talking about Veteran’s Day. We reviewed what the word veteran means and we talked about what the veterans did for us. We also talked about the 5 different branches of the military.
In reading, we were introduced to a new letter sound and letter, Nn. After watching the n song, we created a list of words that started with the /n/. We also created a list of words that ended with the /n/. Next, we reviewed syllables. We watched a short video clip and then together we practiced dividing words into syllables. In small groups, we were introduced to our new sight word, like. Then we read through our new emergent reader, I Like Corn!
This week is corn week- popcorn, Indian corn, sweet corn, feed corn. We found out that corn grow grows from a little seed or kernels. The kernel is the thing we eat. We watch a short video of corn growing over the summer. We also explored how popcorn grows. We found out that popcorn starts as corn on the cob. It starts as a seed and grows as an ear. When it is dry, it is taken off the cob. The kernels pop because there is a little bit of water inside it. The water heats up and makes the kernels turn inside out. To help us remember the process, we created the corn life cycle in pictures. We had to cut out all of the pictures and glue them in order around a paper plate. Then Ms. Torborg helped us draw the arrows, so we could see the circle. If we had time, we could color the pictures.
Before lunch, we had a special veterans day program. We had 8 veterans from the Litchfield area visit with us to talk about their experiences. We started with the Pledge of Allegiance. Then they each talked about their branch in the military and their years of service. After we asked a few questions, we sang God Bless America for them. Then we received a special surprise. We heard taps played on a bugle.
In the afternoon, we did a few math and science experiments with an ear of corn. Ms. Torborg asked us four questions: Will it sink or float?, How many blocks does it weigh? How many kernels are on the cob, and what does it look like inside? We started by making and recording some predictions. After that we tested out our theories. The first time through we did it together as a class. Then we had a chance to experiment at each station with a partner. Finally, we recorded our observations. We found out that an ear of corn floats on top of the water. An ear of corn weights about 18 blocks. And the inside of the corn cob looked like a flower with petals. To figure out How many kernels are on a cob we had to do some work. We broke up into 4 groups. Each group had to work together to take their corn off their cob. Once it was off, we put the kernels onto hundreds charts (just like the pumpkin seeds). Once all of the seeds were in place, Ms. Torborg helped us count the seeds. Group one’s corn cob had 506 kernels of corn. Group two’s corn cob had 600 kernels of corn. Group three’s corn cob had 691 kernels of corn. And group four’s corn cob had 591 kernels of corn.
Tuesday:
In reading, we reviewed our letters and letter sounds, watch a new n video, and identified words that began with the /n/. Then we completed our letter n worksheet. We practiced writing capital and lowercase n’s, identifying the letter n from a group of letters, and discriminated between words that began with the /n/. In small groups, we we made another class book. We determined we really like to eat popcorn when we watch a movie. We each had to write about what topping we like on our popcorn and what movie we like to watch. After we finished our sentence, (________likes popcorn with _____________ while he/she watches _____________.), we drew a picture to match our sentence. We ended with the story, Popcorn by Frank Asch. Throughout the story, we made predictions about what might happen. We also were able to identify the main character and setting of the story.
In religion, we listened to the story The Stranger Who Turned into a Friend. We talked about how each person treated the man who needed help. Then we watched a short video clip of the bible story, The story of the Good Samaritan.
In math, we worked on number stories again. We started by reviewing everything we know by solving a some, some more number story. We did a great job drawing our picture and finding our answer. We found out that sometimes we struggle to draw the items in our picture or that it takes a long time. Today we were introduced to using a symbols as representatives in our picture. Circle, squares, triangle, boxes, letters are all good symbols. They can represent the item in the number story. We practiced solving number stories using different symbols.
We ended the day by starting a popcorn experiment. We put popcorn kernels in two cups. We drew a line where the popcorn kernels end. Then we put water in one of the cups. Now we are watching to see what will happen.
Wednesday:
In reading, we each took a turn reading Ms. Torborg one of the stories from our reading bin. She checked some of our sight word progress and to see if we used picture clues to help figure out some of the tough words. We also worked with the -in word family. First, we read through the words on our word slider. Then we cut out the letters to make a flipbook. Once it was stapled together, we read each of the words. Finally, we watched a short video about the letter n. Then we sang Herman the Worm. Today he could only eat things that started with the /n/.
In religion, we made a circle of kindness as part of our Olweus lesson. We have been talking about how to make people feel included and part of the group. Plus, how it make us feel inside when people are kind to us. Today as part of our circle, we read the story, What Does it Mean To Be Kind? Then we each had to talk about one kind thing we did for someone else either at school or at home yesterday or today.
We had an extra snack today in the afternoon, popcorn. We started with some popcorn experiments. Ms. Torborg made a big bullseye on paper. We put a popcorn popper (an air popper) in the middle. We had to guess where we thought most of the kernels would fall it turned on without the cover. Ms. Torborg put kernels in it and turned it on. Most of the kernels fell in the closest circle. Our next experiment, we started yesterday. We put some popcorn kernels in a cup and then filled the cup with water. Then we predicted what we thought would happen to it. We let them sit overnight. When we checked on them in the morning, the water was gone and the kernels got bigger. Today we tried popping the kernels in an air popcorn popper. We know that popcorn needs a little water inside in order for it to pop, but what happens when the kernels are full of water. We tried popping some full kernels. We found out that the kernels just burst and didn’t pop. There was no white fluffy part of the popcorn. Finally, we got to try some popcorn. We tried it 4 different ways, plain, with salt, with butter, and with cinnamon and sugar. After we tried each kind we graphed which kind we liked best. We decided that cinnamon and sugar was the winner.
Thursday:
Happy 50th Day of School! What an exciting day we had! To celebrate the 50th day of school, we had a Back to the Fifties party!
We started our day off we by reading our emergent reader, Sock Hop. We used the clues in the story to figure out what a sock hop was. Then Ms. Torborg told us that we were going to have one at the end of the day. Next, we worked on calendar. There we were able to confirm that indeed it was the 50th day of school. We are half way to 100!
Once we put our supplies away, we were each given a 50th Day Packet full of different activities We started with some math activities. We wrote out all the numbers from 1 to 50, counted by ones, fives, and tens to fifty, and colored the word fifty. We also created patterns (AB, ABB, ABC) on record pictures.
On to reading. We started off by writing fifty words from around the room. They could be any words we wanted. Some of us were on the ball and got it done right away. For others it took a little more motivating. And boy that sure is a lot of words! Next we reviewed the words now and then. Then we looked at a whole bunch of different pictures. We had to decide if they were things that we would use now or if they were from the fifties. We had to place each item in the correct column. After doing the the activities together on the SMARTbaord, we each completed our own worksheet. If we had time left we completed a 50’s word find and jukebox coloring sheet. Finally, we did a little writing. After some brainstorming, we each created a list of things we will be able to do in 50 years.
Zero the Hero brought us a special treat for our special day. He left us a note.
I heard you were having a 50’s party
and decided to leave you a special treat.
I couldn’t leave it out because it would melt.
So somewhere cold it would be.
Cups, spoons and straws
Are the tools you will need.
Because there is a little assembly. Enjoy!
We had to try to figure out what he brought us. First we created a list of things that could melt. Then we had to think of all the things that might need cups, spoons, and straws. We narrowed it down to ice cream, but couldn’t figure out what the straws were for until Ms. Torborg told us- Rootbeer Floats. Before we could have our treat, we did a little science experiment. Does ice cream sink or float? We each had to draw our own conclusion. After we wrote our words, we had to draw a picture of where the ice cream will be in a glass- top or bottom. Next came the fun part, trying it out. First we put some water in a cup. Then we added ice cream. The ice cream stayed on top- It floated. Then we tried the same things with Rootbeer. Once again the ice cream floated. We decided to try it one more time. Only this time, we put the ice cream in first. Our results changed. The ice cream didn’t float. It stayed right where it was. After our experiment, we each got to have a Rootbeer float!
We finished up our afternoon with a dance party. We learned several different dances like the Hand Jive and the Twist. We also did a couple of Just Dance Fifties songs like Barbara Ann and Lollipop. After learning a few dances, we had a sock hop. Everyone got to dance around in their socks! We listened to some fifties music as we danced. We also did some fan favorites like the Chicken Dance and the Hokey Pokey!
We decided it was a great day to be in Kindergarten!
Friday:
In reading, we reviewed all of our letters and letter sounds. Then we watched a N video before we sang Herman the Worm. Today Herman could only eat things that started with the /n/. Next, we worked on a discriminating sounds worksheet. Some people worked on beginning sounds worksheet. Some people worked on a word family worksheet. And some people worked on an encoding worksheet. We ended our time with rhyming. First, we read part of the book, Winky Thinky, Stinky A Book of Silly Rhymes. It wasn’t a story instead it was rhymes. They started the rhyme and we had to try to figure out the last rhyming word. We had fun trying to come up with the right rhyme since most of the words were not real words.
During theme, we explored Indian corn. Indian corn can be many different colors. Ms. Torborg brought in a bunch of different samples for us to look at. Our art project was to make Indian corn. We had a pattern of a corn cob and husk. We started by coloring the husk. Then cut it all out. Finally, we created the colored corn cob. We had to glue tissue paper in each of the little spots. We wrapped the tissue paper around a pencil end and dipped it in glue. If that was too tricky, we just made a little loose ball with our tissue paper before we dipped it in glue. Now they are drying on the drying rack.