This week in Kindergarten time the Kindergarteners completed a writing exercise on how
Kindergarten Time they could help the earth after reading The Lorax. We discussed what Dr. Seuss meant when he said, “unless”. We also talked about what may happen to our environment if we don’t take care of it. Then the students wrote about what they can do to be like the Lorax, and “speak for the trees” since they don’t have a voice of their own. Lastly, the Kindergarteners made their own earths, and disguised themselves as the Lorax. Finished products will be coming home this week! If you can believe it, before we know it, graduation practice will begin. It has also been a joy watching the younger students mature and start recognizing that some of them will be the Kindergarteners next year. Many teachers don’t have the opportunity to see a 3 year cycle of development in their students. We are very lucky.
Kindergarten Time – Animals
During Kindergarten time we dove deeper into what animals do during the winter. The vocabulary words we used were hibernation, migration and adaptation. After discussing these three terms, the students sorted animals on a chart. We read a story about animals in winter and answered comprehension questions. Each student also wrote a story about an animal and what they do during the cold winter. We took this time to discuss text and illustration relationships.
For example, if the story said, ”Birds migrate in the winter,” the illustration should not show a bear in a cave. The illustration should match the words. At this point in the year, I am looking for the Kindergarten students to sound out their words independently. They should also be writing with capital and lowercase letters when appropriate. While this is a transition for many of the Kindergarteners, it is an important skill for them to develop.
