Force and Motion Science Unit

Force and Motion is one of my favorite kindergarten science units.  My students also love this active and fun unit.  Yesterday, we explored push and pull with sleds in the snow.  We pushed and pulled empty sleds and compared that to pushing and pulling sleds with our classmates in them.  Students noticed how different it was to push something or someone across flat ground compared to down a hill.  

Snow Motion Day 3

 It was a great day for skiing and snowboarding at Cochran's!  The weather and snow were perfect.    

World Read Aloud Day

Today was World Read Aloud Day.  We were very fortunate that two authors were able to visit with us virtually during the day and share their wonderful books.   

First, we met with Dr. Rashmi Bismark. who wrote Finding OM.  "It is a delightful children's book that tells the story of Anu, an Indian-African girl who explores the mantra Om with her much-loved grandfather, Appuppa. Throughout this tale, Anu begins to discover methods of mindfulness that readers of all ages can learn along with her. This lovely, multicultural, inter-generational book is sure to become an essential part of learning environments and families across the globe."  https://www.rsbismarkmd.com/finding-om1.html.  Dr. Bismark read her book to us and shared a few mindfulness and breathing activities with us.  She told us that the story was about her own family.  

Later in the morning, we met with Stephen Swinburne.  He is a Vermont author with over 30 published books.  He read one of his latest books about sea turtles to us, Run, Sea Turtle, Run.  We have many of his books in our school and classroom, and we love them all!  "Mr. Steve" also sang his song One in a Thousand.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm00nMZmxgo.  He played his ukelele as he sang his song.  We enjoyed it so much that he created a song just for us and sang it to us.

Both authors answered our many questions.  We are grateful that they volunteered to read to classrooms around the world during World Read Aloud Day.   Thank you both.

Snow Motion- Day 2

 Another wonderful day at Cochran's!!  We are so lucky to have such a great resource nearby.  Our kindergarten skiers and snowboarders had an incredible time.  Their skills continue to grow and grow.  I am very impressed.

Toy Day

Students earned another celebration for meeting classroom and school expectations.  They showed respect for themselves, others, and the environment.  Everyone worked hard to listen and follow directions.  They brainstormed ideas for our celebration, voted, and decided on Toy Day.  Students brought in 1 favorite toy from home.  They shared their toy with the class and told 2 things about their toy.  It was a great way to celebrate behavior and end our week.

Toobaloos- whisper phones for reading

Kindergarteners loved using toobaloos (whisper phones) for reading.  They can talk quietly into one end of the phone and hear themselves in the other end.  What an engaging way to read!

Snow Motion!!

What an amazing day we had!  It was so much fun to go skiing and snowboarding at Cochran's.  Our kindergarten students were incredible.  They did such a great job!  Thank you, Mr. G., for making this possible.  We also want to thank Cochran's and all the people who supported us today.