Protect the Popsicle Parts 1 and 2

This week the kindergartners started the Protect the Popsicle Challenge. On Tuesday we read a big book on Making Juice Pops. We wanted to revisit what happens to a solid when it gets warm or cold. We want the students to generalize these learnings to have them connect protecting their popsicle from the sun.  On Wednesday we looked at many different kinds of shade structures online. Then the students created their own sketches on what structure they thought would protect the popsicle the best. On Friday morning Mr. Musselman from the Burlington Science Center came to assist the kindergartners in actually collaborating to build their groups shade structure. The kindergarten groups spent about an hour constructing their structures. Due to the cold, raining weather we weren't able to test our structure. Our hope is that the structures are built well enough to withstand many days of waiting to test them out.  The long term forecast still isn't calling for sunny, warm weather. Stay tuned for Part 3 hopefully happening soon!

Part 1- planning our our shade structure sketches.

Part 2- Constructing the Shade Structures

Career Day at Pine Glen

Miss Zanotti organized a career day for us to participate in this week. The kindergartners were introduced to a couple of Burlington Firefighters, a Burlington Police Officer and alpaca farmers. These jobs fit into our community helper unit and it was great watching the student interact with the adults appropriately and asking engaging questions about their jobs. Nice work kindergartners! 

Geobands iPad App

The students have been exploring with the Geobands iPad app. They have been practicing making their shapes on this app. They have also been making beautiful designs with the app and were very happy to share them! We love to use the iPads.

Shapes- Pattern Block Designs

Our math program has introduced us to shapes. We have revisited the names and characteristics of shapes. We have learned about two dimensional shapes (or flat) shapes and three dimensional shapes (or solid) shapes.  We have also revisited our positional words and played a game with following directions to find shapes and positions of the shapes. We will be moving onto Topics 13 and 14 in EnVison and we will be categorizing by attributes. The shape book the students created will be coming home soon.

Reward Time- Kickball with our 4th Grade Partners

When the kindergartners filled their popcorn jar again they voted to play a game with their 4th grade partners. Mrs. Visocchi and her 4th graders were happy to assist us with this reward. We also need to thank Ms. Govoni and Mr. Kip for allowing us to use the gym since it was raining outside. The collaboration and team work among the kindergartners and 4th graders was wonderful to see. We have done may things with our 4th grader partners this year and you can tell be watching their interactions that the students are all good friends! We plan on seeing our 4th grade partners a few more times before the end of the school year. Our kickball game was a success and enjoyed by all!

Butterfly Release

As part of our science curriculum the kindergartners observed the lifecycle of butterflies. The science center delivered baby caterpillars to our classroom. We then observed the caterpillars eating for days and growing much bigger. Then the caterpillars changed into the pupa stage and went through metamorphosis and they finally emerged as butterflies. We kept them in our classroom an extra day to observe and record this stage then we set the butterflies free. This was very exciting!  We read some stories and watched a Brain Pop Jr. video on the lifecycle of the butterfly. It is important for the students to understand the lifecycle of plants and animals and that this cycle continues. We did not see our butterflies in the egg stage.