In our kindergarten class, learning is an adventure, and this week’s journey took us back in time to the Mesozoic era with a thrilling exploration of dinosaurs. The classroom transformed into a prehistoric playground, igniting curiosity and fostering creativity among our young learners.
Setting the Scene:
As we delved into the world of dinosaurs, each table became a hub of exploration, aligning with different learning topics. From alphabet bumps to math games, art projects, and sensory bins, every corner held an opportunity for discovery. The classroom buzzed with excitement as students eagerly engaged with the various hands-on activities.
1. Alphabet Adventures: Dinosaur Style
At the alphabet table, students immersed themselves in the Dinosaur Alphabet Bump. Roars of excitement filled the air as they rolled dice and matched letters, reinforcing their understanding of the alphabet in a playful manner.
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2. Math Marvels: Dinosaur Math Bump
The math table hosted the Dinosaur Math Bump, where numbers and dinosaurs collided. This interactive game not only enhanced numerical skills but also sparked the imagination as students explored different aspects of math through the lens of these prehistoric creatures.
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3. Artistic Explorations: T-Rex Cut and Paste
Creativity soared at the art table, where students engaged in cut-and-paste activities featuring the mighty T-Rex. The classroom echoed with the sounds of scissors and glue, as young paleontologists crafted their own T-Rex masterpieces.
4. Sensory Excitement: Dinosaur Skeletons and Kinetic Sand
The sensory bin transported students into the past with dinosaur skeletons buried in kinetic sand. This hands-on experience allowed them to feel the texture of ancient bones and engage in imaginative play within their own dinosaur world.
5. Dino Dig: Unearthing Bones in the Rice Table
A dinosaur dig awaited at the rice table, offering students the chance to match up dinosaur skeletons and learn about the anatomy of these fascinating creatures.
6. Dinosaur Playground and Habitat Building
The dinosaur playground provided a space for exploration, where miniature dinosaurs roamed through habitats crafted with the wet felting projects from the previous week. The classroom echoed with roars and laughter as students immersed themselves in imaginative play.
7. Dinosaur Stew Counting Collections
No dinosaur week is complete without a bit of play involving counting collections. Dinosaur stew became the focal point, allowing students to play and explore numbers in a fun and interactive way.
A Week of Learning Highlights:
Monday – Letter D Exploration: The week kicked off with an exploration of the letter D. Brainstorming sessions fueled our understanding of all things starting with D, and playdough creations brought the letter to life in both uppercase and lowercase forms.
Tuesday – Storytelling and Writing: We delved into the art of storytelling inspired by “Ralph Tells a Story,” emphasizing that every moment holds a story waiting to be told. Writing became a joyful activity as we shared our own tales.
Wednesday – Special Visitors and Outdoor Adventures: Midweek brought unexpected joy with special visitors from Columeetza, turning our day into a delightful collaboration. Outdoor adventures included sledding, laughter, and a shared love for the snowy landscape.
Thursday – Cut and Paste Letter Craft: Fine motor skills took center stage as students crafted adorable ducks in a cut-and-paste letter craft session, focusing on the letter D.
Friday – Salt Dough Fossil Making: The week concluded with a hands-on activity, making salt dough fossils. Each student picked their favorite dinosaur, creating and molding their very own fossils. These treasures will dry over the weekend, ready to go home as a testament to a week filled with discovery.
Reflecting on the Learning:
Throughout the week, dinosaur books fueled our imaginations, and the wonder wall overflowed with questions and curiosities about these magnificent creatures. Math exploration included dice counting, number representation, and then counting out a collection of items to represent the the number. As always our classroom is built around a lot of choice so students were given the choice on how they wanted to work. They could chose an individual whiteboard and work at a desk individually or with a classmate or they could work vertically on the larger whiteboards. We also like to have at least one block of collaborative learning during math tubs where student are given the choice of different math manipulatives and they are given time to choose a material to explore and play. It is incredible to watch their growth and development when we start from an individual area of interest and to watch them grow and learn and teach each other as a group!
Fostering a Love for Learning:
In our kindergarten class, we believe in creating a learning environment that sparks curiosity, encourages exploration, and nurtures a love for learning. Dinosaur week wasn’t just about dinosaurs; it was a journey of discovery, creativity, and collaboration. As we bid farewell to our salt dough fossils drying on the shelf, we eagerly anticipate the next adventure that awaits our young learners. Stay tuned for more tales from our kindergarten classroom!
Kindy Play 