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Easter Egg-stravaganza: A Week of Fun and Learning in Kindergarten

After a relaxing Easter Monday and a two-week break, we jumped right back into learning and fun in kindergarten! Tuesday was our first day back, and the room was set up for exploration and play, welcoming the children with Easter-themed activities with an emphasis on Easter math activities.

Our sensory table was a hit, filled straw and little bunnies and eggs. It was a sensory delight for the children, sparking their curiosity and imagination.

For added excitement, we added another sensory table filled with wheat and little mini carrots and bunnies.

We also introduced some new Easter games at the various tables. The Easter bunny alphabet bump was a hit, helping the children reinforce their alphabet recognition skills in a fun and engaging way.

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At the math table, we had the Easter Bunny Tower & Tumble game, which was a fantastic way to incorporate math skills into our Easter theme. The children had a blast playing and learning at the same time.

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Our day started with our usual routines, including our letter introduction and sharing time. I’ve recently added daily sharing time to our schedule to emphasize oral language development. It’s been wonderful to see the children sharing stories and connecting with each other through their shared experiences.

Our Easter week in Kindergarten continued with our weekly directed drawing, and this time, it was all about drawing Easter bunnies! The children showed their creativity and artistic skills as they brought these adorable bunnies to life on paper.

Tuesday brought a bit of a change to our routine, as we have gym in the middle of the block between recess and lunch. Despite the disruption, our art lesson was still enjoyable and creative. The children embraced the opportunity to get active and burn off some energy in gym class, and they returned to the classroom ready to dive back into their artistic creations.

Our Easter week in Kindergarten was filled with creativity and learning as we dove into our imaginary writing unit. On Tuesday, we began exploring the concept of made-up stories using the beloved Froggy books. We read “Froggy Goes to Hawaii” and discussed the elements of a story, including the setting. The children were excited to start creating their own imaginary stories, and their imaginations ran wild as they began to craft their tales.

Wednesday brought more writing adventures as we practiced printing the letter Y and made Easter baskets to take our Easter eggs home in. We also revisited our friends of 10 skills with an Easter Bunny-themed game, adding a fun twist to our math practice. The highlight of the day was dyeing Easter eggs, which not only brought joy but also provided a hands-on exploration into color mixing and color play.

In addition to our writing and math activities, Wednesday is always big buddy day, and we had a blast learning a new game with our big buddies. The Easter Tower & Tumble game was a hit, challenging the children to practice their subitizing skills and continue to work on number recognition. It was a great way to differentiate instruction easily as it has game boards for the number 0-2 and 0-6 and everything in between as well as numbers in every format to practice number recognition skills though math games!

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Thursday was all about our letter craft for the week, and we created a yak for the letter Y. The children showed off their creativity and fine motor skills as they cut and glued to create their yaks.

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Our Easter week in Kindergarten ended on a high note with a fun and creative exploration into math problem solving through the use of real world problems. We started on Wednesday with learning the song “5 Little Ducks” and then we each got 5 little ducks and practiced figuring out the different combinations of 5. Thursday we moved onto “5 Green and Speckled Frogs” and worked on combinations of frogs on the log and frogs in the water. Finally we ended the week with “5 Little Dinosaurs” and worked on combinations of Dinosaurs and Dinosaur eggs (pom poms).

After all our math adventures in Kindergarten, we ended the week with our usual Forest Friday time, but our lovely PAC parents organized an Easter Egg hunt for the entire school. It was a beautiful day, perfect for exploring the outdoors and looking for Easter eggs.

Overall, it was a week filled with creativity, learning, and Easter math fun. I’m so proud of all the hard work and creativity the children displayed, and I can’t wait to see what other adventures await us in Kindergarten!

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Families Forever: Kindergarten’s Inquiry Week Unveiling the Bonds of Love!

Welcome to a recap of our heartwarming and engaging F for Family Week in kindergarten! This week was filled with exciting activities that celebrated the importance of family, friendship, and creativity in our lives.

As a kindergarten teacher, I take great care in setting up our classroom each week, filled with wonderful ideas and intentions for our learning adventures. However, one of the beautiful aspects of teaching young minds is that their learning often takes on a life of its own, sometimes looking very different from what I had originally planned in my head. And you know what? That’s perfectly okay – in fact, it’s often where the magic happens.

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Each week, I carefully plan out our activities, envisioning engaged students eagerly participating in structured lessons and projects. But as any experienced teacher knows, flexibility is key when working with young learners. Their curiosity, creativity, and unique perspectives often lead us down unexpected paths, and it’s in these moments that true learning flourishes.

Monday: Focused on F

We started the week by diving into the letter F! We brainstormed words that start with F and practiced forming uppercase and lowercase F’s out of playdough. This set the stage for a week of learning and fun centered around the letter F.

As always we continued on with our directed drawing of the week. F is for fox. It is so remarkable how their individuality shines in these activities. We had baby foxes and purple foxes and everything in between!

Tuesday: Special Guest Teacher and “There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Rose”

Tuesday was extra special as we welcomed a wonderful guest teacher to our classroom. We enjoyed reading “There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Rose” and engaged in fun craft activities inspired by the book. It was a day filled with laughter, learning, and creativity.

Wednesday: Valentine’s Day Celebration

Valentine’s Day fell on Wednesday, and we celebrated with a focus on kindness and friendship. We exchanged cards and gifts with our friends, spreading love and joy throughout the classroom. The afternoon was filled with excitement as we opened our cards and gifts, expressing gratitude for the thoughtfulness of our friends.

Thursday: Celebrating Our Families

Thursday was all about celebrating our families. We had special tables set up with activities that honored the unique characteristics of each family. In our sensory tub, we explored sensory dough and family character figures. We also read “My Family Your Family” and took the time to compare, contrast, and celebrate the diversity of our families.

At the story workshop table, we had the opportunity to share stories about our families using the family character figures. We also took time to create beautiful family portraits, capturing the love and connection we feel for our families.

Friday: Wrapping Up with F for Fox Crafts

To conclude our F for Family Week, we engaged in a fun and creative craft activity. We made F for fox letter crafts, adding our own unique touches to our foxes. It was a fantastic way to end a week filled with learning, creativity, and appreciation for our families.

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In conclusion, F for Family Week was a heartwarming and enriching experience for all of us. It reinforced the importance of family, celebrated friendship, and fostered a sense of community in our classroom. We look forward to more adventures and learning experiences in the weeks to come!

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Heartfelt Discoveries: Kindergarten’s Valentine’s Inquiry Week Journey!

Introduction: As we stepped into another enchanting week of exploration in our kindergarten classroom, the air was filled with love, laughter, and the sweet anticipation of Valentine’s Day. Our thematic tables were adorned with vibrant hues of red and pink, setting the stage for a love-filled journey through the letter “V” for Valentine.

Math Mania: This week, our little learners delved into the world of numbers and strategic thinking with not one, but two captivating math tables. The first table featured the excitement of Valentine Bump, where the roll of a 10-sided dice added an extra twist to this classic game. Laughter echoed as students bumped their way through math problems, embracing the joy of learning through play.

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At the second math table, the “Keep the Hearts” game stole the spotlight. Bears in hand, our young mathematicians navigated through addition and subtraction challenges, strategically plotting their moves to avoid reaching the end of the game board. Learning math has never been this heartwarming!

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Alphabet Adventures: The alphabet matching table became a haven for letter exploration. With Valentine Bump taking a twist, the addition of alphabet stones added a tactile element to the learning journey. Students eagerly matched letters, reinforcing their understanding of the alphabet while immersed in the Valentine’s Day theme.

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Sensory Sensation: Our sensory table turned into a magical realm of exploration with dyed quinoa, stones, and the adorable presence of Valentine bears. The tactile experience of quinoa combined with the visual delight of stones and bears created an immersive sensory adventure. Little hands sifted through the quinoa, discovering the hidden treasures within, and each bear became a companion in their journey of sensory exploration.

Tuesday: Building Number Sense

We kicked off our Valentine’s Week by honing our number sense skills with an engaging game. In “Build 5 Blocks,” students had to build a tower of five blocks, hide it behind their back, break it, and show one half to their partner. The challenge? Their partner had to figure out how many blocks were hiding behind their back. It was a fun and interactive way to reinforce counting and understanding of basic mathematical concepts.

Wednesday: Open-Ended Play Projects

On Wednesday, we delved into the world of open-ended play projects, igniting creativity and problem-solving skills. Among the materials provided, the solo cups emerged as the unexpected stars of the day. Initially unsure of what to do with them, students soon discovered the thrill of building towers. Tower building challenges became the highlight of the day, with students showcasing impressive teamwork and strategic planning to construct taller and stronger towers.

Thursday: Crafting and Storytime

Thursday brought a special treat as we welcomed a guest teacher for crafting activities inspired by the story “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse.” The classroom buzzed with excitement as students expressed their creativity through various crafts, perfectly complementing the heartwarming tale. While we enjoyed our special crafting session, we eagerly anticipated the return of our regular teacher for the afternoon, bringing back the comforting routine of our Thursday activities.

Friday: V for Vase Craft and Dance Performance

As the week drew to a close, we embraced the spirit of Valentine’s Day with a delightful V for vase craft activity. Armed with colorful materials, students let their imaginations run wild as they created beautiful vases adorned with hearts and love-themed decorations. But the excitement didn’t end there – we had been diligently practicing our dance skills throughout the week, and it was time to showcase our talents in a special school performance. With enthusiasm and joy, we danced our hearts out, spreading love and happiness to all who watched.

In conclusion, our V for Valentine’s Week was filled with unforgettable experiences, from strengthening our academic skills to fostering creativity and teamwork. As we bid farewell to this special week, we carry with us the memories of laughter, friendship, and the joy of learning together. Here’s to many more adventures in the days to come!