Collaboration

 

We focused in on our Habit of Character of Collaboration.  Throughout the year we have discussed that collaboration was about working together.

Students learned that it means a lot more than that!

We learned to actively listen when others were sharing their ideas.  We used a "talking stick" to give each person a chance to share their ideas and the other team members an opportunity to listen closely to others' ideas.

Each small group was given a group of supplies to collaborate to create something.

After many days of listening, discussing and working together, each team collaborated and made a creation.  It was a week full of feedback, some conflict and productive problem solving.  Collaboration is hard!  As a crew, we are committed to continue to keep practicing to help our collaboration muscles get stronger.

Trees Are Alive Learning Expedition

What better way to study about trees then to get outside and observe them!

Our crew loves anytime we can take our learning and adventures outside!

Students observed trees and looked for the parts of a tree to understand how they meet their needs.

We have learned:

roots give trees water

leaves give trees food using photosynthesis

stomata helps trees breathe air

bark protects trees

trunks help trees grow strong and sturdy

branches help trees  move

We loved doing the work of a dendrologist outside!

 

We are mathematicians!

 

We are doing the work of mathematicians!  Students have been persevering to understand, model and solve addition and subtraction problems.

  Math is not about memorizing facts, but understanding what is happening in these problems.

Students are collaborating together to solve problems using many strategies including drawing models, using fingers and using number lines.

Students try all the strategies and then reflect:

"I am the kind of mathematician who....."

We are Scientists!

 As scientists, we have been observing, experimenting, recording and asking questions.  

We studied force by exploring push and pull.  We noticed that some things move by pushing away from us and that some things move by pulling closer to us.  We also noticed that some things can be pushed and pulled.

On a different Wonder Wednesday, we observed rocks.  We researched them by looking at non-fiction texts and asked questions.

What better way to study weather than going outside!  As meteorologist, we learned about temperature, thermometers, weather elements and collecting data.

We also enjoyed wondering about pumpkins by observing closely, using our 5 senses and recording our thinking.  We are really growing as scientists!

Reading in Kindergarten

We are readers!  

Kindergarteners are in the routine of choosing their own books.  They are picking a variety of texts to include song books, ABC books, non-fiction, pattern books and science readers.

Students have time each day to read independently, in small groups and with partners.

We are learning that readers don't only read words, but THINK about what they are reading.  We meet with partners and our crew to talk about our schema, connections, favorite part and questions.

Students engage with books every day because we know that readers become stronger readers by READING books.  

Students are gaining an identify as readers and are reflecting on themselves as readers by thinking about "I am the kind of reader who....."

Outside Adventures

 

I love when we get to leave the walls of the classroom to explore, discover and play.

Outdoors, kids learn perseverance skills by trying new, hard things.

Outdoors, we learn how to care for our crew members and help them when they need it.

Outdoors, we get to explore, ask questions and look for new things.

Outdoors, we forget about store bought toys and use nature to have fun!

Outdoors, kids learn to love nature and grow confident in their abilities.

We are authors

In kindergarten, we have been working hard to follow the workshop model to grow smarter as writers.

We persevered to write our first book.  Kindergarten authors are using high quality pictures to tell their stories.

Students reflected on their own books and thought about how they got smarter as writers.

We used both our high quality checklist and our kindergarten writing rubric.

Finally, we celebrated our writing with our crew and set goals for ourselves.