Collaboration

 

Alone we can do so little,

Together we can do so much!

~Helen Keller

Collaboration is one of our seven Habits of Character.  It is one of my favorite habits because it leads to so much engagement, perspective taking and seeking to understand.

In all of our learning expeditions, students have time to collaborate through discussions, asking questions and responding to different ideas.

In our morning Crew meetings, students problem solved how to work together to get our entire crew across the classroom using only 9 lily pads (circles).

It was so fun to see who took on leadership roles, how the students communicated and how they problem solved after failure.

Trees Are Alive Learning Expedition

We are becoming dendrologist!  Our kindergarten crew has embarked on our next learning expedition, Trees Are Alive!

We started this expedition by going on field work outside to observe, record and ask the question "What makes something living or nonliving?"

   

While we were there we explored trees and enjoyed the outdoors.

We then began our research to answer the question "How do trees meet their needs?"  

Local experts came from HRCA Backcountry.  We learned so much from the hands on research from these experts.

After field work, researching using mentor texts and experts, we again ventured to the field to observe parts of a tree and how they help the tree survive.

 

  

We also began started thinking about what living things depend on trees to meet their needs.  We are having such a wonderful time doing the authentic work of a dendrologist.

YO Buddies

What a special relationship with our YO (Younger and Older) Buddies.  We have teamed up with a 3rd grade Crew in our school.

We meet every Friday to learn new games, work on reading, writing and math.

The 3rd graders take on a leadership role and help their kindergarten buddy complete tasks, learn new skills and mentor the younger student.

We have started our nonfiction writing unit.  The 3rd graders helped us research our animal using our Chromebook.

The 3rd graders helped us take notes to use to write our high quality sentences.  What a fantastic mentor program at such a young age.

Winter!

You only get to be 5 one time in your lifetime!  This is one of the sentences that drives my beliefs and daily intentions for kindergarten.

 Playing in the snow and enjoying the outdoors is one of our favorite past times in kindergarten.

Students love to explore, collaborate, problem solve and have fun in the outdoors.

We work hard to go outside three times per day to practice hands on, real life skills.

We are prepared for the weather each day so we can get outside and PLAY!  No wonder our crew mates are growing so much academically, socially and emotionally!

Ending Our First Learning Expedition

We ended our learning expedition, Toys and Play.    Ms. Fantastic Faythe gave us a mission to become Play Experts!  We learned how to make playing together fun by creating Play Commitments and playing together EVERY DAY!

After we became Play Experts, we were charged with becoming Toy Experts.  Each student reflected on his/her favorite classroom toy.  We studied the attributes of toys.  Each student wrote several sentences to name his/her favorite toy and describe it.

Finally, we collaborated to donate toys to a local children's cancer center.  Each kindergarten family donated a toy.  Our crew members wrote several sentences to name the toy, tell how to play with the toy and then gave each patient a heart print or well wish to help spread compassion on a high quality toy tag.

 

What a special way to end our amazing study of toys and play!

Get Outside!

 During our first Learning Expedition, Toys and Play, students have been persevering to become play and toy experts.  We collaborated to create our four Play Commitments.  

We decided to leave the walls of the classroom and play outside!  We used our mentor text to use our imagination while we explored and played outside.

We found out that playing outside requires the same commitments as playing inside.

We practiced including others.

We practiced sharing.

We practiced using kind words.

We practiced taking care of materials.

Math in Kindergarten!

 We believe in hands on, concrete mathematical instruction to help our mathematicians understand and remember mathematical concepts.

Students use cubes to model their mathematical thinking.

Students record their mathematical thinking.

Students talk about their mathematical thinking with peers to explain their thinking.

We use a learning target and a visible thinking for kindergarten mathematicians to learn from, refer to and reflect about using "I am the kind of mathematician who....".