Kindergarten students learn about shadows from the Ground Hog!

We had a fun week playing with shadows in kindergarten....how can an old folktale about a ground hog inspire so much learning...and fun? We we had a great time playing on the playground with our shadows...one day....yes our weather doesn't allow for very much shadow play as of late!

In our science curricculum we have been learning that you need three things to make a shadow. A light source (we used an artificial one in our classroom!), a surface and an object. We wrote a book and took picture of objects on the playground and the shadows they made. We learned that shadows move and about how the earth rotates and has a shadow from the sun. We learned about sundials and ways that shadows change depending on the time of day (see our diagram!) We even made a shadow with our class. It was a lot of fun. I cannot imagine my life (or your child's) without a digital camera!

Ask your child what they learned about shadows. By the way...the Ground Hog says 6 more weeks of winter!

Celebrating the Lunar New Year in kindergarten!

The Lansing kindergarten classes were "lucky"...get it? ....to have an opportunity to learn about the Lunar (Chinese) New Year first hand from from students and professors in the Asian Studies program at Cornell University today. The guests arrived with their "lion" parts and put on quite a display. They explained about the traditions that surround the holiday, the significance of the color red, the lion/dragon dance and parade and so much more! Ask your child what they remember from the presentation. At the end of the presentation each child had an opportunity to be the head of the "lion"...it was an incredible opportunity and we are thankful! Our presenters even brought us red envelopes with gold coins in them and special information about the holiday. There will be a performance on the Ithaca Commons on Sat. Feb. 13th from 11:00-3:00. (Information should have come home regarding this in your child's bag today). There will be a performance of the lion dance, and children's activities.

In one of our social studies lessons we learned about international holidays and how we celebrate different holidays but celebrate in many of the same ways, such as, fireworks, pinatas, parades etc...

Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Holidays!

We had a small holiday celebration in our class with hot chocolate (all snuggled in our blankets!), opening gifts and watching a movie (Annabelle's Wish) about generosity. The class gift from Mrs. Volbrecht, Mrs. Phelps and I was a new set of checkers made from real wood and a hand sewn cloth checker board... also pencils, candy canes, and a few books. Our class LOVES checkers and books!

We also made a class book with all the children in it. Everybody loves to read a book...especially when YOU are in it! It is an easy read since the children recognize each others names and faces! We hope they enjoy it.

The Lansing Lions were very generous and gifted all the kindergarten children in Lansing hat and glove sets all wrapped and beautiful! It was so kind of them. We live in a wonderful place!

For a treat we had "monkey bread". The kids all loved pulling it apart and eating it. Of course...with a little help from my very own Vanna White...we graphed who liked it and who didn't!

It was a fun day...which ended with a school wide sing along at the middle school!

I hope you all had a nice holiday!

Seeking forgiveness!

Dear Families...This blog is to beg for forgiveness! I am so sorry that I have not had the time lately to update the blog...things got a little crazy around the holidays. I will do my best to catch you all up to speed... so look back on the blog pages. I will try to do it in order according to our lessons activites and special events over the past month or so!

Pennies for Peace!

Our class had fun counting our pennies that we collected for the "Pennies for Peace" fundraiser! We made piles of tens then put them in groups of tens...we finally estimated cups of pennies by the dollar! We raised approximately 36 dollars for the cause! Good job room 116!

Native American pictographs...fun!

This past week we spent time learning about how Native Americans told stories using pictures. See if your child can retell you the story about the Little Brown Duck Shinnabis? See if your child can retell the Thanksgiving story by using their re-telling beaded bracelet?

We enjoyed using a punch set and some leather to make name plates with pictures...check them out!

We are THANKFUL!

We had a wonderful time at the Thanksgiving Feast! The food was fabulous and the company even better!

Thank you to all those who helped make it possible...parents, cafeteria, janitorial, friends, volunteers and administration!

THANK YOU!