Tuesday, April 28, 2020

April 27 BINGO game and more

It has been a crazy experience, teaching PreK and Kindergarten from a distance! I have been delighted by the many ways my students and their parents have responded to this challenge. Miss Menke shared this BINGO GAME to support PE, Health, Art and general learning. I invite you to join the fun especially if you have another student participating.
 There have been some self start projects like Rowan's Egg Experiment. He covered the eggs with vinegar and added some food dye. The eggs will sit for a few days and he will explore how they have changed. Some have worked on building skills that will be useful next year. Others are playing games that build so many social and academic skills. One family created an ART WALL for their art/representing work.


Zeyah exicted about a new Elmo Go Fish and Matching Game
 Damon and the Unicorn game he played over and over and over! The card Rosie made for me.

 The stories I've shared have been represented is a variety ways. I am delighted to see their work, their smiles on pictures and their voices on videos. Thank you, thank you, thank you for participating in continued learning.You are doing such a great job! The following are just some of the examples from the first 3 weeks, even one form today! 










Addison likes to play the teacher for her brother!












August made the bears from When Will it Be Spring? and told a One More story with her stuffies. "Along came a bird, tweet tweet, tweet, and then there were 5. Her story telling skills are exciellent!


Hayley made the connect to a non'fiction book and shared her pony picture, This is Gold, her palomino mare that is 5 years old, just like her! 

Macie has shared so many wonderful pieces with me, like a video of measuring with beads and her rambles but I loved her pigs in this representation of The 3 Wishes.

This is Ezrah's lizard but his video filling cups with gold fish was priceless.

Paisley made this lizard from a toilet paper tube.
This is a WESTERN FLICKER. I saw him tapping on a chimney and then poking at the ground and I remembered the feather I found was likely from a flicker so I did and internet search and confirmed my answer was right! I wonder what I will wonder next?  

 I my family were all isolating together, this is a project that I would have made. 
Again I thank you for sharing your learning and experiences with me. I miss teaching so much.
Love,
Mrs. Dyck

Monday, April 20, 2020

April 20 - I WONDER



 
Kindergarten students have a duo tang with this, I WONDER, organizer. I would do this with the PreK students too  with a representation project at the end.  
My organizer is filled out to show you how it could look but you can investigate any way you like.
I am very sad to be missing my SPRING RAMBLES with the students. Every year we go rambling (walks where we learn about the world around us) and look for signs of the season.This month we would be looking for plants and animals that show us spring is here.
There are many signs of Spring in Coronach.
1. Birds that flew south return in the Spring. Canadian geese, ducks, snow geese, cranes, robins and meadowlarks.
2. Snow melts and we see plants beginning to grow. We especially watch for the ones that are only seen in the spring like tulips, crocus' and blossoms on trees like the lilacs, saskatoons, chokecherries and apples.
3. The arrival of green grass, leaves on the trees and dandelions are all exciting to see.

This is a collage of some of the things I saw on my Spring Ramble, April 19th. I used this Ramble to start my I WONDER activity.
 I'd found a black and yellow feather on an earlier Ramble, so I investigated to find if my feather had come from the Meadowlark. I came to my conclusion, what do you think, meadowlark or flicker?


I was still interested in the meadowlark and I WONDERED why they sang to get my attention then flew a little ways away and sang again. Were they luring me away from their nest like the killdeer bird does. 
This is what a meadowlark sounds like - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lngs9-X5cPM 
That made me WONDER where do they nest?
Where could I find the answer? My mom knows lots about birds but we can't visit her now so maybe the internet would be a good place to look.
YES! the meadowlark makes a grass cave nest on the ground.
I know robin eggs are blue and killdeer eggs are brown speckled, I WONDER what their eggs look like?
 They are brown and speckled like the killdeer bird but a little bigger.

 This map I found confirmed that we have Western Meadowlarks here. I learned to draw a moose and some insects, I WONDER if I can learn to draw a meadowlark and I WONDER what they eat?

 
 This is my art project .
I also found out they are ground foragers, which means they pick up insects off the ground but sometimes eat grain, seeds and fruit too.
This I WONDER activity pairs very well with EARTH DAY on Wednesday April 22nd.
If possible, please take your student on a SPRING RAMBLE. Talk about the changes that are happening at this time of year, value the natural environment and be curious about it. Share your knowledge about the environment and encourage/assist them in an I WONDER investigation. I can't wait to see what you find to be curious about!


Tuesday, April 7, 2020

April at Home

Please excuse the lack of formatting,  blogging on my phone from home has been a learning activity for me.

This month the whole world is staying home as much as possible. COVID-19 is shared easily and by staying home we can help stop the spread. I miss teaching you at school so much but we can keep learning together, it's just different now.
Last week I shared the story, When will it be Spring?, asked you to do a activity and share it with me. It was so much fun seeing you, your pictures and videos and reading what your parents wrote. I especially liked talking to you by video. It made me feel like we are still a class.
Texting works great to share but one student  used WhatsApp and that was great too. I could even facetime on WhatsApp or on Facebook  if it works for you.

Here are a few art ideas for you but you can do also do your own. Be sure your creations with me. I love to see you work!

 EASTER BUNNY FREEZE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=nZFRg1GucZ8
\HOP HOP LITTLE BUNNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPaaDjhVKqk
Ten Bunnies Counting Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyyh8rhwKQ8
EASTER BUNNY SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzYplxl_RAc
IF I WERE THE EASTER BUNNY STORY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI2Z5ZvO1gk

Shadow drawing might be a great way document some Non-Fiction research.




These 2 sheets are in the MATH duotang. The activities given with them will reinforce the concepts we have covered. Using math vocabulary like greater than/less than/the same as and add this many more, now how many are there altogether, are very important skills for next year.


Math Card Games That Will Help Students Practice Their Skills

This is just a prompt I would use to help them sort books as FICTION or NON-FICTION, a worksheet is in their duotang.
How to Play Go Fish | Play n go, Card games for kids, Card games

MEMORY - You can play this with a reduced deck Ace -5 and then build as they increase number knowledge and concentration skills or make letter cards to play with..How To Play Memory - YouTubeWar Card Game Rules | War card game, Cards, Card games
Playing card games are great fun and develop many skills.
Taking turns
The pattern of dealing or laying out cards
Winning and loosing graciously
Following instructions and rules
Recognition of numbers at a glance
Understand the value of numbers 1-10 or even 11, 12 and 13
Note - Try give the value of one to the Ace and you can start with a reduced deck. Like Ace - 5's  


Kindergarten Sept.2020

These were shared on seesaw and then I decided that I prefer this Blog for general pictures, activities and explanations. You may see us out...