Thankful to a Wonderful Short Week!

We may have had a short week but it was a BUSY few days! This week we worked on many little projects to celebrate Thanksgiving and prepare for winter.

Ms. West made pumpkin bread with the kids to close out our pumpkin investigation and begin our cooking investigation.  They did all the mixing to follow the recipe!

We also read a story sponsored by the LINKS and the Books Alive program called: The Big Orange Splot. It was about a man who gets a big orange splot dropped on his house and he decides to paint the whole outside. His neighbors want him to paint it back the way it was so all of the houses will look the same but they soon realize all their houses can look different and they paint theirs too.  To connect to the story we had all the students at the table paint their house the same color. Next week they will decorate their house to make it look the way they want it to.

Today we worked on some projects to get our room ready for winter and the holiday season. We wanted the students to make holiday paper chains to hang from the ceiling but we weren't sure how they would do... But as usual they surprised us! Each table was given two sets of holiday paper strips and a stapler. They worked so hard to make the patterns with their table mates. We hung each chain above the table that made it. Great job!

A Sweet Trip

We have finally completed our pumpkin investigation and are moving into our baking study. To kick of our new investigation we took a field trip to Ele Cake Co. Our wonderful tour guide Ms. Heather took the students through the store section as well as the back where all the treats were made then students got to make their own turkey cookie! They did a very good job being respectful to the staff and customers and asked some really great questions.

Today we started drawing plans and making signs for our classroom bakery. We can't wait to see how it turns out!

Pumpkin Investigation

For the past couple of weeks the students have been investigating pumpkins and squash. Take a look at our investigation process.

EKW and Background Knowledge
First we discussed experiences, knowledge and what the students wanted to know (wonderings). Then they learned about living things and their needs.

Pumpkin Research
The students learned about the life cycle, growing process, parts and types of pumpkins by listening to different non-fiction stories, watching video clips and looking at text pictures.

Field Trip and Pumpkin Picking
The students got to visit a real pumpkin patch to see where pumpkins grow. We cut open one of the pumpkins from the patch. The students got to help scoop out the pulp and seeds. They also touched and smelled the flesh. We made estimations about how many seeds there were. We put them in groups of ten and counted. There were 436 seeds!

Creating the Models
The students chose a pumpkin or squash that they wanted to sketch. They worked to make sure they added all the details and used the exact colors.

They also worked with Ms. West to make paper machete models. They had so much fun getting "ooey and gooey"! This week the students worked on painting and labeling the models.

Play Based Areas
Each of our play based areas had pumpkin and leaf inspired objects.

Building Area- students created a pumpkin patch

Sensory Area- students did water play with gel leafs

Math Area- students made patterns, measured pumpkins and squash, used a " geo" pumpkin to make shapes and counted seeds

Art Area- students painted pumpkin and squash pictures

Reading Area- students read about pumpkins

Home Living Area- students engaged in pretend play by making pumpkin "dishes"

Writing Area- students drew and wrote about pumpkins

Clay/Play-dough Area- students made "mini" models of pumpkin and squash

Science Area- students used leaves they collected to create leaf creatures

Paper Machete Pumpkin Patch
These are the awesome paper machete pumpkins the students made with Ms. West!  They used different colors like all of the pumpkins we learned about and labeled the parts.  They are all connected on a "vine".

 

Our Display
This is our hallway display.

 The students illustrations of different types of pumpkins and squash.

 The paintings students worked on in the art area.

 Student drawings and writings from the field trip.

 Foldables made by the students about needs and habitats.

Mini models made by the students in the clay area.




What's Next?
Our next investigation will be cooking. We will finish out pumpkins by Thanksgiving break by making pumpkin bread! Yummy!