Sorting Fun

This student first sorted by color and then buy shape.

MATHEMATICS
2.PK.1 Sort objects by similar attributes (size, shape, and color.)
4.PK.1a Identify circles, triangles, and squares.
4.PK.1b Begin to recognize two and three dimensional shapes in the environment.
SCIENCE
P.PK.1 Sort objects according to observable properties (shape and color).

Then he showed another student how to sort by shape. They even made up a little song amount it as they went along.

LANGUAGE
8.PK.4b Share ideas and information from personal and share group experiences.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
5.PK.1b Play in pairs and small groups.
5.PK.1d Initiate play, or enter into play with a group of children already playing.
6.PK.1a Attend to a task for at least 10 minutes.
6.PK.1c Use verbal and non-verbal conversation skills.

Puzzles are fun for all ages!

Puzzles enhance math, spacial relations, problem solving and social skills....to name a few.

MATHEMATICS
K2.K.1 Identify attributes used to sort objects.
K4.K.9 Sort and classify objects by color and shape.
3.PK.1 Compare objects by size to determine smaller and larger.
4.PK.2 Identify positions (in front, behind, next to, up, down, inside, outside, on top, ordinal positions).

We always have at least 3 levels. Easy, medium, hard. This meets and reinforces self confidence levels too. If a student is having an "off day" they can pick up an "easy" puzzle, work it with ease, and it re-fuels their subconscious tank of "I am good at...." "I am successful"...."I can do it"....which helps them socially and emotionally feel better, and may even have some left over to be used later when they get in a tough place again. Another reason why they need to hear our positive acknowledgements10 times more than our corrections.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
1.PK.3 Re-engage in a task or activity after experiencing disappointment, frustration, or failure.
1.PK.2b Acknowledge actions and accomplishments verbally and nonverbally.
2.PK.3b Clean up or put away toys and material when finished.
4.PK.1d Demonstrate problem-solving skills (ask for help from an adult, talk about problems, talk about feelings relating to problems, and negotiate solutions.)
5.PK.1a Play independently.
5.PK.2b Take turns with teacher support.
6.PK.1a Attend to a task for at least 10 minutes.
6.PK.1d Demonstrate ability to delay gratification to complete a larger task.

Cooking in the Sun

Cooking class was outside this day. Circles we can eat!   

Students identified small medium and large circles, then drew their own interpretation of the activity.

Zucchini, summer squash, onions and garlic with a few other spices.  YUM!

First the students sprinkled spices on the circles; second, stirred in the garlic and olive oil; third, baked in the sun oven at 350 degrees for 30 min; and last, melted mozzarella cheese on top. Mmmmmmm!

With our cooking classes and our solar oven we have baked things from corn bread, muffins, and beans, to Mr. Logan's birthday cake. It is very safe as the outside gets no hotter than the Children's toys. The inside is not accesible to the children and has a thermometer to make sure foods bake at the correct temperature. We can put it behind the chain link fenced area when the children are on the patio.
The children are learning to save energy as well as the effects of solar power.

SCIENCE

P.PK.5 Identify hot and cold.

KP.2.C.2 Students know that objects can be described as hot or cold relative to another object.

KE.PK.3 Students understand that the sun, moon, and stars can be seen in the sky.

KE.2.A.3 Students know weather changes from day to day and seasonally.

KN.2.A Students understand that science is an active process of systematically examining the natural world.

MATHEMATICS

4.PK.1a Identify 2-D shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles, and squares) regardless of orientation.

K2.K.9 Sort and classify objects by color and shape..

 

Making Tortillas

Last week, two of the students were reading Highlight magazine and noticed a recipe for tortillas.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

1.PK.2a Express ideas for activities; initiate and participate in discussion with teachers or peers.

 They asked if we could use it in our next cooking class. We read and followed instructions and made our own tortillas.

LANGUAGE
4.PK.1  Demonstrate and understand that printed material contains information.
4.K.7 With assistance, listen to and follow pictorial and written directions to complete tasks.

 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.

We didnt quite master rolling them into circles... but that's ok,

our shape was oval last week anyway!

MATHEMATICS

4.K.1 Identify 2-D shapes.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

1.PK.1 Demonstrate personal hygiene skills (hand washing).

1.PK.3 Identify healthy foods.

Slack Line

Check out our new outdoor attraction.  We call it a Slack Line.  It's like a mini tight rope.  

It's great for building large motor skills, teaching balance, spatial awareness, and self-confidence and cooperation taking turns.

The students are learning so many things and meeting so many pre-k standards:
MATHEMATICS
4.PK.2 Identify positions (in front, behind, next to, up, down, etc).
SOCIAL/EMOTION
H1.Pk.1 Children begin to complete simple tasks together.
H2.PK.1 Begin to recognize that problems can occur in groups.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
1.PK.1 Identify the basic vocabulary of simple movement patterns(walk, run, jump, hop, coimb, etc.)
2.PK.1 Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, etc.
2.PK.2 Perform a variety of large motor skills.
5.PK.2 Demonstrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.
5.PK.3 Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences.
3.PK.1 Demonstrate locomotor movements such as up, down, forward, and backward.

Look even our little toddler students can join in the fun!

 Doing this as a group makes the students have to work even harder as the need for group problem solving and coordination occurs.

SOCIAL/EMOTION
G5.PK.1 Identify direction and location (up/down and above/below).
C13.PK.2 Participate in group decision making.
5.PK.2a Participate in cooperative groups to complete a task.

Geometry and Toddlers!

This toddler is learning geometry by Gluing spheres!
MATHEMATICS
2.PK.1  Sort objects by similar attributes (size, shape, and color.)
4.PK.1a  Identify circles, triangles, and squares.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
6.PK.1  Demonstrate skills in eye-hand coordination
6.PK.2  Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.

Address Field Trip

We focused on addresses this week.  We wrote each student's address on a paper and they each worked on memorizing it. 

 

MATH

1.PK.3a  Recognize and read numerals 0-5.

 

Then we walked around Ms. JoAnn's neighborhood to see actual numbers representing addresses. 

 

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

2.PK.1  Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, and walking up and downstairs.

5.PK.3  Interact positvely with others regardless of personal differences.

1.PK.5  Identify some safety rules (pedestrian safety).

 

SCIENCE

N.PK1.a Observe their world.

N.PK1.b Ask questions about their world.

 

Some addresses were on the curb..

LANGUAGE

1.PK.4 Recognize environmental print and symbols

1.PK.5 Demonstrate awareness that print carries a message.

 

some were by the front door...

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

H3.PK.1 Begin to understand that differences exist between home and school.

and some were on a mailbox.

Happy smiling faces!  The students love being outside!

Jumping, Rumbling, and Rolling

Check out our new fun!  The students use their imaginations coming up with different ideas and activities to play.  Not only are they jumping, rumbling, and rolling, they're also cooperating, waiting their turn, and talking to friends to work out who's turn it is and how much longer, etc.
The students are also learning to follow our 3 rules by looking at the sign:

• 2 people at a time
• Can jump, rumble, roll when both friends have smiles and are having fun
• If friends are waiting for a turn, the longest turn is 5 minutes

MATHEMATICS

1.PK.3a  Recognize and read numerals 0-5

5.PK.1  Identify and sort information (interpret quantity in pictures).

LANGUAGE

1.PK.4  Recognize environmental print and symbols

1.PK.5  Demonstrate awareness that print carries a message.

4.PK.1  Demonstrate and understand that printed material contains information (illustrations, graphs, and charts).

4.PK.5a  Recall information from an event, text, or picture related to self and the world around them.

4.PK.5b  Respond to or ask a question about an event.

4.PK.7  With teacher assistance, follow, a simple pictorial direction.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

H2.PK.1  Begin to recognize that problems can occur in groups.

H3.K.4  Demonstrate respect for each other in the classroom and school.

C13.PK.1  Follow classroom and school rules.

C13.PK.2  Participate in group decision making.

1.PK.1a  Make independent choices from diverse interest centers or activities.

1.PK.2a  Express ideas for activities:  initiate and participate in discussions with teachers or peers.

5.PK.1b  Play in pairs and small groups.

5.PK.2b  Take turns with teacher support.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

2.PK.1  Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, and walking up and down stairs.

2.PK.2  Perform a variety of large motor skills.

4.PK.1  Engage in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity.

5.PK.1  Participate appropriately during physical activities.

5.PK.2  Demosntrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.

5.PK.3  Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences (skill level, gender, race, and disability).

Noodles are not just for eating

Great planning went into this student's creative process using small motor as well as math patterning.

MATH

K-4.K.9  Sort and classify objects by color and shape.

2.PK.2  Recognize and replicate simple patterns.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

6.PK.1  Demonstrate skills in eye-hand coordination (e.g., stacking, sorting, lacing toys, stringing beads, reproducing basic patterns, complete six-piece puzzle, Legos and peg-boards).

 

Money in Exchange for Goods

Students recreated the polar express using money to buy tickets. Teachers facilitated the activities by encouraging using the names of coins and dollar bills.

MATH

3.PK.4  Sort pennies and nickles
K-3.K.4  Identify and sort pennies, nickels, and dimes.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

Ec10.Pk.1  Demonstrate the role of consumers and understand that money is exchanged for goods and/or services.
K-E10.K.1  Identify United States currency.

Monster Soup

The students enjoyed the start to a magical Halloween season this week as they were introduced to Monster Soup! Ms JoAnn told the students how she found a recipe hidden by monsters under her bed! The monsters told her that whatever she does, NOT to feed it to children! It was full of wiggly stuff that kids will never eat. Of course, this exaggerated and imaginative story only made the children curious and excited to try such a mysterious meal!

Recipe

Ingredients

Rotten chicken broth

Moldy Bok Choy

Wilted Napa cabbage

Bug infested brown rice

Directions

1. First cook rice

2. Simmer vegetables in broth

3. Add rice

4. Eat and enjoy

Delicious!

Every kid that tried it liked it....and all but one tried it!

The delivery of the story was the best seller!

As students continue to study the #2, letter Uu, and Halloween they decided to create their own 2 ugly monsters to go along with the following chant:

There are 2 ugly monsters

Under my bed,

With floppy ears

sticking out of their heads.

With 1 (say body part ie; arm) up

And 1 (arm) down

They wiggle their (say body part, ie; hips)

Around and around,

Their faces get all scrunched up too...

Those ugly beasts look....just.....

Like....... YOU!

Such much more Halloween fun to come at HO4K!

Cotton Flowers

The children love discovering through science. One of our current investigations has been with cotton flowers. Brought from Carolina, the students have been fascinated with this plant. The first thing we did was observe the differences and similarities with the cotton flower and other plants. The students noticed the difference in touch with the cotton and other plants we have worked with. We found that the cotton flower also had cotton seeds within it. Students took turns removing these seeds and further investigating both the seed and flower.

Next, students plant the cotton seeds into soil. We will water and care for the cotton seeds, observing and recording the changes that occur. We hope to see cotton flowers sprout soon and will be sure to follow up on our cotton flower project. Check them out for yourself the next time you are visiting HO4K.