Language Arts:
Reading: This month we will continue to compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction texts and fantasy and fact. We will also continue developing our CAPS skills (attending to capital letters and punctuation, tracking print, reading text from left to right and top to bottom, etc.). When reading fiction texts, we will deepen our understanding of story elements and story structure as we place the events on a story arc and use them to aide our retelling. As students continue to break words into syllables, they will begin to segment (separate) words into beginning, middle, and final phonemes (individual sounds). Simultaneously, they will become proficient in 'blending' sounds, or putting the sounds back together to make spoken words. In Social Studies as students begin to research Native Americans, Pilgrims, and the First Thanksgiving using a variety of sources (pictures, print, media, and people), they will learn how to gather information to answer questions that we have regarding various topics.
Writing:
Writer's Workshop: Students will continue consuming and creating topic writing pieces. We will practice adding details to make our writing more specific to the message we would like to communicate and to make it more interesting to the reader. The Thanksgiving Traditions text below is an example of a text I modeled to the students and revised according to the students' suggestions and curiosities For example, they wanted to know the specific foods my family ate during Thanksgiving, so I added the details as we made revisions. I also left the illustration of my family members as identical stick figures until the students prompted me to illustrate each person's individual features and add a name label beside each person so they could differentiate who was who. In this way, students are beginning to understand the significance of the illustrations and words they use for creating a message for their reader (they sometimes forget that the person reading the story doesn't automatically know all of the details they do as the writer).
Centers:
Writing Center: This month at writing center, the word wall corresponds to the Thanksgiving holiday and the other concepts we are studying in Social Studies this month. I also provide the students with sentence stems and a friendly letter organizer they can use to create thank-you cards for their friends and family members.
The center also has our fall stencils available for students to use in creating their writing pieces.
I keep examples of texts I have modeled creating to the class in order for them to have some inspiration when creating their own writing pieces.
Read and Find: This month our class will read and become familiar with "The Turkey" poem. The students love making the gobble noises for this one! Once they have the poem down, they practice mixing it up and putting it back together to read it with a pointer. The poem is color coded and has pictures by the words to help the students who need extra scaffolding. Also, there are dots underneath each word to support students with one to one correspondence.
Retelling: This month, after learning about the First Thanksgiving, the students can retell the events by using the setting board and cardboard figurines below:
ABC: In addition to the fall activities added to the center last month, students can choose from the additional games below from Teachers Pay Teachers.
Initial Sounds: The first game (from Keen on Kindergarten) is for students who need extra practice with hearing initial sounds in words. Players choose an acorn game piece and then spin the spinner to travel the indicated number of spaces on the game board. They can stay on their space if they can produce the first sound of the picture and name the letter that makes that sound (I keep an alphabet chart with all ABC activities to support students with this). The first student to reach the end of the board is the winner.
Rhyming Words: Students can sharpen their ability to identify rhyming words by playing the fall rhyming card matching game from The Kinder Garden.
Word Families: Students organize cards into their word family (-ag, -at, -an, etc.) and practice reading the words on the cards (this game was created by Kreations by Kari).
Art: Students create the tree from Kelly's Kindergarten (http://www.kellyskindergarten.com/) by tearing paper (this is a great activity to build fine motor skills)and then will complete the sentence stem, "Fall is..." to describe what they have learned about the season.
Dramatic Play:
This month, in lieu of our magnets unit, our Housekeeping/Dramatic Play center will have magnetic storyboards for the students to manipulate while creating original stories and oral narratives.
Students can also create their own Thanksgiving dinner menu at the center this month. First the students and I create a list of beverages, main dishes, and desserts, and we post them up at the center:
November Books:
Math:
This month in math we will extend our numeral writing practice to number nine. We will use play-doh, Wikki Stix, and a variety of other materials to practice this. We also continue developing our ability to use one to one correspondence. As we make sets, we will compare them by describing which set has 'more'/'less' or which have the same number, and will determine what 2 objects more/less than our current set would be. We also practice this through graphing, as we determine what our class' favorite Thanksgiving food is, for instance. Students practice using 'most/least' labels to compare set on the graphs as well:
Students will also continue to apply what we have learned re: length to solve real world problems. One way students do this is by traveling to different stations around the room where a different word problem is recorded on an i-touch at each station. Students will listen to the problem on the i-touch, will use the manipulatives at the station to solve the problem, and will record the results on a recording sheet. The students will also use sentence stems and longer/shorter/equal labels to help them keep track of their results while using academic vocabulary.
Last but not least, we will begin to study area. We do this by comparing two to three objects according to which covers more, less, or the same amount of area on a given surface. We also find surfaces that have more, less, or the same area as each other.
Counting Videos:
Math Centers:
Making Sets: This month students will make sets up to 10 by placing the given number of leaves on a tree outline.
Students will record the sets in their journals by choosing one set they have made and drawing it in their journal with the corresponding number.
Students can also practice writing each number in their set. For example, the picture below shows a set of ten and the student wrote each number from 1 to 10 beside the leaves.
Number Sense: Students will use ten frames and acorn manipulatives to familiarize themselves with the combinations that lead up to 10. This is an important skill to have developed before students begin addition and subtraction later in the year. They will take turns rolling the dice and placing the indicating number of acorns on their ten frame. The first player to have all ten acorns on their frame wins the game.
Students will record in their journals what their frames looked like when the game was over. They write the corresponding numeral beside each acorn.
Graphs: Students will first sort a handful of fabric leaves according to the attribute specified on a card they choose from the center box. If they choose the '?' card, they may sort the leaves according to an attribute of their choosing.
Students will then graph the results on a giant floor mat (if you would like to do this at home and do not have a mat, you can tape masking tape to the floor or on a poster board). I encourage the students to arrange the graph both horizontally and vertically in order to familiarize themselves with seeing and interpreting graphs in different ways.
The students will then transfer their graph to a recording sheet and will use it to answer questions. They will indicate how they sorted their leaves and will complete the sentences: "There are more ______ than ______" and "There are less _______ than _______."
Shapes: Students will continue to familiarize themselves with the different shapes and their attributes while further developing their sense of spatial awareness by completing the following Thanksgiving pattern block puzzles from Carrie Teaching First and Michelle Frederickson:
Students will also sort the shapes they have used to complete the turkey puzzle below from Peace, Love, and Learning and will record the number of each shape used to complete their design.
They may also color their puzzle when done.
For an added challenge, students can create their own puzzle for their classmates to complete by first creating a turkey with pattern blocks and then tracing their turkey on a recording sheet. I show students various examples I collected online before they begin this activity.
Students will also record the number of each shape they used to create their turkey and will indicate whether or not their design had a pattern on the recording sheet below that they will trace their turkey onto:
Patterns: In November, students will create patterns using this mousetail idea adapted from The Mailbox magazine. Students will use colored plastic links to create a pattern that coincides with the letters on the mouse. For example, an 'AB' pattern could be created as 'blue, green, blue green' or 'red, blue, red, blue' and so on and so forth. If students select a 'free' mouse, they may create a pattern type of their choosing.
Students will then record their patterns in their math journals.
Measuring: Students will use non-standard units (pencils, unifix cubes, popsicle sticks, etc.) to measure the length of a pumpkin (we measure the circumference of the pumpkin with a string and then measure the length of that string).
Students will wrap a piece of yarn around a pumpkin and will cut it when it goes all the way around.
Students will then use the different manipulatives to measure the length of the string and will record their results on their recording sheet. They will then determine which manipulative they needed the most of to measure the string and which they needed the least of. With their partner, they will discuss why they think this was.
Students who are already able to count to larger numbers will use a larger pumpkin with a red sticker on it, while students who are still working on building their number sense will use the smaller pumpkin with the green sticker attached:
Ordering According to Height: Students will place die-cut Native American cards in order from tallest to shortest and vice versa based on the title card they choose from the center box (these cards are paired with illustrations to help students determine how they are being asked to order the Indians). Students will place the die-cuts on a piece of yarn to make sure they all have the same 'starting point' (sometimes the students order objects inaccurately because they are not lining them up at the same place when they are measuring them).
In order for me to see whether or not students have mastered the concept, I require them to record their results in their journals by copying the title from the title card and writing the numbers inscribed on the front of the Indians in the order they placed them in.
Comparing Weight: Students will use cornucopia objects to compare weight. They will choose two items on a balance scale and will determine whether one is heavier or lighter than the other or if they are the same weight.
They will then use the sentence stem cards to record the results in the journal.
Before students are accustomed to writing the whole sentence, they can also record the results in their journal by drawing the objects on the balance scale and labeling them as "heavy, light, or equal".
Blocks: After learning about the Pilgrims, Native Americans, the First Thanksgiving, and wants and needs in Social Studies, students will attempt to build the following items at the blocks center:
This is a picture of one group of students' creation of the Mayflower. They even made a 'cheese' closet for mice on the bottom deck.
Science:
Magnets: Students will rotate between a variety of centers to explore the strength, size, and types of magnets.
At one center, students will use magnet toys and puzzles ("Willy Woolies", magnetic blocks, magnetic wheels, magnetic storyboards and son on) to explore magnets.
Students will go to another center to create objects with magnetic marbles.
Students can practice building with metal pieces at the magnetic board center.
At the 'attraction' station students will discover which objects are and are not magnetic by testing them with a magnet to see which objects stick and which don't. They first make predictions by using a sentence strip with the word 'Predictions' on it and placing it above 'magnetic' and 'non-magnetic' sorting mats. They sort a bag of objects onto the different mats and then take a picture of their predictions with a class i-touch. Next, they test the objects with a magnet and re-sort them onto the appropriate mat. At the end of their investigations, they take another picture of the objects on the mat under a sentence strip labeled with 'Results'. Our class will then use these pictures to compare what we predicted with what we discovered, and we will try to make conclusions regarding the objects we see in the different groups (we may notice that all objects on the magnetic side have metal somewhere on them while all objects that are made of plastic were non-magnetic, for instance).
Students will discover which type of magnet is the strongest by using the magnets to try to pull metal-rimmed counters from inside a circle taped to the ground. After using each magnet, they will count the counters that stuck to it and record that number on a graph. They will then interpret their graph to determine which magnet was the strongest.
The students will see if they can make a paperclip 'fly' by moving a magnet near (not touching) a paperclip strung and taped to a table.
The class will also investigate whether or not a magnet can work through different surfaces. They will use a magnet to try to pull a paperclip out of sand and water, and will try to move a paperclip when placing a magnet under a piece of paper and cloth.
The students will also experiment with magnetic poles by watching how donut magnets on a pencil repel each other when like poles are facing each other and attract when opposite poles are facing each other.
Students will record all of their observations in their magnet Science journals, and we will reflect after each investigation as a class.
Rocks: Students will use will apply what they learned about the 5 senses and attributes to study rocks. We will observe and compare a variety of rocks that we collect from going on a 'rock hunt' outside, having students bring in examples from home, and using my personal collection. The students will discuss the attributes (color, size, luster, shape, texture, weight, etc.) that rocks have and we will record these on a class chart:
The class and I will then discuss how many attributes just one rock can have. We will prove this by sorting the rocks according to their attributes, discovering the multitude of categories just one rock can fit into. The students will use their 5 senses and science tools (microscope, balance scale, etc.) to take a closer look at the varieties as we do this.
Students will use what they learned to record their observations of rocks in their Science journals at the Science and Social Studies centers:
Social Studies:
Pilgrims and Native Americans: We will begin our studies of the Pilgrims and Native Americans by first recording our predictions regarding what we think we know about them on a class chart.
Students will then rotate to different stations with a variety of sources (pictures, powerpoint slide shows, websites, books, videos, and magazines) to gather information about the Pilgrims and Indians. They will take a clipboard and post-its with them to record their findings and will be ready to share out the information they find with the rest of the class.
Some of the websites we use that are exceptional for students' research are found on the Scholastic site (http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/) in case you would like to further this research at home with your child (many of the articles are read aloud to your child by them clicking on the text).
When students conclude their research, we will add their stickies to a "What We've Learned" chart and will compare it to our original predictions.
In order to aide with students' vocabulary acquisition, particularly because the concepts in this unit are quite irrelevant to the students, we create what is called a 'Input Chart'. As we learn new information, I illustrate it on a chart for the students. Later, students will match labels to the items depicted in the chart.
Our class did this for Plymouth Plantation in 1621 and the students later did their own chart for Houston, TX in 2012 and we compared the different ways of life. When our class did this again in 2013, we added on to our world chart that we began last month (see October page), as we learned about the differences/similarities among people and environments.
Wants and Needs: This month in Social Studies we introduce what is generally an abstract concept for Kindergartners: determining wants and needs. Because this idea can be somewhat difficult for a youngster to grasp, we try to tie it to the Pilgrims and Native Americans as we study them in order to help students gain a more clear understanding. We start by collecting information about the pilgrims and spending quite a bit of time simply noticing the different belongings that they had, where they lived, what materials they used in their everyday lives, and how they entertained themselves. We then compared their way of life to ours by creating a Venn Diagram.
Next, we shift our conversations to discuss the materials that the pilgrims had to have when coming to a new home in America and what things would have been nice to have. We compare this to moving to a new home and pretend that we can only pack one suitcase. The students debate and justify what things they would be the most important to bring.
The first time we do this activity, most suitcases end up filled with items that the students 'want', but don't 'need' to have and that will not help them start a new life in America.
After the students have packed their suitcases, I tell the students that when they arrive at their destination, they find themselves in a middle of a forest where they will have to create their new home and we talk about the things they will need to do it. I will prompt them to evaluate their decisions by asking them questions such as, "I notice that you have brought your pet and your favorite toys in your suitcase, but you don't have any food or water. What will you do when you are hungry? What do you think is more important for your voyage- your favorite toy or water bottles/groceries?" This helps students to see that Pilgrims had to make very difficult decisions and could not bring all of their favorite belongings on the Mayflower. We then discuss what kinds of things would be nice to have, but not necessary in order to enjoy their new life. Students then have an opportunity to re-pack their suitcases using what they have learned about wants and needs.
After researching the Pilgrims and Native Americans and learning about wants and needs, we will further our investigations from last month regarding the similarities and differences among people by comparing the wants and needs of the Native Americans, Pilgrims, and us.
We make three different sets of books (one about the wants and needs of the Pilgrims, another about the Native Americans, and one about us), and we learn that although the ways we satisfy our wants and needs looks a little different, all people share the same basic needs (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) and wants (entertainment, tools, toys, etc.).
Later in a center, the students can practice sorting different pictures of pilgrims' belongings into wants and needs categories. The lesson can also be extended by doing the same with the Native Americans' wants and needs and our own. Eventually, the students begin to notice the patterns in what every person needs to survive and what they want to make life more enjoyable.
Customs and Traditions: Our class will learn about Thanksgiving in much the same way that we researched the Pilgrims and Native Americans. We will research the celebration from both perspectives and will then compare the customs and traditions they began with students' families own unique ways of celebrating the holiday. Scholastic magazines like the one seen below come in handy for this part of our research.
Turkeys: In the spirit of Thanksgiving customs and traditions, after reading The Perfect Thanksgiving (the story of a beloved pet turkey that is spared from being served for Thanksgiving supper), our Kindergartners help protect turkeys everywhere from being the traditional main dish on American dinner tables!
All of the Kindergarten classes will participate in helping disguise a turkey. These are some of our class' clever disguises:
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