Chester Arthur Field Trip

Here are some photos from our joint field trip with Kindergarten to the Chester Arthur Birthplace in Fairfield.

Kristen and Candy introduced us to the day. They started with a puppet show about birds and their habitats. We learned that some birds live way up high in the canopy (the roof of the forest), some live in the lower branches and in bushes, and some live on the ground. We also found out some of the things they like to eat--bugs, worms, and hawks will even eat small animals.

Kristen's taught us about how birdwatchers use field markers to identify birds. Half of the kids were the whole bird and half were the watchers. The watchers' job was to use their field markers (a color or pattern on a parts of the bird) to find their bird in the field.

Steve and Miles helped the kids put together their very own birdhouses to take home. They went together like puzzles. When they figured out the puzzle and finished the house, they decorated them with markers.

John and Candy led the kids on two different hikes through the woods. John had the kids look for different elements in the forest that he had on a scavenger hunt sheet. We found a dead log, mushrooms, a brook, an earthworm and more. Candy led us through looking for birds in the trees, bushes and on the ground.

Math - Numeracy

There are a bunch of ways we have worked on the math concept of Numeracy in preschool this year. Here are some examples and ideas that you could continue doing this summer with your children. Numeracy includes counting, counting objects, recognizing numbers, matching number symbols to number of objects, and putting number symbols in order.

When we play games with a lot of pieces, the kids are encouraged to count them for many reasons. In Penguin Pile up (seen here), We asked, "How many penguins did you get on?" or "Oh no! How many penguins fell off that time?" or "How many penguins do we have left to fit on the iceberg?" All of these encourage the kids to practice counting in the context of a game chose to play.

We use magnetic numbers, number cards, and writing numbers on our own to work on putting numbers in order. The kids get the numbers out of order and practice starting at one, then finding the 2 and 3 and so on. If kids are not yet ordering numbers, they can still work on this skill by matching numbers already printed in order with their numbers. In the bone activity, the bones were hidden in the sensory table and they each had the numbers 1-20 printed on them with a Sharpie. As they found the bones, they could match them to the piece of paper that had the bones and numbers.

Other chances to play with numbers in the classroom come through using the cash register and putting prices on items in the grocery store. At the cash register (you can also use a calculator) the kids were encouraged to label the numbers they pressed as they played. When we use calculators, we talk about both the numbers 0-9 on the calculator face, as well as the numbers that show up in the readout screen as kids explore with the buttons. When we stocked the grocery store with items, we asked "How much does this cost?" We wrote down the numbers and put prices on every item. We also invited the kids to practice writing prices themselves. 

We also work on numeracy when we do Counting Jar. We place a number of common objects in the big jar (people, plastic bugs, dinosaurs etc.) and the kids take turns counting what is in the jar. When they finish counting, they write the number on a piece of paper (we provide a number line model for those who need it). Then, they choose from items around the classroom and count their own set of the same number and put them in a plastic Ziploc bag with their name on it. We have many ways to check their work. We have done it at meeting as a whole group, counting each kids' bag. We have done pair shares, in which two kids count each others work. Kids who do not have an exact match will "fix it" at the time we check our work. We figure out if they have more than the number or less than the number. If they have more, they take the extras and go put them away in the classroom. If they don't have enough, they go get the number more that they need. 

These are just a few examples of how we have incorporated numeracy into the classroom this year.

Running for Cody's Crew

If I have learned nothing else from our preschool class this year, it is that these kids and their families are generous and really step up for a good cause. As members of Cody's Crew, we raised more than $1200 to help fight neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that Cody called "the beast."

We completed our run for Cody's Crew today in preschool. Since Kerry will be running as many miles as she can for 32 hours (in the rain, it looks like) this weekend, we decided the kids would run as many laps as they could around the ball field in 30 minutes (yes, we really should have done 32 minutes).

We donned our running shoes, had water waiting at the dugouts when the runners needed breaks, and ran (or walked when we were tired--or our knees began to ache just a little), and ran and ran. 

We tried to make sure each classmate had a chance to run a lap with the one of the Cody's Crew flags. They did a great job sharing this responsibility. We counted the laps completed by each of the kids. It looks like we have some serious future running competitors in this group.

The kids at Main Street Preschool in St. Albans also joined our cause. They each donated $2 (which raised $75 for us) and they ran in the park today. I want to thank their teacher, Gail, for hopping on board. We loved the support.

iPad possibilities

I am lobbying to get an iPad or two for the preschool next year. Look at this link to You Tube that shares the possibilities of this technology with preschool aged children.

The iPad for Younger Children

Ahoy Matey!

We are about to start Pirate Week in order to celebrate our spring service project, raising money for Cody's Crew. All month we have been collecting to support one of our classroom parents, Kerry Lambert, who is running for the cause next weekend. In 32 hours, she will attempt to run 100 miles.

Since Cody loved pirates more than anything, we will be honoring him this week by immersing ourselves in Pirate talk ("Argh" and "Shiver me timbers"), activities, and books. We'll be making a pirate ship to play in and work on balancing as we "walk the plank." Here's a few pirate terms your kids may learn this week:

Pirate- To make an attempt, or to complete an attack on a ship. A thief of the seas.

Privateer- An armed vessel sailing under the commission of a sovereign power against the enemy.
Buccaneer- A piratical adventurer of the sea. A person who plunders at the sea, or land from the sea.
Mariner- One whose responsibility it is to help in navigating a vessel.
Merchant Ship- A cargo ship.
Galleon- A large square masted vessel of the 1500's used for war, or commerce.
Booty- Goods obtained illegally. Spoils obtained as a result of war or battle.
Bounty- Reward or payment, usually from a government, for the capture of a criminal.
Loot- Gold, money, or other goods obtained illegally
Plunder- The act of pillaging or robbery.
Cutlass- A short, heavy, single edged sword, once used predominantly by sailors.
Mutiny- To rise against authority, particularly a naval or military power.
Maroon-to isolate. Sailors would leave mutinous shipmates on deserted islands, without any means of survival.
Jolly Roger- Typically a black flag bearing drawn white bones; indicates a pirate ship.

On Thursday, Kerry will be bringing in one of the official Cody's Crew Flags. We will be having our own race around the ball field. The kids will see how many laps they can run or walk in 30 minutes. We'll also be awarding prizes to the top two fundraisers in the class. We're doing all of this to help find a cure for neuroblastoma, or "the Beast," as Cody called it.

The Sugar House Field Trip

The sugar house had steam coming out of the top. That is the water being boiled out of the sap. Sap is a whole bunch of water and a little bit of sugar.

We road the horse drawn hay wagon up to the sugar bush.

We needed tools to tap a tree.

First, we measured to make sure the tree was big enough to tap. You need a tree at least 36 inches around. This means if a child hugs the tree, his hands should not be able to touch.

 

We used a hand drill to make our hole--that's the old-fashioned way.

After tapping in the spout with a hammer, we hung the bucket.

Next, we put the "hat" on to keep out rain water because sap already has a lot of water. We heard the sap drops going into the bucket right away.

We went to the buckets in the bush and collected sap into white collection buckets.

Back at the sugar house, we got to look at the big tank that collects the sap from trees with tubes.

Matt made sure to show us the fire under the evaporator. 
They go through a lot of wood.

A Little Irish Luck

We had a St. Patrick's Day celebration today in preschool. My heritage is Irish and this was a holiday growing up that was full of magic and surprises. The kids learned a bit about the lore of Ireland. We read Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato, an Irish folktale by Tomie dePaola.

Before they got to school, the Leprechaun visited the classroom. He's tricky, clever, and whimsical. He left a trail of shamrocks throughout the room, so it was easy to tell where he went. There were some places that had a whole mess of shamrock footprints. We're pretty sure that's where he stopped to do a jig.

He used his magic to turn all sorts of things his favorite color--GREEN. It took awhile for the kids to notice them all. The water in the toilet and the water table were green. The glue for our art collages turned green. The collage materials were all green (yesterday they were many colors). The only markers in the classroom were green. The chocolate chop muffins, grapes, and milk at snack all had a green hue. He even turned the teacher's water green.

He also left a bunch of sparkles in the rice table and he hid treasures in there--lucky green coins. He left us a note telling us about all of his antics. Here it is.

We still followed our regular schedule, but all day long we kept finding more treats and treasures. As we collected the treats, candies in green wrappers, we kept counting and re-counting to find out if we had them all. We practiced counting up past 60 many times today. We figured out at the end of play time we still needed to find 5 more pieces. During clean up, we found four of the five.

At music, one of the kids noticed the last piece of candy was hidden on Beth's ear!! How did that leprechaun manage to hide one there? We learned to do a jig. Beth knew the steps from when she was a little kid. There is a lot of jumping and kicking in place and you have to keep your hands by your sides as you move.

At dismissal, everyone got to choose three treats and a treasure to take home as a gift from the leprechaun.