Skyscrapers, Buildings, and Structures!

This week my kinders are diving into a study of buildings - primarily skyscrapers.  Today I explained that skyscrapers have four main parts - the foundation, the beams (skeleton), stories, and facade.  I played a few youtube videos of New York's skyline as well.

Next, I gave each color family (four students in each group) cardstock and blocks to build skyscrapers.  They had to have floors to their buildings.

The tallest skyscraper built was 21 floors.  The students realized that the stronger buildings (ones that did not fall over) had more supports.  Balance was an important factor as well!

After we had built and experienced our own skyscrapers (and I knew they had the concept of "stories tall")  I showed them the tallest building in the world in Dubai.  They were amazed!! 

MATH
In math today, I had the children create skylines using 2-D and 3-D shapes.  Each group created a skyline and each child was required to draw at least one skyscraper.   Once all the drawings were done, I had the students measure their skyscrapers with cubes (nonstandard measurement).  They absolutely loved it!

 Student recording the height of each skyscraper in her group.

Tomorrow we will build standing skyscrapers out of boxes!

Collaborative Scientific Drawings

Me oh my!  I saw the coolest idea ever!  Lacy Williams, an intern in the classroom next me, had the children in her class doing a collaborative scientific art piece.  I was so blown away by the wisdom of how she lead the up to the collaborative piece.  The topic was pond life.  Here's what she did:

1.  She showed the children actual photographs of pond life through a power point she developed.

 2.  She taught the children, step by step, how to draw the different creatures in the pond.

 3.  She had each color family in this kindergarten create their own "pond."  Just take a look!

I am so doing this process.  The missing step that I have never done is the collaborative piece done in this way.  I love it!  I watched her students - they were so engaged and in rich conversations.

Another example of the arts bringing learning alive!

100th Day of School

beautiful photo by Kelly Corado

Tuesday was the 100th day at my school.  It was such a great day with 100 day activities all day long.  My favorite part was watching the glee of the children as we released our balloons.  

It was so full of joy. 

Grandparents Day

Okay - I know I have been on Pinterest too much when I am thinking "hand held white board messages."  But honestly, it was a grand idea for Grandparent's day.  What I loved about it was that those children who did not have grandparents still had a cute photo opt that we could send home.  Well - back to Pinterest for more inspiration. . .
 

Our Dancing Dragon

It was a great celebration in the hallways of my school.  A Chinese Dancing Dragon made quite a noise!

The Noodle Shop

I loved the felt noodle idea so much!  I put out pieces of felt and let the children cut noodles.  They loved it!  Noodle Shop is open!

Preparing for Chinese New Years

This last week my classroom has been a buzz preparing for Chinese New Years.   Here's a peek into our preparations:

 Each color family designed a Dancing Dragon.

 Colors and designs were recorded.

 We built the head of Dancing Dragon out of cardboard boxes.

 Painted it with acrylic paint.

I am traveling this weekend - later today I will post more photos of the preparations!

Tomorrow we will do our dance!

 The children glued on squares of construction paper.

 The children glued fabric pieces they cut onto the gold fabric they picked for the body!

 I have a nice collection of Chinese outfits. 

So I had a volunteer photograph the children.

I tinted them to look old.  So cute!

Winter Dens for Bears

Make a hibernating bear den is one of the most beloved activities in the kindergarten.  See this post from last year:  Bear Dens.    This year I changed it up a bit and had the child glue the brown bag upside down on the paper plate.  I teach the children to use "tabbing" which is simply cutting slits to make a folded tab to glue down.  We use glue sticks.

 Each child cut their own opening in the bag.   This year I was given a huge bag of pine cones.  So we added trees!  I had a parent volunteer hot glue the pine cones on to the plate for us - the children chose their "trees" and told her where to glue it.

 The children added "snow" to the trees and the den.  (make snow by filling a dixie cup with shaving cream, add one good squeeze of white paint and one squeeze of glue.  Mix with a popsicle stick.)

 A dixie cup of snow paint goes a long ways.

 Do you see the bear inside the den?  Each child drew their own bear (or bears).

 This bear is not yet in his den. . .

Busy making bears!

Notice the food sources?  This student added a pond with fresh fish and berries. . . just in case her bear was awaken from his deep hibernation! 

Free Guided Drawing Book!!

I am putting together a little series of free guided drawing booklets as a thank you for your love and support over the last year.  It has been a difficult year with my daughter's illness (she is doing amazingly!) and my sister's failing health.  I cannot thank you enough for the emails, prayers and words of comfort. I adore my bloggy friends!

So - the first one is complete and ready for you to download!  It has a lot of high quality photographs -- so don't be surprised if it takes a few minutes to download. 

Click here to download book

If you have any trouble with the Mediafire download - here is a Scribd version!

Guided Drawing

Chinese New Year Ideas for the Kindergarten

Next week I start my two week unit on the Chinese New Years (officially on January 23).  I have been planning and thinking about what I want to do this year.  Here are a few ideas I found on the web from fellow bloggers.  Do you have any good ideas?  Let me know!

I love this ideas from Kaboose!  Click here for instructions.

I do a similar project in my China unit -- but this one uses yarn for the branches!  Love that idea!

From: Flixya

I love my red lanterns!  I might use gold around the ends this year.

Click here for instructions!

Me oh my!  I adore this idea - yarn noodles!  This is going to rock my housekeeping this year!  I feel a Chinese Restaurant in my near future!  From Let's Go Fly A Kite

Domino Math

I set up this math activity as a workstation this week.  I found a great free download at this blog:  http://firstgradeschoolbox.blogspot.com/

What you need:
Print the worksheet off from First Grade School Box (link above)
Dominos

TIP:  I told my kinders that they were to do as many as they could.  I had some students who finished the page and some who only made it half way through. 

Super easy workstation!  Love, love, love it!!