Fun In Learning!

Here's some of what we've been up to in Junior Kindergarten...


 Balancing, climbing, crawling, jumping and riding!

Junior Kindergarten
Fun Friday 3/29/13

Obstacle Course!!!!!

       Mythological Zoo!

Students from the middle division were studying mythological creatures.  They put together an amazing "mythological zoo" in our library and invited us to visit.  The older children were wonderful tour guides to our Junior Kindergarteners!  The JK students were excited and engaged as they heard stories and looked at paper mache reproductions of ancient mythological creatures created by their older friends.

Mythological Zookeepers! Great storytellers as well!





Flower Project!  We took a walk to the LD flower garden to sniff out the facts.  Statements and Questions:  "I love to smell roses.  I wonder if all flowers smell so good?" (Chloe)
"Do all flowers have a smell?" (Braden)

 Everyone had a different experience in the LD garden.  They all took time to smell the roses....and the tulips, lilies, carnations, etc. They drew pictures and filled out a graph they created.  The graph was broken into 3 sections: flowers that smell good, flowers that smell bad and flowers that don't have any smell at all.  The children's opinions about how the different flowers smell were varied.  However, they did discover that not all flowers have a smell.  They all agreed that there are many that don't smell like anything at all.  Once we were back in the classroom, the children had to decide how they wanted to display the information they gathered.  Come in anytime to take a look at our "story boards".  Until then, enjoy these photos.

              Stopping to smell the flowers!

       Lower Division Garden 

As we continue our Flower Project, the children will have the experience of visits from members of the Hayes Florist team, a butterfly gardener, a flower arranger, and (hopefully) a beekeeper.  Our class will take a field trip to Botanical Gardens later this month to tour along with a master gardener, as well. If you or anyone you know is interested in sharing their knowledge of flowers, gardening, bees and their effects on flowers, etc. please do not hesitate to give me a call.

                      Seeds and Parts of the Flower

 Last week the children were discovering that seeds are sometimes found in unexpected places. While tending the ECC garden, the children noticed that the once bright purple Morning Glory flowers growing along the trellis are now brown and dried out but something on the inside of the flower was interesting. There were little round seedpods that each held several roundish black seeds.

Would these grow new Morning Glory flowers? The children planted them to find out. This discovery spurred them to find whether other flowers had seeds in pods like the Morning Glories, and if so, would they be small and round and black too? They discovered that the flowers in our garden all have their own kinds of seeds and that they all look quite different. Some of the students chose to grow the seeds on wet paper towels on trays so they could see how each different seed sprouts. Others were so interested in where they found the seeds that they decided to research the other parts of the flower and create models to show their flower power knowledge. Choosing to use the iPads to identify and document some of the unknown flower varieties growing in our garden was the option for still another child.

 

 

This week, the children will visit Mrs. Baralt in the computer lab to research the effects bees have on flowers.  They were so excited to watch the many bees buzzing around the flowers in our garden outside the JK classrooms.  The bees especially loved the sweetness of the blooms growing on their brocoli plants that had lost their brocoli by now but gained pretty yellow flowers. The children were able to see firsthand how bees stop for the nectar in a flower, pick up some pollen with their fluffy bodies and buzz it on over to the next awaiting flower.  

Stay tuned!

RELAY FOR LIFE

It was a week of purple shirts and high hopes! The children were allowed to wear purple last week in honor of our Relay For Life, a fight for the cure of Cancer.  We talked about what Cancer is and what the word "cure" means.  The Sunny Sea Friends were involved all week with creating paper links that were then joined to the links of the other students around campus as a sign that we can all come together to combat this horrible disease.  The chain was displayed at the Relay For Life on Friday, wrapping it's way around the track.  The children kicked off the Relay with a lap around the track holding the hand of a Senior class buddy.  The entire student body came together to remember, honor and walk for those who have fought Cancer.

It was a great ending to a happy week! Here is what's to come:

ECC Almost Sleepover  - Friday, April 12

The Almost Sleepover was a sign-up event  ($50) offered during the Gala, and there are still some spots left! 

Between 6:00-9:00 PM, the lucky children whose parents purchase this treat for them, will enjoy play, pizza, a movie and more, all while wearing their pajamas! Contact Mrs. McIvor for space availability and full information.

Celebrate the Arts at Shorecrest

On April 19, the Early Childhood and Lower Division students will have a full morning of celebrating the visual and performing arts. It will begin for the children with interactive sessions with visiting artists, and will continue for them and you with a musical program and exhibition of the children's art at 11:00 AM followed by a picnic. 

Parents should bring lunch and picnic blankets for themselves or their family. Children's lunches are available from Sage but must be preordered, even for children on the yearly lunch plan. Be sure to return the order form you received last week. 

Field trip: Botanical Gardens

On April 25, our Junior Kindergarten class will take an exciting trip to Botanical Gardens!  A master gardener will be our guide.  The children will have the opportunity to explore, investigate and enjoy the gardens, ask questions and even have a picnic lunch.  Further details to come!

Have a great week! 
Mrs. Carson