Liberty Apple Orchard

The bus ride. A first time for many!

Farmer Brees tells us about the orchard.

Our yummy lunch time.

Caterpillars and a Library Mouse

Our science focus this month is on looking closely at the things around us, and exploring the life cycle of a butterfly. In our study, the children are learning about the needs of different animals in relationship to where they live. For example, monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milk weed plants so that when the caterpillars emerge, they will be able to eat the plant they are born on. A number of painted lady caterpillars arrived on Tuesday for us to observe. We were excited to see that within a day, the caterpillars had already grown in size! Today, we read, Library Mouse, by Daniel Kirk. In the story, a mouse who lives in a library, loves to read and discovers the writer in himself. He leaves his little books around the library for the children to discover and encourages them to write books of their one. After reading the book to the class, we went across the hall to our Union School library to see if we could find Sam, the library mouse. We left him a letter and are hoping that he will write back to us! Check in with your child next week to see if Sam wrote back!

Heart Words

Each week "Word Bird" delivers a new sight word for the children to learn. These sight words are commonly used words that the children will learn by heart to help build reading fluency. Last week we began by learning "me", and this week's heart word is "see". When you are reading books with your child, please be sure to point out these heart words!

Sunflowers at Harrison

After a day of rain on Thursday, we made it to Harrison Field on Friday! We practiced how to walk as a large group in Montpelier, and explored the field. While at Harrison, the children collected natural materials for an art project we will do on Monday, and saw the sunflowers the first graders planted last spring. We harvested one very tall sunflower to bring back to the classroom, which we will dry then harvest the seeds to plant this spring. This is a great fine motor activity in which the children use tweezers to pull out the seeds. This past week we did some fine motor scissor activities including one using shapes. The children traced each shape with several colors and practiced using correct finger grip on the crayon. They then cut the shapes out. Some children also chose to write the beginning letter of each shape. We are reviewing the names and characteristics of a circle, triangle, rectangle, and square. These shapes are used on our calendar and create a pattern as we add a new shape each day. We have also been focusing in math on numbers to 5. Understanding the quantity of each number, knowing it's name, and writing it correctly. In literacy we are learning that we are all writers. Writers write about what they know, and can use their writing to teach others about something. The children have been writing stories using pictures, and are beginning to add labels to their pictures with words or letters to represent the initial sound of a word. During reading, we are practicing building stamina for silent reading. The children are reading the pictures or words of familiar books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. and simple books I have introduced at school. Ask your child to tell you more about what they have been writing and reading at school!

Making Friends and Establishing Routines

What an amazing first week of kindergarten! I have been very impressed with this group of children! They are respectful, helpful, and eager, and are quickly learning our routines. My goals this week have been to teach basic routines, help the children make new friends and have a great school experience. I use song to help with transitions, and chimes or chants to gain everyone's attention. We sing the "Dusty Gnome Song" during clean-up, "The More We Get Together" to bring children to our meeting rug, and "Here We Go Kinders" when it's time to line up for the hallway. These gentle songs make transitions engaging and fun. We have learned where some of our school materials go, and how to navigate the lunch room. The children are beginning to understand the rhythm of our day and are building stamina for being at school. We will continue to work on these goals next week, as well do activities to build fine motor skills and begin basic counting and letter names and sounds. I am planning a walk to Harrison Field next Thursday to show the children this outdoor education space and collect materials from nature for a craft on Friday. I'm looking forward to next week!

Our First Day of Kindergarten!

Enjoy some pictures from our first day together!

Magic play-doh!

Choice time

Reading familiar texts

Rest time 

Lunch

Using our math manipulatives