Back Files: A Monster Sandwich

During a week in October, we read the book "A Monster Sandwich" by Joy Cowley.  

The kids were learning to write using Beginning, Middle, and Ending. We spent the week writing about what our Monster Sandwiches would look like. On the first day, they wrote why they would eat a "monster sandwich". On the second day, they used images (the same food choices from the book) to decide what they would use to make their monster sandwich. On the third day, they wrote about eating it! On the fourth day, we really made "monster sandwiches" in our classroom using their recipes! On the fifth day, we wrote how it tasted! I pasted each page together and added a picture of them eating their sandwich at the bottom. Before we sent them home, Ms. Jones photocopied them to go into their portfolios.

  

  

  

Back Files: Thanks McDonalds: Studying Greater Than & Less Than!

In September, we studied comparing quantities. We used McDonalds french fry pouches and some yellow "fries" to tell if the number inside the pouch or the number outside the pouch was greater. The kids had a great time and they learned a way they can practice this skill on the go!

   

Back Files: Homemade Light Table

I love my light table! It can be used for soo many things! I found this idea on Pinterest. Just take a clear storage container, turn it upside down, and stuff clear Christmas lights underneath! Grab some old overhead projector pieces and let the kids get to work!
Great for: letter recognition and word formation, geometry, counting and cardinality, numbers and operations!

 

Back files: First Day of School

First Day of School - "When I grow up..." Each year I take a picture of my kids holding this sign.  I do it for my son as well. It makes a great keepsake! It also helps me get to know my students and what they like. One year I had a little boy who wanted to be a paleontologist! All year, I knew dinosaurs were his thing. It helped me keep instruction fun for him! I paint on the words and use chalk for the career.

 

  

 

                         

   

   

   

   

  

Anhinga?

So what is an Anhinga anyways?

When I began working at Burnside Elementary, I was told to choose an animal and post a sign outside my door. At the time I was unmarried, so I quickly chose “Giovannone’s Giraffes”. (Alliteration is important.) Then I married a wonderful guy and had to return to the drawing board… Andrade… Ant? Antelope? Anteater? Could I just call us “Andrade’s Animals”? :) My brother is a bird expert so I asked him if there are any birds that begin with “an-“. Low and behold, the anhinga! The best part is that the anhinga is a local bird, meaning is can be found in fresh water areas near the coast of South Carolina. Not only does this bird have a cool name, I can teach the students about some of the fauna in our state.

Here are some quick facts about the Anhinga:

Name: Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)

AKAs: snake-bird, water turkey, black darter

Description: Large, dark water bird; long, thin neck that can twist like a S; long, thin pointed bill; long tail; silver patches on wings 

Habitat: fresh water sources with many trees for nesting, swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes

Region: North Carolina west to Texas and south to Argentina

Diet: Mostly fish, at times snakes, frog, crustaceans 

 

Fun Facts:

Baby anhingas learn to swim before they learn to fly.

Anhingas swim with their whole body under the water and only their head and neck out of the water. 

Anhingas are good soarers and can achieve great heights. 

Anhingas use their beaks like daggers to spear fish.

It's call has been described as a raspy croaking. To hear it's calls, click on the link below. 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/anhinga/sounds

References:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/anhinga/id

http://www.birds.com/species/a-b/anhinga/

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/aqua/anhinga

http://animal.discovery.com/birds/anhinga-info.htm

STOP!

 

One of the new things I am going to try this year are these adorable stop signs. I found the link to them on Pinterest. I was led to this awesome blog from a Fourth Grade teacher who made these last year for her students. She even has a link so you can print hers, but I made my own.

http://rockandteach.blogspot.com/2012/08/monday-made-it-part-4.html

 

I decided this was very doable in Kindergarten as well. Instead of interrupting learning time to correct a student, I will walk over and hand them a stop sign. A little reminder to get back on track. Can't wait to try these!

 

11 days til SY 13-14 and counting!

Gettign ready for school year 2013-2014

Our official day back to work is Monday, the 12th. I've been here a few times since then. I always enjoy looking at my classroom and knowing this is time to make changes. "Set up right this year" says the voice in my head. Three days in and I'm still thinking about the most conducive set up for what I want to accomplish this year.

So I stop working on that and decide that I will start a blog. "A blog?" Yes, a blog. "We've tried this before..." Yes, but not about my classroom and this is something I feel passionate about. Let's face it, blogging about my goal to eat healthy and shed a few pounds isn't very interesting, not even to me. So here are my goals:

• I want to create a place for parents to visit and see what's going on in the classroom. I also will list some local activities to help families keep the learning happening at home.
• I want to create a place for other professionals to visit to see what's happening inside the Anhinga classroom. Steal some ideas if you want. Give me some ideas, too.
• I want to create a place for me to keep record of all the wonderful things that happen this year. I want to look back and remember all the fun we had. Let's face it! Kindergarten is a blast!

Welcome to The Diary of an Anhinga: Accounts from a Kindergarten Classroom. I hope you will enjoy what you find. I hope you will keep reading. Please leave comments and feedback.