Building Shapes and Figures

Miss White has been teaching the students all about the 2D shapes (circles, squares, triangles) and 3D figures (cones, spheres, cubes) that surround the children each day.  This week, she gave the students the opportunity to try and build their own shapes and solids.  The building materials were a big hit: marshmallows and toothpicks!


While not all of the designs or attempts worked out, the students demonstrated their knowledge and had an amazing time exploring, testing and experimenting.

 

Some Ontario Curriculum Expectations fulfilled by this activity include:

Geometry and Spatial Sense

*  build three-dimensional structures using concrete materials, and describe the two-dimensional shapes the

 structures contain

*  identify and describe common two-dimensional shapes (e.g. circles, triangles)

*  identify and describe common three-dimensional figures (e.g. cubes, cones)

Fiction and Non-Fiction

We really enjoyed reading Bear Snores On during Shared Reading last week.  To supplement this big book, we checked out a slew of different bear books from the library.  There were all kinds of books to choose from, and the students enjoying exploring them all.

After reading and comparing two different bear books, the students quickly realized that the books were very different.  While one was a funny story called The Valentine Bears, the other was full of interesting information about what bears eat, and where they live.

This led us to discuss the difference between fiction and non-fictions books.  The students decided that fiction books are:  make-believe, pretend and not true.  They decided that non-fiction books are:  real, true and full of facts.

As a group, the students worked to sort all the different bear books into two groups, fiction and non-fiction.

The students did a great job sorting all the books...

The Three Bears, and Emotion Sticks - OH MY!

We have been enjoying new learning opportunities with student teacher, Miss White.  Last week the students delved deeper into The Three Bears and even learned a cool rap.  Continuing on, Miss White led the students to discuss and understand the various emotions felt by the characters in the story.


Some students volunteered to be a character from the story.  The other students were involved using their emotion sticks.  The three sticks were:  happy, sad and angry.  During the read aloud, the students paused at various parts of the story and used their emotion sticks in regards to the feelings of the characters.  Not only was this an enjoyable drama activity, but the students had a great chance to practice their oral language skills as well.  Take a look...

The students did a great job expressing different emotions...

The students were so excited to take their Emotion Sticks home with them.  The next time you read a story together, ask your child to get out their sticks.  Pause during different times of the story, and ask your child to use the sticks to help them describe what the characters are feeling!

100 Days of Learning

Thursday was the 100th day of school.  Back in September, when the students started counting, they thought 100 Day would never arrive -- but arrive it did.  We were ready to welcome the 100th day of school in style.  


Students arrived in the morning to find a fun 100 snack waiting for them...

While they munched away, the students created some 100 Day hats.

Thank you for your support of our 100 collections!  The students shared their collections, and worked to put the 100 items into different groups, counting, sorting and comparing.

Not only did the students count and sort the number 100, but they were challenged to write 100 words they found in the classroom!  They looked high and low...

We had one more tasty 100 snack for good measure...

What a fun day.  We enjoyed celebrating 100 days of:  reading, writing, dancing, drawing, laughing, talking, sharing, counting, sorting, questioning and experimenting.  We are looking forward to many more great days of learning to come!

Happy 100 Day!!