Week 2 of Penguins and we are learning so much!
They are still working on the word "rookery" for a group or "colony" of penguins!
Math and Science:
We made predictions and then tested our ideas at our sensory table full of "icebergs" and cold ocean water! The children each coated one hand in penguin blubber (Crisco!) with a plastic glove. They placed both hands inside plastic bags and submerged them, and observed which stayed warmer in the icy water. We talked about how penguin's blubber allows them to swim in the frigid water of Antarctica. They have also learned about the penguin's camouflage of black and white, and how their white belly's look like sunlight on the ocean's surface to predators.
Icebergs and penguins, along with some other animals/sea friends!
Mermaid Yoga!
PJ Party, minus a couple of friends!
Balloon fun! Great gross motor skill activity and spacial awareness!
Such concentration!
Candy Corn Penguin!
We have read many more books about Penguins and talked about the social and emotional aspects of many of the penguin characters. We introduced "Word Books" this week, where the children practice writing words all beginning with the same letter and letter sound, and then draw something that starts with that letter. It's fun practice for them to write actual words. We are discussing the beginning and ending sounds in words and isolating those sounds. We are also working on vowels and their multiple sounds. U seems to be the most difficult for them to learn, especially the long "u" sound. We are practicing our reading in groups and as individuals and replacing the short vowel sound with the long one if the first doesn't make sense. (This strategy is called "flippy dolphin".) We are also rhyming words each day at our morning meeting. The children are learning different words to rhyme, and also making up words that rhyme.
We have been learning about questions and practicing asking our friends who, what, where, why, when or how questions. It's difficult for four and five year olds to ask questions and not make statements about similarities, so we have been modeling these questions during our weekly show and tell.
We enjoyed a visit from our third grade reading buddies. Each child completed a "Response to Reading" page with their buddy, writing words using inventive spelling and illustrating a scene or character from the book their buddy read to them.
We completed journal pages of our favorite penguin, labeling the penguin using inventive spelling.
Fine Motor/Science:
We made bird feeders from sun nut butter and sunflower seeds and pine cones. We talked about the different birds that do not migrate and where they find food in the winter. If you don't have a yard to hang your pine cone, feel free to hang it on the grounds at Roycemore!
We celebrated our second five year old in JK! Happy birthday to Kadence!
Have a great weekend!
Ms. Massey
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