Apples and pumpkins

To transition from our unit on apples to our unit on pumpkins, we have been comparing the 2 fruits -- both great for the Fall!

 I love saving the last 15-20 minutes of the day for old-school traditional units. You know... apples, pumpkins, insects, animals, holidays, etc. They are a great way to get the kids interested in literature, shared writing, questions, charts, graphic organizers, etc.

Evidence: This adorable Venn diagram. Yes, it's cutesy (I love it!), but it was a very valuable tool this week. We ended our day all week by sitting at the carpet and reading a non-fiction book about pumpkins. The kids then suggested facts to add to the poster -- comparing apples (from the last 2 weeks) to pumpkins.

Every one of my kids was able to tell their fact (ex: "They're both round.") and point to where on the diagram it should go (ex: in the middle). Great, valuable way to use the last 15 minutes of the school day (a.k.a. the death hour in kindergarten).