interesting interview

Me: "What's your favorite food?"
Student: "Bacon."
Me: "What's your favorite movie?"
Student: "Michael Myers."
Me: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Student: "A robber. You know... like my dad."

--- I don't know how I held it together ---

Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal

This recipe is kindergarten-approved! Every year, we do a unit on apples. Each student brings in an apple and we sort and graph them. Sometime during our unit, we make Crock Pot Apple Oatmeal.

It's adorable. We read the recipe together, measure, count, mix, discuss, etc. It's a great natural lesson. We let it cook all day -- and at the end of the day, we eat it! 

This year, every single one of my students asked for seconds. They couldn't get enough! It's a healthy, delicious, and in the crock pot. Could you ask for anything more???



I always send home the recipe with parents -- and I thought I'd share it here, too! 
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Apple Oatmeal
2 cups oats (use the old-fashioned rolled oats)
4 cups milk
4 packed TB brown sugar
2 TB vanilla
2-4 apples - skin on, rough chop
  
- Mix and cook 1-2 hours on high or 2-3 hours on low.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top (my kinders love this part!)
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I usually double this recipe for my class, but this recipe with be plenty for a family. Enjoy!

girlfriends

(an overheard conversation on our walk to the fire station)
  
Student 1: "I have like 1000 girlfriends."
Student 2: "Is Mrs. Anderson one of them?"
Student 1: "Yeah. Of course."
Student 2: "Who are the other ones?"
Student 1: "I don't know all their names."

9/11 - Just another day.

September 11. 
To them, it's just another day. 

But, as I held a sparkly star pointer and said the date at calendar yesterday, I felt my voice catch just a bit. Not enough for a five-year-old to notice, but enough for me to notice. 

"Today, boys and girls, is Tuesday, September 11." That was it. Simple. But after 11 years, my heart still drops everytime. 

No, we didn't talk about it. No, none of them asked. Why would they? It's just another day for a five-year-old. 

And in that private little moment, I realized something. A hope. A wish. I hope there never comes a day in those little ones' lives that they feel like I did the day the towers fell.

But, sadly, I know they will.

a couple science favorites

These two items have really enhanced my classroom science instruction and the classroom science station:


A simple reminder that scientists' drawings should be ABCD.


Instead of a science word wall, make a science OBJECT wall. At the beginning of each unit, I select 5 target vocab words - must be concrete and meaningful! Then, we start the unit with a mini-lesson in which we create the object wall as a class and share where we've seen these objects before, what we observe about them, what we think they might be used for, etc.
  
I love my kinder scientists! 

What is a scientist?

Student-generated responses after read-alouds and discussion. Love this anchor chart!

Book of the week: Plaidypus Lost

I love "beefing up" our curriculum book of the week with themed lessons. When done right, themed lessons can integrate authentic reading, writing, critical thinking, math, etc. in a meaningful way. I love the way the lessons flow together when we have a great book of the week.

This week was one of my favorites: Plaidypus Lost by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.



A few themed lessons from the week...



We were very interested in what a real platypus was like. So, we read a couple books, searched the web, and even watched a couple short video clips. Then, we made a Venn diagram comparing a real platypus with the character, Plaidypus.



We discussed all the settings where Plaidypus was lost. Then, we made a list of our own ideas - I was so impressed with their creativity!



Then, we used our list to create a class book - always a favorite in my classroom. Here are few of the pages (aren't they awesome?!)







Next week brings another of my favorite "books of the week" - Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten. And to celebrate... we're off to the fire station! Should be another great week. :)

birthday party dramatic play

It's a hit so far! I absolutely love the authentic writing, reading, math, and language being used. The kids are writing each other's names on a "party list," looking up their friends' numbers in the "phone book," typing the correct phone number on the phone, and "calling" their friends to invite them.



Next week, I'm adding materials to make birthday cards and thank you cards.
   
One thing that made me smile this week... every kid so far has put my name on their birthday party list. Seriously SO cute to hear them "call me" and ask me to come to their party. Darling :)