January SWAP

We had our SWAP (stations with awesome people) this morning. We decided on a winter theme. 

In Ms. Brooke's room, the students made crystal snowflakes using pipe cleaners, hot water, food coloring, and Borax. She also read The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett. The snowflakes will be spending the night at the school to crystallize before they come home. Detailed instructions are {here}.

In Ms. Kaley's room, the students made ice art. You can find the details {here} if you are interested.

Ms. Kaley also read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

In Ms. Kim's room, the students learned how to make snowflakes by cutting a piece of folded paper. The detailed instructions are {here}.

Ms. Kim also read The Little Snowflake by Steve Metzger.

And in my room, we discussed mittens, how they are considered clothing, and why we need them. Then the students made a "cold hands, warm heart" craft. I tried to find the site for this project but all I could find was an image on Yahoo image search that did not link up correctly. First, the students cut out two mittens and a heart that said "cold hands, warm heart."

Then the students wrote their name on their heart and added white handprints to their mittens.

We added some glitter to make it sparkle!

The perfect book for this activity is The Mitten by Jan Brett!

today's snapshot

This morning we made N's with play-do...

The students also got artsy and craftsy this morning.

Our clothing books for the day:



 

When Lisa's woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, but the stocking gets stuck on his prickles -- and the fun begins.

A mother hen comes by, then a noisy goose, a talkative barn cat, a playful farm dog, a mama pig and her piglets, and a pony. They all laugh at Hedgie, especially when he pretends he's wearing a new hat. But in the end, it is clever Hedgie who has the last laugh.

And where is Lisa when all of this is going on? She's in the borders, getting ready for winter, until she realizes her stocking is missing and she enters the story to look for it.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hat-Jan-Brett/dp/0399231013

Baby Llama turns bedtime into an all-out llama drama! Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back. But just in time, Mama returns to set things right.

http://www.amazon.com/Llama-Red-Pajama-Anna-Dewdney/dp/0670059838/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357922729&sr=1-1&keywords=llama+llama+red+pajama

Miss Jenna was out today so we had Science in our classroom today. We did one of my favorite experiments: Insta-Snow. The students get to predict, observe, touch, etc... with this experiment. Before adding water to the polymers, I asked them what they thought they were (pepper, salt, sugar, little beads, and sand), what they could do with them (put it in a Ziploc and take it to school, play with it, pour it, and put it in pillows), and what does it feel like (sand, sprinkles, salt, and beads).

 

I asked them what would happen if I added water (would turn yellow, or purple, or brown, or pink, or blue).

 

Then after adding the water, I asked them what if felt like now (snow and a cushion).

our question of the day:

 

This afternoon, we wrote in our journals, made some button patterns, and had free draw time :)

Next week's happenings:

Monday- fire drill

Tuesday- winter SWAP

Wednesday- gym and dance

Thursday- pizza day and music

 

have a great weekend!

 

 



January sensory tub

This month's tub is all about winter!

 There are cotton balls, styrofoam balls, and clear flat marbles for snowballs and ice, tongs and scoops for gathering and a bowl for collecting.
I also threw in some sequin snowflakes for some color.