A Day in the Life (Cycle) of a Pumpkin!

What a week for celebrations and explorations!  Take a peek at our week...
(Sorry for the petite photo album this week!  More shots of hard work and good fun to come next week!)



Daily Five:

- Stamina: We reached twenty minutes!  In between three mini lessons, we break out into our sign-ins (read to self, read to someone, work on writing, word work, listen to reading) for twenty minutes each time.  We are becoming professional experts at increasing our stamina as we read and write (and pushing ourselves to do more!)
- Skills: point to the first letter, "read" the picture clues, ask yourself questions as you read, stretch the sounds in a word that's tricky (then put them all together.)
- Centers: We added lots of -am and -at family work to our Word Work centers (creating -am family and -at family words, and sorting ones that make sense and that are silly words.)  We are reading to ourselves using the words, the pictures, and retelling.  We are reading books with friends using Check for Understanding, I Read You Read, and Read Two Different Books.



Language:

- Journals: a new class book!  We used our new star words "we" and "go" to write "We Go!  SKers on the Move", a class book that gives families lots of details about where a busy day in the life of a five year old can take us.
- Printing: C, c and __, ___.  Starting under the line and circling back is tricky!  Play pictionary with your SK friend to practice; draw a car, coat, can, cup, etc. and have them try writing the word.  Don't focus on their spelling; check on how their "c" formation is looking.



Math:

- Which Way Should I Go: we used directional words (above, over, under, beside, next to, near) to draw pumpkins on a spooky October scene!
- Counting, counting: we played games, clapping, tapping, jumping, cheering, all while we counted (i.e. "The Magic Number is 8.  When the number ends in "8", jump up and cheer it!  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, EIGHT! 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, EIGHTEEN!)
- Shape collage: we played "Roll A Jackolantern"; each number represented a shape (1 is a square, 2 is a rectangle, 3 is a triangle, etc.) and when we'd roll a number, we'd add the corresponding shape to our pumpkin's face!  Great for quick recognition of numbers 1-6.



Science:

Life cycle of the pumpkin: our focus this week, learning more about how it grows and changes from seed to pumpkin and back to seed!  We made our own seed, sprout, plant (vine), flower and pumpkin that tell the story of the life cycle!  Ask your SKer to show it to you, and sing the song too.

Snip, snip, seed, sprout: We also had fun creating (and putting together in the right order!) our own puzzle pieces for seed, sprout, planter, flower, pumpkin.  Good practice for those tricky cutting skills, and our botanist brains!

Extra!  Extra!  Reminders:

Halloween Party: coming up on..... Parent volunteers should be in touch with Melissa Sheppard (we thank you for your time and help!)  We will be wearing our costumes to school (please don't send them along; we need friends ready to go at 8am.  Remember; no superheroes, villains or weapons of any kind.  If you are unsure in any way, please do get in touch before the dress up day), and be participating in the all school Masquarade March through the upper school!
Healthy Picnic: Please use the big green basket to bring back a healthy snack for 18 friends (no nuts or nut products, please.)  See the attached tag for good ideas.
Superstar: next up... Marco!  He will be our first November Birthday/Superstar celebration.  Family is welcome to join us!
No School: comment writing falls on Friday, October 26.  See you back in school the following Monday!

Coming Up Next:

We will wrap up our pumpkin study next week, exploring any SK questions we haven't answered yet, and then move on to Halloween Fun!  Then, onward to November and sharing traditions of thankfulness, plus Terrific Turkeys!