IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

Some friends LOVING the computers!

Today was a really good day.  We started our Reader’s Workshop stations yesterday,and the children seem so engaged in them!  Here are some pictures for youto see what the stations are.  One station is putting everyone’s name in ABC order.Another station is using paint sticks to attach a picture to the last word of the sentence.Then, the children can write the sentence after they are done.  The third station playing memory with environmental print.  The fourth station is rolling a letter dice, and then the children graph the letter they rolled.  The fifth station is where the children cut out letters out of a magazine and then they add it to a big piece of chart paper with each letter of the alphabet.  The last station is playing Starfall on the computers.

Enjoy the pictures!

Some friends adding cut out letters to the letter chart paper.

Some friends putting their classmates' names in ABC order.

Some friends making sentences using pictures and the paint sticks.

Sascha and Journey show the boys a new dance move.

We have discovered that our class LOVES to dance! Often during free exploration time, I put on music for the kids to dance to if they choose. The types of music range from pop all the way to world music. I believe in the importance of exposing the kids to lots of different types of music and allowing them to move, express themselves and feel good. We are experimenting with moving to the beat and moving with the tempo and general feel of the song.

A friend answers our daily question, "Do you like to dance?"

Dancing machines!

 

 

Today was our best day yet in Kindergarten/1st Grade! We continued to talk about our classroom agreements, established a good choices jar, and became mathematicians when we did a sink or float experiment with foil boats. For our good choice jar, we filled a jar up with marbles and stones. Whenever I see that ALL of my friends are working together to make good choices (such as lining up quickly and quietly, coming to the rug without talking and efficiently finding a seat, or being good listeners when someone is talking,) we get to take a stone out of the jar. When all the stones are gone, our class voted to have an ice-cream sundae party! I see a lot of good choices in our future!

All friends counted together as we figured out how many pennies our foil boats could hold before sinking.

Good evening!

Today, we spoke about respect, and we made a Respect Is…class book.  We also started a Respect Jar where once we get the jar full by doing respectful things in class, we will go to the big playground.  Our friends are SO excited about this venture so I think it will not take long before we fill it up!

Also today, our class went into the Studio as a whole class for the first time.  They got to explore various things in Mrs. Grotjan’s space, and they really enjoyed it!  Here are some pictures to show you of their fun!

Madeline P. adding some wire to her picture.

DeOnna, Tevona, Cha'kyra, and Mekhi enjoying the sand table!

Today we worked together in our math groups to answer the question, “Will it sink or float?”  The kids all had a chance to make their own boats out of foil.  Once they were made, they had to add coins into the boat until it sank.  One student had ten coins before it floated!  Here are a few pictures from our fun.