Kindergarten

We visited our heifers as part of our outdoor hike. When we got back inside, the kids completed a cut & paste cattle parts worksheet. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

We utilized the barn to escape the winds and learn about all the things that Malibu & Rosie need to stay healthy and happy. After, they were challenged with their first "Write the Room" activity, trying to find the words around the barn that are needs of cows. I snuck a few non-examples in to keep their minds thinking. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.8 (Environmental Print)

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary)

KSS.3 (Needs) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

Problem Solving

We read the story "Petal the Angry Cow" by Maureen Fergus. It led us on a journey of following a cow who had trouble controlling her emotions and had some learning about how to treat others. The kids had great observations throughout.  

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.2 (Listening Skills) 

KPEW.5 & 8 (Emotions & Relationships)

KSS.5 (Cooperation) 

Charter Connections: 

Humble Habits

Teamwork & Collaboration

Barnyard Animals 

We read the story "Counting Cows" by Woody Jackson and worked on counting numbers 1-10. Using link cubes first and then drawing dots, we created different ways to compose numbers 5 and 10. 

Curricular Connections: 

KMATH.1 & 2 (Quantities and Compositions) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Problem Solving

Critical Thinking 

We used the barn to discuss the different products cattle provide. For example, their hides are used for leather jackets, their fat for making candles, and their meat for steaks. We also discussed the difference between dairy and beef cattle and how they provide us with different products. After our talk, the kids completed a    cut & paste activity. 

Curricular Connections: 

KPEW.7 (Food to Daily Life)

KSS.4 (Needs/Wants)

KS.1 (Property Investigation)

Charter Connections: 

Barnyard Animals 

The kids were excited to head out and see the heifers haltered and being led around. They asked lots of questions about the process of halter breaking and were curious about what the girls did to get them friendly enough to lead them around. 

Curricular Connections: 

KSS.5 (Collaboration & Goals)

KELAL.2 (Listening & Speaking) 

Charter Connections: 

Barnyard Animals

Goals & Outcomes

Stay Tuned.

Curricular Connections: 

Charter Connections: 

Stay Tuned.

Curricular Connections: 

Charter Connections: 

Stay Tuned.  

Curricular Connections: 

Charter Connections: 

We began our focus on goats, learning all about their body parts, including the beard, body, horns, hooves, tails, ears, etc. The kids compared the goat body parts to the pigs and pointed out similarities and differences. After, they took turns leading the goats around before heading to the barn to complete a cut-and-paste goat parts worksheet. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

We utilized the barn to escape the cold and measure our goats using different non-standard units. They recorded their findings on a worksheet. 

Curricular Connections: 

KMATH.4 (Measurement)

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

Problem Solving

We talked about what goats provide us with and then made some goat milk soap bars as part of their Christmas gift. They learned about where the milk comes from as many had questions about how goats make milk.

Curricular Connections: 

KS.4 (Following Instructions) 

KPEW.7 (Food Connecting to Life)

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

The kids were really interested in exploring the skeleton of a goat, and we used this as an opportunity to learn about their bones. After that, we compared goat bones to pig bones to highlight their similarities and differences.  

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary)

KMATH.4 (Measurement: Comparison) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

We learned all about the goat stomach. The kids learned that goats are part of the "ruminants" family, which means they have a four-part stomach. We then headed outside to see if we could see our school goats chewing their cud. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary)

KS.2 (Examining Animal Movements) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals

We took our school goats on a trek up a snowy hill. The kids had a great time climbing our barnyard snow pile with Triscuit and Pepper. They were amazed at what great climbers goats are! 

Curricular Connections: 

KPEW.1 (Alternative Environments)

KPEW.2 (Spatial Awareness)

KPEW.3 (Exploring Movement)

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Barnyard Animals 

We began our focus on pigs by brainstorming everything we already knew about pigs, what we wondered, and what we wanted to learn. This helped to guide my planning for our future lessons.

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary) 

Charter Connections: 

Critical Thinking 

Barnyard Animals 

We headed outside and learned about the parts of pigs, including the snout, body, back, legs, hooves, tail, ears, etc. They also got to use the kid cameras and capture some "pig portraits." After, the kids filled in a simple pig parts worksheet.  

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary)

KCE.1 (Expression) 

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Journaling

Barnyard Animals

After learning that pigs roll in the mud to help themselves keep cool in warm weather, the kids got to decorate a pig template using cotton balls as their tool. 

Curricular Connections: 

KCE.1 (Artistic Experimentation)

Charter Connections: 

Barnyard Animals 

After a talk about our personal survival needs, we headed outside again to learn about what pigs need to stay healthy. The kids were excited to test out different types of scraps to see which ones the pigs liked best, as well as to learn about all the other things pigs need to survive. 

Curricular Connections: 

KSS.3 (Needs) 

KPEW.7 (Food Connecting to Life)

Charter Connections: 

Barnyard Animals 

Pigs give us so much - "Everything but the Oink." After learning about all the products that pigs can be used for, we went outside and shared a thank-you rhyme with the pigs. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.2 (Speaking Skills)

KPEW.7 (Daily Food Connections)

KCE.1 (Singing)

Charter Connections: 

Barnyard Animals

We reflected on our learning this past month and created a journal entry. The kids got to draw their pig and then share their favourite fact or learning about pigs for the teacher to write down. Some challenged themselves to copy some of the print themselves. 

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.8 & 9 (Written Expression)

Charter Connections: 

Journaling

Barnyard Animals

Reflection 

After reading "Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie" as a class, we cut open a pumpkin and investigated the different parts. We learned about the shell, stem, pulp, fibrous strands, seeds and the vine & leaves. We placed the parts on a pumpkin print-out as we pointed to where it was on a real one.

Curricular Connections: 

KELAL.3 (Expanding Vocabulary)

KS.1 (Examining Properties) 

Charter Connections: 

Gardening

Life Cycles

The kids smashed into pumpkins using hammers and experienced it tapping into their senses. They also got to work on their coordination, hammering golf tees into the pumpkins.  

Curricular Connections: 

KPEW.2 (Spatial Awareness)

KPEW.3 (Movement of Body)

KS.1 (Five Senses)

Charter Connections: 

Hands-On Learning

Gardening 

Connecting our knowledge of pumpkins and 2-D shapes, the kids were challenged to design their very own jack-o-lantern faces using the given 2-D shapes we were learning in math.  

Curricular Connections: 

KCE.1 (Exploring Materials, Expression)

KCE.2 (Appreciating Art)

KMAT.3 (Shapes)

Charter Connections: 

Problem Solving

We headed outside, and the kids harvested their sunflowers. They reviewed the needs of plants before they got to take turns cutting the sunflowers. 

Curricular Connections: 

KS.4 (Following Instructions)

KSS.3 (Needs) 

Charter Connections: 

Gardening

Life Cycles

After we harvested our sunflowers, we went around the school spreading cheer to the staff, delivering sunflower vases for their desks. It allowed us to explore our school and meet all the teachers and students in our learning community. We also wanted to show our appreciation for everything our school staff do to support our school community!  

Curricular Connections: 

KPEW.8 (Developing Relationships)

KSS.1 (Community)

KSS.5 (Collaboration) 

Charter Connections: 

Leadership

"HUMBLE" Habits 

Using the petals from some of our sunflowers, we painted our very own representation of a sunflower to brighten our classroom walls. 

Curricular Connections: 

KCE.1 (Exploring Materials, Expression)

KCE.2 (Appreciating Art)

Charter Connections: 

Gardening