As I hope you can see, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) activities were incorporated as often as possible throughout this learning investigation.
Literacy selections used in the classroom:
Each selection provided us the opportunity to introduce and name several story elements:
Characters
Setting
Problem & Solution
We discussed similarities and differences.
We sequenced pictures from stories, retold, and even came up with different scenarios for endings.
Meet Gingy, our adventurous gingerbread boy!
The children were left clues to go find Gingy throughout the month. We illustrated and wrote in our Gingy Journals to document his adventures.
Incorporating kindergarten literacy skills:
Beginning sounds:
"I SPY A LETTER"- an opportunity for differentiated learning. Listening for beginning sounds or ending sounds. Finding the letter that comes before or after in the alphabet. Fundations letter chart used as a reference tool for some. For "morning work" the children added the matching upper or lowercase letter before "I SPY" was played in small groups.
"I SPY" sight words
Flip book __an word family (Run, Run as fast you CAN)
Dance, dance as fast as you can
Score, score as fast as you can
Sing, sing as fast you can
Build, build as fast as you can
Swim, swim as fast as you can
Making predictions and coming up with a different ending to the story...
Exploring writing by sharing our opinions.
" I liked the part that the dogs ran."
" I liked how the girl roped the fox."
Learning about text features such as SPEECH BUBBLES. From THE GINGERBREAD MAN IS LOOSE IN THE SCHOOL.
"What would you say if you were a gingerbread cookie?"
Using CHATTERPIX to record what a GINGERBREAD SUPERHERO would say.
Social Studies: Exploring MAP MAKING
Included on our map was:
Blanchard, a hospital, a church, houses, Dunkin' Donuts, a restaurant, the Police station, Roche Bros, a road, water, bridges, and traffic lights. All ideas came from what the children already know about the community they live in.
During our playtime, gingerbread people sometimes took over our block building time!
Gingerbread Math:
How many mini marshmallows do you need to go around the gingerbread man?
Counting 1:1 with a partner
Making a prediction/estimate ( in purple) actual count (in green)
Finding ways to organize and count with accuracy. Here we are making sets of 10.
" I have 15 sets of 5 and 3 left over. That makes 78"
"I noticed that the marshmallows are different sizes. I think that is why my answer is not the same as Cole's"
"My guess (estimate) is to low. I think I am going to change it."
How many gingerbread tall are you? Partner measuring.
Dice games
Exploring:
SYMMETRY
HOW ARE THINGS ALIKE?
HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT?
Same- "They both have eyes and mouths"
Different- "One has a dress on"
"One has buttons"
"One has eyelashes"
Same- "They both have yellow on them"
"They both have eyes"
"They both have smiles"
Different: "One has hair"
"One has white around the outside"
Measuring, mixing, and baking
Eating and graphing our gingerbread cookies.
Science investigation:
"What happens to a gingerbread cookie when it falls into the water?"
making predictions, checking prediction, recording our observations
"It sinks"
"It floats"
"It looks bigger"
"It gets really mushy"
"It dissolves"
"It's kind of gross"
Making plans and building our own gingerbread houses.
So much fun with all these activities.
Looking forward to what January will bring!
Happy New Year to all.
I love how your gingerbread theme included math, science, art, and literacy. The children had so much fun and worked hard too! The way you are making learning visible for the children is inspiring.
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