Math - Graphing

One of our recent math lessons involved graphing.  The kids are learning to organize a set of data, record that data and explain the results. Sounds pretty sophisticated, doesn't it?! :-)

First we colored squares to represent our favorite colors. I then gave them the task of organizing our colors so that we can figure out how many of each we had.  They chose to sort them into piles.  I then asked if there was a better way so that we could see all the colors and they put them into lines.

From the lines I introduced charting them in a graph so that we can easily see how many of each color we had.  Next we counted how many of each color we had and recorded the number.

Lastly, we learned how to "analyze" our data. I asked a series of questions and they started to generate some observations.  I recorded their observations on the bottom of the graph.  I guided them through the two observations at the top - where we compared one set of colors to another.

Try graphing at home - it's super easy - make a cup of "gorp" from several ingredients (popcorn, m&m"s, cheerios, pretzels, etc.).  Have your child sort the ingredients into piles and then into lines similar to a graph.  Next talk about what the graph is "telling" you! You can do this with toys, blocks, coins etc., food is just really fun and yummy :-)

Yoga

We have been learning a number of yoga poses since coming back from break.  We used to do "movement breaks" to help us get some energy out.  I was finding that they were not settling down but the opposite was happening - they were getting more riled up than before.  So I changed my strategy! What I am finding now is that after doing a few poses and deep breathing the kids are more focused and ready to learn.
Here are a few pictures of the kids doing various poses:

Just before vacation....

A few days before we went on our holiday break a couple folks from the Westbrook Kiwanis came in to give each child in kindergarten an activity book!  We took a few minutes to color some pictures and try out a few stickers.  Thank you so much to our Kiwanis volunteers!

 

GINGERBREAD!

We read several versions of the Gingerbread Man - there are versions about babies, girls, cowboys and pirates (a favorite!!) in addition to the traditional tale of the Gingerbread Man.  We talked about what was similar and what was different in the stories, who the characters were and how the books ended. We finished our unit with a yummy activity: decorating (and eating) our own gingerbread cookies!

Pajama day! The class had filled our bubble jar and voted on a pajama day and a movie.  I had a funeral to attend this day so was not in school.  I came in briefly to go to an early meeting and took a moment before I had to leave to pop into the classroom to say hello.  They all looked like they had just rolled out of bed ;-)

And we couldn't resist decorating our class doors with Minions once again - 

Santa, a reindeer and an Elf

I hope all everyone had a restful vacation - I sure did! I enjoyed spending time with my family - both near and far!  Here are a few from my break:

Both my daughters are in band and play the flute. This is a picture of WHS's holiday concert.  This was a collaboration between the band and the high school principal, Mr. Ross, doing a version of T'was the Night Before Christmas.  My oldest, Olivia is playing (she's the middle flute player) and Chloe is sitting on stage in the back row listening to the story.

My helper, Sammy, watching over gifts:

My brother and his wife got a puppy for my nieces - meet Gideon - he is fluffiest little ball of love!
Chloe would have brought him home...

Chloe has been taking riding lessons for about 3 years now - here she is with Bette one day during vacation:

I did a lot of cooking and baking for Christmas - I was thankful to have such good helpers!

Olivia is quite a baker - she often cooks dinner for us during the week - this is only one of the millions of things we will miss about her when she leaves for college next fall :-)

A peaceful ending to a very happy day!

Chloe and Olivia both play school and travel field hockey. We ended our vacation with a tournament at Mt. Holyoke in Mass - it was a long drive!