Spiders!

We have been learning so much about spiders! The vocabulary our Kindergartens are using has been blowing us away! It really shows that kids will learn what we expose them to, so set the bar high and they will make it up there.

Here is a sneak peak into some of our learning...

Some of our initial wonders:

D.S- I wonder how spiders are born?

B.R.- I wonder why they have 8 legs?

J.C- I wonder how they make their webs?

I.S- I wonder why spiders have webs?

D.K- I wonder why spiders have a line on their bodies?

A.W- I wonder why do spiders crawl around?

A.S- I wonder why they have webs?

P.X- I wonder why bodies have colours?

M.R- I wonder why spiders need webs?

A.G- I wonder how many eyes spiders have?

A.A- spiders go home outside

J.R- I wonder how many eyes spiders have?

R.B- I wonder how spiders get big?

P.W- I wonder why some spiders are poison?

Z.D- I wonder why some got stripes on them?

This video (below) was what really sparked an interest and fascination about spiders. 

We learned a lot about spiders and their body parts from books and videos. Our learners worked together to create a large spider for our classroom that they painted and then labeled all the parts. Our artists also painted spiders as a way to share their learning.

Here is some of the information we learned:

P.X- spider web can touch the bug and eat the fly or mosquito

A.W- there is different kinds of silk

H.M- some people is scared of spiders

J.C- some spiders are scared of people

I.S- we learned that spiders aren’t insects

P.S- they are arachnids

V.S- they have 8 legs

A.G- they shoot out the silk from their spinnerets

J.R- the spiders are tiny and some are bigger and if humans step on them the spiders will put webs on them

M.R- black widow spiders can bite you

B.R- spiders eat any insects or flies or mosquitos and they wrap their food so they can eat it

We also learning about spiders' webs and how they make them.

This video and learning inspired our learners to create their own webs and spiders using various materials around the classroom.

What we learned about webs and silk:

P.S- spiders have 7 kinds of silks, but not three

D.S- I wonder how the bugs want to fly in the web?

H.M- I wonder why the bugs will go to to the web and the spider will eat him?

P.S- I wonder how the bugs could go in the spider’s web?

A.G- it’s sticky!

P.W- how does the fly want to go in the web and think the spider don’t want to eat it?

P.X- I wonder why the spider can touch the white one and the white one is the sticky one. The spider touches the bug and he eats it

We had Zoo to You come visit and they brought a tarantula for us to high five!

Stay tuned for more learning!

The Corpse Flower

It's been a busy two months here in Room 122. So much learning has been happening!

We wanted to share a little mini inquiry we had in September. There was a lot of excitement at the Toronto Zoo about the corpse flower, or 'Pablo Flower', that was going to bloom. Last year, we learned a little about this stinky flower, so it was exciting for our learners to find out there was one here in Toronto. The learning that happened about this flower and plant was quite fascinating!

H.M- I wonder why it’s stinky?

P.X- I wonder why corpse flower is opening?

A.S- the tree can grow if it has a seed inside?

P.W- I wonder if it has pollen? I wonder if the tree will be stinky just like the flower? I wonder if it will die in winter?

D.S- I wonder if it has the pistil and stamen? I wonder if the tree will have any branches and I wonder if birds are going to make nests inside?

A.W- I wonder why the bugs like the corpse flower?

P.S- I wonder if the corpse flower maybe is going to turn to the tree at the Toronto zoo?

D.K- I wonder why the corpse flower smells?

B.R- I wonder why if the corpse flower eat the seeds inside and then turn it to a tree?

C.J- I wonder why it turns into a tree and not just a flower?

I.S- I wonder why the corpse flower smells bad?

A.G- I wonder why the corpse flower is so colourful? I wonder what it has the long spike?

M.R- I wonder, I think the corpse flower is going to be big

Z.D- I wonder why the life cycle goes around and then goes back to the flower again?

J.R- I wonder how stinky it is?

A Lego creation of both the flower and the leaf of the Titan Arum (corpse flower)

Our artists worked together to create a corpse flower & label the parts

They also created this 'leaf' of the Titan Arum

We learned a lot about this plant:

J.C- we learned the parts- the parts are the spadix the spathe and the corm

D.S- I learned that the trudy flower not just a flower it’s a tree also

N.K- Trudy flower has green parts and it can change leaves

M.R- I learned about the trudy flower is bigger than a human

J.R- it has hundreds of flowers around it

A.W- I think the tree will crack sometimes and fall fall down and it will die

H.M- I learned about the trudy flower just not have a flower I learned about he have trees have berries too

I.S- I learned that the trudy flower smells bad

P.S- I learned that the trudy flower dies

A.S- I learned about the trudy flower can turn into a tree

P.X- I learned trudy flower that bees go inside in the pollination and the flies inside, it’s super big

Welcome to the 2018/2019 School Year in Room 122

We are so excited to welcome our new and returning learners to our classroom. We have worked to create an environment that is welcome, engaging and promotes self-regulation and independence in our learners. Here is a sneak peak into our room.

Our literacy shelf with various resources for our writers
(writing templates, vocabulary books, sight word rings, sight word lists, letter rings, alphabet)

Providing a variety of vocabulary books allows learners to build independence when writing

Writing table
Materials are organized by colour and type to promote independence when cleaning up

Everyday our writers complete 'daily writing'. They hang their work up on the wall everyday

The their 'personal best' work ends up on this wall as a celebration before being added into their portfolios 

Our math area

We have writing templates and various open ended materials available for our mathematicians

This little table is our 'math table' where we usually have a math game set up

This year we have combined our drama centre and building centre. We are excited to see what type of play our builders and actors come up with!

Snack table- available all day for learners to eat when hungry

Our yoga and exercise area provides learners the opportunities to move their bodies in various ways

Our 'reading nook'

Calming corner materials to support down-regulation

Another calming activity

Our Zones of Regulation check in

 

Our 'flow of the day' and check in board

Our educator area

We provide various 'provocations' or 'invitations for learning' to engage our learners in various types of play and exploration. Here are some of the ones we had out in the first couple weeks.

We're looking forward to another great year in Room 122!