Gingerbread Unit

I hope everyone is having a relaxing break!  Tomorrow I will be off to visit family in Columbus, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.  

I wanted to share some pictures of the students during our Gingerbread Unit.  Students seems to really enjoy and connect with this unit.  We had so much fun reading different versions of stories, acting out the story, singing songs about the Gingerbread Man, counting cookies, making gingerbread houses, and decorating gingerbread cookies! The last day of our unit, my mom was able to come in and spend the afternoon in Kindergarten.  The students were very interested and confused as they asked, "Miss Gilbert, you're a grown up.  You have a mom??"  My mom, Mrs. Gilbert, read the students a Gingerbread story, answered many questions, and helped us decorate gingerbread cookies.  The students were sad to see her go, but I'm sure she'd be more than willing to come back! :) 

Take a look at some pictures from our unit! 

Working on our Gingerbread houses...

Mrs. Gilbert reading Gingerbread Friends By Jan Brett

Decorating our Gingerbread Cookies

The whole silly bunch! 

Comparing Gingerbread Stories

For the past two weeks, we have been reading different versions of the Gingerbread Man.  Students have been so excited each time I pull out another version.  After we read the stories, we discuss the book and compare it to previous versions that we have read.  To do this, I created a chart that shows a picture of the cover of the book and 4 categories: the title, the characters, the repeated phrase, and the ending of the book.  I decided to attempt to get 'crafty' and make our chart into a gingerbread house.  Needless to say it didn't turn out exactly how I had imagined it-but the kids still thought it was awesome! :)

Which version was your student's favorite?

Book Exchange

Yesterday, students were giving the opportunity to pick a book and take it home to add it to their home library.  The students were very excited to be getting a book to keep.  Here are some pictures of the students sharing their books!

6 Simple Things

1. Watching students give each other a high 5 after a game of dice.
2. Listening to students read books on their own.
3. Getting a Starbucks coffee on my way to school.
4. Observing students during Gingerbread stories.
5. Our AB pattern movements.
6. Skyping with my family in Chicago.

6 simple things

Life has been moving so fast lately I feel like I haven't had time to reflect on myself and my teaching.  I'm finally settling into my new apartment and life is returning to (somewhat) normal speed!  So here we go...the six simple things making me smile this week:

1. Being back at Fox Hill with my cheerful Kindergarteners
2. My new nephew, Michael Christian.
3. Watching my students being independent problem solvers during station time.
4. The smell of my new holiday candle.
5. Students making new friends and being sure to remember their old ones
6. Getting new books to add to our classroom library.

What has you smiling this week?

Little Red Hen

We have been learning about Harvests in our current IB unit.  To help us understand, we have been reading various versions of The Little Red Hen.  Yesterday, we read our final version: The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza.  Students got to act out the play (They are great actors!) and afterwards, we all make a mini pizza.  We had a fun afternoon and made many memories.  Check out some photos below:

Students enjoying their pizza

 Students acting out The Little Red Hen

Author's Celebration

Friday before Thanksgiving Break the students were able to share their writing during a special time that I call, Author's Celebration.  We invited families to come and listen to their student's writing.  Students also could pair up to share their stories, or come to a small group setting with myself and Mr. Alumbaugh.  It was a wonderful time!  We will be hosting another celebration in December.  Hope to see you then!