The Busy Beavers of Beauclerc

Sykes Farm Field Trip

2011-10-31T21:04:00.002-04:00

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Welcome Hunter!

2011-09-27T20:27:00.002-04:00

Another great student, Hunter, arrived on Monday, September 19th. He has learned our class rules and procedures quickly! We are so glad to have him. :)

And here are some pictures from last week during Literacy Centers. The students were learning while having have!

Tyree and Isaiah matched all the Thomas alphabet cards at the Pocket Chart center. Great team work, guys!

This picture was taken on "Picture Day." Don't they all look great? Jacob, Ariel, Madumitha and Morgan!

Trumandray was working with the magnetic letters. He can name almost all of them!

Welcome Destiny!

2011-09-12T20:45:00.000-04:00

We were lucky enough to get another new student today! Her name is Destiny. We were really happy to get another girl. Now we have 6 girls and 10 boys.

Our First Flag Raising of the Year

2011-09-12T20:41:00.001-04:00

Once a month, the entire school gathers in the amphitheater to watch the Safety Patrols raise the American and Florida flags and to sing the National Anthem. Last Friday, September 9th, was the first of this school year. We had several special guests to help make it memorable: the mascot of the Gator Bowl and the cheerleaders and football players from Wolfson High School.

I was very proud of my students for paying attention and sitting quietly. :)

Learning and Working in Math Centers

2011-09-12T20:24:00.003-04:00

The students are learning about counting and re-counting, identifying numerals, and working together in small groups, called centers. Geoboards are wooden boards with nails in them. The students use rubber bands to form shapes and even the numerals 0 - 9. The students really enjoy this activity because it is unlike any other material they've used in the past, and there are countless patterns and shapes to form.

Michael is really concentrating.

Ariel and Ja'Kyla seem to be making patterns of straight lines.

Yes, Ariel was making lines, too. The lines are turning into rectangles!

It seems Sasha likes the girls' ideas.

Joshua is making so many triangles!

At this table, the students work putting number puzzles together to increase their ability to identify the numerals.

The fish and fish bowls help the students to practice

using one-to-one correspondence when counting.
Way to go, Jacob!

Learning to work together and cooperate with one another is just as important as learning to count!

Tyree can really keep track while counting!

Riley and Trumandray are matching numerals

with groups of the same number of objects.

Tyree and Elijah are matching numerals to plastic plates with the same number of dots.

The students really enjoy putting the numeral puzzles together.

Exploring with the Geoblocks will probably always be a favorite of the students!

Literacy Centers

2011-09-05T21:08:00.002-04:00

For the past two weeks, we have been learning our daily schedule, the class rules, procedures and routines. Part of our daily schedule includes independent exploration at various activities called "Centers." These Literacy Centers occur during Reader's Workshop, after I've read a story and we have discussed it. The students are divided into small groups and they rotate through the centers, visiting 2 each day. These centers include: Computers, Home Living, Word Work, Messy ABC's, Writing, Art, Pocket Chart and File Folders. During this time I have been evaluating each student individually to see what they already know, so I'll know what he/she needs next. Eventually the students will also rotate through the center of Guided Reading, working with me on reading skills in a small group.

Working on the Computers at the website: www.toytheater.com

Messy ABC's was working with playdough last week.

We will also use stamps to stamp letters and words at this center.

Students develop their communication and language skills,

as well as practicing working cooperatively as a group at Home Living.

Home Living is a favorite of most of the children.

At Word Work, the students can practice their writing skills in a fun way on the Magna Doodles.

They can also choose to listen to the Leap Frog letter songs
to reinforce recognition of letter names and sounds.

Word Work also has puzzles to develop problem solving skills.

Samuel, Isaiah and Elijah worked together to complete
this Brown Bear, Brown Bear (a story we read!) puzzle.

Welcome Jacob!

2011-09-05T20:42:00.000-04:00

Another new student! We now have 16 students again (one of our students, Tia, transferred to a new school.) Welcome Jacob! :)

Welcoming two new students!

2011-08-24T18:48:00.000-04:00

We welcomed two new students into our class today! We are up to 16 students, but usually a Kindergarten class has 18 students, so we might get even more! :)

Elijah

Andargachew, "Andy"

Today during Math centers we explored some new materials: wooden beads and pegs with pegboards.

The Geoblocks Exploration table still had plenty of admirers. In fact, several of the students built really tall structures with the Geoblocks.

Ariel, Riley, Madumitha, Trumandray, and Sasha look like they are having fun with the Geoblocks!

Leila, Ja'Kyla, Tyree and Joshua are enjoying the pegs.

Wow! Look how many beads Michael and Isaiah have strung.

Meet our class!

2011-08-23T22:30:00.001-04:00

Kindergarten has begun! We have had two fantastic days of school. The students are learning the rituals and routines in our classroom. They are also learning the rules and expectations that I have of them. We've read two books, First Day Jitters and I Am Absolutely Too Young for School, which both talk about being nervous when starting a new school. The students have begun expressing their ideas through illustrations, and a few students were even able to express their thoughts through words by sounding them out! In Math, we are exploring the manipulatives we will use throughout the year, such as Geoblocks, pattern blocks, linking cubes, color tiles and counting bears. And we've started learning about the calendar and how to keep track of how many days we have been in school. One of the students' favorite activities we've worked on are in a few of the Literacy Centers. We've taken turns working in Home Living, Computers, Writing, and Word Work after learning what to do, where to go and how to clean up. I am looking forward to teaching them even more of the fun learning activities we have in the room as the week continues.

Ja'Kyla

Trumandray

Leila

Madumisha

Isaiah

Morgan

Sasha

Ariel

Tia

Michael

Joshua

Riley

Tyree

Orientation, August 19, 2011

2011-08-23T22:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Kindergarten! Thank you to all the parents and children who attended Orientation on Friday. I really like to meet my students and their families before schools starts. :)

Madumisha and her father

Tia with her mother

Morgan with her dad

Sasha with his mom and dad

Ariel with her whole family! Her dad is in the Navy.

Michael with his mom, sister and dad

Leila and her mom, who is a teacher at Northwestern Middle School.

Summer Adventures

2011-08-08T18:24:00.004-04:00

The summer has flown by for me! My family and I spent a week in the mountains of Franklin, North Carolina. We enjoyed white water rafting, swimming in the Little Tennessee River, taking a guided Jeep tour through the mountains, and visiting over six different waterfalls. One waterfall, Sliding Rock, was a natural water slide where we slid down into the cold 50 degree mountain water.

The view from the back porch.

Did I mention browsing for antiques?

Sliding Rock

We also visited a giant game room, the Fun Factory, which had indoor miniature golf, an indoor carousel, bumper cars, a bowling alley, and so many arcade games I can't name them all! They also had a three level go-cart track, though it was outside. I think playing at the Fun Factory might have been my son's favorite day!

While at home, I kept very busy sewing, scrap booking, reading, and playing games with my son, Axel. Axel began to teach me how to play Chess, but I haven't mastered all of the abilities of all the different pieces, yet. Steve, Axel and I were also able to visit and swim with friends from school and family from out of town.

Axel riding a wave at Jacksonville Beach

Great-Grandpa Houston rode while Axel drove the golf cart

My summer was so much fun and very relaxing; so, I am ready mentally and physically to get back to school and begin teaching a new group of excited Kindergartners.

Pajama Day and The Polar Express

2010-12-18T11:39:00.001-05:00

Beauclerc's Principal, Mrs. Kornblum, read The Polar Express to all twelve of the kindergarten classes on our last day of school before the Winter Break. It was also Pajama Day for the whole school. What a fun way to end the year of 2010. Best wishes for a great holiday season and a Happy New Year! See you on January 3rd.

Listening to the story while wearing adorable reindeer antlers.

Everyone in our class looked so cute in their favorite pajamas!

Mrs. Teper's kindergarten class was cute, too.

Winter Party!

2010-12-18T11:20:00.002-05:00

We had our Winter Party on Wednesday, December 15th. Unfortunately, Mrs. Beaver had to go to the doctor and couldn't attend school that day. Luckily, Jack's mom, Mrs. Kory, had planned most of the activities and with help from Jack's Grandma, Christian's mom, Mrs. Taliyah, Ms. Minor and our awesome substitute, Coach Chris, the party was a success!
The students made "stained-glass" votives for their parents by using glue and water to attach tissue paper to a glass candle holder. Another activity was decorating gingerbread (sugar) cookies that Jack's grandmother made from scratch. Yummy! The students also made "crackers" by stamping tissue paper with winter characters, then wrapping it around a paper roll filled with lots of candy, and finally closing them up with ribbons to open at home. The favorite activity was making a felt reindeer cover for a candy cane. Those can be hung on the Christmas tree for years to come.

The students were anxious to get started!

Ms. Taliyah was in charge of helping the students make "stained-glass" votive holders. They turned out beautifully! Thank you!

They were Busy Beavers!

Making stained-glass votives was a messy activity.

Stamping paper for the crackers

Those gingerbread men look awesome!

Thanks for ALL your help, Mrs. Kory!

Kevin's Dad Comes to Visit

2010-12-14T19:22:00.001-05:00

Kevin and his dad, T.J. Neuman

Kevin's Dad, Petty Officer T.J. Neuman came home for a surprise Christmas visit with his family on Saturday, December 11, from Iraq! We were lucky enough to have Mr. Neuman talk with our class about his travels, accomplishments and jobs since joining the Navy eight years ago. He is currently serving with the Army in Iraq. Mr. Neuman shared and discussed money from the numerous countries he has visited. He also explained the many medals he has earned while serving our country. The students really enjoyed seeing his various uniforms and trying on 3 of his hats. We also learned about the important work he is doing overseas now, catching the "bad guys" and keeping everyone safe.

We appreciate your service and sacrifices, Mr. Neuman! Kevin is lucky to have such a brave and awesome dad! :)

Stuffed Animal Day

2010-12-13T10:04:00.000-05:00

Student Council's Stuffed Animal Day was a lot of fun! We got to hold our stuffed friends during our time at the carpet and they got to sit beside us at our desks!

Thanksgiving Feast

2010-11-26T17:11:00.004-05:00

For our performance, each student was able to choose which costume he/she wanted to wear. We sang "Turkey Dinner" and "Before Thanksgiving Day" and recited the poem Thanksgiving Colors for our friends and family that were able to attend our feast on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010.

Making the Native American vests and hats are a lot of fun!

We made Pilgrim costumes and look so cute in them!

Kendrick was lucky to have BOTH his mom and his dad at the feast!

Jack's Mom, Mrs. Kory, brought Jack's brother, Gavin

Chris with his mom and his aunt

Hope's mom with Hope and Kevin

Lillie with her mom and her baby brother

Student Council's Hat Day

2010-11-26T17:06:00.003-05:00

Our class enjoyed wearing some silly hats to show our Beauclerc spirit!
I hope we all show even more spirit on Friday, December 3rd, Stuffed Animal Day.

Zoo Field Trip

2010-11-16T18:29:00.007-05:00

The field trip to the zoo on October 27th was a great success! Many parents were able to attend, so the children were divided into small groups of 2 or 3 to explore the different areas of the park. The students enjoyed the attention and counting how many of each different animal they saw during their visit.

There were 2 lions - a male and a female.

This cheetah couldn't hide from us!

Kevin, Gavin, Kendrick, Jack and Chris really enjoyed posing for pictures!

We also learned about taking care of our Earth and the animals on it.

One white tailed deer-so beautiful!

Watching the giraffes' eat was amazing. They were so close to where we were standing!

Because we went in October, we got to see the zoo decorated for the "Spooktacular." There were so many jack-o-lanterns, cobwebs, spiders and other spooky animals.

Everyone look at the camera!

Chris

Climbing on the metal sculptures of the gorilla, alligator and the elephants
was a lot of fun for Kindergarteners!

After exploring the animal habitats, we went to the "Zoo School." There we reviewed our five senses and discussed how important senses are to animals, too. Some animals have different senses than we do to explore their world.

This screech owl was quiet while we learned about her.

The brave children were able to pet the ball python and feel how smooth its skin was.

What a cute rabbit! Everyone was excited about petting her soft fur.

We also saw and touched a lizard. Was it an iguana?

Thanks to the parents who were able to attend and enjoy the day with our class: Gavin's dad, Connor C.'s mom, Connor D.'s friend, Jack's mom, and Jiwon's mom and dad! You helped make our trip fun and stress-free for the teacher, too! :)

All the children are excited about another field trip! Where will we go next time?

Learning is Fun!

2010-11-13T12:52:00.003-05:00

During Literacy Centers, the students do "hands-on" activities to reinforce the learning we have been doing in large and small groups: building words, matching lowercase and uppercase letters, matching beginning sounds, practicing writing letters and words, etc.

Khwaish, Makayla, Seth and Chris at the Writing Center

Gavin is putting together an alphabet puzzle.

Hope is matching pictures that begin with the given letter.

Reading Celebration Parade

2010-09-12T17:02:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, Beauclerc kicked off the tradition of the "Reading Goal of each student reading 25 books per year" by having a school-wide parade. Each class chose a movie or book to represent in the parade. All of the Kindergarten classes donned red ears to represent Clifford, the Big Red Dog. It was hot, but very exciting.

It's a new year!

2010-09-06T08:21:00.006-04:00

Welcome students and parents to the 2010 school year! We have begun this year by becoming familiar with the procedures and expectations of behavior for Kindergarten students. The students are beginning to remember to raise their hand to talk, to walk quietly in the hallway, and to listen carefully to the teachers' directions. During Writer's Workshop we are drawing detailed pictures and writing a sentence that matches it using phonetic spelling. In Reader's Workshop we learned what an author is and what an illustrator does. In Math, we have been exploring manipulatives, such as Geoblocks, pattern blocks, linking cubes, and several kinds of "counters." During Skills Block we learned a few songs, such as AlphaMotions and Jack Hartmann's Jack and Jill and Little Miss Muffet. And we are making new friends!

Jiwon, Jack, Makayla and Khwaish sorting attribute blocks

Kaydence and Alexis practicing writing numbers and letters

Matthew having fun with the teddy bear counters

Connor C., Gavin, and Chris exploring Geoblocks

Hope, Mackenzie, Connor D., and Seth sorting buttons

Jiwon, Alexis, Kevin and Kendrick (in the back) in Housekeeping

Kaydence, Connor C. and Jack in the Housekeeping Center

Connor D. and Makayla reading in the class Library

Connor C. practicing writing with Magna Doodles

Hope and Matthew on the computers

Kaydence using magnetic letters

Lillie and Jack putting together puzzles

Makayla and Conner D. exploring Playdough

Where Are the Wild Things?

2009-11-07T12:45:00.006-05:00

On October 30th, The Wild Things were in Room 110!
Some of them were busy making monster decorated cupcakes.

While others were making a "Max Snack" to take home: 2 scoops of each -
Cheerios, Fruit Loops, pretzels, marshmellows, M&M's. YUMMY!

Still other Wild Things made crowns so they could be Queen or King of all the Wild Things.

Making a Wild Thing puppet was a alot of fun, too.

Todd's mom, Ms. Jones, helped plan and worked during our Wild Thing Afternoon.

Thanks for all your help, Ms. Jones!

Benjamin's mom, Mrs. Davis, helped the students make their "Max Snacks".

That is scary enough to eat, Tyler!

Austin's mom, Mrs. Bandon, made sure there was plenty of chocolate and candy to decorate the homemade cupcakes!

Laila's dad and brother, Chris, came to enjoy a Wild afternoon.

So did Dante's parents and brother, Dominic, but I forgot to get a picture of them.

Tianna's dad came, too.

The finished products....

What a GREAT afternoon!

Thank you to all the parents for the donations of food, creative supplies, and your time!

The Busy Beavers are so blessed to have very supportive parents!

Kindergarten in October

2009-11-07T12:19:00.004-05:00

Ashley, Tyler, Tianna and Tasha worked as a team

to put together the Where the Wild Things Are puzzle during Literacy Center Time.

Ashley is putting together Tiggy Tiger at the Art Center.

Todd put together the whole alphabet using the letter cubes

at the Word Work Center.

Way to go, Julianna! She completed a giant alphabet train puzzle by herself.

Todd is concentrating making a border pattern.

Tianna working on an ABB border pattern at the pocket chart.

Dante, Abby and Pierre are reading independently at the carpet.

Mrs. Amazing (also known as "Mrs. Amy" or "Mrs. Lopiano")

enjoys reading a book to Andrew, Lexi and Joseph.

Independent Reading, girl style.

Reading :)

Teamwork again: Lexi and Todd. Way to go!

Working at the Folder Fun Center are Grayson and Andrew.

We learned about the life cycle of the pumpkin in October by reading books, completing sequencing charts and painting a Pumpkin Life Cycle pumpkin!

Zoo Field Trip

2009-11-07T11:01:00.005-05:00

On Friday, October 23rd, we had our first field trip. We went to the Jacksonville Zoo! The giraffe exhibit is a favorite of many of the students because you get to see them so close.

The jaguar exhibit is also talked about by the students...Beauclerc loves the Jaguars! If you look closely at the picture below, you will see one of the jaguars laying on the ground and a second one laying in the wall, with just his tail end showing.

The walk-through bird exhibits are fun. They have a plastic list of birds that you can see in the enclosure with their pictures. It was fun to see how many birds we could identify by using the list. This poor bird had a hurt foot, but was getting by just fine.

We got to see the zoo with all of their Halloween decorations getting ready for the annual Spooktacular, an added bonus for going in October.

Ashley and Pierre climbing on a silverback gorilla.

A great class photo after our picnic lunch!

The Busy Beavers

Say, "Cheese!"

At the Zoo School, we enjoyed using our 5 senses to learn about several animals and their senses.This hoot owl is a nocturnal animal.

A ball python feels smooth.

This chinchila had the softest fur ever.

A perfect ending to a long day at the zoo...

a nap on the way back to school.

Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to chaperone our trip.

You helped to make it a very special day for all of the students. :)

Welcome Benjamin!

2009-10-17T11:42:00.002-04:00

We got a new student in our classroom. His name is Benjamin. Welcome to our class, Benjamin!

Patterns, Trains and Hopscotch Paths

2009-10-03T18:15:00.003-04:00

Our new unit in Math is on patterns. Making, finishing, copying and talking about patterns.... color patterns, shape patterns, number patterns, any kind of patterns we can think of! We started making AB patterns using linking cubes. We also made up patterns using our bodies: clap, stomp, snap, etc. We will continue with our Patterns unit until the end of November.
We will add AABB, AABAAB, ABBABB, and ABC patterns to our repertoire. Talk to your child about patterns you see in the environment!

Todd works on matching patterns in the duck folder game.

Laila completes a pattern of hanging clothes in a folder game.

Abby is practicing writing her letters...great writing, Abby! That's a kind of pattern, right?

We also have been matching numerals.

Great AB pattern, Grayson. Red-orange-red-orange....

"Look at my AB pattern," says Yasmin.

Joseph loves making patterns with his favorite color. brown.

Skills Block

2009-10-03T12:48:00.004-04:00

During Literacy Skills Block each day, we sing the Alphamotions song to reinforce the students' knowledge of the letter names and the sounds each letter makes. We took turns last week holding up the letters during the song instead of Mrs. Beaver holding them all by herself. These pictures were taken the first day we tried it this way. Some of the students look a little lost...but after a few trials we got into the groove. :) We also do Phonemic Awareness activities, such as give me a thumbs up if these two words start with the same sound, or a thumbs down if they are different. Examples: fish / garden : thumbs down - they start with different sounds. Tianna / Tasha : thumbs up - they both start with the same sound /t/.

Writer's Workshop

2009-09-17T19:12:00.003-04:00

Each day the students sit on the carpet and watch me model choosing a subject, drawing a picture with details and thinking of a sentence that matches the drawing. We count how many words are in the sentence and draw that many lines under the picture. Then, we begin sounding out the words using an Alphamotions chart to help us remember which letter makes what sound. The students take turns coming up to the board to write the letters to represent the sounds we hear. This is called a Shared Writing. Currently we are focussing on hearing and writing the beginning and ending sounds of the words.

This story says, "We have two turtles in our class."

This story says, " I saw Todd and his mom at the book fair."

Independent Reading

2009-09-17T18:52:00.007-04:00

We began Independent Reading last week. During our Reader's Workshop, there is first a mini-lesson where the teacher models a reading strategy or skill, then the students read independently for a time, and last the students work in Literacy centers or work with Mrs. Minor or Mrs. Beaver on reading activities. We started with 5 minutes of Independent Reading and have already moved up to 6 minutes. The students have a bag of "Just Right" books for them to whisper read to themselves during this time. We have had a VERY successful beginning to Independent Reading, so I anticipate great readers emerging as the year progresses! One of the books in their Just Right Bags is the Alphamotions book. The students love whisper singing the song to themselves!

Tianna was singing to herself.

Great job reading, Ashley.

Pierre enjoys the Alphamotions Book.

Yasmin enjoys reading.

Great reading, Abby!

"Hot horse, hot horse," sings Laila.

Leila is singing and doing the motion for sliding snake.

Tasha reads very quietly.

"Nickle spinning..." sings Lexi.

Tyler and Grayson enjoy reading new books.

Austin seems like an expert at reading books to himself.

Andrew is relaxing on the floor with a book of his choice.

Recess

2009-09-17T18:19:00.006-04:00

Recess is a fun part of our day in Kindergarten. We love to run and play, dig in the sand, climb on the tires, swing on the monkey bars and go on the many slides! When the students get too hot and tired, they sometimes rest with the teacher on the "teacher bench." Life is good on the playground.

Lexi taking a break.

Laila loves to play in the sand!

Tasha is having fun.

Hi, Dante!

Todd, Joseph and Leila are building their arm muscles.

And so are Jasmin and Grayson!

Andrew wants to climb, too.

Lily likes to slide.

Grayson slides, too.

Austin loves playing on all the equipment.

Climbing beauties: Leila, Lily, Tasha and Yasmin

A Great First Week of Kindergarten

2009-08-29T10:14:00.005-04:00

We had a great first week of school! We learned and practiced our rituals, routines, and procedures for Writer's Workshop, Reader's Workshop, Math Investigations, lunch, recess, and walking in the hallways. I was able to take some pictures of the class enjoying some fine motor activities this week as I began assessing for the FLKRS (Florida Kindergarten Readiness Assessment).

Tasha, Austin, Tyler and Lexi are stringing beads at the yellow table.

Leila, Lily, Tianna and Todd are counting gold at the green table.

Wow! Many of the students are able to count to ten and higher already!

Active learning is so much fun! (And a little noisy at the beginning of the year.)

Tyler, Grayson, and Lexi enjoyed stringing beads.

Tasha and Austin are great (and quiet) workers!

We had a birthday party on Friday... Happy Birthday, Pierre!

Ms. Minor, Julianna, Dante, Joseph, Ashley, Pierre's grandma, Yasmin and Pierre enjoyed the cupcakes!

Austin, Tyler, Grayson, Tasha, and Alexis take a break from eating to say, "Cheese!"

Abby, Tianna and Todd are enjoying the cupcakes!

Laila and Leila

Pierre's older sister, Angela, got to come down from her 5th grade class to help with the party.

Orientation

2009-08-22T07:46:00.007-04:00

Thank you for coming to Orientation. I hope it helped to make you all feel a little more comfortable about the first day of school. I really enjoyed meeting my new students and their parents and grandparents!

Here are the pictures we took. I will post them in the room, too. Whenever anyone feels homesick, she/he can go look at their picture with the loved one. :)
I look forward to seeing you Monday morning!

Laila with her Mom and younger brother

Yasmin and her Mom

Alexis with her Mom and Dad

Grayson and her mother

Dante with his Mom

Tianna came with her Mom and Dad

Ashley with her mom

Austin with Mom and Dad

Julianna with Dad and Grandpa

Lily and her Mom

Todd with his mother

Welcome to Beauclerc Elementary!

2009-08-08T10:13:00.002-04:00

While the students are enjoying the last two weeks of summer vacation, the teachers at Beauclerc are busy . . . cleaning, organizing, and planning for the upcoming school year! My son, Axel, and I have been at the school putting up new bulletin boards, cleaning stamps, cleaning pegboards, (cleaning everything) and re-organizing the class library! It is a big job, getting ready for school! I am looking forward to meeting all of my new students and seeing all of my students from years past!

Math Investigations

2009-04-04T13:57:00.004-04:00

Working on a graph of types of marshmellows in Lucky Charms cereal. We are going to miss you, Julianna!
Kendale definately knows how to graph his shapes!

David enjoys any activity involving coloring! He is a great artist!

Joseph did a really good job graphing his different shapes. And then he did a really good job of eating them!

Brooklyn helped Vishal work on his graph.

Ty loves to stay busy learning!

Conner made a flower using pattern blocks. Nice work!

Also, in the background, look at the great pictures we made with pattern block stamps!

Joseph made an awesome cat with the pattern blocks.

What did you make, Kendale?

Crystina made a picture using pattern blocks on the computer program, SHAPES. Everyone loves printing the pictures they created on the computer.

Sarah made many different shapes using the Playdough: a trapezoid, square, hexagon, rhombus and a triangle. Excellent!

Cultural Arts Day

2009-04-04T11:19:00.009-04:00

J.J. the Jaguar went up in the hot air balloon first to celebrate all the students

who have read at least 21 books so far this year!

Then he came and said, "Hello!" to all the smart students at Beauclerc!

Mrs. Beaver got to go up in the hot air balloon, too! I've always wanted to do that!

Whee!

I hope everyone gets to go up ina balloon in their life! It was alot of fun!

The Busy Beavers

We went to the Young Rembrant's drawing school. We drew an excited kid's face.

Crystina's mom, Ms. Crystal, got to come and stay with us for most of the day!

We really had to listen carefully to learn how to draw the picture.

Isn't that a silly picture?

David Ferman, the World Junior Juggling Finalist, put on an awesome show!

Many of the students voted this as their favorite activity on Cultural Arts Day.

David enjoyed watching the other David, the juggler.

We ate our lunches outside, picnic-style.

There was a D.J. playing music for us to listen to while we ate.

After we finished eating, we got up and danced to the music! We did a train dance,

the Hokey Pokey, and even some break dancing!

Brooklyn left her hair up the whole day!

Vishal LOVES pizza! And his friend, David!

Zachary's brother, Ethan, got to come and see what goes on in Kindergarten.

Mrs. Brandon got to come, too!

Crystina and her mom really look a lot alike!

The story teller was a great show, too. He told a story, did some magic, and made us laugh!

Thanks, PTA, for the BEST Cultural Arts Day ever!!!!

UNF Wildlife Sanctuary Field Trip

2009-03-11T17:30:00.009-04:00

We began the field trip talking with our park rangers about the rules of the park and types of plants and animals we might see on our hike. Next, each student was given a clipboard, a list (with pictures) of things to look for and half of a crayon. Then we were off...

First we saw some poison ivy growing on a tree. "Leaves of three, let them be." That means stay away from plants with three leaves! Or you might get itchy all over.

The first evidence of animals living in the sanctuary was found under the cover of a gazebo: mud-dobber nests and spiderwebs. The wasps (mud dobbers) lay their eggs in these nests they make with water and dirt. They come back to feed the larvae. Spiders also like to feed on the larvae.

All of the students really enjoyed looking at their lists and checking off any plants or animals they had seen. They were also GREAT listeners, learning so much about the native habitats in Florida.

We looked across Lake Oneida at the island and imagined all of the animals in the water that we couldn't see...yet.

Lia

Grace

Walking on the Red Maple Boardwalk to get to the swamp area.

The scenery was so peaceful and beautiful.

In the Buckhead Branch Swamp, our ranger pointed out a fallen tree. She told us that they leave fallen trees in the sanctuary because they are great homes for many different animals.

Ms. Beaver loves the beauty and calmness of the swamp. And we were lucky that the bugs did not bother us at all.

A leaf with holes was one of the items on our Checklists. Who ate the holes in this leaf?

A cypress tree has a wide trunk at the ground, but gets skinnier as it grows taller. It also has a vast root system.

Some knee knots of the cypress trees. These are part of the root system of the cypress trees. They spread out far away from the tree itself. The root system of the cypress is still a mystery to scientists.

Busy Beavers are good listeners!

A carnivorous plant. Insects climb into the tubes of these plants where there is digestive juice that destroys and breaks down the insects for nutrients for the plants.

Another view of Lake Oneida.

A Sweet-Gum Tree has leaves with 5 points.

A Sweet-Gum tree also appears to have stripes on the trunk. These are actually a lot of holes side by side made by woodpeckers that love to eat the insects covered in the "sweet" sap of the tree. Its like eating dessert with your meat!

The bridge connecting the mainland to the island was a great place to see the wildlife. We saw 6 turtles and many, many fish! We even got to feed the turtles with bread that Ms. Watson's class shared with us!

Many plants also live in the water. They provide shelter and food for the aquatic animals.

Sarah and Vishal enjoyed seeing the turtles.

Turtle!

Fish!

Waiting patiently...

More good listeners!

Palmetto leaves are very sharp, so most animals do not eat them.

Pine trees are so tall and difficult to climb, that their leaves do not need very much protection. They are long, thin needles.

The Busy Beavers now have full tummies!

We ALL had a GREAT time learning about nature!

Good-bye, turtles. We'll come back and see you another day!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

2009-03-07T11:54:00.006-05:00

March 2nd is Theodore LeSieg's birthday (aka Dr. Seuss) and is celebrated in classrooms around the globe. And our room was no different. We celebrated the famous author with a week long author's study, reading many of his lovable rhyming books. On Tuesday, we read the favorite Green Eggs and Ham, and as you probably guessed, we made our own green eggs and ham after reading it! Each student got to crack an egg. (I wish I had a video of that for you to see!) Then we mixed 17 eggs with a little salt and pepper, some cubed ham, and a few drops of green food coloring. "They were delicious," is what most of the students will tell you. We then completed Yes/No Surveys during Math, asking one another, "Do you like green eggs and ham?" For writing, we wrote "How to" pieces entitled "How to Make Green Eggs and Ham." These were great activities that enabled us to extend this wonderful author study into many curriculum areas! Make sure you stop in the see the samples of our work displayed on the bulletin board outside of our class.

We love Dr. Seuss!

Too many sick children!

2009-02-17T17:07:00.002-05:00

As many of you probably know last week we had 6 students out sick. Unfortunately, now my son, Axel, has gotten sick. We stayed home today, Tuesday, Feb. 17th. He is still running a fever, so I won't be able to be at school on Wednesday, Feb. 18th either. Mrs. Rogers will be the substitute for both days. I hope everyone keeps taking their vitamins and getting plenty of rest. I hope to be back to school on Thursday. Progress Reports for the Third Quarter will be sent home on Friday, Feb. 19th.

The 100th Day of Kindergarten!

2009-02-15T17:29:00.008-05:00

Each student brought in a "Collection of 100" from home.

We counted the collections with a friend at school by putting them into 10 groups of 10.

Crystina's Collection of 100 pieces of candy

Michael and Kendale with a miscellaneous collection of 100 toys.

Julianna's collection of pretty things!

Lia's eclectic collection of 100 small household items.

Brooklyn's collection of 100 toys, cereal, and stuff!

Joseph and David counted Joseph's 99 gumdrops and then added 1 of David's candybars.

Great teamwork, guys!

Sarah and Vishal both brought 100 dry beans!

Everyone loved Zachary's collection of 100 Toy Cars!

Alana and Leslie were thinking $$$ money! They each brought 100 pennies!

Friends Grace and Bash counted Grace's 100 Pieces of Cereal...then ate it!

Ms. Minor with the class - a silly picture!

Ms. Minor and the students at the end of the FUN filled day.

Mrs. Beaver with the BEST Kindergarten class!

And another...

Sarah, Lia, and Brooklyn

For our celebration of the 100th day of school, we had four centers: 1)Filling in the 100 chart, 2)making a necklace of 100 Fruit Loops, 3) making a snack of 10 pieces of 10 different snack foods, and 4) making a hat with 100 stickers on it! Boy, did these centers keep us busy ALL DAY long!

100th Day of Kindergarten

2009-01-30T19:16:00.002-05:00

Monday, February 2, is going to be a very exciting day in room 105! We have lots of FUN activities involving counting to 100 many different ways! Remember to bring in your "Collection of 100" on Monday! I'll post the pictures by Thursday, Feb. 5th! Check back to see our fun!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T12:18:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday and a relaxing vacation, so you will be ready for school on Monday! I'll post the pictures from our awesome Holiday party next week! See you soon...

Fun Week of Holiday Activities Planned!

2008-12-14T14:34:00.002-05:00

This week the Busy Beavers will be as busy as Santa's elves! We will be making special gifts for our parents on Monday. Tuesday is "Pajama Day" when everyone gets to wear their p.j.'s to school for the Kindergarten Pajama Party! At 12:30, Mrs. Kornblum, our principal, will read us the classic Christmas story, The Polar Express, and then we will all enjoy singing Christmas songs together. On Wednesday we will make some special decorations for the students to take home. Thursday will be our Holiday Party! We will begin the party after lunch, at 12:30. We will be decorating Gingerbread men, having a Santa Relay as well as a Jingle Bell Relay, and singing lots of Holiday songs. Friday will be low-key with a typical day's schedule and some cleaning up of holiday decorations. Parents are invited to join in on the fun any day of the week! Just sign in at the front office and head down to room 105!

Thanksgiving Celebration

2008-12-06T21:14:00.003-05:00

Before our parents and friends arrived, the students took turns posing with our visitor, Tom Turkey. Tom has been in the classroom for the last two weeks, learning about the First Thanksgiving with us. Here are friends Vishal and David.

Super students, Ty and Sarah.

Michael and Zachary showing off their artwork: Native American style.

Joseph can sure take a great picture!

Two Smarties: Grace and Leslie

The Thanksgiving Celebration was spectacular! All the guests were greeted and given Pilgrim hats and collars to adorn. The students, dressed in Native American vests and head-dresses, recited a Thanksgiving poem, "Thanksgiving Colors," and sang three songs, "Thanksgiving Day is Here" and "I'm a Little Turkey" as well as a class favorite, "Vinny the Volcano," from our Reading series. It has a country sound; Mrs. Beaver and the students love to "ham it up" while singing!

Crystina and Alana pose for a picture with Tom Turkey wearing their Native American attire.

Two cuties: Julianna and Brooklyn with Tom Turkey

Aidan and Lia smile for the camera.

They were both excited to have their parents join the class for the performance and lunch.

The students did a fine job during the performance. They looked at the audience, sang and spoke loudly and sounded great! After the performance, the parents and students helped set up the food on the picnic tables outside. Michael's Dad and Zachary's mom brought delicious turkey sandwiches. Mrs. Beaver's mom brought a treat: sweet potato casserole, and Mrs. Beaver's mother-in-law brought the delicious cornbread. There was also macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, chips, pumpkin pie and cupcakes. Everyone had plenty to eat! Thank you to all the parents that contributed! And the weather was PERFECT for the outdoor setting! We are all very thankful for having such a loving and supportive group of parents!

Thanksgiving Celebration Planned!

2008-11-13T21:35:00.003-05:00

We have been reading and talking about the First Thanksgiving that the Pilgrims and the Native Americans celebrated together. So, as a cluminating activity for the unit, we would like to have a small Thanksgiving Celebration in our classroom, "Kindergarten-style." It will be held Tuesday, November 25, from 12:00 until 1:30. Parents and younger siblings are invited! Please look for the detailed information being sent home on this Friday. Responses are requested by Tuesday, November 18th. Hope to see you there!

Field Trip Pictures

2008-11-11T08:45:00.004-05:00

The gorilla showed us a few of his tricks.

Silly Beavers!

We had a great time!

Smile!

Joseph touching a baby alligator.

These girls aren't afraid of snakes!

Grace said the rabbit was VERY soft.

We learned a lot at the Zoo School.

Field Trip

2008-11-09T20:26:00.007-05:00

We went to the zoo on a cool autumn day, October 29, 2008. First we learned about animals and the five senses at the Zoo School. We got to feel a soft rabbit, a smooth snake, and a hard turtle. We also saw a beautiful owl up close! Next we ate an early lunch at the picnic area. Then we split into small groups and toured the animal areas! Mrs. Beaver's group really enjoyed looking for the animals on the Zoo Checklist and then taking turns counting and writing how many of each animal we spotted. Mr. Johnson's (Kendale's dad) got a special secret treat at the zoo - they rode on the train. Mrs. Brandon's (Zachary's mom) and Mrs. Lee's (Julianna's mom) groups both did a great job of getting along and following directions! Last, the class met back at the picnic and playground area to eat cookies and drink tiny cupfuls of juice before heading back to the school. What a great day of learning about our world! Thank you to all the chaperones . . . you made the trip so much easier for us! Thanks for the photographs, Mrs. Brandon!

Our Class

2008-11-08T22:06:00.002-05:00

Our class is a community of seventeen "Eager Beavers": an inquisitive group of five- and six-year-olds who know the importance of learning about what great authors and illustrators do in an effort to develop our own writing and illustrating styles so we can effectively share our important ideas with others. In Math, we studied patterns for the last 9 weeks, and can challenge any Kindergarten class in making and copying two- and three-part patterns; so, we are now moving on to develop effective strategies to count objects and make representations of our findings in our daily Mathematics Investigations activities. We enjoy keeping BUSY with all of these activities as well as learning about our world through our Science and Social Studies inquiries. Our world is an awesome world, full of wonder and delight... the Busy Beavers will study and read and learn to find out more about it each day of this school year!

Welcome to a New World of Communication!

2008-11-08T21:55:00.002-05:00

Boy, have I been busy adding wrinkles on my brain . . . learning about blogging this weekend! I have started this blog even before I know exactly what I am doing; I joined a blog group last night and spent most of the day reading blogs from around the world. There are some extremely intelligent and interesting teachers with blogs! So, I have jumped in with both feet and will "learn as I go" - not the first impulsive thing I've ever done :). I am excited about sharing with parents and students the photographs and thoughts I have about the important learning going on in our classroom.