This week we launched our Science and Engineering centers by exploring some of the materials our classroom received through DonorsChoose.org projects. One essential aspect of our Science and Engineering centers are our STEM notebooks. At each center, students are presented with a design challenge. Before building anything, students sit down with their notebook and create a plan (through drawing and writing) showing how they plan to solve the design challenge. Students then use their drawing to create their solution, using the materials provided. Finally, students test their design and determine whether their design was successful or not. From here, the design process can begin again as students consider ways to improve their initial design.
Today was a really proud day for our kindergarten authors! To conclude our first Writer's Workshop unit, students worked hard to publish their stories - making sure that their illustrations and writing were just right to share with a classmate. Over the past week we have been revising our writing, adding more, and creating covers and titles for our finished works. Today students eagerly shared their stories with their classmates. It was a very proud moment - you can see the joy on their faces as they shared what they had done with each other. After they were finished, each person in their group asked a question or shared a compliment with the author.
|
Mrs. McGrane
I love teaching kindergarten literacy at STEM! It is amazing to be a part of the reading and writing growth of a kindergarten student. You get to see kids move from knowing some letters and sounds to being enthusiastic readers and young authors. Archives
March 2016
Categories |