Coding & Timelines

This past week students have been participating in science rotations with all five kindergarten classes.  Students have been rotating through stations where they have been learning about coding, makerspace, and engineering.  The photos below show students working hard on a coding app. 

Students did an incredible job creating kindergarten timelines this week!  Each student wrote about something they did when they were a baby, something they do now that they are a kindergartner, and something they think they will do when they are an adult.  Everyone did a great job with both their illustrations and their writing.

Polar Region Animals

This week we learned all about the animals that live in the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica.  Students had a chance to sort animals that live in each of the two regions.

Later in the week we did research on polar bears.  We read several books, watched a short online video, and read a research article.  Students then worked with a partner to create note card filled with polar bear facts.  Finally students wrote and illustrated their own short non-fiction report about polar bears.

We ended the week by learning about penguins.  Students worked together with a partner to create a penguin can, have, are chart.

Groundbreaking & Apples

On Tuesday our class participated with the rest of the school in the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction projects that will be happening at Brimhall over the next several months.  It was cold but students did a great job listening to speakers including: our superintendent, school board members, the Roseville mayor, Dr. Bussman, and several Brimhall students.  Students were excited to shout   "1, 2, 3 Dig!! for the ceremonial diggers!"

This past week we learned all about apples.  We began the week by learning about the life cycle of an apple and how an apple tree changes during each of the four seasons.  On Tuesday, students had a chance to taste three different types of apples for a special apple taste test.  They tasted red delicious, golden delicious, and Granny Smith apples.  We then graphed our favorites to see which apple our class liked the best.  The overwhelming winner was golden delicious!

We ended the week by doing several apple experiments.  We started by making predictions about whether or not an apple would float in a bucket of water.  We found out that apples do indeed float.

Students also had a chance to use balance scales to find out if different classroom objects were heavier or lighter than an apple.

Short, Busy Week

This past week we had a visit from one of the librarians from the Roseville Public Library.  She read students a story and then shared with students about getting a library card.  Students will be bringing home a library card application in their Wednesday folders on Wednesday.

We also read the story Agate by Joy Morgan Dey.  We spent time talking about the lesson Agate the moose learned in the story that each and everyone of us is special!

Students then watercolor painted their own self portraits.

We ended our short week by playing learning bingo with our 6th grade buddies -- it was lots of fun!

Animal Presentation

For the past two weeks we have been learning all about the animal kingdom.  We spent time learning about six different animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.  Students learned about the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates, cold and warm blooded, animal coverings, and where animals live.  

This past Friday we had the wonderful opportunity to have a former Brimhall student and recent Roseville High School graduate come and share a fantastic animal presentation with us.  Students had a chance to see and learn more about several different amphibians and reptiles including: tree frogs, a salamander, a bearded lizard, a blue tonged skink, a tortoise, a corn snake, and a boa constrictor.