Kindergarten Common Core

This is a great resource for teaching common core in Kindergarten and and excellent workbook to use even if you aren't teaching common core!

http://corecommonstandards.com/core-curriculum/kindergarten-common-core-workbook/

Pumpkin Farm

So, it's been a while.  It's hard to keep up.
We went to the pumpkin farm Friday...  oh man, was it fun!

We were the Turkeys... appropriate.

 He wouldn't feed it b/c he thought it was a giant dog, and he's scared of dogs! (Up next... a lesson on farm animals)

This kitten may or may not be alive now.  I think it got squeezed a little too hard a couple times.... all out of love, of course.

We got to pick our own pumpkins in the pumpkin patch!  They could get one as big as they wanted as long as they could carry it!

Family Photo! 

It's just too cute not to share! 

All in all, it was a successful day! 18 left for the field trip and 18 came back...

They're baaack

So, it's been a couple weeks without a post.  Reason: I've been ambushed by 23 kindergartners (one still hasn't shown up... so technically 22).  I'm still alive, they're still alive... success.  We've hit the ground running and it has been non-stop, exciting, exhausting, stressful, and awesome!  I have a pretty cool class this year and already have a plethora of stories...

1.  On the 4th day of school (after phase-in), I get called to the principals office @ 8am.  One of the little darlings has been telling his mom I've been hitting him and choking him because I don't like him.  Awesome.  So, I'm sitting with the mother, older sister, student, and translator in the principals office.  Long story short, he's been having really bad separation anxiety and wanted to stay home and thought if he told his mom I beat him he could stay home (A+ for common sense)!  SO... Friday, the same kid looks up and gives me a big hug and tells me I'm his best friend in the whole world.  All is well.
2.  We've jumped head first into the wonderful world of writing (my favorite to teach).  We start by drawing pictures and orally telling the story.  My first masterpiece so far... (caption below)

"I'm the boy Miss Hall!  Can you tell which one is me??"  "Why yes, I certainly can."
I currently have this hanging on my fridge. :)

3.  I asked students to draw a picture of their family.  One little boy has drawn his 2 brothers and his dad, but is just sitting there looking very angry.  I asked him why?  He responds, "Well, I want to draw my momma, but right now I just don't like her."  I giggle inside and ask him why.  He continues with a look and tone that are imitating the frustration his feels, "Well, like I said, I don't like her because she busted my butt last night and wouldn't give me one of the delicious, warm oatmeal cookies she just made.  I'm good most of the time, I deserve a delicious cookie"
I have a feeling I will be writing many stories about this kid (he's the same from the previous post about holding his spit bubbles.  

1st Day/s of School

Yay for the first day of school!  Unfortunately, we have 4 'first day of school' days for Kindergarten.  We have phase-in, which means we have 4 consecutive days with 1/4 of the kids each day.  Instead of splitting up into groups, we've kept the kids together and used one room.   The main thing we are doing right now is teaching school rules and procedures.  You would think with 5 teachers and 23-29 students on each day it would be a piece of cake.... ha, we've got our work cut out for us this year!
For instance:
When walking in the hall students must be in 'traveling position' (hands behind your back and a 'bubble' in your mouth).  However, we didn't explain the bubble idea very well.  After walking around the school for about 30 minutes talking about procedures, one student begins drooling then spewed a mouthful of spit all over the floor.  Having no clue as to why, a teacher asked him sternly, "Why did you just do that?"  As serious as can be, he responded, "I just couldn't hold my spit bubbles anymore, I tried really hard though!"  Clearly, he was just doing what he was told - collecting and holding spit bubbles in his mouth. Poor kid just ran out of room.  Makes sense.  A for effort.

There will be more stories... stay tuned.  

Favorites from the past...

I won't have my new batch of crazies for another 2 weeks, so Kauri suggested I post some of my favorite stories from previous years... After 5 years in kindergarten, I have quite a few!  I'm going to attempt to capture in words exactly how each student talks... it will not be grammatically correct so use your imagination!

My favorite of all favorites happened this year. This past year was my first year in TN working in a very low-income, urban school.  I LOVE IT!!!  If you know me, you've probably heard this story and continue saying 'weina' at random inappropriate times like I do...
Background: My school uses a specific literacy/guided reading curriculum written by a 50-ish year old white woman named Dr. Taylor (I changed her name, I don't want to get in trouble!).  She visits our school a couple times a year and works with teachers and does model lessons in classrooms.  She did 2 model lessons in my classroom this year with my highest reading group.  She's a little stiff and very regimented... I'm not.  Hopefully she won't ever read this.  :)
Story:  Dr. Taylor was beginning a model lesson for her second visit to my classroom.  As she was sitting at my reading table with the group of 4 students, she instructed them to get out a book from their 'bag of books" and whisper read it while she got her materials out.  They all did an excellent job!  Of course, I was beaming because I was so proud of them!  Dr. Taylor then tells them , "Wow, you all are very good READERS!"  To which one of my funniest students (who is also very smart and doesn't miss a thing) responds to me with a very confused look, "WEINAS???  Miss Hall she call us weinas!!"  Dr. Taylor wasn't amused and corrected her with a simple, "readers".  I'm not that mature, and I lost it.  I might have laughed for a solid 10 minutes.  Every time I thought I had myself together I just kept repeating, "WEINAS?!" in my head and lost it again.  The other teachers watching the lesson giggled and composed themselves.... not me.

Another favorite...
Mr. Matt read to my kids a couple times this past year... they LOVED him.

So, any time I could use him or other familiar names in a modeled writing lesson I would.  They loved making connections to my friends and my life outside of school.  This particular story I wrote about involved Megan's 30th birthday party I went to over the weekend.  It was a costume party, and I was trying to draw everyone's costume. Matt came as a construction worker.  I tried to draw him with his hands on his hips looking 'constructiony'... oops

I was asked this question, "Miss Hall, why Mr. Matt got his hands down his pants?"
Then a chorus of , "EWWWS" broke out.  My bad.


Lastly,
My favorite writing from a few years ago... EPIC.

Well, school's about to start....

SO... I finally gave in and started a kindergarten blog.  I have to admit... I have some pretty dang funny stories!!!  After many friends' encouragement and the obvious comedic genius of stories I couldn't make up if I tried, I'm doing it!!!  Here goes...
I spent the day organizing and setting up my classroom for the NEW SCHOOL YEAR!!!!  I'm not really excited yet... that will happen next week.  Really, I'm just ticked I have to give up the first summer where I've been lazy and laid out at the pool and taken a couple of beach trips with girlfriends... and gotten lots done around my house (not completely unproductive)!
The 'back to school' dreams have already started...  dang it.
I'll update when I have more to share!
hugs and giggles
Britt

This is what I did today... plugged in the coffee maker (aside from 3 hrs of setting up my classroom).  This is still the most significant accomplishment!