My worst, last day ever was the first year I taught kindergarten. It was half-day and my kiddos were taking a different bus home than usual because they were riding with the whole school. We made tags for the children to wear to avoid any mix-ups. At the very last minute, my assistant realized that […]
Dandelion Days in Kindergarten
Preview: When the dandelions appear in the spring, designate a special “Dandelion Day,” with fun activities to explore these plants that have already captured your children’s interest! Dandelion Bouquets Here in New York, it’s dandelion season, which means dandelion bouquets for all the teachers! This can be a problem, if you are prone to seasonal […]
Moving Up Day: Transitioning to First Grade
Inside: Are your kids nervous about leaving kindergarten? Discover a plan to help them better transition to first grade by planning a moving up day. The Need for a Moving Up Day As kindergarten teachers, we might expect some tears on the first day, but how about on the last? It’s easy to forget that […]
Wind Walk Adventures & Activities
Inside: Use these wind activities before, during, and after a wind walk to help preschool and kindergarten kids learn about windy weather. Outdoor Wind Activities The best wind activities are those that take children outdoors and let them experience it. Children can learn a lot about windy weather as they watch its effect on objects […]
Kindergarten Plant Unit: An Inquiry-Based Approach
Inside: Discover how to use an inquiry-based approach to teach your traditional preschool, kindergarten, or first grade plant unit. The Plant Unit Kit Arrives Every April, the kindergarten plant kit arrives from our science department. Our plant unit includes traditional lessons, but I wanted to use a more inquiry-based approach, so here’s what I tried. […]
Kindergarten Poetry: Teaching with Choice and Voice
Inside: Learn how following student interest, along with opportunities for choice and voice, made for a successful kindergarten poetry unit. How Our Kindergarten Poetry Unit Began Our poetry unit began during indoor recess on a rainy April day, when a child asked, “Can I have a piece of paper so I can write a poem […]
The Slide Ceremony: A Kindergarten Graduation Alternative
Inside: Looking for alternative ideas for your kindergarten graduation? Try marking the transition to the next grade with a slide ceremony! Bloom Time Vs. Kindergarten Graduation Spring is the perfect time to end the school year as children’s growth mirrors all that is happening in nature outside your classroom window. Every June, […]
The Green Project
This project began in early March when the snowflakes and snowmen that hung in our room just didn’t match what was happening outside our window. The snow had begun to melt, the sun was shining and I was craving green! So I took it all down, sent the snow pants home (bad move because it […]
