week 6 ~ earth (part 1)

All the learning that took place about geography led to many talks about our Earth, which led us into the direction of a little earth science. I wanted to do much more with this Kindergarten standard, so for the first part we learned about what comes from our Earth, (i.e. rocks, minerals, plants, tress, etc.) and how to take care of it. For the second part, we learned about the Earth in relation to our solar system. I'll post about that next. 

Read Alouds:  Here's some of the books we read. The Earth and I is a very simple, poetic book that could also be a shared read.

Thematic Poem: Here's the link to this weeks' poem! Remember to review the old ones too! 

Words/Phonics Hands-on Activity: Word Wheels: I have a book full of word wheels and it is an excellent and simple activity that not only helps teach word families, but gives a little practice on the fine motor skill, cutting. All I have to do is make a copy of the two pages on some cardstock, then I let her do most of the cutting. I have to help a little on the windows and with the brad, but other than that she's got a word wheel to practice her words! Here's a link to several of the books I've found on Amazon. 

Here's the exact book I have but you can find several at a variety of levels.

Fieldtrip: We ventured out to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael. I was a bit skeptical about being one with nature very near to the big city Sacramento, but I was actually quite impressed. There were lots of live, non-releasable animals to view, some exhibits and nature trails! And it was all FREE! We had a picnic lunch, checked out the exhibits and animals, then went on a little hike down to the American River. Along the way, I brought a Nature Scavenger Hunt for Addie to look for things from our Earth. It was a good day!