We had a great week diving into our polar bear unit. The children enjoyed learning about these Arctic creatures. Also, we welcomed Ms. Wang into the classroom for the Upper school January Short Term program. Here is a look at our week:

                                             Morning Meeting

At the beginning of the week, we made a list of all the things we already knew about polar bears. This drives our learning as we explore more facts about these gigantic creatures. Throughout the week, we added one new fact a day to our polar bear picture. We watched a video of a polar bear hunting seals, and a zookeeper feeding a polar bear in the Lincoln Park Zoo! There are many more videos and books to continue exploring. 

Centers

In language arts the children completed a polar bear letter match with uppercase and lowercase letters. We extended this activity by looking at pictures and listening to beginning and ending sounds in the word. In math the children had a polar bear cut out. They estimated how many marshmallows it would take to cover the entire polar bear. The numbers ranged from 5 to 500. This activity was challenging, but they liked counting out the marshmallows to see if they were right and eating them at the end! At the sensory table the kids made their own arctic slime. They mixed together cornstarch, water, and blue food coloring together to get a slimy concoction. They enjoyed getting messy and experimenting.

Small groups

In reading groups the children worked on making words using letter manipulatives and pictures. In art the kiddos used cotton balls, pipe cleaners, pompoms to make fluffy polar bear faces. For the fine motor center, the children rolled play dough into “snowballs.” They used snowman play dough mats with tens frames to count the remaining number to reach 10. It was a bit tricky at first, but they got the hang of it and it was a fun way to practice counting. In the independent center, the children played with trains.

  

Next week

We will continue our polar bear unit. Also, the Lower School Family Night is coming up on Friday, January 30, from 6 to 7:30. The cost is $5/person, which covers dinner and the DJ. Let Melinda or I know if you can come, hope to see you there!