Lessons & Ideas created by Miss Jobak
Please feel free to use these lesson ideas below! If you have any suggestions or additional useful sources, please contact me on my home page.
2012-2013 School Year
During the 2012-2013 school year, I had the opportunity to work with all different aged students as a guest teacher. During that time, we used iPads, SmartBoards and Apple TV to create, learn and explore different subjects using technology. It was amazing to see what students can do with technology!
I also spent a lot of time learning about Visible Thinking Routines and Whole Brain Learning activities. Again, it was such an amazing experience to see students building on their knowledge, exploring and explaining their thinking and working with other students in a cooperative learning environment. Stay tuned for pictures and lesson plans!
I also spent a lot of time learning about Visible Thinking Routines and Whole Brain Learning activities. Again, it was such an amazing experience to see students building on their knowledge, exploring and explaining their thinking and working with other students in a cooperative learning environment. Stay tuned for pictures and lesson plans!
Me on the Map!
March 2012 --
We just started the "Me on the Map" unit in social studies. So far the kids are loving it. You will see the picture below that we drew of our classroom. It was funny to see them try to change their perspective. I said "Okay, now pretend we are going to take the roof off of our school and look down into our classroom. That's how we will draw our map." As they were sitting on the carpet, they all started looking down at the carpet...sheer confusion. After a little practice, they got the hang of it. :)
We just started the "Me on the Map" unit in social studies. So far the kids are loving it. You will see the picture below that we drew of our classroom. It was funny to see them try to change their perspective. I said "Okay, now pretend we are going to take the roof off of our school and look down into our classroom. That's how we will draw our map." As they were sitting on the carpet, they all started looking down at the carpet...sheer confusion. After a little practice, they got the hang of it. :)
Shaving Cream Artwork
This is a very easy project to try with Kindergarten aged students! All you need is some shaving cream, food coloring, Popsicle sticks, cookie sheets, white paper and definitely some paper towel! :)
Step 1 - Squirt about a palm size amount of shaving cream onto a cookie sheet. Allow the child to spread the shaving cream evenly onto the pan.
Step 2 - Allow the student to pick out two colors of food coloring. (Try to sway the choices by helping the child pick out colors that will mix nicely together.) Drop a few drops of each color onto the shaving cream, randomly.
Step 3 - Using the Popsicle stick, swirl the two colors together.
Step 4 - Press a piece of paper on top of the shaving cream and smooth it out with your hands.
Step 5 - Peel the paper off, scrape off excess shaving cream and VOILA! You have a kindergarten masterpiece! :)
Step 1 - Squirt about a palm size amount of shaving cream onto a cookie sheet. Allow the child to spread the shaving cream evenly onto the pan.
Step 2 - Allow the student to pick out two colors of food coloring. (Try to sway the choices by helping the child pick out colors that will mix nicely together.) Drop a few drops of each color onto the shaving cream, randomly.
Step 3 - Using the Popsicle stick, swirl the two colors together.
Step 4 - Press a piece of paper on top of the shaving cream and smooth it out with your hands.
Step 5 - Peel the paper off, scrape off excess shaving cream and VOILA! You have a kindergarten masterpiece! :)
Don't Let the Pigeon into Kindergarten!
Our class decided to write a book just like the fun Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems. Instead, we did Don't Let the Pigeon into Kindergarten!
"To Plant a Garden is to Believe in the Future"
Going GREEN
In an attempt to live Earth savvy and to pass that on to my students, I am launching an indoor garden! I intend on using recycled products and materials throughout the process.
Step 1: To begin the growing process, I want students to be able to see the seeds sprouting. Using Ziploc baggies, water-soaked cotton balls and lima bean seeds, we will tape these bags to the window until the seeds sprout. Idea found at Teaching Preschool Blog.
Step 1 Update - My students started germinating their seeds on 2/6 and we have some tiny buds as of 2/8. They are all very excited and curious!
Step 2: Indoor transplant. Using newspaper pots (Recycle & Reuse!) students will transplant their seed sprouts. We will keep these near a window so that the sprouts will (hopefully) continue to grow.
Step 3: Outdoor transplant. Come springtime, our sprouts will be happy to grow in a natural environment. Using a small plot on the far end of our playground, the goal is to transplant our indoor sprouts into budding outdoor plants.
I am VERY excited for this endeavor and to teach my students to care and take responsibility for our environment.
In an attempt to live Earth savvy and to pass that on to my students, I am launching an indoor garden! I intend on using recycled products and materials throughout the process.
Step 1: To begin the growing process, I want students to be able to see the seeds sprouting. Using Ziploc baggies, water-soaked cotton balls and lima bean seeds, we will tape these bags to the window until the seeds sprout. Idea found at Teaching Preschool Blog.
Step 1 Update - My students started germinating their seeds on 2/6 and we have some tiny buds as of 2/8. They are all very excited and curious!
Step 2: Indoor transplant. Using newspaper pots (Recycle & Reuse!) students will transplant their seed sprouts. We will keep these near a window so that the sprouts will (hopefully) continue to grow.
Step 3: Outdoor transplant. Come springtime, our sprouts will be happy to grow in a natural environment. Using a small plot on the far end of our playground, the goal is to transplant our indoor sprouts into budding outdoor plants.
I am VERY excited for this endeavor and to teach my students to care and take responsibility for our environment.
Dramatic Play - Welcome to the Kindergarten Post Office!
Our students have opened the Kindergarten Post Office! Each day, we name a new mail man or mail lady and that student delivers the class mail. The students absolutely love this play center. We have blank templates for the students to write letters, envelopes and stamps. I have included an example of how a letter should be written on the wall to help the students with their writing. Although it is not pictured, I also hung a stamped and addressed envelope to help students address their envelopes.
Practicing Retelling
My students have read the story The Mitten by Jan Brett at least a dozen times since the school year began. They have been practicing retelling during reader's workshop lately so I thought, why not act it out!? Of course, this idea started from browsing Pinterest and seeing what other amazing teachers have done. The students each had a part, I had more than one of each animal (unlike the story) so that every student had a part in the retelling. The students, I mean, animals each climbed into the mitten and our character of the Bear let out a big AH-CHOO! All of the students fell out of the mitten. They LOVED this activity. It was student centered, meaning that the students were the ones doing the retelling, I simply stood at the "stage" aka the rocking chair, and showed pictures from the story to help them along. It was a lot of fun, didn't take very long and it didn't cost a thing besides a few minutes to lay masking tape down on our carpet. I can't wait to try this again!
Math Mania!
Kindergarten is a fun age to teach math because a lot of it is exploratory and hands on. Students are learning mathematical functions using their fingers, bodies and fun manipulatives. I created a few games using ideas I have found on Pinterest!
Total cost - $10. I found the plastic money for $9.99 at Office Max. I used leftover craft sticks, a reused cookie can and a bit of hot glue!
Original idea was found at Growing Kinders, be sure to check out the button below!
Total cost - $10. I found the plastic money for $9.99 at Office Max. I used leftover craft sticks, a reused cookie can and a bit of hot glue!
Original idea was found at Growing Kinders, be sure to check out the button below!
More Math Fun ...
This is a simple small group game that students can play with a partner. One partner could set up the equation and the other would answer. I drew dots at the bottom of each stick for students who may not know larger numbers by sight yet.
Cost - Almost nothing! I used leftover craft sticks and a Sharpie marker.
How to - Simply number craft sticks from 0 t0 20. Include sticks for the addition, subtraction and equals signs. . . ta da! Your students are ready for a fun way to practice addition and subtraction!
Cost - Almost nothing! I used leftover craft sticks and a Sharpie marker.
How to - Simply number craft sticks from 0 t0 20. Include sticks for the addition, subtraction and equals signs. . . ta da! Your students are ready for a fun way to practice addition and subtraction!
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle - A Lesson About Friendship
citizenship_lesson_-_grouchy_ladybug.doc | |
File Size: | 36 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Comic Strip Resource - Davey & Chip
In order to open the file below, you will need to download your free version of Comic Life. This short story would be used as an introductory lesson in Kindergarten about the concept of friendship.
teaching_resource_davey_and_chip.comicdoc | |
File Size: | 814 kb |
File Type: | comicdoc |
Dancing to the Movement of our Earth
This lesson is a science lesson integrated with dance and movement. It makes learning science a bit more of an experience!
dance_final_-_jobak.doc | |
File Size: | 36 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Leaves Dropping to the Ground
This is a whole group science lesson that integrates language arts and produced art.
leaves_dropping_to_the_ground.doc | |
File Size: | 214 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Seeds Have Needs!
Inquiry based Kindergarten science lesson.
seeds_have_needs_inquiry_lesson.doc | |
File Size: | 265 kb |
File Type: | doc |
We Need Trees!
Kindergarten lesson about why trees are important to our environment. Could be a good introduction to recycling in the classroom.
tree_lesson_k_-bj.doc | |
File Size: | 519 kb |
File Type: | doc |