Friday, August 30, 2013

The Runaway Wok

Thomas said, "The fried rice is good!"

After reading The Runaway Wok, Miss Fry led the class in making fried rice.  It was a big hit!  


Here's the recipe directly from the book:
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 finely chopped green onions
3 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
3 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1.5 shelled frozen green soybeans (edamame) or green pea
1 medium yellow or red bell pepper, seeded, and chooped into 1 in. cubes
3 cups cooked rice
3 Tbsp dried cranberries or raisins
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. pine nuts or other nuts.
1. Beat eggs, green onions, and salt in medium bowl. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a nonstick wok or skillet over medium high heat; swirl to coat pan. Add egg mixture; swirl to evenly cover bottom of pan. Cook, without stirring, for 30 to 40 seconds or until eggs are firm and brown on bottom.  Turn eggs and brown on other side. Cut eggs into small pieces with spatula. Remove from pan.
2. Heat remaining oil in the same pan. Add garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in soybeans; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add bell pepper; cook, stirring constantly for  1 minute. Stir in rice, dried cranberries, and soy sauce; cook, stirring constantly until rice is heated through. 
4. Return egg mixture to pan; mix well. Garnish will sesame oil and toasted nuts.

Modifications we made:
  • We did not use garlic, but added garlic powder at the end.
  • We used green peas, not edamame.
  • We skipped the dried cranberries, sesame oil and pine nuts.
  • We used more than three cups of rice.(Approximately 5 cups).

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

iPads in the Kindergarten Classroom

Addison is tracing the letter J on the iPad app, Letter Quiz.



Our classroom has 4 iPads.  We are currently using the apps Letter Quiz, iLuv Drawing People, and Epic Xylophone.   Each iPad also has a different book app with interactive features.  We own over 100 kindergarten age appropriate educational apps, so the students will have plenty of variety as the year progresses. Students may choose to use the iPads when they first arrive at school or during the last 30 minutes of the day.  If students are waiting to take a turn, they may look on and then switch places after a five minute timer has been set.  As we establish independent small group routines, students will use the iPads to listen to books or play literacy and math skill building games.  I can introduce the apps on the iPad by using our Apple TV to project the screen onto the whiteboard.  I look forward to using the iPads for a variety of projects throughout the year.  The "Welcome to Kindergarten" DVDs were filmed on the iPads by last year's class.  Story telling apps, like Kid in Story, will also be excellent tools for students to use to write their own stories.  The books can be viewed over and over again on the iPad and even e-mailed home to families who have devices that the iTunes or android app can be downloaded onto (the reader alone is free).  iPads add variety and fun to our classroom activities.




Monday, August 26, 2013

Heat Update

Although we cannot officially declare a 1:00 dismissal until the day of the heat emergency, it is anticipated that we will have 1:00 dismissals all week. Make sure your family has a Plan B in the event that we dismiss at 1:00.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Writer's Workshop


Each day we have used a student's name for a game of hangman.  The students have really begun to be good detectives when trying to figure out whose name we are using.  After guessing all the letters in the name, we give our best try to write the name and draw a picture of the person in our journals.  As you can see by the picture above, many of us take our writing very seriously.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Writing Our Names

We Can All Write Our Names

Today we wrote our names on the chalkboard.  I was really impressed with how they all made this look so easy!  Stay tuned for gradual improvements in this area as we continue to practice in the coming weeks.  On Friday I will insert a handwriting model in the BEACH notebooks for home use.

Sharing-in-a-Bag

Remember, Friday we will have sharing in a bag.  Bring something to share in a bag.  Be prepared to give the class 3 clues.  We will try to guess the item you have brought.


The Leader in Me Habit 1: Be Proactive

The Pout-Pout Fish

Miss Fry read The Pout-Pout Fish today.  Pout-Pout Fish was always grumpy until one day another fish treated him with kindness and he decided to turn things around.  This story began a discussion in our class about how we can determine our own weather.  This is part of The Leader in Me Habit 1: Be Proactive.  We have many choices in our lives and our mood may be one of them.





Wednesday, August 21, 2013

I Knew I Could!

The Little Engine That Could

The students have come to kindergarten already experts at many things.  We have all agreed though that  we are here at school to learn more!  Sometimes learning new things can be hard.  We read The Little Engine That Could to begin a discussion about not giving up and believing in ourselves.  We made these little engines to remind us to keep saying "I think I can!"

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Second Day


Miss Fry read  the story Miss Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou.  Miss Spitzer's class arrives in the form of a packet of seeds and after she carefully plants them, each grows into a beautiful unique flower.  We talked about how the students in our class are like the flowers because we grow at different rates and have different needs, but all blossom in our own unique ways.

We also talked about the choices that we make.  I shared this Shel Silverstein poem:



Oh!  I almost forgot...we practiced going out the window for our fire drill!  

                  


Monday, August 19, 2013

First Day of Kindergarten




What was your favorite thing about today or what are 

you still looking forward to doing?



My favorite thing was drawing the 4-wheeler. Thomas
I liked drawing my people. Dyson
I liked lunch! Lilie
I liked playing Colored Seashells. Roan
I liked playing with the puppets. Addison
I can't wait to play with the cars. Harry
I can't wait to play with the keys. Alivia
I can't wait to play with the blocks. Drew
I can't wait to go to sleep. Kayla
I can't wait to draw with markers. Adalyn



Thursday, August 8, 2013

First Week


Our Future is So Bright, We Have to Wear Shades!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Welcome!

Welcome to St. Mary Kindergarten!  I am very excited to start the new year and get to know my new students.

I am happy to announce that Miss Kayla Fry, a student at Quincy University, will be joining us the first 8 weeks of the year to do her student teaching.  I am looking forward to the fresh contributions she will make to the class.

Back to School Night is Thursday, August 15, 6:00-7:00PM in the Kindergarten Classroom.  Parents and students are invited.  You will rotate through 4 stations together gathering and providing information for our classroom.  Bring all of your school supplies so that they can be organized before the first day of school.  If you are unable to attend, let me know so that I can get the information you need.

The First Day of School is Monday, August 19. We will dismiss at 2:00PM.  If you are picking up your child, students will be dismissed in front of the church.  If your child rides the bus, an older student or sibling will be assigned as a buddy.