May 2014

Throughout the month of April Lila class focused on learning about the water cycle and weather. At circle a felt board water cycle presentation was supplemented with real examples of water as a liquid, solid (ice cube), and a gas (steaming tea pot). We learned how to identify cirrus, stratus, and cumulus clouds. During work time children used a cloud sorting material to practice independently. Many days children would approach me on the playground to comment on the clouds in the sky. Some children practiced their handwriting skills while making their own book about clouds. In the art area there was a popular cloud gluing work and a sun stencil painting work. Jake's mom and grandma came in to make Fluffy Cloud Potatoes. It was great fun. The potatoes on sky blue plates really did look like clouds. The children ate their "clouds" while I read a fun book about seeing different shapes in the clouds. Unrelated to weather, but very popular in April was a butter making work. The children shook a small jar of cream until it became butter. Once butter was made, a butter spreading work was available. Both were a big hit. Once the butter was used up with the spreading work, the butter shaking began again.

In May we will be learning all about mushrooms, including the life cycle, parts of the mushroom, mushrooms common to the Pacific Northwest, and animals that eat mushrooms. We will be growing mushrooms in class and will also do an amazing spore print experiment. Mushrooms will be incorporated into many areas of the classroom. We will also be making stuffed mushrooms. Yum!