Where does the time go?!

I really can not believe it has been over a month since my last post. Do you ever feel like your running circles and getting nowhere? Ooh... I got that feeling. I have really tried to incorporate our new reading series, but I gotta tell ya, I LOVE thematic teaching and I can not figure out how to get the two to flow together. (sigh) anyone felling me? So here I am going out on a limb and putting the reading series aside and teaching the way I get excited about teaching. My kiddos learn so much more.

Wait I gotta back up first, this all came about because on the way to school I was talking to my kids about The First Thanksgiving and my 9 yr old son says "why do I need to know about that, I'm not talking a test over it?" That about killed me, knowing that's the way he thinks and that's what our schools are coming to, due to ALL THE TESTING we are required to do. So anyways let me get back on track (you know us teachers loose our train of thought, every once in a while)... I decided I was going to teach the way I love to and hope my kiddos go home excited and tell their parents all about what they learned.

We jumped right in, exploring the Mayflower. I wanted them to see how big the Mayflower was and what better way than seeing it measured out. They all predicted they would be longer because kindergarteners are SO BIG 😉.

They also were given play dough, a fork toothpick, and paper. The only directions I gave them were to create a ship that would float. Ships are being created....

 

And the ship has sank.....

 

If you would like the recording page click below

 

We graphed and analyzed our results.

 

 

  I didn't do very well taking pictures of all the other activities but my kiddos sure learned a lot about the first thanksgiving.