An American Symbol - The American Flag

We have been talking and learning about different American Symbols over the last couple of weeks.  We had a great time making The American Flag and writing about the flag.  We first read and watch a video about the flag.  We then made a tree map and write about the flag. We made the flag by having our students tear paper to make the red stripes and the blue.  They then had to put 5 rows of ten glue dots to make the starts.  They put glitter on the glue to symbolize the stars.

The American Flag Board - tree map, American Flags, and writing

A closer look at some of our flags and the writing from the tree map.

President's Day Rock Star Style

The last couple of days we have been talking about President's Day.  Kindergarten children love anything to do with Social Studies or Science so they really have been in to talking about the presidents.  Here is a sample of our great work!  Whew....it wore me out, but the results were great.  :-)

President's Day Board

George Washington Thinking Map

George Washington Writing

George Washington

Abraham Lincoln Thinking Map

Abraham Lincoln Writing

Abraham Lincoln

Splat the Cat - Love, Splat

This week we read the book Love, Splat.  My students loved this book.  We had a lot of fun making a tree map, writing, and the best part of all......making Splat!  Take a look at how cute they turned out.  It's hard to see the writing on the heart, but they did a great job writing.

Love, Splat tree map

Splat the Cat

Splat the Cat with Heart Writing.
Get pattern here from Herding Kats in Kindergarten.

Valentine's Day Room 8 Style

We have been so busy in Room 8.  Love, love, love is in the air.  Well.....as much as it can be for 5 and 6 year olds.  Here is some more of our great work from this week.  Enjoy!

Rockstar Valentine's Day holders

Day 2 The Biggest Valentine Ever

Today we read again the story "The Biggest Valentine Ever".  After reading the book, we talked about the events in the story.  We then brain stormed and came up with sentences about the events and put them on the flow map.  I then ran pictures from the book and placed them under the sentences to help them remember what the sentences were about.

Before we began our response to literature, we talked about some ways we could start our writing.  They gave me sentences and I wrote them on the chart paper.  They each chose one sentence to start their writing with.

Here are my rockstars hard at work using the flow map to write.  It was our first time with response to literature, so most of them copied straight from the map. But....that's ok.  We are 5 and 6 years old.  They will become more and more independent the more we write.

Here is our finished work all together.  Below you will see writing samples.  As you'll notice it is almost word for word with a few changes here and there.

I posted this map yesterday, but I wanted to show it again, so that you could see some of the awesome writing my students finished this morning during morning work.

A Little More Valentine's Day Fun

Our rockstars are working hard this week, and really are doing some great Valentine's Day writing.  I thought I would go ahead and give you a glimpse of what we have done so far, with more to come between now and the big day February 14th.  My little rockstars have become pros at writing using a tree map.  If you have never tried it, give it a try.  You will be amazed.  Many of them are learning to not just write what is on the map, but use describing words to add more details.  LOVE IT!!!!!!  I wish I had learned to do this many years ago.  Always room for learning.

Valentines Circle Map.  The children gave me words that describe or have to do with valentines.

I love to writing

I love to tree map.  Look at some of the great writing below that my students did  using the tree map.  Some used some very good describing words. Get the pictures here.

Today we read the story "The Biggest Valentine Ever".  We listed the characters and setting.  Tomorrow we will list the events and problem/solution in the story.  We will also work on response to literature writing.

Today we made a I love my map.  The rockstars began their writing and will complete it tomorrow. Get the pictures here. There is some great writing going on in Room 8.