Library integration: January 16

Curious Kindergartener

Immersing yourself into the mind of a kindergarten student can be a wonderous thing, I think every adult should have to do it since it often gives you a new perspective, or just makes you laugh. Curiosity is dynamic and widespread in Kindergarten, these students are filled with questions and with a touch of guidance things take off. 

With Junior Kindergarten kids we were using books to look at how they need to organize themselves in order to make ice cream.

 


In small groups, we viewed and read these books to check-out the process from milk to ice cream and recorded in their journal a step by step procedure with pictures. There were some interesting comments about a cow's boobs (thanks to my son), and thereby I could introduce the word 'udder' to their vocabulary. Since the pictures were quite complicated with machinery and cow udders I modeled what a procedure journal entry could look like. Using simple words and labels for each step, the students know now what they need to make their ice cream and I hope I get a sample!

Our senior kindergarteners were also beginning some research. I've done a lot of work with them on the difference between fiction and nonfiction, the purpose of nonfiction and how to 'read pictures' as well as add labels. They are starting a new unit, Sharing the Planet so we started a student-driven inquiry. I reviewed question words with the kids and asked them to find a book that the had a 'wondering' about. Then they were asked to draw a picture and I helped them to record their questions. Some students needed support with asking questions versus making statements or asking a question. Hopefully, the students will start to learn that some questions can be answered, some can't and how we can use a book to find out.