Kindergarten Newsletter
5/13/16
Classroom News!
This week we explored the different aspects of city life. We read a book called "City Rhythms" by Ann Galfaconi. The story was about the sounds of the city. We also talked about jazz music. We then had a very quiet time, only hearing the sounds of jazz music as we set about using collage materials to create beautiful nighttime cityscapes complete with starry nights filled with silver and gold stars.
As part of our city unit, we are learning about architecture. Working in groups of three, the children had the opportunity to be clients, architects and builders. The "meetings" of each trio began with handshakes and then the collaboration started. The architects interviewed the clients asking them about what structure they envisioned and then set to work designing their ideas. The architects did sketches on their iPads before handing these plans over to the builders. The builders created a block structure based on the plans rendered by the architects. As is often the case, there were some delays and modifications in the process. The clients needed to be patient! These collaborations yielded some wonderful results! (See photos below)
Conversation Starters
* What does an architect do? What does a builder do?
* What was your favorite part of the field trip?
* What are the four things in the "stuck in my shoe" song?
Fun Things To Do At Home
* Read the poem of the week.
* Take a walk around your neighborhood and notice the architecture and designs of the structures nearby.
Poem of the Week
Skyscraper
Skyscraper, skyscraper,
Scrape me some sky
Tickle the sun
While the stars go by.
Tickle the stars
While the sun's climbing high
Then skyscraper, skyscraper,
Scrape me some sky.
Dennis Lee