It was all things rocks this week in the Hippo Class. We began our week by observing different rocks- how are they the same, how are they different, how do they feel, how heavy or light they are, what colors do you see....... We added a few more facts for the hippos, such as rocks are really old, there are three different types of rocks, a geologist studies rocks, and rocks can be found in many different places. Thank you parents for helping your child find rocks to bring to our classroom. We used these rocks and many others to paint, sort, pretend, play games, decorate, build, match rocks to an outline, to outline numbers, count, match letters, observe, weigh, etc. We even used the word "rock" and came up with rhyming words and pictures that start with these letters. During our gym time we practiced using our gross motor muscles as we played Magic Rock. We also played a game called Geologist, Geologist, Who Has My Rock? Lastly, we made stepping stones with concrete mix, water and rocks! (goals-fine and gross motor, sensory, matching, observing, letters/numbers, comparing numbers, rhyming, participating as a member of a group, respectful behaviors, taking turns, answering questions, confident behavior, showing curiosity, following directions)
In order to show the three different types of rocks, we showed a picture of a volcano with magma then showed how it hardened and became a lava rock (I had a real one). It hardened representing the igneous rocks. We also observed a sedimentary rock made from sand and pebbles. Finally, we all stepped on slices of bread stacked together to show how metamorphic rocks were formed by adding pressure (our feet). It was fun watching and learning some "wow" words-
IGNEOUS, METAMORPHIC, and SEDIMENTARY! In addition, we watched a video on being a rock detective. You may want to watch it again with your child. It goes over the three types of rocks.
In order to show the three different types of rocks, we showed a picture of a volcano with magma then showed how it hardened and became a lava rock (I had a real one). It hardened representing the igneous rocks. We also observed a sedimentary rock made from sand and pebbles. Finally, we all stepped on slices of bread stacked together to show how metamorphic rocks were formed by adding pressure (our feet). It was fun watching and learning some "wow" words-
IGNEOUS, METAMORPHIC, and SEDIMENTARY! In addition, we watched a video on being a rock detective. You may want to watch it again with your child. It goes over the three types of rocks.
Our letter this week was V for volcano, vase, and violin. We made the letter by showing the peace sign with our fingers. We also made a big V with our arms. Our 2nd steps focused on playing together and taking turns!
Questions to Ask your Child:
1. What does a geologist study? (rocks)
2. How many types of rock are there? (3)
3. Are rocks new or old? (old)
4. What did Sylvester turn into in our story about the magic red pebble? (he turned into a rock)
5. Where do lava rocks come from? (a volcano)
6. When is your birthday?
5. Where do lava rocks come from? (a volcano)
6. When is your birthday?
7. How did we we make the metamorphic rock with the bread? (we stepped on it)
Books we read:
Let's Go Rock Collecting
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
If Rocks Could Sing
Let's Go Rock Collecting
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
If Rocks Could Sing
Waiting is Hard
Kindness Rocks
YouTube Video Be a Rock Detective! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNs1gqkYerg
Rock Song: (To the tune of "Three Blind Mice")
Rocks are hard
Some are soft
Rocks are old
They cover all the world.
Some are very big rocks and some are very little rocks.
Some feel smooth and bumpy.
All rocks are old.
Rocks are old!
Rock Song: (To the tune of "Three Blind Mice")
Rocks are hard
Some are soft
Rocks are old
They cover all the world.
Some are very big rocks and some are very little rocks.
Some feel smooth and bumpy.
All rocks are old.
Rocks are old!
Coming Up Next Week:
St. Patricks Day, Ireland, Spring
Things to Do At Home:
Continue collecting rocks to add to your shoebox. Also, try drawing with a rock on a sidewalk or driveway! Use a magnifying glass to observe the properties of your rocks.
Reminders:
3/15-3/22 Spring Break
4/2 Profession Development -No School
4/15 and 4/17-parent teacher conferences
4/18 Spring Fling
4/20 Passport day 10-12 at LECC
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| The making of our 3 types of rocks! |
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| Outside fun! |
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| Practicing making the letter N |
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| Building towers with rocks. Lots of balance involved and problem solving. |
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| Using playdoh to make rock towers. |
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| Exploring beautiful rocks! |
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| The students went on a rock hunt around the room! |
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| Creating at the writing center! |
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| Sorting rocks into small, medium and large. |
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| We all had fun making our pet rocks! They came home in their rock boxes. |
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| Ramps and large rocks. |
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| Working on staying in the lines when painting these rocks! |
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| Rocks and dump trucks. |
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| So cute!! |
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| We strengthened our finger muscles by placing rocks in tennis ball cans. The lids had a small opening in which the kids pushed the pebble through it. |
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| Show and Tell |
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| Show and Tell |
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| Show and Tell |
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| Our exploration center! |
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| We made self portraits in art class! |
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| The hippos loved painting rocks! |
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| We worked on coloring within the lines. |
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| Ms. Brie played an ABC rock game. The students worked on recognizing letters, saying the letter sound and coming up with words that begin with that letter. |
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| We shook the carton and opened it up to see which number the red pom pom landed in. |
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| Dump trucks and large rocks. |
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| Ms. Saba read a book for her birthday. |
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| Happy Birthday, Ms. Saba! |
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| Each child picked a rock from their rock box and brought it up to the front where we observed the size, color and if it was smooth or bumpy. |
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| We passed around Ms. Ginny's real lava rock. |
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| The students loved decorating their rock boxes with Ms. Brie! |
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| We explored rocks using magnifying glasses and scales. |
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| Rock painting proved to be a fun and loud experience! |
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| Here the hippos matched rocks to their outlines! |
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| We filled this hundred poster with rocks! |
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| The students worked on beginning sounds with pictures beginning with the words R, O, C, K. |
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| After listening to If Rocks Could Sing, we picked a rock from our box and decided what it looked like and drew it in our journal. |
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| Cleaning rocks with paint brushes and water. |
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| We passed a rock around that represented a sedimentary rock. |
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| The students turned into a rock for the tornado drill. |
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| Everyone loved being a geologist and hammering out the rocks in ice with a hammer and golf tee. |
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| We also cleaned rocks with soapy water and toothbrushes! |
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| It was a highlight making our own stepping stone that will be sent home Monday. |
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| Matching numbered rocks to the numbers in the egg carton using tongs. |
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| Here is our rock before we applied pressure to make it into a metamorphic rock! |
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| Magic rock, magic rock, turn into a tree, bird, etc. |
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| Here we turned into a tree and when I called magic rock the students went back to being a rock. |
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| Geologist, geologist who has my rock? |
