Buddy Day/Gingerbread Man Hunt

Today we had the best day with our buddies!! It was a half day and 5th grade stayed with me all do so we were able to spend the whole day with our little friends. We started the morning writing about how we would make the Grinch grin. 

The 5th graders helped their buddies write their sentences. 

We then watched the Dr Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

After our Grinch activity we ate lunch outside with our buddies. My students love to eat outside and their buddies were SO excited to sit with the big kids at lunch. It was a great day to be out, the wonderful thing about Florida is that the week before Christmas the temperature is in the 80's. :)

The real fun started after lunch. Our buddies had special cookies to share with us but the gingerbread man stole them while they were at specials. When my 5th graders showed up the kindergartners were so upset. They made lost posters to hang up in the room in hopes that the gingerbread man would return the cookies. 

We then followed the clues to find the cookies and gingerbread man. The kindergartners were so excited and my 5th graders were great sports. I could tell that they loved it but still wanted to be cool. Several of my students remembered the same hunt when they were in kindergarten and afterwards were telling me how it was different/wrong. 

I am happy to report that while we were out searching for the gingerbread man he returned all the cookies. Our principal and vice-principal caught him and made him give the cookies back.

Today was a fun day and nice break from the everyday lessons and schedule. I think that my kids enjoyed playing like a kindergartner for the day. :)

Kindergarten Buddies - Pumpkin Fun

This year my 5th graders helped our kindergarten buddies with their fall pumpkin activity. Both classes loved working together and learning (playing) with pumpkins. 

My students each had a station and helped the kindergartners discover how many lines were on their pumpkin, can a pumpkin float?, how much the pumpkin weighs, and the distance around the pumpkin. We love working with our buddies and teaching them new things. 

Wednesday Buddies!

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. The school days fly by and before I know it is the weekend. Today, my fifth graders went to see their kindergarten buddies. The kids love meeting with the buddies, it is sweet to watch the classes interact. The past few weeks we have been practicing the pledge of allegiance and write about our buddies. I am not sure who looks forward to our time more the kindergarteners or fifth graders. 

Buddy Stories and Kindergarten People

Our buddies created a mini person that looks like them. As they worked my students asked their buddies questions to help them write a story about them. The stories were great and the kindergartners loved them.

American Flags and Pledge of Allegiance

The kindergarten teacher created a fill in the blank Pledge of Allegiance. My fifth graders worked with their buddies to fill in the blanks. After finishing the fill in the blank the students created an American flag. 

5th Grade and Kindergartener Buddies

Today my 5th grade students met with their kindergarten buddies for the first time. We planned a scavenger hunt for the buddies to help the kindergarteners learn where everything was on campus. 

It was amazing! My fifth graders were wonderful with their buddies holding their hand and reminding them to walk on the yellow line. I saw how wonderful buddies were last year for my 5th graders and am still amazed how grown-up the 5th graders are when given a a little person to help.

The kindergarten teacher and I have planned out lots of fun activities for this summer. Our classes will meet every Wednesday for 30 minutes.Below is a list of our planned activities for this year.

Buddies meet on Wednesdays 1:10-1:50

Extended time activities will be from  12:45-1:50

Aug 15^th – GEMS scavenger hunt  *extended time*

Buddies will go to set places on campus and add stickers to their passport.   

This will help kindergarten students learn where things are around campus.

Aug 22^nd – interview and paper dolls

                      5^th grade will interview their buddy so they can write a story about their buddy.

                      Kindergarten will work on paper doll with help of buddy.

Aug 29^th – ‘If You Take a Mouse to School’

After reading ‘If You Take a Mouse to…’ students will write and illustrate a story for the prompt. ‘If You Take a Mouse to School….’

Sept 5^th - read with buddy

                     Kindergarten will go to 5^th grade classroom and read a book with a buddy.

Sept 12^th – make flag

                     Kindergarten will create a flag with partners help after reading book about
                     America. 

Sept 19^th – nursery rhyme play

5^th grade buddy will pick play before meeting with kindergarten. Groups will decide what style of play they will present (puppet or act out)

Sept 26^th – nursery rhyme (rehearsal)

Oct 3^rd – nursery rhyme *extended time*

Students will present plays to parents.  

Oct 10^th – read fall books in the garden (snack)

Oct 17^th – scarecrow glyph

Oct 24^th – fall book with writing activity

Oct 31^st – pumpkin activity *extended time*

We have not completed the calendar for the rest of the year.