Finishing Apples/Fall/Fire safety

This week we finished our apple study and started to talk more about Fall, mainly about leaves. We are also learning about firefighters and fire safety this week for letter Ff, and because we are starting our unit on community helpers.

*Fire safety- we have talked about what kids should not touch (stove, matches, lighters, irons, fire) and what to do if our clothes catch on fire (stop, drop, and roll). We also talked about smoke detectors and how we have to leave if there is a fire- we do not hide, we get out quickly! Please talk with your child at home and make a plan for what to do if there is a fire. We are also going to discuss how to call 911 if there is an emergency.

*I will be contacting everyone to reschedule parent conferences since they are now on that half day of Friday November 16- conferences start at 12:15 but I can do before school starting at 8:00. If that day does not work for you, I can usually arrive early or stay late another day. I really would like to meet with everyone since this is the first report card.

*Homework- homework packets will go out each  Monday- these activities can be spread out throughout the week- your child is not expected to complete the whole packet in one night. I just ask that packets are returned to school by Friday (Monday at the latest).

*Lending Library book bags are going home this Friday and will be due back next Thursday. There is a folder inside each bag with an optional sheet (choose one story to do the sheet on) for you to complete with your child- it has your child deciding whether they liked a book or not and they can draw a picture of something relating to the story.

Apple sequencing activity

-apples were randomly ordered, students were asked which apple came first, second, and third.

What we know about apples

 Apple taste test and graph showing our favorite apple

 Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss- we drew our faces and chose a number of apples to put on our heads.

Apple parts- we learned the parts of an apple (stem, leaf, skin, flesh and seeds) and made our own models.

 Apple cores- students used scissors to cut apple cores out of paper plates (lines were drawn on the plates for them to cut).

Apple Germ Experiment- after lunch and going outside for recess we came inside and passed around an apple slice-everyone touched the apple slice with their dirty hands. We then washed our hands and passed around another apple slice to touch with our clean hands. We put both slices in separte ziplock bags and waited a few days. Today we looked at the apple slices- the one we touched with dirty hands was very brown and kind of slimy looking, the one we touched with clean hands was very light brown. The kids described what the dirty slice looked like today (the before is what it looked like the day we handled it).

Our tree with Fall leaves- we will learn how to sort leaves by color and shape

Making leaves (using coffee-filter cut out leaves, markers, water, and a paintbrush)

Fire trucks made out of shapes (I might print out pictures of the kids' faces to make it look like they are driving the trucks)

 Dramatic Play- calling the firefighters for help                       Firefighters to the rescue!