Hello Parents,
This week students looked at animals in the winter! We started by watching a short video clip on lots and LOTS of birds flying over my very own house. Students noticed a number of interesting things for example; the loud sounds they all made, how the birds travel together in a special shape and that the birds all move in one direction. We discovered that these birds were called GEESE and noted the unique shape the birds were traveling (V-shape!). This led to the question "Why were soo many birds flying?"; below are some predictions:
"because they were scared"- Subhamjot/ Hussain
"cuz something else coming you heard that" (the winds coming)- Prabhjas
"because the monster was scaring them"- Omar
"because there is too much wind and they needed to go to their house so they went together"- Paras Next students listened to the book "Little Home Bird" and were introduced to the word MIGRATION. Migration is when birds fly to a new home because it becomes too cold and it is difficult to find enough food to eat. This change in the weather marks the beginning of a new season WINTER! Students learned that in a birds new home there is plenty of food and warm weather!
We connected the term migration with other animals by exploring a number of different pictures, books and animal models. Students were surprised to see how many different kinds of animals migrate and noted that some animals flew, others walked or even swam!
These images were then documented in journals through pictures and words!
The following day students were met with a surprise character, a sleeping bear! We wondered why the bear was sleeping? Using our previous knowledge of birds migrating students began to think, could sleeping help other animals stay safe in the cold winter?
We investigated this by looking at pictures in the book "Under the Snow". One student pointed out the frog hidden under the snow, when asked why? another students said:
A frog can't fly so they have to sleep instead!- Dania
And that was the start of our discussion on HIBERNATION! Students learned hibernation is when an animal takes a long nap because food is hard to find. Students then listen to the book "Bear Snores On" and learned new words such as, cave, den and lair all which mean a bears home! And finally the PM kindergarten students completed these cute hibernating bear crafts and discussed the different shapes (circle, semi-circle and the letter J) used to build the bear!
