Journal 4
Grade K Time 7:45 – 2:45 Date 10/05/2012
List What occurred during the time you are at your school? What are all the things that happen in the time frame you are in your school?
• Meet with my teacher
• Start apple sauce
• Morning meeting
• Reading centers
• Going to gym
• Prep for returning students
• Getting students from gym
• Check apple sauce
• Snack time
• Ten apples up on top with high school helpers
• Writing unit
• Going to lunch
• Getting students from playground.
• Check apple sauce/ add sugar and cinnamon
• Poems
• Apple sauce tasting
• Free time/ bus children leave
Describe 1 item from the list, in GREAT detail – who, what, when, where, how, why
Apple Sauce
Today we made homemade apple sauce in class. It took all day long to do, so it was an apple themed day. We started when the learners first came into class in the morning. After they had put their items away and done their beginning of the day routine, one by one they got to come to the apple sauce making station. I showed them how to use a corer/peeler and they got to cut their apple (using a spoon) up and put it in a crock pot. Each learner then got to take a small piece of apple and taste it so they would know that the apple tasted like before it turned into apple sauce. After all the students apples were in the crock pot, we added a cup of water and let it cook down, checking and stirring it every hour.
Each time the learners came back to class from outside activities (gym, lunch, etc.) they all came as a group and got to see how the apples had changed. After lunch we added the sugar and cinnamon and let it cook down until just before free time at the end of the day. For some the waiting was nearly unbearable. Finally, we all got to taste the apple sauce. The learners all sat on their carpet square and we passed out the apple sauce. Mrs. Husbey counted to three then we all took a taste. One by one the learners then got to talk about what they thought of the apple sauce. There were mixed results, but the learners had fun with the science event. I would not have changed a thing about this lesson. The learners had fun, it is a great activity, and you can pair so many other learning activities with an apple themed day.
Ten apples up on top with high school helpers
Another interesting event that happened today was that the class’s high school helpers came to class. The high school helpers are high school students from the alternative learning center.
First, I read Ten Apples Up on Top to the class. Then the high school helpers came to class to help with an art/math project. Using a work sheet, a picture of each student, and a piece of red construction paper, they recreated the balancing of the apples from the book. The learners traced the numbers 1 to 10 on the worksheet. Each number was surrounded by an apple shape. Then the learners got to color the apples with the help of the high school helpers. The high school helpers then cut out the apples. The learners glued their picture to the bottom of the construction paper and then with the help of the high school students, ordered the apples and glued them on top of the head of their picture. When they finished the high school helpers read to their learner.
To me this kind of one on one time is crucial to both the kindergartener and the high school student. It forms a special bond that both parties need. The kindergartner can use all the single attention they can get and they look up to the high school student. Also, these high school students are at risk of leaving school, so any tie that makes them want to stay in school is positive. If given the chance in my own classroom I would take this kind of relationship in a heartbeat.
