Traveling Poem

April is National Poetry Month and we will be hearing a new poem each day in Kindergarten. We're combining poetry with money for our traveling poem. When it comes to your house, read it with your child and then have them explain to you why $1 is more than 5 pennies. The poem is titled "Smart" by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Poem in Your Pocket

Ms. Panos brought in her class of 7th graders to help the kids write an Acrostic poem about themselves. Tomorrow we will participate in Poem in Your Pocket. Each child at Garvy will have written a poem to keep close (ours are in a pocket necklace). Throughout the day, we will take a minute to share our poems with a friend. Happy Poetry Month!

Kohl Children's Museum

If you haven't been to the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview, I suggest you take go and visit it ASAP. It is filled with hands on learning experiences and that is part of the reason I continue to take my kindergarten class back there year after year. Today the kids had over an hour to explore the museum in their small groups. Some of the favorite exhibits included; water works, Dominick's grocery store, and the Potbelly. At Garvy, there is very little (if any) time for dramatic play. It was so nice to watch them interact and pretend to go grocery shopping. While talking to Mrs. Beth, our science lesson coordinator, we discussed the real learning that takes place at the museum. Together we decided that it's when the students are discussing their observations and coming up with various rationale on their own.



She couldn't find everything on her shopping list, but she did get the pizza! I like her style.



This is a cool exhibit where the machine records what you say and then will repeat it back to you either fast or slow, it was good for some giggles.



Using her energy to raise the red ball. This is just one of the many fun tools in the water works.

We also had a science lesson all about energy, the kids made wind sculptures to bring home and to further observe the air. Mrs. Beth also complimented us for being one of the most creative and pleasant classes she's ever worked with at the museum. I'm very proud! More pictures to come from Mrs. Schoen soon!

St. Patrick's Day

I had the best 30th birthday imaginable, thank you to my students for sharing the day! It started with reading the Foot Book by Dr. Seuss and then giving each student a pair of tye dyed green socks. Making the socks was a new adventure and something that I would try again.



The best part of my day was having my mom come and spend the day at Garvy. It was her first time driving to Chicago (usually she takes the train), I was a proud daughter and happy that the Garmin worked so she can come visit again soon.



Here is Mrs. Bachman reading Ms. Bachman's favorite childhood story, Go Dog Go!

Oobleck in Room 301

Have you ever read the story, Bartholomew and the Oobleck, by Dr. Seuss? It's a great story about a king who orders a new weather from his royal magicians. What they develop is known as Oobleck which is green and sticky and EVERYWHERE. It wasn't what he had in mind, and I can see why after our messy experiment.



Oobleck is made from corn starch and water, very simple. It is such a strange mixture. Upon first look and feel it is a solild, but then as you pick it up it "magically" changes to a liquid. Check out the pictures below of the kids exploring this weird mixture!









Thank you Ms. Banna for the fun idea! Photo credits to Ms. Govig.