I hope everyone had a relaxing and very enjoyable Labor Day weekend - the official end of summer and the beginning of nice cool autumn weather - I hope.
My boys and girls greeted me this morning with bright eyes and big smiles ready to get back into the swing of things. I welcomed each little toothy grin with a hearty "Good morning!" and came eye to jar with grasshoppers, tomato bugs and promises of butterflies, lady bugs, dragon flies and ants to follow - and - I was thrilled!!!!!!! The boys and girls are just beginning a unit on insects for this month and there is nothing more exciting than the real thing - live and up close.
During our afternoons, we get out our magnifying glasses and try to locate the insect's three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen (yes, the kiddos are learning the names of each). They have even learned a little song to help them remember the characteristics of an insect. Check out the tab under "Songs" and you can learn the song too! The boys and girls also look for and count the six legs and locate the antennae. They are always so amazed when they can see the eyes and other features. It has been so much fun watching my kiddos chase grasshoppers at recess and exclaim with pride, "Look Mrs. Straight! I found an insect!"
Not only are we learning the characteristics of an insect but we are discovering what they eat, how they protect themselves from enemies, how they move, and their life cycles. We have started a big classroom chart to record what we are learning about the different insects. We will also incorporate a few art projects along the way.
It will be a great learning experience for the Kindergarten class as we all go just a little buggy this month!
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