Happy Halloween!!!!

Halloween just doesn't seem the same unless you carve a jack-o-lantern - and that is just what we did this afternoon.  The boys and girls were split up into 2 groups and helped dig out the pulp and design a face for the jack-o-lanterns.  Not everyone was convinced the pulp digging would be fun.  Several thought it was too gooey and very smelly!  We still had a great time!  Afterwards we put together some ghostly Halloween snacks!  Trick or Treat everyone!!

A Visit With the Winside Fire Fighters

October is National Fire Safety Month.  We spend a lot of time in our classroom learning about being safe around fires, candles, stoves, grills and fireworks.  Learning how to be safe and stay safe if there is ever a fire can never be  talked about enough.  The boys and girls learned how to "Stay low, and Go!" also to "Stop, Drop and Roll".  The families of Kindergarten also planned a meeting place at their own homes in case of fire.  I hope these are lessons the boys and girls take with them but never have to use.  Despite the seriousness of our lessons, we ALWAYS enjoy our visit to the Winside Fire Station as a culminating activity to our unit on fire safety.  Chief Don Skokan visited with the boys and girls about fire safety, then it was time to explore the trucks and the equipment and answer questions. We really appreciated the time the Winside volunteers took to help educate our children but we also appreciate the time they take to help keep our community safe.  THANK YOU!!!

Don Skokan and Chris Olander talk to the Kindergarten and first grade students about fire safety.

 Kyle Skokan (and former Winside Kindergartner) shows the boys and girls all the gear a fire fighter must wear when he goes out to fight a fire.

Taking a look inside an ambulance.

Man - those trucks are BIG!

Yep, they ALL fit inside the truck!

Future Fire Fighters

Posing with Don Skokan, Kyle Skokan and Chris Olander
Thanks guys for a great afternoon!

October Art Work



October is a busy month as we learn about fire safety, pumpkins and bats.  Here is a sample of the boys and girls art work we did in the classroom.....

The boys and girls had fun creating their own pumpkins with finger paints....

No pumpkin patch is complete without a few ghosts lurking about...

Not to mention Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eaters wife...

This is our October quilt.  The boys and girls sponge painted their jack-o-lanterns and then we added our patchwork squares in Halloween colors!

 Our jack-o-lantern wind socks...

And last but not least - our handprint bats!



Our Trip to the Apple Orchard!!

On Wednesday September 28, the Winside Kindergarten and First grade classes boarded a school bus and headed north to Yankton to visit Garrity's Apple Orchard.  We could not have picked a better day.  The boys and girls packed lunches and a lot of enthusiasm for our trip.  The bus ride was a pleasant one as they busied themselves with their writing notebooks and a few book from our own class library. 

Cheers filled the bus as we arrived at Garrity's!! Mrs. Hebda welcomed us as their first visitors of the season.  The boys and girl's first stop was the goat pen where they were able to feed the many goats.  What a treat!  Then it was off to the hay tunnels. What fun they had climb and running!  Next, Mr. Hebda greeted us and we were off to the tractor and wagon to begin our tour.  Unfortunately, the hard freeze they experienced for two nights in April didn't allow for their apple crop to prosper so we didn't get to tour the apple orchard but they had  plan B ready for us --- a corn maze!!! The kiddos, teachers and paras scrambled through the maze and found their way out.  The last to emerge were --- Mrs. Straight and Ms. Loetcher (who both by the way can never find their cars in a parking lot!!!)  Our kiddos went right into action coming to our aid as they called out "Ms Loetcher - Mrs. Straight, just follow our voices!!"  Luckily no rescue helicopters had to be dispatched - we FINALLY made it out unscathed!  Next, it was off to the pumpkin patch.  Each child was able to go out a choose their own pumpkins. 

Our tour ended in the apple warehouse.  We toured the "big refrigerator" where they store their many varieties of apples.  We even got to see them sort the apples.  As we left the tour, we sampled some yummy apples.  Each child left with a goodie bag from the Hepda's along with their pumpkins. 

Tummies growling, we were off to picnic in Memorial Park.  After our tasty lunches, the boys and girls played and laughed in the wonderful playground.  At 1:00, it was time to call it a day as we climbed aboard the bus.  We soon realized how hot and thirsty we all were so it was off to the gas station to buy some cold water for the thirsty crew.  Thinking the boys and girls would be exhausted from our outdoor adventure, we figured this would be a quiet bus ride home.  The excitement still pumping though their veins, conversations and writing a drawing in their books consumed their time.  What a wonderful day!! 

Special thank you to our bus driver, Brian and our administration that allows us time to take our boys and girls on these wonderful learning adventures.

Enjoy the pictures!!!! 

Let's get this show on the road!

At the goat pen

Feeding the goats

Running through the hay bales

Riding in the wagon

Mr. Hebda or is it Johnny Appleseed telling us all about the corn maze

In the corn maze

Selecting the perfect

pumpkin

In the "big" refrigerator

Watching the apple sorter

Lunch in the park

Where did everyone go?????

Playing in the park

A lesson on static electricity!

Friends Forever