Five for Friday September 30

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This has been a busy month.  Thank you Doodle Bugs for this linky party.
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Our school remembers and honors First Responders through a celebration of Pinwheels for Peace.  This year on Monday, September 12, we met outside by our school flagpole.  

Local firefighters and police officers were invited to come as we honor those who help others.

 Each person colored the back of a wrapping paper square that was laminated and cut to make a pinwheel.  The pinwheels were attached to the eraser of a pencil and stuck in the ground.  They really do spin!  This year we were lucky to have good weather to leave them displayed for a few days.
 

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 In preparation for Fire Prevention Week, our local fire fighters visit each school in our city.  In kindergarten, they come to each class to show their gear as friendly firefighter.  We also had a tour of their ladder and ambulance vehicles. 


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In school field trip: Educational consultant from our local county soil and water conservation department, Michelle Benson, comes to our class to present a lesson about "Lots of Leaves".

We walk our school yard and find leaves with specific characteristics.  Thanks to our founding principal, Paul Swenson, who had the foresight to plant a wide variety of trees around our school to promote outdoor educational experiences.  The students walk and search while learning words to describe leaf edges, shape, smells, and textures.  They learn the purpose of leaves from the food source to promote growth of trees to composting.

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My upcoming evaluation will be in early October.  I am planning to be introducing syllables.  I have begun to pull out my envelope activities and sort through pictures and  lists of words to gradually get the kids ready.  
I just wrote a post about playing the clapping game of "Concentration" to practice syllables.

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 Fall is my favorite time to just continue being outside and go for a walk.  One special book to read is 

    It is about a little girl who enjoys going for a walk with her father.  They don't talk.  They call it their listening walk.  As they walk through their neighborhood they hear different city sounds on their way to the park.  
Time to take your own listening walk.  Just close your eyes and listen.