Kindergarten February Groundhog Day Lesson Plans

It's the 23rd week of Kindergarten and I couldn't be more excited to see a month end. Maybe it's because our winter break ended January 2, maybe it's because we've had 4 snow days and the dreaded NTI has returned, or maybe it's because we are STILL battling the pandemic, but this has to have been the longest-seeming January on record!

3 Big Goals:

Finish the month of January!

Celebrate Groundhog Day with lots of Science and Social Studies Connections

Emphasize Story Sequencing through Jan Brett's The Mitten

Famous Words: 

"Let your light shine. Shine within you so it can shine on someone else. Let your light shine." -Oprah Winfrey

We were finally able to string together 5 days in a row last week and I'm proud to report my class had perfect attendance on Friday to celebrate the 100th day! Boy, it felt good to laugh, dance, sing, and snack our way through the 100th day (it almost felt like 2019 again!)  This week we are wrapping up our winter lessons and using Groundhog Day as a segue into a study on various animals and habitats. In core math we are slowing down to make sure and cover everything since we've missed days here and there since winter break... we will be continuing a focus on 3D shapes and our study of teen numbers. Thankfully, this concept has been a large part of our calendar activities for months and usually comes easily to my kinders as a result. In literacy we are pressing on with Saxon Phonics, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, and with basic sight words. Our theme is Groundhog Day and Winter Animals.

This week we will read my very favorite winter story, Winter is the Warmest Season by Laura Stringer. We will discuss the contrast between warm and cool colors in the illustrations and the idea that winter really is when we are warmest. And, of course, no winter theme would be complete without Jan Brett's The Mitten. It's great for practicing story retelling and sequencing and a good introduction to animals and their winter adaptations and habitats.

21st Century K Resources for the Week:

 

Kindergarten Winter and 100th Day Lesson Plans

  It's the 22nd week of Kindergarten and we are returning from 2 NTI/Weather days off... 5 days in a row is going to make for some tired Kindergarteners AND with the 100th Day of School being on Friday I will be one tired Kindergarten teacher, too!

3 Big Goals:

Review Winter Weather Concepts

Celebrate the 100th Day of School with Fun and Reflection

Complete Monthly Assessments

Famous Words: 

"Nothing can dim the light that shines from within." -Maya Angelou

Last week we heard those three dreaded letters in education today... NTI. Thankfully, we used the days for inclement weather so that means we have less days to make up in the spring. Unfortunately the work we had our students do was just a review... so my plans for this week include another hodge-podge of lessons and activities.  In core math we are slowing down to make sure and cover everything since we've missed days here and there since winter break... we will be continuing a focus on 3D shapes and beginning our study of teen numbers. Thankfully, this concept has been a large part of our calendar activities for months and usually comes easily to my kinders as a result. In literacy we are pressing on with Saxon Phonics, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, and with basic sight words. Our theme is Kindness and the life of Dr. King, but in the background we will also continue our study of winter and snow.

This week we will finally get to Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day. We will use this text to review story elements such as character and setting. Friday is the 100th day of school so, of course, we will have a big all-day celebration!

 

21st Century K Resources for the Week:

 

Kindergarten January Kindness and Snow Lesson Plans

 It's the 21st week of Kindergarten and it's a 4-day week. MLK Day kicks off the week and fuels class discussions on kindness and learning from the past.

3 Big Goals:

Review the Leadership and Influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Relate Past, Present, & Future of Civil Rights to Kinders

Continue Winter Weather Unit

Famous Words: 

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

When this school year started in August I had a big goal in mind... I wanted my students to know who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was BEFORE January. I wanted the discussion about fairness and acceptance to begin early and become part of our classroom culture. We've had many talks about embracing and celebrating our differences and using differences as a means to include everyone and to grow ourselves rather than cause divisions. This week that discussion will continue as we focus on new-to-Kindergarten words like protest and activist. We will discuss the importance of Dr. King's leadership while openly acknowledging that he wasn't perfect and, most importantly, that his work is not finished. I'll always relate this week to kindness because it is a way for Kindergarteners to feel like they are a part of the movement... it doesn't take money or old age to show kindness... anyone can and everyone should. In core math we are continuing a focus on 3D shapes and beginning our study of teen numbers. Thankfully, this concept has been a large part of our calendar activities for months and usually comes easily to my kinders as a result. In literacy we are pressing on with Saxon Phonics, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, and with basic sight words. Our theme is Kindness and the life of Dr. King, but in the background we will also continue our study of winter and snow.

This week's texts cover a variety of genres and topics. Brad Meltzer's I am... books are wonderful for teaching about historical figures in a child-friendly yet honest way. My students love the National Geographic biographies because they include lots of photographs that really bring history to life. Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day is a great way to continue the winter theme while providing young students the opportunity to relate to characters of color.

21st Century K Resources for the Week:

 

Kindergarten January Snowman Lesson Plans

It's the 20th week of Kindergarten and we're coming off of a four-day weekend thanks to two snow days!

3 Big Goals:

Catch Up After Snow Days

Complete Second Quarter Report Cards

Introduce Winter Weather with Snowman Fun

Famous Words: 

"No person has the right to rain on your dreams." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This week we have to make some curricular decisions... After two snow days, what do you do? Do you shift everything back in order to cover what was missed? Do you skip over what was missed and press on? I try to do a mix of both. Shifting everything back two days will completely overturn my weekly schedule and routines and skipping lessons may cause me to leave out something important. I'll carefully look over what was planned for the days missed and decide what we need to cover/finish, and what can be left behind. My goal is always to absorb the missed days within the first three days back in order to stay on track with my pacing guide and curriculum. In core math we are moving on from 2D to 3D shapes and learning more about math applications such as graphing. In literacy we are pressing on with Saxon Phonics, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, and with basic sight words. Our theme is Snowmen and it's always a class favorite! It works out great that my students now have first-hand, recent experience with snow... this will lead us through a great week of learning and fun!

This week's texts are some familiar favorites. The entire Snowmen at Night series by Caralyn Buehner lends itself to some fun open-ended art and writing activities. While Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright pairs well with our upcoming cience unit on winter weather.

21st Century K Resources for the Week:

Kindergarten January New Year Lesson Plans

 It's the 19th week of Kindergarten and we returning from winter break ready to tackle the new year!

3 Big Goals:

Review Routines and Procedures

Learn About and Set 2022 Goals

Learn About Various Cultures Celebrate the New Year

Famous Words: 

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer." -Harriet Tubman

This week it's all about getting back into the groove of school. January in Kindergarten is such a magical time because kinders just seem to come back from winter break more mature and ready to work and learn and finish the second half of the school year strong. In core math we are moving on from 2D to 3D shapes and learning more about math applications such as graphing. In literacy we are pressing on with Saxon Phonics, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness, and with basic sight words. Our theme is New Year's Traditions and how to dream big dreams, set goals, and celebrate the new year. 

I'm super excited to use a new-to-me text this year, Every Month is a New Year by Marilyn Singer, to continue our discussion on holiday traditions.

21st Century K Resources for the Week: