Spiders In Kindergarten!!!

Connecting with our Kindergarten inquiry about the environment, the Kinders have begun to learn about spiders and their important roles.

This topic is an excellent way to use thinking maps, student graphing sheets and lots of partner talk. For example, we will be using circle maps, tree maps and brace maps. I have also integrated our study into art lessons, directed drawing. literacy and math.

Today the Kinders worked with their big buddies to make a class book modelled on an emergent reader they have been practicing from Deanna Jump's spider unit. They turned out so great that I decided to display them in the hall for a little while and then assemble the book. When they are all complete then I will make a little slideshow for you. The idea for the book came from Kim Jordano's blog, http://www.kinderbykim.com/ 

The Kinders are really enjoying non-fiction books. Spiders are such a great way to introduce the non-fiction genre because there are many non-fiction books on spiders for beginning readers.

This month the students will be introduced to labelling that frequently is features in non-fiction books. We will begin with identifying the primary features of--wait for it-- yes me! Then we will write out the labels and the kids will label me. This fun activity was featured on Chalktalk kindergarten blog http://larremoreteachertips.blogspot.ca/search/label/labeling 

last year and I did it then also with great success. For our second lesson we'll label important places in the classroom such as the washroom, teaching easel and sofa. After lots of practice they'll draw spiders in their science journal and label the important parts.

Here are a few photos of spider activities that we have done:

Spider Sensory Station this idea came from
http://rubberbootsandelfshoes.blogspot.ca/

I set up a water colour centre and the
Kinders are drawing all different kinds
of spider webs. Lots of the same Kinders
visit the station many times and their
drawings show increase drawing skills.

This is taken directly from the tpt
Deanna Jump spider unit. We practice together
with the pocket chart and then they work on
their emergent reader from her unit.

I like to reserve one display book shelf for
the current topic, then the books go into
a book tub for continued enjoyment.

The Kinders love this book. We acted it out
with a big hand spider puppet and then after
a few read alouds and retelling I put the
book and cd at the listening centre for
repeat readings.

This is a math game that my student
teacher designed. They read the number
card and place that many spiders on the web. Next week I am switching out the spiders for insects that spiders eat.

This will be our next class book. We are retelling
The Very Busy Spider by E. Carle using a flow
map, then the Kinders write the captions and we
turn it into a class book. Aren't their webs amazing!

How many spiders does it take to match the
weight of one beanbag?

There is lots more but that's all that I took pictures of today. I will add some more as we work on spiders.