Our polar exploration this week gave us the chance to read about Matthew Henson and his brave journey to the geographic North Pole with 5 other men. We also read more about arctic animals and how they are able to survive the cold arctic tundra and waters. In one book called, "Why Are Whales Vanishing", the children learned about whaling and the uses of whale fat. Although there was some confusion with whales and whale sharks, a few kindergarten children quickly clarified that whale sharks are fish while whales are mammals. There was also some confusion about reaching the North Pole, because Santa was not featured in the historic photographs.
All of these topics allow us to review the concepts of fiction vs. non-fiction. Most children from our classroom will tell you that non-fiction means real and fiction means made-up stories. Even though many children at this age are just beginning to read, it is very important that they have access to a variety of books at home. Many thanks to the children that shared interesting stories with us this week. Children are welcome to bring a favorite book from home to share with others or to read on their own during our work time.
Our school's annual Peace March was a success! We sang along with our school while marching in remembrance of the Civil Right's Movement. We heard a poem and stories about George Washington Carver, Katherine Goble, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan. Next week we will continue to hear more about Africans, African-Americans, and African-Caribbeans as we change the materials in our geography shelf from Arctic regions to Africa. Our mammal study will also change over to a closer look at birds.
In the month of February families are welcome to share any stories, music, pictures, food, or cultural items pertaining to Africa, African heritage, or birds. We will also look at the continent as a whole and several of the countries within it.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ms. Joanna Boone