Monday, December 19, 2011

Holidays

We will continue with our holiday theme this week! We are also reviewing letters, so each day there is a different letter of focus.
Monday: Christmas
·         Letter: D

Tuesday: Three Kings Day and Christmas
·         Letter: P (Prize, Play dough)
·         Math: Star Dot-To-Dot
·         Science: Discussion- stars shining in the night
·         Art: Crowns and Stars

Wednesday: Quilt Day
·         Letter: A (Angry, Ants)
·         Math: Measurement for Quilt
·         Art: Quilt Making

Thursday: Gingerbread Man
·         Story: Gingerbread Man (Student Created)
·         Letter: H (Hungry, Hot)
·         Math: Gingerbread Matching
·         Food Science and Art: Gingerbread Men Decorating

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Apple pie recipe


Pie crust made in Kitchen aid mixer

2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup shortening, well
chilled
2 tablespoons margarine
or butter, well chilled
5-6 tablespoons cold water
Place flour and salt in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and
flat beater to mixer. Turn to Stir Speed and mix
about 15 seconds. Cut shortening and margarine
into pieces and add to flour mixture. Turn to Stir
Speed and mix 30 to 45 seconds, or until shortening
particles are size of small peas.
Continuing on Stir Speed, add water, 1 tablespoon at
a time, mixing until all particles are moistened and
dough begins to hold together.
Divide dough in half. Pat each half into a smooth
ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill
in refrigerator 15 minutes.
Roll one half of dough to 18-inch thickness between
waxed paper. Fold pastry into quarters. Ease into
8- or 9-inch pie plate and unfold, pressing firmly
against bottom and sides. Continue with one of the
procedures that follow.

Apple pie filling

In a large bowl, combine 2 tbsps of sugar,2tbsp of flour, and ½ tsp of cinnamon.  Add 5 cups of apples (peeled, cored and cut up)  I used braeburn or fuji I think.  I know they always suggest certain apples, but I like to disregard that part.   Stir ingredients in the bowl.
Meanwhile, place your pie crust dough in a pan.  I bought the mini pans at Michaels craft store.  Then pour the bowl mixture into the pie pan.  Sprinkle with lemon juice.  Dampen edges and place second crust on top. Trim and crimp to seal.  You can cut slits on top, I think we omitted this part.    Sprinkle with ¼ to ½ tsp of sugar.  Bake on bottom shelf in 350 degree oven for 45 min. until browned and apples are tender.   We used the convection oven.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Pictures!

I have some fun pictures from today and a few from last week. Enjoy!


                                                        Handprint Santa’s. So cute!

                             Another Santa project…these stayed at school for decorations.



                                                           Making peppermint bark






                                                       The finished product! Yum!  

                                               Cute handprint penguins from last week  

                                                       Cutting out penguin fact book  


Sunday, December 11, 2011

Holidays Around the World

This week and next week we will be learning about holidays that are celebrated during the winter season. We have lots of fun cooking/baking activities this week tooJ

The letter for the week is H.

Monday: Christmas
·         Letter: H (Holiday, Heart)
·         Math: Peppermint Math
·         Art: Santa and Santa Handprints
·         Food Science: Peppermint Bark

Tuesday: Christmas
·         Letter: H (Healthy, Head)
·         Math: Christmas Patterns
·         Art: Christmas Tree Decorating
·         Science: Christmas Tree Branch Sizing

Wednesday: Christmas
·         Letter: H (House)
·         Math: Gingerbread Matching
·         Art: Stockings
·         Food Science: Sugar Cookies

Thursday: Kwanzaa
·         Letter: H (Heart, Hop)
·         Math: Popcorn Counting (One to One Correspondence)
·         Art: Kwanzaa Paper Chain and Kwanzaa Hand Wreath   

Friday: Hanukkah
·         Letter: H (Hippo)
·         Math: Dreidel Probability
·         Art: Menorah  (Popsicle sticks with gold glitter)
·         Food Science: Honey Balls

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

More Pictures!

I am finally posting some of the pictures I have taken…some of them dating back to September!! At least they have finally made it to the blog for you all to enjoyJ

                                                 Finger painting with primary colors


                                                                       Tea party

                                                   Art project: how a pumpkin grows

                                                              Making vegetable soup



                                                            

                                                 Corn art project during nutrition week

                                                      Working on polar bear facts

                                                  Reindeer numbers- math time

Penguins


We are learning all about penguins this week! The art projects from last week and this week are being kept at school to hang up on the windows… we are creating arctic and Antarctic scenes.
Sorry for the late post!

Monday:
·         Story: Student Created Penguin Book
·         Letter: P- Penguins
·         Math: Penguin Patterns
·         Science: Penguin Huddling
·         Art: Penguin Hand Painting

Tuesday:
·         Letter: P- Peas/Pig
·         Math: Fish Addition
·         Science: Group Discussion- Do penguins fly?
·         Art: Penguin and Scenery Cutting Project

Wednesday:
·         Letter: P-Purple/Pink
·         Math: Shapes (Counting Sides)
·         Science: Group Discussion- How penguin eggs are taken care of?
·         Art: Igloos

Thursday:
·         Letter: P- Party/Play dough
·         Math: Color and Count (Penguin Coloring and Goldfish Counting 1-5, 10-15)
·         Science: Penguin Facts
·         Art: Penguin Book Cover

Friday:
·         Letter: P-People
·         Math: Goldfish Math: One to One Correspondence and Addition Math Sentence
·         Science: Group Discussion- What do penguins eat?
·         Art: Penguin Tear Art


Letter of the week and song lyrics


We have been working on posting more pics to go with the blogs....our weekly schedule posting will be up tonight.  The letter of the week is P.

Each week we try to brainstorm new songs based on facts we learn.  These are two songs we been working on.

Arctic Fox tune of Twinkle, Twinkle
Arctic Fox walking on the snow
following where the polar bear goes
In the winter its fur is white
in the summer its fur is brown
Arctic Fox walking on the ground
eating the berries it has found

Penguins  tune of I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little penguin black and white
Waddling and sliding with all my might
I have heavy flippers to help me swim
And a beak to catch food in