Kindergarten explored the respiratory system last week as part of our Human Body science study. Did you know that your lungs are like two bunches of grapes? The big stem is like your trachea (where the air comes in), the branches are like the bronchi and bronchioles that branch out into your lungs, and the grapes on the end represent your alveoli (air sacks). After comparing our diagram to the grapes, we had fun sampling the “lungs” to see how they tasted! The lungs perform an important function of bringing oxygen to your entire body!

 

Did you know that your body is breathing all of the time, without having to think about it? Your body performs this function automatically, but you can also control your breathing when you want to as well. How hard can you blow all of the air to of your lungs? How slowly? Kindergarten experimented with this concept using cotton balls, straws, party favors, and different breathing techniques. We explored different strategies that worked well for moving the cotton ball fast, slow, with more control to keep it within the lines, and using different ideas (such as putting up your arms or blocks to help better channel air flow. Some found the straw to be a better strategy for pushing the cotton ball further in one breath. Others used lots of quick short breaths, and changed the position of their head when blowing on the cotton ball to manipulate its movement/direction.  It was great to see all of their ideas sprouting and their eagerness to put their ideas in action! Go Kindergarten!

 

 

Using party favors, Kindergarten explored taking fast quick breaths, and slow steady breaths. How fast can you make the party favor work? How slowly can you make it unfurl? How does your body feel when you breath fast? Slowly? We also practiced taking big deep calming breaths (“yoga breaths”) by breathing in through our nose, and out through our mouth slow and steady. This is a great technique for helping your body to feel calm!

Quotes from MLK Jr. Many choose to spend this day as a day of service to others, in honor of MLK Jr and his message of peace and love.

“Intelligence plus character– that is the goal of true education.”

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

“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 if their character.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best if us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

 

(note: There are a few commercials, but after a few seconds you can skip the add.)

A fun look at what happens to your food after you eat it! Enjoy!

As part of our Human Body Unit we are learning all about our skeleton! Did you know there are 206 bones in the human body?? Do you know where the biggest bone in your body is? How about the smallest?? What do you call the bones in your fingers and toes?? Your child will know! Before break we explored many of the bones that make up the skeleton and looked at a large life-sized plaster skeleton in the classroom!  We even learned how to boogie to a skeleton dance! I have attached the video from YouTube below so students may share this song with you.

As we identified various bones on the skeleton, we tried to see if we could feel those bones on our own bodies as well.

Some students shared their experiences with having x-rays taken and many children shared seeing what their teeth looked like in X-rays from the dentist office. If students have X-rays at home they would like to bring in and share, they are welcome to! We would love to see them!

We also looked at real x-ray slides of human bones, and even animal bones! Kindergarten did a great job of guessing which animals the x-rays belonged to!

So keep asking great questions K and we will keep exploring to find the answers!! Stay tuned for more to come!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break! I am looking forward to seeing everyone again in the new year and hearing about all of the fun that was had over break!  Kindergarten will be continuing our study of the human body! We will pick up where we left off- learning all about muscles! This week we will also explore healthy eating habits, food groups, and ways to stay active in the winter. Next week… the digestive system!

This January Kindergarten will also be setting some new social goals. We will be working on strategies for patience and turn taking, teamwork, and battling the winter fidgets! We will also revisit our earlier conversations from our diversity unit around respect, what it means, and what respectful behavior looks like in action!

This week is predicted to bring some colder weather! Please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate layers, and label clothing items with a name. We have 2-3 snow pants (of blue or black color) in our classroom that have gone “unclaimed” by students in the class. Please let me know if your child is missing snow pants and I will do my best to return them to their rightful owners! Extra socks and mittens are also highly suggested this time of year! Thank you!