Kindergarten: Destination Antarctica, Hello Penguins
When they returned from winter break, students in Helen Valiant’s Kindergarten class landed on Antarctica – virtually of course. They learned that the frozen ecosystem is home to at least seven different types of penguins, including Adelie, Emperor, Gentoo and Macaroni among others.
“Students participated in an ‘academic choice,’ a Responsive Classroom practice, in which they had the opportunity to select the type of penguin they wanted to measure, draw and create,“ said Mrs. Valiant. “Students then worked in partnerships or groups of three to create their chosen species of penguin.”
The lessons about penguins incorporated several educational disciplines, including fine motor skills, oral language, social studies and math. As they began to fashion their life size creations, the children were surprised to learn, for example, that the Emperor penguin is about the same size as a kindergartener!
After their projects were completed, students used math language to compare and contrast the different heights of the penguins to other penguins, as well as to themselves, using words like “taller than,” “shorter than” and “the same height as.”
Not only did Kindergarten students make works of art, some that were as big as them, but they also learned about penguins and their habitat on a faraway continent, where 98 percent of the land is covered by ice.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
