Cloverbuds and a Quilt

My school has 2 kindergarten and 2 first grade classes. both first grade teachers are new to the grade this year. So the 2 kindergarten teachers tell us what to do (in a good and loving way).

One of the subjects in our school is Ag. We try so hard to make Ag current in everything. And one way we do that is with Cloverbuds (the pre to 4-H).

Our group meets during the school day. The first Wednesday of each month. From 8:30-10:30. It really is fun. With 4 teachers, we have 4 rotations: Cooking (either granola or with the crop of the month), Nutrition (with crop of the month), Crop of the month, and Pigs/cattle.

I am in charge of crop of the month. Really a good job. Teach the life cycle of the crop. September was apples (easy--so much on TPT to help), and October was pumpkins (thanks again TPT).

So, how does this work in real life?

All 80 kids meet in a Kindergarten room to say the 4-H pledge, then we split into groups and teach each lesson 4 times.

Here was my lesson:

Teach the life cycle of the pumpkin.

Then we compared and contrasted with pumpkin and apple.

Next, I reviewed the pumpkin's life cycle and let them make a book about the life cycle. They took the book home and can color the books there.

What were the other rotations doing?

1. Talking about the granola they will make (our group sells granola throughout the year, and we use that money for a field trip to Wichita in the spring).

2. Talking about and learning about pigs. (Sorry, no picture available.)

3. Playing a nutrition game on the SmartBoard.

I have been planning waaaaay too much to get done every day. Boohoo. There is so much to cover. I did not want to give them a recess at 10:30, but decided that we all needed a bit of freedom and fresh air.

There was just enough time to do calendar before sending them to lunch.

Our math lesson was putting together the quilt for the month. Boy howdy, it went better than last month. And I was all alone with 22 perfect little cutters. I went step by step, they were hard workers, and only 3 needed assistance getting the triangles on the square! I showed them how to look at their square and my model to decide how the triangle should go. They really stepped up to the plate on it and did their best work. Hip, Hip Hooray!

I almost ran out and got my principal to come and see them working! It was a first grade miracle and I wanted her to know about it. But I didn't. Maybe next time. Or maybe I can just keep this miracle to myself. Or maybe it will happen again.

My firsties were so excited to see this quilt hanging on the wall when they came back from music. I will put a portion of the September quilt on the wall somewhere (not sure where just yet).