Looking for Spring with Kindergarten

In my lesson plans for today we were going to compare fiction and nonfiction books. Well, today was a beautiful day, and sometimes plans have to change! I had just unpacked a box of books and found Finding Spring by Carin Berger.

I couldn't imagine reading this book to my kindergarten friends inside the library! Our library is upstairs and overlooks a courtyard area that was begging us to come read in it. So we headed outside today, armed with this book and a couple of iPads. Recently I read that teachers should equip the students to document the learning, so I handed iPads to a couple of students & even gave one my phone. As we went outside, students were instructed to find signs of spring and take pictures. 

We gathered at a bench and read all about Maurice, a baby bear, who is anxious to experience his first spring. Unfortunately, it is winter and Mama Bear is already for hibernation. Maurice decides to go out and try to find spring. This book gave us a good opportunity to talk about seasons, animal habits, and even evaporation. 

It was so much fun watching these students eagerly search for signs of spring and then call for friends to come take a picture. Here are some of their great shots! Happy Spring!