I want to take a moment to wish you a happy holiday season! I am excited to have some time off to recharge and spend with my family, but I will miss your children!
We had a fun week this week. We loved making our gingerbread houses. Some of the candy didn't make it on the houses, I am not sure what happened. . .
In Reader's Workshop, we learned that books with patterns help us to predict what is going to happen next. "Predict" is a new word for us that you could reinforce at home. You can use that word during movies or television shows or to talk about what the weather will be like.
In math, we continue to work on measurement and comparing sets. We have used linker cubes to measure our feet. We compared the lengths of our names. We are also comparing the number of vowels and consonants in our names.
We have been talking a lot about vowels. We know that every word needs at least one vowel. Some kinders have realized that words with more syllables may have more vowels. One of our friends taught us a song about vowels. We have also talked about how y is a vowel when it sounds like i or e, but not when it makes the sound in yogurt.
On Friday, we made journals to write about our vacation. Encourage your child to sound out words to spell. In kindergarten, our spelling doesn't have to be perfect. Instead, we try to write a sound for each sound we hear in a word.
A great math activity for vacation is to set up a calendar with your child for the new year. You can fill in family birthdays, vacations, days off from school, etc..
In the new year, we could use more glue sticks, dry erase markers, and envelopes. Thank you for your support!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Catch Up!
I don't even know what week we are on anymore! We have had such a busy few weeks with Thanksgiving, report cards and parent conferences! Thank you for your attendance at conferences. For the first time since I can remember we had 100% of the families in my class attend conferences. Thank you for your support!
Please remember to send money in an envelope with your child's first and last name. It can be hectic in the morning, and I don't want anything to get lost.
We are in need of a few classroom supplies. We could use glue sticks, dry erase markers, and envelopes. Thank you so much!
Don't forget our Gingerbread House Decorating Party on December 19. We are asking for frosting, ice cream cones, graham crackers and candies.
In Reader's Workshop, we have been finding patterns in books. Patterns help us to figure out words we don't know and help us to sound like fluent readers. We will also find out that patterns help us to retell stories.
In Math, we are working on measuring objects (weight, height, length, and capacity). We are also comparing sets. For example, the students were given 6 firetrucks and 4 firemen. Each firetruck needed one fireman to drive it. Are there enough firemen? How many more do we need? You can do this at home when you are setting the table or playing with your child's toys.
We have lots of popcorn words that we can read: be, is, the, I see, a, you, no, yes, it, to, for, like, she, and, he, she, as. We have been talking about vowels and consonants.
We are reading lots of versions of the Gingerbread Man. Ask your child to tell you their favorite one. They may even be able to act it out!
We have finished our unit on identifying three dimensional shapes. If the students do not practice their vocabulary, they will forget. Candy comes in lots of shapes, as you are shopping for the gingerbread houses, help your child to find cylinders (marshmallows), spheres (gum balls), cones (ice cream cones), cubes (sugar cubes), and rectangular prisms (fun size candy bars).
The students have been really into writing books. Help your child to use popcorn words to write their own books. They could write a book about the Christmas tree that has the pattern I see a. . .. Then, they can illustrate it.
Enjoy the rest of your week! Stay warm this weekend!
Please remember to send money in an envelope with your child's first and last name. It can be hectic in the morning, and I don't want anything to get lost.
We are in need of a few classroom supplies. We could use glue sticks, dry erase markers, and envelopes. Thank you so much!
Don't forget our Gingerbread House Decorating Party on December 19. We are asking for frosting, ice cream cones, graham crackers and candies.
In Reader's Workshop, we have been finding patterns in books. Patterns help us to figure out words we don't know and help us to sound like fluent readers. We will also find out that patterns help us to retell stories.
In Math, we are working on measuring objects (weight, height, length, and capacity). We are also comparing sets. For example, the students were given 6 firetrucks and 4 firemen. Each firetruck needed one fireman to drive it. Are there enough firemen? How many more do we need? You can do this at home when you are setting the table or playing with your child's toys.
We have lots of popcorn words that we can read: be, is, the, I see, a, you, no, yes, it, to, for, like, she, and, he, she, as. We have been talking about vowels and consonants.
We are reading lots of versions of the Gingerbread Man. Ask your child to tell you their favorite one. They may even be able to act it out!
We have finished our unit on identifying three dimensional shapes. If the students do not practice their vocabulary, they will forget. Candy comes in lots of shapes, as you are shopping for the gingerbread houses, help your child to find cylinders (marshmallows), spheres (gum balls), cones (ice cream cones), cubes (sugar cubes), and rectangular prisms (fun size candy bars).
The students have been really into writing books. Help your child to use popcorn words to write their own books. They could write a book about the Christmas tree that has the pattern I see a. . .. Then, they can illustrate it.
Enjoy the rest of your week! Stay warm this weekend!
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Week 12
This is one of my favorite weeks. We have been learning about owls! Now that we have learned lots of facts, we will be writing an owl shaped book. We have learned some new vocabulary like nocturnal and talons.
In math we started measurement. We know that we can answer questions like which is longer, which is heavier, which is warmer, and which holds more. We read the story Measuring Penny which is about a girl who measures her dog for her homework assignment. We drew our own dogs (which look great!) and measured them using linker cubes. Another story that was a big hit was Long, Longer, Longest: A Book About Snakes. It is NOT my favorite, but the kindergarteners loved it!
In Reader's Workshop, we reviewed some strategies for reading words. We can read words fast (our popcorn words). We can use the picture to figure out new words. We can use the first letter to figure out a word. We had lots of practice with this in our independent reading and EEKK reading time.
We got an exciting announcement this week-we can take home our library books! The kindergarteners are so excited to be able to bring home their books and share them with you. Here are some questions you can ask your child as you read the book together:
The Get Active Get Fit challenge is coming to a close. Please be sure to return it so that we have a chance to win a Disney Dance Party and playground equipment.
Grades close November 22. Report cards go home December 4. Parent conference day is December 5. If you signed up for a conference, you should have gotten an appointment time. I will send home a reminder the week of conferences. If you can't make your appointment time, call the school and leave a message! I will try my best to keep our conferences running on time!
Have a great weekend!
In math we started measurement. We know that we can answer questions like which is longer, which is heavier, which is warmer, and which holds more. We read the story Measuring Penny which is about a girl who measures her dog for her homework assignment. We drew our own dogs (which look great!) and measured them using linker cubes. Another story that was a big hit was Long, Longer, Longest: A Book About Snakes. It is NOT my favorite, but the kindergarteners loved it!
In Reader's Workshop, we reviewed some strategies for reading words. We can read words fast (our popcorn words). We can use the picture to figure out new words. We can use the first letter to figure out a word. We had lots of practice with this in our independent reading and EEKK reading time.
We got an exciting announcement this week-we can take home our library books! The kindergarteners are so excited to be able to bring home their books and share them with you. Here are some questions you can ask your child as you read the book together:
Is it an informational text or a literary text?
Who are the characters? What are the characters like?
What is the setting?
Why did you pick this book?
Do you see any popcorn words?
What would you like to share about this book? (My favorite part, This is cool, I didn't know that, That happened to me)
The Get Active Get Fit challenge is coming to a close. Please be sure to return it so that we have a chance to win a Disney Dance Party and playground equipment.
Grades close November 22. Report cards go home December 4. Parent conference day is December 5. If you signed up for a conference, you should have gotten an appointment time. I will send home a reminder the week of conferences. If you can't make your appointment time, call the school and leave a message! I will try my best to keep our conferences running on time!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, November 8, 2013
Week 11
We celebrated the 50th day of school this week! We compared clothes, toys, cars, restaurants, books, music, and more from today to the 1950s. The students chewed bubble gum, played with Mr. Potato Head, built with Play-Doh, wrote numbers to 50, and raced to 50 on a game board. The kids who dressed up looked adorable!
We are talking about setting in Reader's Workshop. We have learned that the setting is where the story happens, different stories have different settings, illustrations can tell us the settings, and that the setting can change in a story. We used the story Little Red Riding Hood to help us with this concept. It has been tricky for some students to tell where the story happens because they are so used to telling what is happening. You can practice this with your child during read alouds at home. If you watch a television program or movie, you can talk about the setting too. It is important for students to realize that not all books have settings. For example, an informational text about shapes does not have a setting.
We added the word like to our Popcorn Word Wall. We practiced writing the letter Bb and producing the sound it makes.
We have been working with 3 dimensional shapes in math. We have been identifying them, finding them in the environment, and playing games with them. I would like to have a "Shape Museum" next week so if you have any objects that are cones, cubes, rectangular prisms, spheres, or cylinders that you would like to donate, I would appreciate it.
We have been talking about Veterans Day this week too. We read a book and made cards for my mom to deliver at the VA. We also made soldiers to display in the hallway.
I put a conference sign up sheet in your child's folder on Friday. Please return it as soon as possible to get your preferred time. I know that the 4-6:30 slot usually fills up fast. I can also add some 8:00 am slots during that week if that works better for your schedule, just add a note.
Have a great weekend! Remember there is no school on Monday!
We are talking about setting in Reader's Workshop. We have learned that the setting is where the story happens, different stories have different settings, illustrations can tell us the settings, and that the setting can change in a story. We used the story Little Red Riding Hood to help us with this concept. It has been tricky for some students to tell where the story happens because they are so used to telling what is happening. You can practice this with your child during read alouds at home. If you watch a television program or movie, you can talk about the setting too. It is important for students to realize that not all books have settings. For example, an informational text about shapes does not have a setting.
We added the word like to our Popcorn Word Wall. We practiced writing the letter Bb and producing the sound it makes.
We have been working with 3 dimensional shapes in math. We have been identifying them, finding them in the environment, and playing games with them. I would like to have a "Shape Museum" next week so if you have any objects that are cones, cubes, rectangular prisms, spheres, or cylinders that you would like to donate, I would appreciate it.
We have been talking about Veterans Day this week too. We read a book and made cards for my mom to deliver at the VA. We also made soldiers to display in the hallway.
I put a conference sign up sheet in your child's folder on Friday. Please return it as soon as possible to get your preferred time. I know that the 4-6:30 slot usually fills up fast. I can also add some 8:00 am slots during that week if that works better for your schedule, just add a note.
Have a great weekend! Remember there is no school on Monday!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Weeks 9 and 10
Happy Halloween! I am proud to say we were still able to accomplish a lot with the excitement of Halloween brewing in the air.
In Reader's Workshop, we have been focusing on characters. We learned that characters can talk and authors show dialogue by using quotation marks and speech bubbles. We can describe characters and compare characters from the same book. It is also important to use characters' names when we retell a story. We did a lot of work with the stories Chicken Little and Stellaluna. Our focus will be shifting toward the setting of a story.
In Math, we have begun to look at 2 dimensional shapes. We have studied circles, squares, rhombuses, rectangles, trapezoids, ovals, hexagons, ovals, and triangles. It is important for your child to be able to find these shapes in their environment. Take your child on a shape hunt. The park is a great place for this! You can document your finds with photographs.
Next Thursday, November 7, will be our fiftieth day of school. To celebrate, we will be dressing up in 1950's outfits. Please don't go out and buy anything. Girls can wear skirts (I cut a poodle out of felt and pinned it to my skirt) and pony tails. Boys can wear jeans and white t-shirts. If you are looking for ideas, do a google image search of the 50th day of school. Lots of teachers have posted pictures of their classes.
Don't forget to fill out the Get Active, Get Fit paperwork. We can win a Disney Dance party for our school just by participating. I know that the kindergarteners are active every school day!
Thank you for returning the progress reports and goal sheets.
There will be no school on November 11 in observance of Veteran's Day.
In Reader's Workshop, we have been focusing on characters. We learned that characters can talk and authors show dialogue by using quotation marks and speech bubbles. We can describe characters and compare characters from the same book. It is also important to use characters' names when we retell a story. We did a lot of work with the stories Chicken Little and Stellaluna. Our focus will be shifting toward the setting of a story.
In Math, we have begun to look at 2 dimensional shapes. We have studied circles, squares, rhombuses, rectangles, trapezoids, ovals, hexagons, ovals, and triangles. It is important for your child to be able to find these shapes in their environment. Take your child on a shape hunt. The park is a great place for this! You can document your finds with photographs.
Next Thursday, November 7, will be our fiftieth day of school. To celebrate, we will be dressing up in 1950's outfits. Please don't go out and buy anything. Girls can wear skirts (I cut a poodle out of felt and pinned it to my skirt) and pony tails. Boys can wear jeans and white t-shirts. If you are looking for ideas, do a google image search of the 50th day of school. Lots of teachers have posted pictures of their classes.
Don't forget to fill out the Get Active, Get Fit paperwork. We can win a Disney Dance party for our school just by participating. I know that the kindergarteners are active every school day!
Thank you for returning the progress reports and goal sheets.
There will be no school on November 11 in observance of Veteran's Day.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Week 8
Thank you for the quick responses for our Halloween Party. We have enough treats to make a special snack for the children. If you wanted to volunteer an item, don't worry we will have a special Christmas project and a Valentine's Day Party too! We do not dress up in our costumes for the party. It takes a long time to get the children changed, and I don't want anyone to lose any pieces.
This week we started talking about pumpkins. We read Pumpkin, Pumpkin to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin. We read a Let's Find Out! magazine also. We also read some fictional stories like Spookley The Square Pumpkin.
In Reader's Workshop we talked about retelling a story. The story we used was Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. We used a chart to help us remember what happened, we looked at pictures, and we also acted it out with props. I loved watching the students use different voices for the characters and remember all the details. Ask your child to retell the story for you. You can also do it with stories at home using dolls, puppets, or make your own characters using paper. The more chances students have to retell, the better their comprehension will be.
We are going to start using Words Their Way to help students with phonics skills. The students completed a spelling inventory this week. I used the inventory to sort students into groups to work on skills like letter identification, beginning sound, final sound, medial vowel sound, and consonant digraphs. Each week, your child will be focusing on a particular skill and given opportunities to practice the skill each day. At the end of the week, we will check their progress.
In math, we continued to work on counting on. I also assessed the students on adding one more object to a group. The goal is for students to add one more and tell how many without recounting. I was happy with how the students did. We also used a scale to compare the weight of various objects to a small pumpkin. The students completed sorting activities using Halloween erasers, table scatter, and other small objects. At home you can sort with cereal pieces, cars, Littlest Pet Shop toys, etc.. Try to encourage your child to sort the same object in more than one way: color, size, and shape are just a few ideas.
This week's popcorn words are he and she. We talked about the letter Pp. Try going on a scavenger hunt to find things that start with p.
Progress Reports will go home next Friday. Have a great weekend!
This week we started talking about pumpkins. We read Pumpkin, Pumpkin to learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin. We read a Let's Find Out! magazine also. We also read some fictional stories like Spookley The Square Pumpkin.
In Reader's Workshop we talked about retelling a story. The story we used was Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. We used a chart to help us remember what happened, we looked at pictures, and we also acted it out with props. I loved watching the students use different voices for the characters and remember all the details. Ask your child to retell the story for you. You can also do it with stories at home using dolls, puppets, or make your own characters using paper. The more chances students have to retell, the better their comprehension will be.
We are going to start using Words Their Way to help students with phonics skills. The students completed a spelling inventory this week. I used the inventory to sort students into groups to work on skills like letter identification, beginning sound, final sound, medial vowel sound, and consonant digraphs. Each week, your child will be focusing on a particular skill and given opportunities to practice the skill each day. At the end of the week, we will check their progress.
In math, we continued to work on counting on. I also assessed the students on adding one more object to a group. The goal is for students to add one more and tell how many without recounting. I was happy with how the students did. We also used a scale to compare the weight of various objects to a small pumpkin. The students completed sorting activities using Halloween erasers, table scatter, and other small objects. At home you can sort with cereal pieces, cars, Littlest Pet Shop toys, etc.. Try to encourage your child to sort the same object in more than one way: color, size, and shape are just a few ideas.
This week's popcorn words are he and she. We talked about the letter Pp. Try going on a scavenger hunt to find things that start with p.
Progress Reports will go home next Friday. Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Week 7
This week was a busy week for me! The kindergarten team met with a Data Coach. We are grouping children to do some intervention work on letter naming and letter sounds. Please practice these skills at home too. You can look for letters on signs while you are driving or practice writing them in the tub with bubbles. It should be fun for you and your child! Of course reading to and with your child is the best thing you can do to help your child be successful.
We talked and read about community helpers this week. One of our favorite literary texts was Officer Buckle and Gloria. We read informational books about police officers, firefighters, and postal workers.
In Reader's Workshop, we learned how to use sticky notes to mark things to share with our EEKK (Elbow to Elbow, Knee to Knee) partner. We marked a favorite part, something cool, something we learned or a connection to something that happened to us. Sticky notes help us to remember what we found during independent reading.
In math we are working on the tricky concept of counting on. We played a game in which we put some counters in a cup and some on the side. The challenge was to find out how many in all without recounting. So if there were 5 counters in the cup and 2 on the side, we started counting at 5 to find the total. You can practice at home with toys. Say to your child, if there are 4 cars parked in the garage and 3 outside of the garage, how many are there in all?
Our popcorn word this week was you. Our popcorn words include I, is, the, you, yes, no, see, and a. Keep looking for the words in the reading you do. You can play games like Go Fish or Memory by writing the words on index cards. Make sure to make two sets! We talked about the letter E and the short sound it makes like in elbow. Your child can make an E collage by finding E and e in magazines and cutting them out to glue onto construction paper.
Progress reports will go out Friday, October 25. I am sending an email out to ask for goodies for our Halloween Party. It will be held on October 31 at 2:00. You are welcome to join us! I would love the help setting up and cleaning up our little feast!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Week 6
We finally made the applesauce! It was delicious! We used 16 small apples, 1/2 c sugar, sprinkle of cinnamon, and a cup of water. We let it cook in the crockpot on high all day, and tasted it at snack time. Most of the children really enjoyed it. If we let it cook longer, it would have been less chunky, but it was still great!
Our theme this week was Farms. We read both informational books like Farm Machines and Animals on the Farm, as well as literary texts like Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type and Mrs. Wishy Washy. This week during Reader's Workshop we talked about what we can share: a favorite part, something cool, something interesting we learned, or something that happened to me. Encourage your child to do this at home too!
In math we continue to work on number concepts to ten. We matched sets that are the same (a duck with 10 mud spots went in the tub with 10 bubbles). We played Fill the Chutes, by rolling a die and coloring the boxes until the muddy animal made it to the tub. We practiced counting on and will continue with that skill next week. I showed some tokens, covered them with my hand, and showed some more tokens. Students then had to determine how many tokens there were in all by counting on from the number covered up.
This week we finished the chapter book My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. It is the first story in a trilogy. If your child really enjoyed the story, the sequels would make great read alouds at home. I am sure they have them at the Derry Public Library.
Mrs. Herr sent home a form for Get Active, Get Fit. Through this program, our school has earned two really fun Disney Dance Parties and playground equipment for each grade level. It is very easy for you to help us with this activity. Each day, ask your child if he or she was active and check the box. During the school week we are active with our movement songs, recess, and P.E.. Many kids also walk home either from school or the bus stop.
Students who completed the September Reading Log earned a coupon for a personal pizza at Pizza Hut. The same prize will be given at the end of October for the October Reading Log.
Our Home-School Co-ordinator, Mrs. Taylor, has set up a book swap in the cafeteria. Children can bring in books from home to swap for "new to them" books. She gave each child a book to keep this week. At any point in the year, your child can swap books.
There will be no school for students next Friday, October 11 for a teacher workshop or on Monday, October 14 in observance of Columbus Day. Enjoy the long weekend with your little ones!
Our theme this week was Farms. We read both informational books like Farm Machines and Animals on the Farm, as well as literary texts like Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type and Mrs. Wishy Washy. This week during Reader's Workshop we talked about what we can share: a favorite part, something cool, something interesting we learned, or something that happened to me. Encourage your child to do this at home too!
In math we continue to work on number concepts to ten. We matched sets that are the same (a duck with 10 mud spots went in the tub with 10 bubbles). We played Fill the Chutes, by rolling a die and coloring the boxes until the muddy animal made it to the tub. We practiced counting on and will continue with that skill next week. I showed some tokens, covered them with my hand, and showed some more tokens. Students then had to determine how many tokens there were in all by counting on from the number covered up.
This week we finished the chapter book My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. It is the first story in a trilogy. If your child really enjoyed the story, the sequels would make great read alouds at home. I am sure they have them at the Derry Public Library.
Mrs. Herr sent home a form for Get Active, Get Fit. Through this program, our school has earned two really fun Disney Dance Parties and playground equipment for each grade level. It is very easy for you to help us with this activity. Each day, ask your child if he or she was active and check the box. During the school week we are active with our movement songs, recess, and P.E.. Many kids also walk home either from school or the bus stop.
Students who completed the September Reading Log earned a coupon for a personal pizza at Pizza Hut. The same prize will be given at the end of October for the October Reading Log.
Our Home-School Co-ordinator, Mrs. Taylor, has set up a book swap in the cafeteria. Children can bring in books from home to swap for "new to them" books. She gave each child a book to keep this week. At any point in the year, your child can swap books.
There will be no school for students next Friday, October 11 for a teacher workshop or on Monday, October 14 in observance of Columbus Day. Enjoy the long weekend with your little ones!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Week 5
I was so excited this week! Our stamina for independent reading is building! We have been reading for 10-15 minutes independently, but needing lots of support to stay on task. This week we introduced partner reading. Now we are reading for 15 minutes independently, followed by 15 minutes of EEKK (Elbow to Elbow, Knee to Knee) partner reading. The kindergarteners are needing less support to read the whole time, so I will be ready to start working with small groups and conducting reading conferences with all students!
Thank you to everyone who donated apples this week. We used the apples to conduct a taste test of red, green and yellow apples. Many students were surprised to find they really liked green and yellow apples too! We also used the apples to do apple prints for a project to go along with the book Ten Apples Up On Top. At a math center, students used classroom objects to find out what was heavier or lighter than an apple using a balance scale. We tried some apple chips and found that they were pretty tasty. Friday we hope to use the extra apples to make applesauce in a crockpot.
In math, we have been working on adding one more. Our goal is to add one more object to a group and know how many there are without recounting. We also tried taking one away. We continue to work on subitizing or recognizing how many is in a group without recounting (dice, dominoes). You can practice the skill of adding one more at home at dinner time. Ask, "How many chicken nuggets are on your plate?" "Here's one more. How many do you have now?" You can also make up stories during playtime. "There are 5 Littlest Pet Shop characters going for a walk. Oh, look, another friend is joining them. How many are there now?"
Our popcorn words this week are yes and no. We have been asking many yes or no questions and spelling the answer. We learned how to form the letter Ll and its sound. We had lollipops.
Book orders were sent home this week. They are due back October 11. You can order with a check sent to the school and made out to Scholastic. You can also order online with our class activation code GNNTW at www.scholastic.com. Look for the link to Reading Club.
Thank you to everyone who donated apples this week. We used the apples to conduct a taste test of red, green and yellow apples. Many students were surprised to find they really liked green and yellow apples too! We also used the apples to do apple prints for a project to go along with the book Ten Apples Up On Top. At a math center, students used classroom objects to find out what was heavier or lighter than an apple using a balance scale. We tried some apple chips and found that they were pretty tasty. Friday we hope to use the extra apples to make applesauce in a crockpot.
In math, we have been working on adding one more. Our goal is to add one more object to a group and know how many there are without recounting. We also tried taking one away. We continue to work on subitizing or recognizing how many is in a group without recounting (dice, dominoes). You can practice the skill of adding one more at home at dinner time. Ask, "How many chicken nuggets are on your plate?" "Here's one more. How many do you have now?" You can also make up stories during playtime. "There are 5 Littlest Pet Shop characters going for a walk. Oh, look, another friend is joining them. How many are there now?"
Our popcorn words this week are yes and no. We have been asking many yes or no questions and spelling the answer. We learned how to form the letter Ll and its sound. We had lollipops.
Book orders were sent home this week. They are due back October 11. You can order with a check sent to the school and made out to Scholastic. You can also order online with our class activation code GNNTW at www.scholastic.com. Look for the link to Reading Club.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Week 4
This week in Reader's Workshop we concentrated on concepts of print. We know that we read from left to right, top to bottom, and every page. We point to words as we read so that we don't miss any. We used the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to help us learn these skills. Pointing to the words is important for beginning readers who have memorized the texts. It helps them to learn the popcorn words. It helps students who are reading words too because it is important not to skip any words. We wrote our own version of Brown Bear also which will be coming home soon.
In math, we are learning to recognize groups without counting. We continue to work with ten frames, dominos, dice, and objects. We are working on correct number formation and beginning to look at number words. We will begin to talk about adding one more to a set of objects. Students will count or recognize that there are five objects in the group and add one more object. They will know that there are six objects without recounting. Although students are not expected to rote count to 100 until later in the year, we have started singing and dancing to songs that count to 100. The car is a great place to practice counting. To make it fun, you can do it in silly voices.
Just to review, we have talked about the letters Aa, Tt, Mm, and Dd. We are recognizing them, producing the sounds, and forming them. We are reading the popcorn words: I, is, the, and see. As we learn more popcorn words, you can play memory or Go Fish with the words. Another thing I have done is taken a Candy Land game and written popcorn words on the cards so that students read the words before moving their token. You can make a Tic-Tac-Toe board with letters or popcorn words in each space. Your child can name the letter, sound, or a word that begins with the letter before taking his or her turn.
We are looking for donations of glue sticks.
In math, we are learning to recognize groups without counting. We continue to work with ten frames, dominos, dice, and objects. We are working on correct number formation and beginning to look at number words. We will begin to talk about adding one more to a set of objects. Students will count or recognize that there are five objects in the group and add one more object. They will know that there are six objects without recounting. Although students are not expected to rote count to 100 until later in the year, we have started singing and dancing to songs that count to 100. The car is a great place to practice counting. To make it fun, you can do it in silly voices.
Just to review, we have talked about the letters Aa, Tt, Mm, and Dd. We are recognizing them, producing the sounds, and forming them. We are reading the popcorn words: I, is, the, and see. As we learn more popcorn words, you can play memory or Go Fish with the words. Another thing I have done is taken a Candy Land game and written popcorn words on the cards so that students read the words before moving their token. You can make a Tic-Tac-Toe board with letters or popcorn words in each space. Your child can name the letter, sound, or a word that begins with the letter before taking his or her turn.
We are looking for donations of glue sticks.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Week 3
This week we started filling our book bins for Independent Reading time. We chose books by looking at the cover and turning the pages inside to look for things that might interest us. When you are reading at home, you might want to share with your child how you picked a book (a favorite author or subject, required reading for classes or work, something you want to learn more about). It is important for children to see all the adults in their lives reading. Although the students don't often get to see me reading, I do share when I finish a book at home or show the cover of a book I am reading at school. If you are interested in reading more about reading aloud to children, I read a great book this summer called The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. The second half of the book contains lists of great books to read with your child. I checked, and the book is available at the Derry Public Library.
We are continuing to work on numbers within 10. Students will be able to show numbers to ten in multiple ways such as with drawings, numerals, and ten frames. They will be able to recognize how many in a group without counting. We play lots of games with dominos and dice to help the students practice these skills. You can play games at home to help your child with math skills and social skills like taking turns. Some games to consider are Chutes and Ladders, Yahtzee, Candy Land, Go Fish, Hi-Ho Cherrio, Caribou, Trouble, and Guess Who.
Reminder: Please put your child's FIRST and LAST name on an envelope or baggy containing money. Also write the purpose (i.e. popcorn, lunch, school store, book order, etc.). For our families who are new to Grinnell, you do not have to send in money for lunch or snack drink each day. You can prepay for as much as you want and it will be deposited to your child's account. The cafeteria can answer any questions about the balance on your child's account.
Say Cheese! I have had some questions about Picture Day, and it is September 24!
Finally, we are running low on glue sticks! We will also start using Post-It Notes in our Reader's Workshop. If you can donate Pos-Its or glue sticks we would appreciate it!
Finally, we are running low on glue sticks! We will also start using Post-It Notes in our Reader's Workshop. If you can donate Pos-Its or glue sticks we would appreciate it!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Week 2
Our second week is coming to a close! We are continuing to learn the routines of kindergarten. We are working on moving around the classroom safely by walking. We have had the chance to go to math and literacy centers, reader's workshop, and do whole class lessons.
Our "theme" this week was the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The students were given the opportunity to try coconut. We observed a whole coconut. We are also planning an experiment to find out if coconuts sink or float.
We practice the whole alphabet every day with fun songs. A popular one this week was "The Karate Alphabet." We also paid close attention to the letter Mm. Writing or forming letters can be tricky for kindergarteners. You can practice at home in fun ways! Go outside and write with chalk or in the dirt with a stick, spread shaving cream on a table and write the letters with your finger, use a wet paint brush on dark paper, finger paint, use a magna doodle, build the letter out of play dough, spread flour on a table and use your finger, or have your child "write" the letter on your back for you to guess. The best learning happens while kids are playing!
This week I was able to assess all the children to find out how high they can rote count and what numerals (to 30) they can recognize. By the end of kindergarten, we will all be able to count to 100 by ones, starting from a number other than one, and by tens. Often, kindergarteners go fast through the 12, 13, 14, 15 sequence and miss numbers. Students will also be able to recognize numerals to 20. The teens are often tricky. Kindergarteners often confuse 12 and 21. They sometimes call 14 forty, call 15 fifty, etc.. Practicing rote counting once a day is a great reinforcer. You can practice when taking a walk (count how many steps) or in the car. We like to practice using funny voices! To practice numeral recognition, point out numbers as you come across them-on the calendar, tv channels, exit signs while driving, and on the clock.
Free choice continues to be a favorite part of our day. It is such an important time for children to build friendships, increase their vocabulary, use their imaginations and more! The favorite centers this year are the computer and ipad, home living, dollhouse, puppet theater, cars, and play dough.
We are hoping to meet Mr. Marc of Adventures to Fitness Friday afternoon. It is a web based adventure that encourages children to use their imagination, learn about different cultures, and exercise. Hopefully the technology will cooperate! In the past, it has been a favorite activity!
I enjoyed seeing so many of you at Open House. If you were not able to attend, I sent home the email sign up sheet and a list of the math and reading units we are covering this year.
Just a reminder, please send money in an envelope labeled with your child's name and the purpose of the money.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Week 1
Wow! I can't believe the week is over. It flew by for us in kindergarten! We have been so busy learning each other's names and the routines of the classroom.
We have already written several class books. They will be on display at Open House! This week we have been working on the letter Aa and reading the word is. We have been sing a song to learn how to spell the word red. We also started singing "5 Little Monkeys."
This year our class is lucky enough to be piloting a new framework for reading called Readers Workshop. We have started learning the routines for this. It starts with a mini lesson, followed by independent reading time, and ending with a share time. I will continue to keep you updated on our progress!
We have already written several class books. They will be on display at Open House! This week we have been working on the letter Aa and reading the word is. We have been sing a song to learn how to spell the word red. We also started singing "5 Little Monkeys."
This year our class is lucky enough to be piloting a new framework for reading called Readers Workshop. We have started learning the routines for this. It starts with a mini lesson, followed by independent reading time, and ending with a share time. I will continue to keep you updated on our progress!
You should have gotten the Unified Arts schedule this week. Remember to have your child wear sneakers on Tuesdays. At this point in the year, library books will stay at school.
Thank you to everyone who donated items for our classroom. We have lots of supplies to get us started. As the year progresses, I will let you know when we need more glue sticks and tissues. Those are the items we use the most! Some children have brought in pencil cases with their own supplies, I have asked them to leave those at home.
Thank you for remember to send in a snack for your child each day. We sure do work up an appetite in kindergarten! If your child is going to need a drink at snack time, could you please remind him or her in the morning. We have been having trouble knowing whether or not they need a drink. Snack drinks are ordered by 9:00 even though we don't have snack until 2:00. While we are learning the routine, it can be a difficult concept to understand!
Don't forget. . .
No school: Friday, August 30
No school: Monday, September 2
Open House: Thursday, September 5 at 6:30 or 7:05
I am excited to work with you this year to help your child to learn! I look forward to seeing you at Open House where I will take you through a day in the life of a kindergartener!
I am excited to work with you this year to help your child to learn! I look forward to seeing you at Open House where I will take you through a day in the life of a kindergartener!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Welcome To Kindergarten!
I am so excited to be your child's kindergarten teacher this year! This blog will replace my weekly newsletter, and be updated on Thursday nights. You can subscribe to the blog so that you can get an email when I update. Add your email address on the side where it says, "Follow by Email."
Each week, I will give a math and literacy idea for you to try at home. I'll let you know what we have been studying and which skills we have been practicing. In addition, I will post upcoming events and things we might need for the classroom.
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