Happy Friday, Kindergarten Families!
We've had another terrific week working together, and practicing our school routines! Please be sure to check binders this weekend...there are LOTS of things in there for you!
*Our first book order is due next Friday. You could order books by sending in a check (make payable to Scholastic Reading Club), or order online. Visit scholastic.com/readingclub, and enter our class activation code: GT7MW. When you order books, our class receives points to use towards ordering books, CDs, and hands-on games and activities. Ordering is optional of course, and no order is too small! Book orders will come home each month.
*Ms. Blake, our P.E. teacher, has a note for you about our Kindergarten P.E. traveling bags, which will start coming home next week. It will take quite a few weeks for the bags to travel through the whole class, but they look like LOTS of fun!
*Be sure to take out the papers in the front pocket of the binder, and look for a happy note! If you have a happy note, please take a second to read it to your child to reinforce the good news that I'm sharing with you. (I tell the children to look for happy notes, but I don't always have time to read them to the children, and they'll want to know what the notes say.)
*Be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby or backpack. We had a situation today where those sure came in handy! I appreciate your helping us be proactive! (Accidents of any kind are much easier when children have their own clothes to change into, and don't have to try to borrow from the nurse.)
*Look for the math "Feed the Frog" game. Please play this game with your child this weekend, and keep it to practice with again another day. There is a direction page to explain how to play.
*THANK YOU for all that you do at home! I am so very impressed with the reading that I see, and with the way that the children come into the classroom each day, ready to learn! Your guidance and support is obvious, and I love it!
*Our first book order is due next Friday. You could order books by sending in a check (make payable to Scholastic Reading Club), or order online. Visit scholastic.com/readingclub, and enter our class activation code: GT7MW. When you order books, our class receives points to use towards ordering books, CDs, and hands-on games and activities. Ordering is optional of course, and no order is too small! Book orders will come home each month.
*Ms. Blake, our P.E. teacher, has a note for you about our Kindergarten P.E. traveling bags, which will start coming home next week. It will take quite a few weeks for the bags to travel through the whole class, but they look like LOTS of fun!
*Be sure to take out the papers in the front pocket of the binder, and look for a happy note! If you have a happy note, please take a second to read it to your child to reinforce the good news that I'm sharing with you. (I tell the children to look for happy notes, but I don't always have time to read them to the children, and they'll want to know what the notes say.)
*Be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby or backpack. We had a situation today where those sure came in handy! I appreciate your helping us be proactive! (Accidents of any kind are much easier when children have their own clothes to change into, and don't have to try to borrow from the nurse.)
*Look for the math "Feed the Frog" game. Please play this game with your child this weekend, and keep it to practice with again another day. There is a direction page to explain how to play.
*THANK YOU for all that you do at home! I am so very impressed with the reading that I see, and with the way that the children come into the classroom each day, ready to learn! Your guidance and support is obvious, and I love it!
Kindergarten Weekly Report
September 11, 2014
ABC's and 123's:
Reading: We're learning all about how letters and words work together. Our approach to reading is whole-part-whole (look at the big picture, pull out a detail to learn all about, and then look at the big picture again, but in a new way.) In our letter work, we have focused on I, J, K, and L this week. Some friends are focusing more on letter names and telling letters apart, while others are building their skill with using letter sounds. We're all practicing our handwriting as we learn each new letter. We're locating our sight words (the, see, I, a) in the books that we read together. As we read different types of books, we're discovering differences between fiction and non-fiction! We've read some terrific books about frogs this week: Better Move On, Frog, and Froggy Gets Dressed. After reading those fictional stories, we talked about how fiction frogs are different than non-fiction frogs. The boys and girls made frog puppets today, and we tried to make them realistic. Then we used them for a new math game!
Writing: During Writer's Workshop, the children are working on telling a story that really happened to them. We know that writers write with pictures and words. Some friends are working to stretch words to write down the sounds they hear, and others are working on putting as many details as they can into their pictures. On Friday, we used the words we know to write "I See" books. These are in binders this weekend.
Writing: During Writer's Workshop, the children are working on telling a story that really happened to them. We know that writers write with pictures and words. Some friends are working to stretch words to write down the sounds they hear, and others are working on putting as many details as they can into their pictures. On Friday, we used the words we know to write "I See" books. These are in binders this weekend.
Math: We're becoming sorting experts! The Peeps are able to sort by color, shape, and size! We're learning shape names, and practicing following directions. All of the manipulatives that we're learning how to use will be part of our Math Workshop stations. This week, we focused on "math talk." We compared quantities, and learned the word "quantity." (Quantity tells how much of something you have.) When we compare, we are using the words "most," "least," and "equal." It's fun to work with partners as we explore math manipulatives! We are also working on recognizing numbers from 1-10, even when they are all mixed up.
At home, you can practice sorting skills by sorting buttons, coins, or other household objects by shape, color, and size. Look for numbers in the world all around you, and point them out to your child. Practice "reading license plates." This is such a great way to practice identifying numbers and letters!
Social Studies: We've been working hard on our "School Rules" books...we're getting close to the end, and the children are eager to bring these home to read with you. We learned a new habit this week, too! Put First Things First is a way to think about how to do the things you have to do. Sometimes it's tricky...it's easier to do things that you want to do, instead of doing what needs to be done first.
Social Studies: We've been working hard on our "School Rules" books...we're getting close to the end, and the children are eager to bring these home to read with you. We learned a new habit this week, too! Put First Things First is a way to think about how to do the things you have to do. Sometimes it's tricky...it's easier to do things that you want to do, instead of doing what needs to be done first.
"Free Choice" Center Time: I am really excited about the way that the Peeps are learning to manage their center time with their menus! We started recording our center time choices in menus this week. You will notice that there are only three squares available for each center on the menu. That means that the children have to choose carefully! If they pick the same center every day, they'll "fill up" and not be able to go to that center at the end of the week. When you plan ahead and begin with the end in mind, you can make sure that you get to visit your favorite centers throughout the week. Look at your child's center menu and discuss their choices for the week. See what they can tell you about the center activities that they are doing.
A Peek at Next Week:
Monday: B Day
Tuesday: C Day
Wednesday: No Letter Day/Early Release Day (dismissal at 1:40)/Show and Tell
(*Peeps may bring something small to show and tell about. It will help if you practice with your child, so they know what to say when they get their item out to share. Encourage good judgement when choosing an item...nothing extremely valuable, or easily broken please.)
On Wednesday, the children will also meet their Long School small-group "family." Families are replacing our traditional buddy classes this year, and we are really excited about it! More information will be coming home about this soon
Thursday: D Day
(*Peeps may bring something small to show and tell about. It will help if you practice with your child, so they know what to say when they get their item out to share. Encourage good judgement when choosing an item...nothing extremely valuable, or easily broken please.)
On Wednesday, the children will also meet their Long School small-group "family." Families are replacing our traditional buddy classes this year, and we are really excited about it! More information will be coming home about this soon
Thursday: D Day
Friday: E Day/Scholastic Book Order due in class or online by 4:00
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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