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| Chicka Chicka Pumpkin! |
Check out our class pumpkin creation. You can see this tonight at the Family Fun Festival, 9.30.2011
We did it!
We made it through our first week in kindergarten! After a restful weekend, your children dove right back into learning. In math, we are continuing to practice counting, focusing on one-to-one correspondence (counting one number for each item in a group). We have used many senses as we practice: listening to objects drop, feeling a classmate tap our back, and pointing as we look with our eyes. We also practiced counting backwards to zero. We have done many songs, poems, and art projects to practice this concept. Be sure to ask your child to sing you some of the songs we've learned in math: months of the year, days of the week, and the weather song are just a few. Ask your child what our special shape is this month (oval!). You can help at home by getting into a habit of counting. Count out the number of forks needed to set the table, the number of steps to the front door, how many books are on the shelf, etc...Your child will be receiving his/her first math homework tomorrow. Please look for a letter to explain the procedures.
In language arts we are practicing writing our names. I want the children to write an uppercase letter for the first letter of their name and lowercase letters for the rest. When writing first and last names, we are practicing making sure there is a space between the words. You can practice at home by writing your child's name and having him or her trace over it. You can call it "rainbow writing" and trace over it several times, with a new colored crayon each time.
We are also reading different genres of books, including ABC books, informational texts, and fables. We are discussing the difference between fiction and non-fiction and making predictions and connections as we read. We're practicing rhyming words, phonemic awareness with beginning sounds, opposites, and sequencing events in a nursery rhyme or story. The sight words we've learned so far are "I" and "can." We are also learning that there are three ways to read a book: read the words, retell the story, and read the pictures. How cool to learn that we can read the pictures in a book, not just the words! Try empowering your child by asking him/her to read a book to you. If it's one s/he is familiar with, have them retell the story. If not, have them read the pictures by looking at what's happening and telling you about it. Please continue to read with your child for at least 10 minutes a night and record the time on his/her reading calendar.
Last week, we started our "Name of the Day" lessons. First, we sort the letters in a child's name and then practice writing the name of the day and drawing the special classmate for a class book. This has been a fun activity that practices important skills such as letter recognition, classification, following directions, attention to detail, and sequencing steps just to name a few. Plus, we love getting to know our classmates!
A very important aspect of kindergarten is social skills. The children in our class are given opportunities to work cooperatively with others and play with all of the kindergarten kiddos at recess.In our class, we practice "a bug and a wish." When a problem occurs between two children, they say "It bugs me when you.... and I wish that you would...." It gives them a way to independently problem-solve and use words to work through conflicts. Currently, we are having a morning and afternoon recess as your children adjust to the full day of school. Please remember to send your child with appropriate clothing and label and jackets with his/her name.
Specials Schedule
Lunch~ Everyday at 10:20-10:50
Recess~ Everyday at 12:45-1:05
Tuesday IMC~11:55-12:40
Wednesday Art~ 1:15-2:00
Thursday Music &Movement~ 11:55-12:40
Friday Computer Lab~ 11:55-12:40
