I can't believe that October has come and gone and we are well into November now! It has really flown by as kids have been hard at work in the kindergarten classroom.
Veteran's Day was a huge success at Leawood. I was so proud of all the kids as they used their best listening skills during the assembly. I want to send a big THANK YOU to all the veteran's today for keeping us safe and free in this wonderful country!
In math, we have started to look at symmetry. Have your kids look for things in nature that are symmetrical and talk about what that means. We made symmetry paintings that will be out in the hallway for a couple weeks before going home. We have also started to look at number stories and how to use manipulatives, or our fingers, to help us figure out the answer to the stories. Kindergarteners also learned how to play Monster Squeeze as well as Roll and Record.
In writing, we continue to work on the descriptive genre with most kids doing two sentences now. Each week, I pick a topic that connects to our letters of the week and kids need to draw a picture, think of two describing words, then use those words in two sentences. We have been working hard on spaces between words and for sentences to start with a capital and end with punctuation.
In reading, we continue to work in small groups that meet all the children's needs. Some groups have been working hard on letter names and sounds, others have been working on decoding using pictures and initial sounds to help them. All groups have been working on retelling stories and working hard on remembering all the parts of the story so that we learn and grow from everything we read.
We have started doing two letters a week. This week are the letters D and S.
Keep up the good work Kindergarteners!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween Party on October 31st! All are welcome to join us! The school parade begins at 9:15, and our class party starts right after the parade finishes (roughly 9:30). The party goes until 10:40. Have kids come dressed in their costumes and a change of clothes in their backpacks. After the party we will have them change and watch a fun movie!
Next week, be looking for a form in the Friday folders for an eye screening! This is a great, and free service, so take advantage of it! It's a more in depth screening than the normal one provided later this year. Read the flier for more details.
In reading, we have been working on using the initial sound and picture cues to help us decode words. We have also been stretching out the word, like bubble gum, to hear all the sounds. Use these strategies at home to help your child decode words. Next week, we will begin to teach two letters a week, so there will be slightly more letter formation work.
In writing, we continue to work on the descriptive genre. I give the kids a topic connected to our letter of the week, and the kids think of one describing word to fit the picture. They then use this word in a sentence. Our main targets have been spaces between words, and sentences start with a capital and end with a period. Remind your child at home if you see them forget to do these things when they write. Next week, we will be doing two describing words and two sentences!
In Science, we have been talking about our five senses. We read books about the senses and are learning how our ears, tongue, eyes, skin, and nose work. Cool! This will help them think of more creative words in their writing and to be more aware of their worlds.
Thanks to all who came to conferences! It was so great to be able to sit down and really touch base about your child. As always, please let me know if you have questions or concerns! :)
Next week, be looking for a form in the Friday folders for an eye screening! This is a great, and free service, so take advantage of it! It's a more in depth screening than the normal one provided later this year. Read the flier for more details.
In reading, we have been working on using the initial sound and picture cues to help us decode words. We have also been stretching out the word, like bubble gum, to hear all the sounds. Use these strategies at home to help your child decode words. Next week, we will begin to teach two letters a week, so there will be slightly more letter formation work.
In writing, we continue to work on the descriptive genre. I give the kids a topic connected to our letter of the week, and the kids think of one describing word to fit the picture. They then use this word in a sentence. Our main targets have been spaces between words, and sentences start with a capital and end with a period. Remind your child at home if you see them forget to do these things when they write. Next week, we will be doing two describing words and two sentences!
In Science, we have been talking about our five senses. We read books about the senses and are learning how our ears, tongue, eyes, skin, and nose work. Cool! This will help them think of more creative words in their writing and to be more aware of their worlds.
Thanks to all who came to conferences! It was so great to be able to sit down and really touch base about your child. As always, please let me know if you have questions or concerns! :)
Friday, September 30, 2011
September has flown by! This month was so much fun with all our apple work. We worked on the letters M and N these last two weeks and also the numbers 4 and 5. Have kids look for these around their house, out shopping, signs seen from the car, etc. Talk about what sounds they make. Kids will get excited when they see the letters and numbers they learn out in their world!
We will continue to work on letter names and sounds. If your child needs help with letter names, practice at home using flash cards. If your child can quickly and easily name the letters, upper and lowercase, work on letter sounds! We have begun to decode words in small reading groups, and the more practice kids get with the letters, the easier this process will be for them!
October conferences are coming up soon! Make sure you sign up for a time and date on the sheet outside the office!
Our whole class is working on better line behavior. Talk to your child about what a good line looks like and what they should be doing to help the line get better. I will be looking at good line kids for Pride Bucks!
**Kindergarten has a Delicious Page! Check out the Link List on this blog! The address is www.delicious.com/skellogg. Click on the Stacks Tab to see what stacks I have made!**
We will continue to work on letter names and sounds. If your child needs help with letter names, practice at home using flash cards. If your child can quickly and easily name the letters, upper and lowercase, work on letter sounds! We have begun to decode words in small reading groups, and the more practice kids get with the letters, the easier this process will be for them!
October conferences are coming up soon! Make sure you sign up for a time and date on the sheet outside the office!
Our whole class is working on better line behavior. Talk to your child about what a good line looks like and what they should be doing to help the line get better. I will be looking at good line kids for Pride Bucks!
**Kindergarten has a Delicious Page! Check out the Link List on this blog! The address is www.delicious.com/skellogg. Click on the Stacks Tab to see what stacks I have made!**
Friday, September 16, 2011
In kindergarten, we have been working very hard on having a positive outlook on school. Please talk to your child about how they can show respect, responsibility, and safety at school and at home. All the kids are learning how much work it takes to become a great kindergartener inside and outside of the classroom.
Please remember that there is NO supervision outside the school before 8:50. Please stay with your child until I come outside to take the line inside to make sure our kids are safe.
We have been working on the letters t, b, and f. We are working on the sounds these letters make, as well as how to write them properly. Any extra practice at home will help your child succeed in the classroom, so when you see these letters on a sign or around the house, point them out to your child. If your child is still struggling with the names of letters, please use flashcards at home. Do 3 letters a week and do not move on until your child can easily name the letters. For those kids who need an extra challenge, have them say the name and the sound of the letter. We will continue to introduce a letter a week.
Sight Word Reader books are going to start going home in Friday Folders. These are books that children practice reading with me in small group. They get a copy of the book to build their own library at home. They will assemble the first book with me, the rest will come in the folder as a sheet of paper that children will need to cut and staple (with your help) at home. These books are great for getting kids excited about reading, and to help them recognize those sight words!
Starting next week, we are going to start our Student of the Week program in the classroom. When your child is selected, they will get a letter and poster in their Friday Folder. They bring in the completed folder, and special items, to class for presenting to the rest of the class. Every child will get a chance to be a Student of the Week, so be on the lookout for this in your child's folder!
We are working on number sense in math. We have been talking about number formation, and what numbers mean/where we see them in our world. The class has been working on a Number Poem and a copy of this will go home soon!
Please remember that there is NO supervision outside the school before 8:50. Please stay with your child until I come outside to take the line inside to make sure our kids are safe.
We have been working on the letters t, b, and f. We are working on the sounds these letters make, as well as how to write them properly. Any extra practice at home will help your child succeed in the classroom, so when you see these letters on a sign or around the house, point them out to your child. If your child is still struggling with the names of letters, please use flashcards at home. Do 3 letters a week and do not move on until your child can easily name the letters. For those kids who need an extra challenge, have them say the name and the sound of the letter. We will continue to introduce a letter a week.
Sight Word Reader books are going to start going home in Friday Folders. These are books that children practice reading with me in small group. They get a copy of the book to build their own library at home. They will assemble the first book with me, the rest will come in the folder as a sheet of paper that children will need to cut and staple (with your help) at home. These books are great for getting kids excited about reading, and to help them recognize those sight words!
Starting next week, we are going to start our Student of the Week program in the classroom. When your child is selected, they will get a letter and poster in their Friday Folder. They bring in the completed folder, and special items, to class for presenting to the rest of the class. Every child will get a chance to be a Student of the Week, so be on the lookout for this in your child's folder!
We are working on number sense in math. We have been talking about number formation, and what numbers mean/where we see them in our world. The class has been working on a Number Poem and a copy of this will go home soon!
Friday, September 2, 2011
First Days in School
I am so excited to teach this 2011/2012 kindergarten class! We have such a great mix of students who are already growing into a community of learners. Thank you for all the parents who came to Curriculum Night! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! I am always available before and after school, and I also check my email and voicemail regularly.
What has our class been working on and what do our days look like? Right now we have been working on how to be a responsible, respectful, and safe student. I'm busy teaching our kids how to behave in school and when are the appropriate times to play/talk. Please talk to your students at home about how they should be acting in school so that we can work as a team to get our kids behaving great in class!
We have also been working on nursery rhymes for fluency and to really get kids excited about stories/reading. We will continue to work on nursery rhyme activities and hand gestures for kids to do while they say the nursery rhymes out loud. We have also been working on color words and cutting practice. We worked on pencil grip and how to properly hold scissors. All this takes TONS of practice! Please correct your child at home if you see them holding their scissors improperly or if they hold their pencil in a fist. The more you catch and correct, which is what I do in the classroom, the easier it will get for kids. Like I told a student in class who said it felt funny holding the pencil correctly, "It will take time for your hand to learn what it feels like to hold it right. The more you practice, the more your hand learns, and the less funny it will feel." :)
Looking ahead, we will be doing one letter and one number a week. This will build as time goes on and the classroom's skills get stronger. Eventually we will have two letters a week. Right now, we learned how to write a "t" and are working on what the number 1 looks like in pictures, word, and number. We want to build the kids' confidence in the classroom with successful and happy experiences and push them when they are ready to be pushed to their utmost potential!
September means different apple activities in the classroom. I will talk to kids about Johnny Appleseed, we will create apple books, and do many other activities with apples as our theme. After Labor Day weekend, we will begin our center work. Children will be in small groups in the class with kids who match in skills and I will begin to work with them in guided reading, shared reading, and writing in centers for our literacy block. We start with letters and letter sounds, build into how these letters make words, and then how words become sentences. We take it one step at a time with the goal for every child to be reading by the end of kindergarten.
Have a great long weekend! Next week, a behavior form will be stapled in every Friday Folder to let you know how your child has been performing in the classroom. The week after that, I will post a new blog.
What has our class been working on and what do our days look like? Right now we have been working on how to be a responsible, respectful, and safe student. I'm busy teaching our kids how to behave in school and when are the appropriate times to play/talk. Please talk to your students at home about how they should be acting in school so that we can work as a team to get our kids behaving great in class!
We have also been working on nursery rhymes for fluency and to really get kids excited about stories/reading. We will continue to work on nursery rhyme activities and hand gestures for kids to do while they say the nursery rhymes out loud. We have also been working on color words and cutting practice. We worked on pencil grip and how to properly hold scissors. All this takes TONS of practice! Please correct your child at home if you see them holding their scissors improperly or if they hold their pencil in a fist. The more you catch and correct, which is what I do in the classroom, the easier it will get for kids. Like I told a student in class who said it felt funny holding the pencil correctly, "It will take time for your hand to learn what it feels like to hold it right. The more you practice, the more your hand learns, and the less funny it will feel." :)
Looking ahead, we will be doing one letter and one number a week. This will build as time goes on and the classroom's skills get stronger. Eventually we will have two letters a week. Right now, we learned how to write a "t" and are working on what the number 1 looks like in pictures, word, and number. We want to build the kids' confidence in the classroom with successful and happy experiences and push them when they are ready to be pushed to their utmost potential!
September means different apple activities in the classroom. I will talk to kids about Johnny Appleseed, we will create apple books, and do many other activities with apples as our theme. After Labor Day weekend, we will begin our center work. Children will be in small groups in the class with kids who match in skills and I will begin to work with them in guided reading, shared reading, and writing in centers for our literacy block. We start with letters and letter sounds, build into how these letters make words, and then how words become sentences. We take it one step at a time with the goal for every child to be reading by the end of kindergarten.
Have a great long weekend! Next week, a behavior form will be stapled in every Friday Folder to let you know how your child has been performing in the classroom. The week after that, I will post a new blog.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Week of May 2-6
It's amazing how fast this year has flown! This last month is packed with activities. Please review the handout in the Friday Folders today to see notes about upcoming events.
This week in the classroom, we started to explore geometry in math by making shapes out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Kids loved this activity! This is a great activity to do at home if you're looking for something different for your child to do on a rainy day. We also learned a new math game. Kids worked in pairs and took turns rolling two dice. The child with the larger number got a marker. We practiced adding all the dots together, and also saying the number on one dice and adding the dots on the other to this number. For example, a child rolled a 3 and a 6. They say the bigger number then add the dots to this number. "6...7,8,9."
In reading, we have been looking closely at digraphs and vowel teams. When you see words at home that have these parts in words. We have also been talking about the endings of words like ing and r controlled vowels.
Writing this week we did a cold prompt on the topic butterfly. Kids had to write a descriptive piece about butterflies without teacher or friend assistance. This was very hard for the kids but they all did a nice job tapping out words. When they write at home, have them write words by putting a letter for every sound they hear. It actually helps them more to do this than to just tell them the spelling or to have them correct all the spelling mistakes they make when they sound out a word. Of course, sight words and words you can't easily tap out you can help them on if they get frustrated.
We still have many kids missing permission slips and money for the zoo! Our trip to the zoo is on May 16th, so get those in ASAP!
This week in the classroom, we started to explore geometry in math by making shapes out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Kids loved this activity! This is a great activity to do at home if you're looking for something different for your child to do on a rainy day. We also learned a new math game. Kids worked in pairs and took turns rolling two dice. The child with the larger number got a marker. We practiced adding all the dots together, and also saying the number on one dice and adding the dots on the other to this number. For example, a child rolled a 3 and a 6. They say the bigger number then add the dots to this number. "6...7,8,9."
In reading, we have been looking closely at digraphs and vowel teams. When you see words at home that have these parts in words. We have also been talking about the endings of words like ing and r controlled vowels.
Writing this week we did a cold prompt on the topic butterfly. Kids had to write a descriptive piece about butterflies without teacher or friend assistance. This was very hard for the kids but they all did a nice job tapping out words. When they write at home, have them write words by putting a letter for every sound they hear. It actually helps them more to do this than to just tell them the spelling or to have them correct all the spelling mistakes they make when they sound out a word. Of course, sight words and words you can't easily tap out you can help them on if they get frustrated.
We still have many kids missing permission slips and money for the zoo! Our trip to the zoo is on May 16th, so get those in ASAP!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Week of April 25-29
**Zoo field trip forms went out last Thursday, April 21. Our field trip is on May 16. The cost is $7.00 for students. This includes zoo admission and transportation on the bus. Kids leave for the zoo at 9:15 and will return to school at 2:00. After they get off the bus, they may go home. Get the permission slip and money in ASAP!**
We finished up our testing this week. Test results went home with kids on pink pieces of paper. I noticed that many kids need to work on pointing at the words and having their voice match what they are pointing. When they read at home and you see your kid saying a word that doesn't match what they are pointing at, please have them stop and look at the word, use decoding strats, then reread the sentence.
In math, we have started to explore fractions by looking at 1/2. Whenever you notice this fraction at home, be sure to point it out to your kid so that they get more familiar with what 1/2 means.
Next month we have a lot of fun events to wrap up the year! As mentioned above, our field trip is on May 16. This is a full day for the kids and they get picked up from school at 2:00. On May 24, we have our field day. All parents are encouraged to come and help/celebrate with us. We do a half day of Field Day and kids go home at the normal time (11:50). Money for Field Day T-Shirts are due by May 9th! May 31 is our class picnic as well as the last day of school. Report cards go home on this day.
We finished up our testing this week. Test results went home with kids on pink pieces of paper. I noticed that many kids need to work on pointing at the words and having their voice match what they are pointing. When they read at home and you see your kid saying a word that doesn't match what they are pointing at, please have them stop and look at the word, use decoding strats, then reread the sentence.
In math, we have started to explore fractions by looking at 1/2. Whenever you notice this fraction at home, be sure to point it out to your kid so that they get more familiar with what 1/2 means.
Next month we have a lot of fun events to wrap up the year! As mentioned above, our field trip is on May 16. This is a full day for the kids and they get picked up from school at 2:00. On May 24, we have our field day. All parents are encouraged to come and help/celebrate with us. We do a half day of Field Day and kids go home at the normal time (11:50). Money for Field Day T-Shirts are due by May 9th! May 31 is our class picnic as well as the last day of school. Report cards go home on this day.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Week of Apr. 11-15
**Assessment Times Posted Outside the Classroom Door. Please Sign Up ASAP!**
We had class and individual pictures! The kids looked very cute so I'm sure the pictures came out great. If you did not send an order form with kids on the picture day, they are accepting late forms until Monday.
In Fundations, we have been working on the middle sounds of words as well as practicing tapping out words. At home, have your child practice tapping out words that you see in books they are reading or around the house. Good words for this are CVC words, as well as words with digraphs, like chat. The digraph is one finger when tapping, because the two letters make one sound. They will need to be reminded about this.
In reading, we continue to work on comprehension strategies. All the kids need practice retelling stories and also picking up the main ideas of stories. Ask them for a retell or the main idea after they read at home. It's also good practice to ask for the characters and setting. You will probably need to remind them what these two words mean.
In math, we completed our introduction to the coins and are starting to practice money exchange. Kids counted pennies in their own bags then asked to exchange 10 pennies for a dime, or 5 pennies for a nickel. It's important for kids to practice counting at home and exchanging money so that this concept gets easier for them.
In writing, we returned to the descriptive genre. Kids described their shoes, shirt, and hair this week. We have been working on using different kinds of starts to sentences. For example, not to always say, "My hair is" as the start of a sentence. We also continue to work on spaces, capitals (where they belong), and punctuation.
We also did our BEAR test this week. This is the first standardized test these kids have taken, so it was very hard. They all did great and were very patient and quiet for the exam. When I have the results back from all the tests, I will send home a letter to let you know how your kid scored.
Have a great weekend!
We had class and individual pictures! The kids looked very cute so I'm sure the pictures came out great. If you did not send an order form with kids on the picture day, they are accepting late forms until Monday.
In Fundations, we have been working on the middle sounds of words as well as practicing tapping out words. At home, have your child practice tapping out words that you see in books they are reading or around the house. Good words for this are CVC words, as well as words with digraphs, like chat. The digraph is one finger when tapping, because the two letters make one sound. They will need to be reminded about this.
In reading, we continue to work on comprehension strategies. All the kids need practice retelling stories and also picking up the main ideas of stories. Ask them for a retell or the main idea after they read at home. It's also good practice to ask for the characters and setting. You will probably need to remind them what these two words mean.
In math, we completed our introduction to the coins and are starting to practice money exchange. Kids counted pennies in their own bags then asked to exchange 10 pennies for a dime, or 5 pennies for a nickel. It's important for kids to practice counting at home and exchanging money so that this concept gets easier for them.
In writing, we returned to the descriptive genre. Kids described their shoes, shirt, and hair this week. We have been working on using different kinds of starts to sentences. For example, not to always say, "My hair is" as the start of a sentence. We also continue to work on spaces, capitals (where they belong), and punctuation.
We also did our BEAR test this week. This is the first standardized test these kids have taken, so it was very hard. They all did great and were very patient and quiet for the exam. When I have the results back from all the tests, I will send home a letter to let you know how your kid scored.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Week of April 5-8
I hope you all had a very relaxing and enjoyable Spring Break!
As we proceed with kindergarten, we will continue to work on decoding strategies, fluency, and comprehension in reading. When your child reads at home, please have them try to decode unknown words using the tools we have been teaching them. Such as putting a sound for every letter (aka sound it out), chunk big words (cover up parts into more manageable pieces), use picture cues (what in the picture starts with the letter ___ etc.), say the first sound and slide into the last, and skip the unknown word and read the rest of the sentence then think what makes sense. The goal is for all the kids to become more independent readers. Usually, they will just need to be asked, "What can we do to figure this word out?" And they will try different decoding strategies above.
After they read a story, you can ask them what happened at the first, middle, and end parts. Also ask them what they think is the big idea or author's purpose to writing the story. This last question will be tough for all of the kids, but it's good to get them to start working on these critical thinking questions for first grade.
This week we also wrapped up "How To" writing. They covered many topics in this part of the writing program, such as "how to ride a bike," "how to fly a kite," "how to get ready for school," "how to eat a cupcake," and many other fun topics. Next week we will be returning to descriptive writing.
In math, we learned a more complex version of "Guess My Shape." In this game, I would give clues about a shape then they would have to guess that shape and what in the classroom has that shape. Clues I gave are number of sides or corners, if it's flat or 3D, if all sides are equal or if two are long, two are short, etc. This is a fun game to play in the car or at home! We also discussed the dime in depth then touched upon how many pennies you could exchange for a dime. Soon we will play a new game called Money Exchange, so have your kids practice thinking about exchanging money at home to make this game easier.
A Note About Assessments
On Friday, April 22, and Monday, April 25th, are two days set aside for end of the year assessments. On these days, children will not come to school as normal. They will come to the classroom only for the time slot that you signed up (sign up sheets are posted outside the classroom's door). Assessments being given on these days are DIBELS, DRA2, and Mondo Oral Language. Please come sign up ASAP so that you have the most selection of times to pick from!
As we proceed with kindergarten, we will continue to work on decoding strategies, fluency, and comprehension in reading. When your child reads at home, please have them try to decode unknown words using the tools we have been teaching them. Such as putting a sound for every letter (aka sound it out), chunk big words (cover up parts into more manageable pieces), use picture cues (what in the picture starts with the letter ___ etc.), say the first sound and slide into the last, and skip the unknown word and read the rest of the sentence then think what makes sense. The goal is for all the kids to become more independent readers. Usually, they will just need to be asked, "What can we do to figure this word out?" And they will try different decoding strategies above.
After they read a story, you can ask them what happened at the first, middle, and end parts. Also ask them what they think is the big idea or author's purpose to writing the story. This last question will be tough for all of the kids, but it's good to get them to start working on these critical thinking questions for first grade.
This week we also wrapped up "How To" writing. They covered many topics in this part of the writing program, such as "how to ride a bike," "how to fly a kite," "how to get ready for school," "how to eat a cupcake," and many other fun topics. Next week we will be returning to descriptive writing.
In math, we learned a more complex version of "Guess My Shape." In this game, I would give clues about a shape then they would have to guess that shape and what in the classroom has that shape. Clues I gave are number of sides or corners, if it's flat or 3D, if all sides are equal or if two are long, two are short, etc. This is a fun game to play in the car or at home! We also discussed the dime in depth then touched upon how many pennies you could exchange for a dime. Soon we will play a new game called Money Exchange, so have your kids practice thinking about exchanging money at home to make this game easier.
A Note About Assessments
On Friday, April 22, and Monday, April 25th, are two days set aside for end of the year assessments. On these days, children will not come to school as normal. They will come to the classroom only for the time slot that you signed up (sign up sheets are posted outside the classroom's door). Assessments being given on these days are DIBELS, DRA2, and Mondo Oral Language. Please come sign up ASAP so that you have the most selection of times to pick from!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Week of Mar. 14-18
This week in the classroom, kids worked on Bean Math. In this activity, kids shook little plastic objects we called "beans" in a cup then poured out onto their papers. They recorded the results by drawing and writing a number story to match. This helps kids work on addition skills as well as number sense. Many of these papers are coming back unfinished as I have the kids turn the cup over until they get different results. Have them show you with cereal or other objects how they do this at home to finish!
In Fundations, we continued to work on spelling by tapping out CVC words. We also played Guess My Word. In this game, I would say all the sounds in a word and kids would tell me the word. This helps kids work on blending. It's an easy game to play in the car or anywhere you and your child need a little literacy game.
In writing, kids continue to work on the How To writing genre. They wrote how to eat a cupcake and how to make cookies. Yum! I know their tasty stories made me and the kids hungry! They have also been writing books based on their How To stories then presenting to the class. These books are coming out so nicely! I will send them home soon as all the kids who want to present have done so.
In reading, we are working on comprehension skills like the author's message as well as retelling the story. Have them practice at home when they read so that this gets easier! We have also started to look closely at digraphs th, ch, wh, sh, and ck so that they will be ready for first grade when they work on these sounds more in depth.
In Fundations, we continued to work on spelling by tapping out CVC words. We also played Guess My Word. In this game, I would say all the sounds in a word and kids would tell me the word. This helps kids work on blending. It's an easy game to play in the car or anywhere you and your child need a little literacy game.
In writing, kids continue to work on the How To writing genre. They wrote how to eat a cupcake and how to make cookies. Yum! I know their tasty stories made me and the kids hungry! They have also been writing books based on their How To stories then presenting to the class. These books are coming out so nicely! I will send them home soon as all the kids who want to present have done so.
In reading, we are working on comprehension skills like the author's message as well as retelling the story. Have them practice at home when they read so that this gets easier! We have also started to look closely at digraphs th, ch, wh, sh, and ck so that they will be ready for first grade when they work on these sounds more in depth.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Week of Mar. 7-11
This week in the classroom, kids began Bean Math. Kids shook a cup with "beans" to find different ways to make a number. These sheets are coming home as kids do them, so have them tell you about the activity! Bean Math will continue next week to build number sense.
In writing, we have started the "How To" genre. Kids wrote about how to make a P.B. and J sandwich, as well as how to make a pizza. As they finish in their writing notebooks, kids will pick their favorite piece of the week to turn into a book. When the books are finished, they will be sent home. I will pick out a completed book every Friday to have an author's chair. The kids I pick will have worked hard on their book and also met our personal writing goal (For example, a child who forgets spaces, worked hard to put spaces between words in their book.).
In reading, we continue to work on decoding strategies like breaking up the word into chunks, using picture cues, say the first sound and slide into the word, skip the word and think about what would make sense then check it, etc. As kids read at home and they need help with a word, have them practice different strategies before you tell them the word.
In writing, we have started the "How To" genre. Kids wrote about how to make a P.B. and J sandwich, as well as how to make a pizza. As they finish in their writing notebooks, kids will pick their favorite piece of the week to turn into a book. When the books are finished, they will be sent home. I will pick out a completed book every Friday to have an author's chair. The kids I pick will have worked hard on their book and also met our personal writing goal (For example, a child who forgets spaces, worked hard to put spaces between words in their book.).
In reading, we continue to work on decoding strategies like breaking up the word into chunks, using picture cues, say the first sound and slide into the word, skip the word and think about what would make sense then check it, etc. As kids read at home and they need help with a word, have them practice different strategies before you tell them the word.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Week of Feb. 28- Mar. 4
This week in the classroom we continued to work on fluency and comprehension strategies in the reading groups. Children echoed text back to me to practice reading like they are talking, and then worked on identifying the author's purpose. Have your child practice this at home when they read.
Writing we wrapped up the narrative genre and will begin "How To" writing. Now children will need to think of the steps to make something. After we get a little practice with this type of writing, some of these stories we will make into small books that children will create and take home.
In Fundations we continue to tap out words. This will help with spelling and a child's phonemic awareness as they can really hear the first, middle, and end sounds of words.
Math we introduced 3D shapes and created a bar graph about the pets at home. After we created the graph, we discussed the results so that children continue to learn how to read a graph.
Writing we wrapped up the narrative genre and will begin "How To" writing. Now children will need to think of the steps to make something. After we get a little practice with this type of writing, some of these stories we will make into small books that children will create and take home.
In Fundations we continue to tap out words. This will help with spelling and a child's phonemic awareness as they can really hear the first, middle, and end sounds of words.
Math we introduced 3D shapes and created a bar graph about the pets at home. After we created the graph, we discussed the results so that children continue to learn how to read a graph.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Week of Feb. 22-25
This week kids learned more about measurement as we talked about standard measurement with rulers. Next week, we will look closely at the penny and nickel. In reading groups, we practiced retelling and also thinking about the author's big idea. Have them retell and try to think about the "big idea" at home when they read to/with you. In writing, they wrote about a time they were hurt/sick and also what they do at recess. In Fundations, we have started learning how to tap out words using our fingers. We have been looking at the word families we have previously worked on, and tapped words out. Have kids show you tapping at home with simple C-V-C words, like mat, cat, hat etc.
I'm in the process of getting a day/time for kids to experience gym sometime before the gymnastics day (March 8th, talk to gym teacher for more details if interested), so that our kids are able to sign up for it.
I'm in the process of getting a day/time for kids to experience gym sometime before the gymnastics day (March 8th, talk to gym teacher for more details if interested), so that our kids are able to sign up for it.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Week of Feb. 14-17
This week completed our letter formation unit! The kids are now familiar with how to form all the upper and lowercase letters. Next week we will be moving into tapping out words, blending, and segmenting. I've already introduced them to tapping out words in small groups but now we will be using this tool more everyday to hear all the sounds in words and to blend the sounds together.
On Monday we had our Valentine's Day party. This was a great success as many parents and relatives came to help us celebrate! I liked how some kids told me their favorite part about the day was handing out cards. I like how my kids have very giving spirits!
In math we have started talking about measurement. We talked about how in the "old days," people used body parts like their feet to measure distances. Kids practiced using their feet to measure in the classroom, then they traced one foot and cut them out to compare to 12 inches. We discussed how every one's feet are a little different and why using the same thing to measure, like a ruler, is a more "accurate" way to measure. Next week, we will talk a bit more about measurement and then introduce the penny and nickel.
In writing, kids told me what they did during the Valentine's Day party and really focused on making nice sentences with capitals, punctuation, and spaces. I also had kids explore geoboards by making patterns, shapes, or just come up with something new!
I hope all the kids have a GREAT long weekend and I look forward to seeing you all again after President's Day!
On Monday we had our Valentine's Day party. This was a great success as many parents and relatives came to help us celebrate! I liked how some kids told me their favorite part about the day was handing out cards. I like how my kids have very giving spirits!
In math we have started talking about measurement. We talked about how in the "old days," people used body parts like their feet to measure distances. Kids practiced using their feet to measure in the classroom, then they traced one foot and cut them out to compare to 12 inches. We discussed how every one's feet are a little different and why using the same thing to measure, like a ruler, is a more "accurate" way to measure. Next week, we will talk a bit more about measurement and then introduce the penny and nickel.
In writing, kids told me what they did during the Valentine's Day party and really focused on making nice sentences with capitals, punctuation, and spaces. I also had kids explore geoboards by making patterns, shapes, or just come up with something new!
I hope all the kids have a GREAT long weekend and I look forward to seeing you all again after President's Day!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Week of Feb. 7-11
This week in the classroom, kids learned a new song to help them with the sound that "th" makes. We will continue to listen to songs to help us with other sounds like short and long vowels in the days to come.
In math, we discussed double digits and also revisited some math games like Spin A Number, Monster Squeeze, and Top It.
In writing, kids wrote about a trip they took and also what they do when they go to the movies. We continue to work hard with the narrative genre, as kids tell me what they do first, next, and last.
In reading, kids worked at retelling the stories they read. Have them also do this at home when they read to improve their comprehension skills. We are also talking about characters, setting, and main idea.
Next week is our Valentine's Day party. All parents/guardians are invited to help us celebrate! A note went home with details about our party. I'm asking for kids to bring a box they decorate at home to be their mailbox. That way they have more time than we could provide in class to decorate it how they want! I can't wait to see how creative they are with their mailboxes. I'm also asking that all kids bring their valentines without the "To:" portion filled out. This is a school wide policy that allows us more time to celebrate our party, as passing out specific valentine's to specific boxes takes a lot of time! Thank you for understanding and please contact me if you have any questions. Have kids bring their decorated boxes and cards on Valentine's Day, Monday Feb. 14th.
Conferences are also next week. If you would like to meet with me, please sign up on the sheet outside our classroom door.
In math, we discussed double digits and also revisited some math games like Spin A Number, Monster Squeeze, and Top It.
In writing, kids wrote about a trip they took and also what they do when they go to the movies. We continue to work hard with the narrative genre, as kids tell me what they do first, next, and last.
In reading, kids worked at retelling the stories they read. Have them also do this at home when they read to improve their comprehension skills. We are also talking about characters, setting, and main idea.
Next week is our Valentine's Day party. All parents/guardians are invited to help us celebrate! A note went home with details about our party. I'm asking for kids to bring a box they decorate at home to be their mailbox. That way they have more time than we could provide in class to decorate it how they want! I can't wait to see how creative they are with their mailboxes. I'm also asking that all kids bring their valentines without the "To:" portion filled out. This is a school wide policy that allows us more time to celebrate our party, as passing out specific valentine's to specific boxes takes a lot of time! Thank you for understanding and please contact me if you have any questions. Have kids bring their decorated boxes and cards on Valentine's Day, Monday Feb. 14th.
Conferences are also next week. If you would like to meet with me, please sign up on the sheet outside our classroom door.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Week of Jan. 31-Feb. 4
This week ended with us celebrating our 100th day in school! I want to congratulate all our students on working hard and doing their best for each of those days! Keep it up for the rest of the year!
In the Friday Folders this week, a letter is going home about our upcoming Valentine's Day party. Please read through it and let me know if you have any other questions about our party.
I also still need report card envelopes from many of the students. Please sign and return those to me! I wrote a note in the folders of kids this pertains to, so if you are unsure if you returned them, please look at the folder comments!
I hope you all enjoyed the snow days in the middle of the week! We worked on more capital letters for handwriting and also wrote about the topic, "Tell about a trip to the library." In math we explored a new math game called What's My Rule, as I fished for kids who all had the same rule. We also utilized Everyday Math Online for some fun math games. If ever your child is looking for something fun to do, have them go to Everyday Math Online and play some games! The card with the sign in info is inside your child's Friday Folder. Continue to work on phonemic awareness with your child. Have them tell you what sounds they hear in words so that their ears start picking up the sounds. Also, please keep working on those sight words that went home in past Friday Folders! Let me know if you need another list, as this will make reading much easier the quicker they can recognize those words!
In the Friday Folders this week, a letter is going home about our upcoming Valentine's Day party. Please read through it and let me know if you have any other questions about our party.
I also still need report card envelopes from many of the students. Please sign and return those to me! I wrote a note in the folders of kids this pertains to, so if you are unsure if you returned them, please look at the folder comments!
I hope you all enjoyed the snow days in the middle of the week! We worked on more capital letters for handwriting and also wrote about the topic, "Tell about a trip to the library." In math we explored a new math game called What's My Rule, as I fished for kids who all had the same rule. We also utilized Everyday Math Online for some fun math games. If ever your child is looking for something fun to do, have them go to Everyday Math Online and play some games! The card with the sign in info is inside your child's Friday Folder. Continue to work on phonemic awareness with your child. Have them tell you what sounds they hear in words so that their ears start picking up the sounds. Also, please keep working on those sight words that went home in past Friday Folders! Let me know if you need another list, as this will make reading much easier the quicker they can recognize those words!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Week of Jan. 24-28th
A Note About Conferences- Our conferences in February are by appointment only for Tuesday Feb. 15th, Wednesday Feb. 16th, and Thursday Feb. 17th. I will send out invitations for children that I feel a conference would be beneficial. If you do not receive an invitation but would still like to meet, I welcome everyone to sign up outside of our classroom's door!
This week in the classroom, we reviewed letter formation and began to look closely at how capital letters are formed. We worked on the letters, A, B, C, D, E, and F. In math we explored the subtraction symbol with some number stories, as well as looked at attributes of shapes and how we can sort them. We finished our creative writing piece about Winter and I will hang them for hallway display tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 28th). All the kids worked very hard to write in their nicest handwriting and they all came out so well! So be sure to stop by to see your child's writing piece!
Our 100th Day is approaching fast! In the Friday Folder this week, there is a white piece of tag board with an attached letter about our 100th Day celebration. Please read this letter with your child and I hope you both enjoy the creative homework assignment!
Start looking for a shoe box that your child will want to use for a Valentine's Day mailbox! I will send home a letter about our Valentine's Day party in the next Friday Folder (Feb. 4th).
This week in the classroom, we reviewed letter formation and began to look closely at how capital letters are formed. We worked on the letters, A, B, C, D, E, and F. In math we explored the subtraction symbol with some number stories, as well as looked at attributes of shapes and how we can sort them. We finished our creative writing piece about Winter and I will hang them for hallway display tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 28th). All the kids worked very hard to write in their nicest handwriting and they all came out so well! So be sure to stop by to see your child's writing piece!
Our 100th Day is approaching fast! In the Friday Folder this week, there is a white piece of tag board with an attached letter about our 100th Day celebration. Please read this letter with your child and I hope you both enjoy the creative homework assignment!
Start looking for a shoe box that your child will want to use for a Valentine's Day mailbox! I will send home a letter about our Valentine's Day party in the next Friday Folder (Feb. 4th).
Friday, January 21, 2011
Week of Jan. 17-21
This week in the classroom, kids worked on the letters "x" and "y." This completes all the letters in the alphabet so we will review how to write all the letters in the weeks to come, as well as start building words using letter sounds in Fundations. In writing we continue to write narratives and our topics this week were to tell about their weekends and to tell about what the kids like to do in the Winter. Kindergarteners created snowmen faces that will be put into the hallway next week, and they will also create a Winter writing piece that will also go into the hallway. So if you have time next Friday or the week after, please come visit after class to see your child's work!
In math, we learned how to use two dice to play Roll and Record. Kids took turns rolling two dice, adding the dots, and recording the number on a paper to make a graph. Next week we will make a classroom graph with these results. Kids also explored Geometry by making shapes with their bodies and string.
To help with your kid's phonemic awareness, have them really listen to sounds they hear in words. Next week I'm sending a list home of words that you can say and your child can tell you all the sounds they hear. For example, you would say "Sam" and your child would respond, "/s/ /a/ /m/." This takes practice and we need to train their ears to hear all those sounds in order to become better readers!
February Parent/Teacher Conferences are by appointment only! Next week I will have conference times posted outside of my door. If you want to meet with me for a conference, please stop by our door and sign up!
In math, we learned how to use two dice to play Roll and Record. Kids took turns rolling two dice, adding the dots, and recording the number on a paper to make a graph. Next week we will make a classroom graph with these results. Kids also explored Geometry by making shapes with their bodies and string.
To help with your kid's phonemic awareness, have them really listen to sounds they hear in words. Next week I'm sending a list home of words that you can say and your child can tell you all the sounds they hear. For example, you would say "Sam" and your child would respond, "/s/ /a/ /m/." This takes practice and we need to train their ears to hear all those sounds in order to become better readers!
February Parent/Teacher Conferences are by appointment only! Next week I will have conference times posted outside of my door. If you want to meet with me for a conference, please stop by our door and sign up!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Week of January 10th-14th
So far January has been a very busy, but fun month!
In the classroom this week, kids explored the new letters "q" and "z" as well as learned how to segment words into their sounds. We will continue to work on this skill so that our kids become better readers! Because this is the middle of the year, I will be assessing kids this month in Mondo Oral Language, DIBELS, and DRA2. It is exciting to see the growth in all the kids! They have been working very hard and it shows. In writing, we are working on the narrative genre. This is still difficult for the kids, so we plan one day then write our sentences the next. In this genre, kids tell what happened first, next, and last during an event. This week our topics were- "Tell about a time you helped someone," and "Tell about a time you spent with a friend." In math we explored the calculator, worked on counting by 5's, as well as interrupted counting (stopping kids and starting, sometimes changing different start numbers). We also worked on extending patterns.
**Next week I will begin working with struggling readers in the morning. Permission slips for this extra tutor time will be in the Friday Folders of the applicable kids. This means that in the mornings, I will be unavailable to watch kids. So please have your kids line up at the normal time out front and if there is an emergency that you have to drop them off early, the office would be happy to have your kid sit inside.**
Please get those permission slips for the eye screening and signed report card envelopes in to me! I just need the signed envelopes returned, the report cards themselves are yours to keep.
This is a friendly reminder for your kids to not bring toys/dolls to school. Unfortunately, since we are so busy with our half day, we cannot do Show-and-Tell, and having toys in the room usually creates a distraction and conflicts with the kids. So please leave them at home! :)
In the classroom this week, kids explored the new letters "q" and "z" as well as learned how to segment words into their sounds. We will continue to work on this skill so that our kids become better readers! Because this is the middle of the year, I will be assessing kids this month in Mondo Oral Language, DIBELS, and DRA2. It is exciting to see the growth in all the kids! They have been working very hard and it shows. In writing, we are working on the narrative genre. This is still difficult for the kids, so we plan one day then write our sentences the next. In this genre, kids tell what happened first, next, and last during an event. This week our topics were- "Tell about a time you helped someone," and "Tell about a time you spent with a friend." In math we explored the calculator, worked on counting by 5's, as well as interrupted counting (stopping kids and starting, sometimes changing different start numbers). We also worked on extending patterns.
**Next week I will begin working with struggling readers in the morning. Permission slips for this extra tutor time will be in the Friday Folders of the applicable kids. This means that in the mornings, I will be unavailable to watch kids. So please have your kids line up at the normal time out front and if there is an emergency that you have to drop them off early, the office would be happy to have your kid sit inside.**
Please get those permission slips for the eye screening and signed report card envelopes in to me! I just need the signed envelopes returned, the report cards themselves are yours to keep.
This is a friendly reminder for your kids to not bring toys/dolls to school. Unfortunately, since we are so busy with our half day, we cannot do Show-and-Tell, and having toys in the room usually creates a distraction and conflicts with the kids. So please leave them at home! :)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Week of Jan. 3rd-7th
Happy New Year kindergarten families!
I hope you all had a restful and joyous Winter Break! This week was short for the kids and I tried to ease them back into the routine. We worked on letter/sound review as well as a new sight word book that is going home in their Friday Folders. In math, we learned a new math game called Top It. Kids can play this game, and others, online at everydaymath.com! In writing, we learned a new kind of writing called Narrative writing. In this type of writing, they recount what happened during events. This will be tough for our kids but we will work away on it every week so that they get better! This week they wrote about three things they did over Winter Break.
In the Friday Folders this week there is a permission slip from the school nurse. The Lions Club is offering a free vision service for the kids at Leawood. Please read this paper carefully and take advantage of this great, and free, opportunity!
Continue to get those signed report card envelopes back to me! This lets me know that you saw the report card and I use these envelopes for the next report card. Thanks!
I hope you all had a restful and joyous Winter Break! This week was short for the kids and I tried to ease them back into the routine. We worked on letter/sound review as well as a new sight word book that is going home in their Friday Folders. In math, we learned a new math game called Top It. Kids can play this game, and others, online at everydaymath.com! In writing, we learned a new kind of writing called Narrative writing. In this type of writing, they recount what happened during events. This will be tough for our kids but we will work away on it every week so that they get better! This week they wrote about three things they did over Winter Break.
In the Friday Folders this week there is a permission slip from the school nurse. The Lions Club is offering a free vision service for the kids at Leawood. Please read this paper carefully and take advantage of this great, and free, opportunity!
Continue to get those signed report card envelopes back to me! This lets me know that you saw the report card and I use these envelopes for the next report card. Thanks!
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