Friday, February 21, 2014

Hi Families!

In March, our dramatic play area will become a grocery store. We are looking for clean food container donations and grocery bags to help stock our store. Let's re-purpose those empty cereal boxes and juice containers! We appreciate any help you can give us.

Here is a glimpse of our week in the fish class:

Language Arts: The Fish, Otters and Pandas held a "book museum" today. We celebrated all the wonderful things these kindergarten children are doing as writers. The fish had a list of things they are editing for at this point in the year. The checklist they used will be coming home next week. During reading, we have been adding to our reading tool box. We learned that strong readers read through the end of a word to figure it out. We also practiced making sure what we say (voice) matches the text on a page. This tracking skill is a very important one to learn! The children also did some simile writing inspired by our book of the week.

Math: Your mathematicians have been quite busy putting numeral in order and solving addition problems. We completed some pattern block puzzles this week and challenged ourselves to see if we could use 2 shapes to make a different shape. We also learned about standard and non-standard measurement using hearts, our feet and rulers. Be sure to ask your fish what s/he learned! The children began doing +1 flashcards as a math warm-up this week. Be looking for flashcard sets that will be coming home after the break.  
 
Visual Arts:  The children created shape collages using tissue paper. They sprayed them with water to make the colors bleed and did some marble painting over the collage.  

Book of the Week:  I Love You, Goodnight by John Buller & Susan Schade 

Up-coming Events:
  • Word of the Week-go
  • February Vacation- 2/24-2/28
  • School District Meeting- 3/7 at 7:00 Babysitting will be provided by the STA in the library. PTO is also sponsoring a movie night. 
  • Voting Day- 3/11
  • No School- 3/14 Teachers' Workshop

Happy Vacation Week!
Kristen

Friday, February 14, 2014

Hi Families!

Here is a glimpse of our short, but busy week in the fish class:

Language Arts: We added to our reading tool box this week. The children learned that strong readers can use the pattern from a book to help them read. As they bring just right books home to read, see if your fish can tell you what the author used for a pattern. The children re-read all of their list books and chose the one they will publish.

Math: We played an attribute block game where the children described multiple attributes to find the mystery block. We also counted and purchased stamps in the fish class post office using nickels.  
 
Visual Arts:  The children worked to create sponge painted hearts, mail boxes for our valentines and valentine cards this week. 

Up-coming Events:
  • Word of the Week-we
  • February Vacation- 2/24-2/28
  • School District Meeting- 3/7 at 7:00
  • Voting Day- 3/11
  • End 68 Hours of Hunger drive- CANNED pasta please (I heard they were 10 for $10 at Shaws)

Happy Valentine's Day!
Kristen

Friday, February 7, 2014


Hi Families!

Thank you for all of the extra support this week. We were busy with the 100 day projects and the completion of valentines. We couldn't do it without all of you.

The children shared their 100 day projects this week. What creative ideas they had! The children also counted out their objects in many different ways. I added the pictures to Flickr, so be sure to check them out!

Here is a glimpse of our week in the fish class:

Language Arts: During readers' workshop we learned about reading tools. We know that all readers take a picture walk before reading to get their mind ready for the story. We know that strong readers use the pictures to help us read and we know that readers can put the first sound of an unknown word in our mouth to get ready to read it. The children have been talking about what stories remind them of when we get into partnerships. We continue to write list books and will be picking one to publish next week.

Math: We spent a lot of time on the number 100 this week. We counted by 10s and learned about the 100 place in place value. We exercised 100 times during music and movement and made necklaces with 100 beads! The children are practicing counting beyond 100 without using the word and (ie. one hundred one.) We played addition Top It and addition Cross Out.


Social Studies: The Fish Class post office is officially open! The children are taking turns working in the post office to deliver valentines. Today we used pennies to purchase our stamps. We will use other coins next week.

Book of the Week:   Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner

Song of the Week:  100 Day Song (to the tune of 7 dwarfs song)

Up-coming Events:
  • Word of the Week-me
  • Book orders due online- 3/10 
  • February Vacation- 2/24-2/28
  • School District Meeting- 3/7
  • End 68 Hours of Hunger drive- CANNED pasta please

Enjoy your weekend!
Kristen