November 21

Dear Fish Families:

Thank you so much for all the donations that have been coming in. We appreciate it!

Here are some highlights of our week together:

Writers' Workshop:  We have begun our "Writing Like Scientists" unit!  We learned that scientists observe and notice details. I modeled how to make technical drawings like a scientist. We use colored pencils to help with this. The children are being encouraged to label and write what they observe or any wondering they might have.  We continue to have science talks. The children seem to enjoy this time of the day. 

Readers' Workshop:  We worked on 2 new strategies (superpowers) this week. The children are beginning to put the first sound in their mouth when they come to a word they are trying to read. They also learned that our sight words are in books and those are words we read in a snap because we know them and don't need to sound them out.

Math:  We completed our "All About Numbers" booklets and sent them home this week. They children have been ordering number cards 0-10 and representing those numbers using objects. We played roll and record to practice numeral formation and subitizing. We also learned to play Monster Squeeze. It can be played as a game or on the app. I will be completing the end-of-unit assessment next week.

Visual Arts:  The children have been busy making Thanksgiving headbands, owls, and lots of turkeys. They will all be on display for our breakfast on Tuesday morning.

Book of the Week:  Various Thanksgiving books

App of the Week:   Every Day Math Monster Squeeze

Donation Requests:

• rick rack
• small craft buttons
• ribbon
• foam stickers

Up Coming Events:

• Family Breakfast- 11/25 from 8-8:30 *siblings are welcome! 
• Thanksgiving break- 11/26-11/28
• Gingerbread stories unit
• Early Release-12/17
• Monday, 12/22 at 2:05 Gingerbread decorating party (families welcome)
• Winter Break- 12/24-1/2

Happy Thanksgiving,

Kristen

November 14,2014

Dear  Fish Families:

Here are some highlights of our week together:

Literacy Centers: We practiced writing X, Y and Z. The children drove Matchbox cars along these letters and formed them in journals. We have been working on the sight word so and made an old lady to go along with the book I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie. 

Writers' Workshop:  This week we chose our small moment piece to fancy up.  The children edited for details in their picture by adding more color. They also added text and some chose to make a cover for their stories. We will celebrate our published pieces next week with the Panda class.

Readers' Workshop:  We spent some time talking about super heroes and their super powers. I told the children that they have reading super powers and when they read, they will use them all. We reviewed how readers touch under each word as they read making sure they have 1-1 correspondence. We also learned that readers look at the pictures. This is an important strategy for young readers! They are also working on putting the first sound of a word in their mouth to get ready to read it.

Math:  We have been working on positional words (on, below, above, in, under, up, down) and writing numerals. The children are also creating a variety of representations for the same number (four can be 4 dice dots, 4 tallies, the numeral 4, or 4 dots filled in on a 10 frame). The seem to be grasping the concept that a number can be shown different ways, but when you count them it is still the same number.  We are also playing math games using a spinner to practice naming the numerals, counting the sequence, and counting the number of objects (or spaces) on the game board.

Book of the Week:   I Know An Old Lady That Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson

Song of the Week:  The Numeral Song by Dr. Jean 

Donation Requests:

• tissues
• small white paper plates
• sandwich-sized  'ziploc' baggies
• foam hand soap

Up Coming Events:

• Handwriting- C, O & Q
• Phonics- l & r 
• Word of the Week- and
• Family Breakfast- 11/25 from 8-8:30 *siblings are welcome! 

Fondly,

Kristen

Hello Fish Families!

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Ella Rogers. She joined the fish class today. Please add her to your class directory.

Jeanette and David Rogers
3 Hemlock Way
407-232-0220


Thank you!
Kristen