December 8, 2017

Hi!

It's sounding like snow is on the way! Once there is snow on the ground, the children will need snow pants, boots, hats and mittens to participate in outdoor recess. If they don't have the proper gear, they still go out for fresh air, but are required to remain on the paved part of the playground. As long as your child has sneakers here at school, you don't need to send in extra shoes each day. 

Readers' Workshop: Your fish super reader is learning how to use his/her voice to bring a book to life. Each time they re-read a just right book, they are beginning to work on fluency. The predictable patterns in their books help them to sing out familiar texts. We are also beginning to use punctuation to figure out how we can change our voice to show understanding of what we read. (ie. louder and excited voices when there is an exclamation point)

Writers' Workshop: This week the children were introduced with list books with a twist. The book follows a pattern until the last page where the pattern changes. (ie. I like___. I like___. I like___. But I don't like____.) The children learned about punctuation in reading this week, so we are beginning to remind them to use periods at the end of their sentences in their list books.

Math Workshop:  There were many math challenges this week. The children are learning many different ways to solve simple math word problems. They are using 10 frames, number lines, number bonds, pictures and numbers. The searched for and cut out triangles and circles in magazines. They created pictures using shape tracing templates and used smaller shaped pattern blocks to see how many ways they could make a hexagon.

Visual Arts: There is gingerbread art everywhere! We have gingerbread boys, girls and houses on display. The children are even creating gingerkids with our playdough.

Some Stories We Have Read: Gingerbread Baby, The Gingerbread Girl, The Gingerbread Bear & The Gingerbread Boy

Up-coming Events:

• Word of the Week-the
• Phonics- superstar u
• Handwriting- A and I
• Early Release- Wednesday, 12/13
• Class Gingerbread Party- Thursday, 12/21 at 2:00
• Holiday Vacation- 12/25-1/1

Fondly,

Kristen

December 4, 2017

Math Center Time

Growing and repeating patterns


Using a geoboard app


Finding triangles in magazines

December 1, 2017

Hello Fish Families.

We have begun our month-long study of the gingerbread folktale. There are many versions of this story that we will be comparing/contrasting. We will also be doing lots of gingerbread art.

Readers' Workshop: We are in the middle of our Super Power unit. The children are learning a new reading power almost every day, so be sure to ask them all about what they are learning. This week we introduced pointer power, re-read power, partner power, picture power, (beginning) sound power and snap word power. 

Writers' Workshop: We are writing list books! The children are using sight words and patterns to write the type of books they are reading. (ie. I see a house. I see a car. I see a tree.)

Math Workshop: We began our geometry unit. The children are exploring with and talking about shapes. They are using lots of math vocabulary.  (ie. lines, angles, curves, sides, same, alike, different) We are also using shapes to make patterns. 

Visual Arts: We have been painting and using shapes to make winter trees and snowkids. 

Some Stories We Have Read: The Gingerbread Man, The Ninjabread Man, The Pigeon Needs a Bath, The Shape of Things, Circus Shapes

Up-coming Events:

• Word of the Week-is
• Phonics- l and r
• Handwriting- G and S
• Early Release- Wednesday, 12/13
• Class Gingerbread Party- Thursday, 12/21 at 2:00
• Holiday Vacation- 12/25-1/1

Have a nice weekend.

Kristen