Reading
Students worked on Letter H centers this week. Students are responsible for logging on to computers independently and accessing apps on the mini ipads. Students are also using their imaginations to turn an H into something else. They are using stamps to review sight words and sort words by beginning, middle and ending sounds.
In whole group reading, students have been learning about syllabes. We have practiced putting a hand under our chin (each time your chin goes down it is a syllable), counting on our fingers, stomping and clapping out syllables. Students will be assessed for GKIDS in the next two weeks. They will be asked about rhyming words, syllables, and onset & rime (breaking a word into 2 parts). Please review these skills at home.
In small group reading, students have been reading leveled books. Students are working on identifying the main idea of a story and making a connection to the book-What did this book remind you of? We continue to review the terms character and setting. We also practice skills when we come to a word we don't know.
- Sound it out
- Look for chunks
- Check the picture
- Get your mouth ready/reread
- Think about what makes sense
Students visited centers this week that reviewed number standards from Unit 3. The centers are:
- Comparing numbers by rolling a dice and writing greater than or less than
- Tracing and writing numbers with dry erase markers (Focusing on no reversals!)
- War card game
- Counting on-putting number cards in order when they dont' start with one
- Count the room- Students go around the room and count various objects
- computer- abcya.com fuzzy bugs game which reviews sorting and comparing
- Number puzzles- students trace sandpaper numbers for tactile learners and match the numeral with that number of objects.
- Legos-students build something and then count how many pieces they used of each color.
The next two weeks will be reviewing standards in Units 1-3. We can't forget that shape vocabulary from unit 1! I will also check in with students on all standards they may not have mastered the first time. An updated GKIDS report will be sent home in the third quarter....I believe February. A copy of the Unit 3 math rubric will be in the first signed papers in 2015.
Writing
Students began the how to genre. How to writing gives sequential steps. Students chose their topic this week after I modeled an example on the board. Each child had an opportunity to share their writing one day this week. Some topics included how to make a sandwhich, how to decorate a tree, how to make chocolate milk, how to buy lunch, and how to brush your teeth. Students should write how-to's with 3-4 steps. They should be in order with spaces, capitals and periods. Students should write on topic and spell words phonetically (the way they sound). We have practiced using transitional words like first, next, then, and last.
Next week, students will write how to make a snowman. Our writing assessment will be the last week. Student's will be given a topic.
Science
Students learned the new vocabulary term gravity. Gravity is an invisible force that brings things down to Earth. We made a chart of items that are in the sky and stay there (sun, stars, moon). We also discussed how birds and planes go up for a long time but still have to come back down to Earth. We watched a one minute song about gravity. If you go to youtube.com and search kindergarten gravity. There is a PBS Kindergarten song the kids enjoyed.
Practice tying shoes at home! In January, Ms. Jackson and I will no longer tie shoes. Students will ask a friend if they need help.
