School Family Update 4.30

Reading
Students have been focusing on identifying long and short vowel sounds. This week we are focusing on the long i sound. Students should be able to identify all letter sounds and vowel sounds at this time. We have gone over the different sounds for c, g, and y at calendar time and in small reading groups when applicable. Knowing those extra sounds is needed to exceed the standard. I have been pulling over students to reassess letter knowledge, parts of a book, the setting, and other reading standards we have learned this year. While I was assessing, students were at their regular centers. This week the centers are:

Library- reading or acting out a story
Computer- starfall
Activboard- this week is the ipad
Game- homophone puzzle, long i puzzle, blends puzzle
ABC- create an icecream cone/dish with long i words written on the scoops
Write the room- identify long and short i words
Listening- Friends with Trees story and book report
Writing- Free writing with a focus on details and punctuation
Creation- Animals where the center of the body is a globe for Earth week!
Pocket chart- sorting opposites, short i puzzle

Homophones/homonyms have also been a focus this week. These are words that sound the same but have different meanings. We discussed the multiple meanings and students were to illustrate the 2 meetings on paper M&Ms. Some examples are : bat like the animal, bat like a baseball bat; watch like you wear, watch like watching tv.

Thank you to everyone who returned their book in a bag!

Writing
We are revisiting the informational/how to genre. The topic for this week is how to make a sundae. Students brainstormed items and wrote their rough draft. On Thursday, students will edit and revise their work. On Friday, they will publish and share their work.

Math
Students are completing their math centers we started last Wednesday. They are playing games and doing activities that review counting, adding, subtracting, and decomposing skills. They visit one of eight centers each day. They are working with one or two other students.

Science
This is our final week for plants. Students should be able to sort plants various ways (color, size, habitat, etc.). Students drew plants in 2 different habitats and compared with a partner how their plants were similar and different. Then, we shared as a group. I emphasized how the temperature and amount of water habitats have affect the plants that can grow in each habitat.

Upcoming Dates
- Monday, May 5th Volunteer Brunch 8:30-10:30
Teachers make goodies to share with all the awesome parents who have volunteered this year!
- Thursday, May 8th Field Day from about 8-11am. Please make sure your child has tennis shoes and appropriate clothing on. If needed, you will need to apply sunscreen  on your child before they arrive at school. We will not be able to assist with this at school.
- Monday, May 12th Mother's Day Celebration 9:00-10:00am
Thanks for all of the rsvp's! If you haven't sent it in, please do. It helps me plan the food. The kids are excited to share some songs with you and eat some muffins.
- Monday, May 19th 8am Kindergarten Awards Ceremony
- Thursday, May 22nd Kindergarten Carnival 12:30-1:30
To volunteer for a game at the carnival click here.

FYI, Ms. Madojemu has been out for four days due to an injured foot. Please keep her in your thoughts!