May 15th School Family Update

Reading
Students are visiting literacy centers and working on identifying long vowels. The centers this week are:
Listening: Listen to  Arthur Meets the President and complete a book report.
Pocketchart: Long u puzzle
Library: Retelling stories and reading
ABC: Make words or sentences with magnetic letters
Activboard: IPAD reading and sight word apps
Game: Stamp a sentence and illustrate a matching picture.
Computer: www.starfall.com
Write the room: Record long and short u words
Writing: Students are writing their name, city, and address.
Creation: Free creation with art materials.

This week I have been completing students final reading levels. I assessed if students could read a Level C or not prior to May 2nd (gkids due date), but now I am finding their instructional level. Students have grown so much!!! I will send home an end of year note for each child which will have their reading level on it.

Writing
Students completed a final how to writing about how to make an icecream sundae. How to seems to be one of the class' favorite genres to write. Students are also working on a kindergarten memory book this week. Next week, students will write about the best part of kindergarten and advice for kids in my class next year.

Social Studies
Our final social studies unit is national holidays and symbols. Last week, students learned about Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Indepedence Day. Students should be able to name a patriotic holiday and say why we celebrate it. This week we have been focusing on symbols of our nation, specifically the bald eagle, statue of liberty, and the flag. Students will be asked to name 2 national symbols on the assessment. Students will also identify the US flag and the GA flag.

Another big aspect that we incorporate in this unit is where we live. It is discussed in our first unit but we revist it at the end of the year because the kids are more prepared to understand it. Students should know they live in our continent North America, our country USA, our state Georgia, our county Fulton, their city Alpharetta/Roswell, and their address. This is alot of a kindergartener to understand. Our goal is for students to identify our country and our state on a map. *Please work with your child to memorize their address over the summer.

Math
Students have been completing review activities in math. This week we reviewed tens and ones. The number 13 has 1 ten and 3 ones. We continue to review addition and subtraction. Students will compare objects by length and use rulers tomorrow.