K-2's Weekly News (Sept. 24-28)

Another great week in K-2!

Math
This week in math we reviewed the attributes of the following shapes: triangle, square, circle, oval, diamond, and rectangle.  We talked about whether or not the shapes had curved or straight sides.  For the shapes with straight sides, we counted the number of sides and the corners.  The students also used a set of shape cards that included different sized triangles, rectangles, and squares to make new shapes.  By manipulating these shapes and combining them together, the students were able to create new shapes.  We were able to arrange the shapes to make a rocket ship and even a cat!

We also worked in our number books this week to learn how to write the numbers 3 and 4.  For each new number, we learn a short poem to help us remember how to form each number correctly.  Here are the poems for numbers 3 and 4.

Around a tree, around a tree,

That's the way to make a 3!

Down and across and down once more,

That's the way to make a four! 

The students also practiced their counting skills this week by playing a dice game.  After rolling a single die, the students counted the number of dots and colored in an apple on an apple tree with the corresponding number.  They loved this activity!

Jolly Phonics

I continue to be amazed at what a terrific job the students are doing in their Jolly Phonics notebooks, and parents I commend you for the work you are doing with your children at home with both the pictures and the labels.  Keep up the great work!  We introduced the following sounds this week:

Rr as in "rag"

Mm as in "mouse"

Dd as in "drum"

Writer's Workshop

The goal for Writer's Workshop this week was to help the students learn what to do when they become stuck on their pictures or words and to really boost their confidence.  We learned how powerful the statement, "I will just try my best and keep on going!" can be.  It's amazing how such a simple phrase can give the students the confidence they need to start writing.

Treasures Reading

This week we continued the theme of families and talked about the different ways families spend time together.  We read a story titled Picnic at Apple Park, which was about a family getting together with relatives for a picnic at the park.  We discussed the setting of the story and talked about the different ways we like to get together with our own families.  We also introduced a new sight word---the---and talked about how this is one of those words we have to be able to look at and read.  We can't sound it out!

Each morning we continue to reinforce phonemic awareness skills by playing a series of listening games.  We work on identifying rhyming words; identifying the beginning, middle, and ending sound in words; blending sounds together, segmenting words into parts, and manipulating sounds in words to make new words.  Click on the images below to see a sample weekly lesson.

Science

We continued to experiment with color mixing this week using Play-doh.  We referred back to the story we read last week Mouse Paint to remind us what we learned about the primary and secondary colors.  Then using red, blue, and yellow Play-doh, the students were able to mix the various colors to create orange, green, and purple Play-doh.  The children shared some of their observations while they worked hard to mix their Play-doh.  I loved one comment a student made.  She said, "Oh no, I still see some red and yellow spots in there.  I have to keep smooshing it until it's totally orange!"  Her comment reflected the concept that the blending process isn't complete until you have one solid new color.

We also conducted another experiment this week called "Finding Hidden Color."  The purpose of this experiment was to help the students explore colors by separating them.  Using a black marker, we drew a line onto the middle of a coffee filter.  We place the filter upside down on top of a paper cup and secured it in place with a rubber band.  Then using an eyedropper, we dropped several drops of water onto the filter and watched as the black line began to separate into different colors of the rainbow.  We made predictions before dropping the water onto the filter and shared our observations once the black line started to separate into different colors.  What a great discussion we had!! 

As always, thanks for reading!  

Have a great weekend!!

K-2's Weekly News (Sept. 17-21)

What a wonderfully busy week we have had in K-2!  With fall officially just one day away, many of our activities this week have been inspired by our current theme---Apples!!  

Math
This week in math, the students practiced identifying and completing picture patterns that followed our apple theme.  Understanding and being able to recognize patterns is an important mathematical skill that the students will frequently use when learning new math concepts down the road, so this is a skill we will continue to reinforce throughout the year.  This week we also read the story Apples, Apples, Apples and talked about the different varieties of apples you can pick off the trees and buy at the store.  Then we created our own class graph to show our favorite kind of apples.

Jolly Phonics
The students continue to do a great job with their Jolly Phonics notebooks, and they love sharing their favorite picture for each sound!  Thank you again for all your support reviewing the sounds and helping your child listen for the sounds when writing their labels.  Your support truly makes a difference!  This week we introduced the following sounds:

Cc as in "cat"
Kk as in "kite"
ck as in "black"
Ee as in "elephant"
Hh as in "hot"

Writer's Workshop
The students are doing a great job practicing the routine of our Writer's Workshop---Think, Draw, Label and Write.  The work we are doing learning our Jolly Phonics sounds really comes into play during Writer's Workshop.  I am encouraging the students to listen for and stretch out the sounds they hear when writing both their labels and their ideas.  They are becoming more comfortable translating what sounds they hear into the letters that represent those sounds.  Writer's Workshop will continue to be part of our weekly routine throughout the course of the school year.  Keep up the great work K-2!

Treasures Reading Program
This week in our Treasures reading program our stories focused on the theme of families.  We read a story titled Whose Baby Am I? which talked about animal mothers and their babies.  We completed the activities in our Treasures workbook, which focused on the sound for the letter "m."  We also introduced a new word wall word---we.  Earlier this week, the students came home with a large Ziploc bag that contained three items--an ABC poster, a bag of sight word cards, and a bag of sight word books.  The materials in this bag are a great resource for you to use to reinforce some of the sounds and words we have been learning.  Please be sure to keep this Ziploc bag in your child's backpack as we will be adding materials to the bag each week.  I have included a picture of the bag below.

Thank you all so much for your commitment to your children's learning.

You are an amazing group of parents, and I am SO happy to be working with you this year!!

K-2's Weekly News!

Wow!  What a busy and exciting week we have had in K-2!  Please keep reading to find out all that we have been learning about.

Math

This week in math we introduced coins including: quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.  We studied the coins and talked about the different sizes, colors, and pictures found on each coin.  Then we completed a class sorting activity using our overhead projector.

We also introduced our number book this week, which we will continue to work on throughout the next several weeks.  We also played a class math game called "Give the Next Number."  Using the numbers 1-10, the students practiced counting, identifying, and sequencing the numbers 1-10.  See us in action below!

Jolly Phonics

We learned all 6 sounds in the first Jolly Phonics book.  We will begin learning the letters and sounds from the second Jolly Phonics book next week.  So far we have learned the following letters and sounds:

Ss as in "snake"

Aa as in "ant"

Tt as in "tennis"

Ii as in "igloo"

Pp as in "pig"

Nn as in "nest"

The students continue to do an AMAZING job with their Jolly Phonics notebooks.  Keep up the great work K-2!

Writer's Workshop

This week we introduced the main framework for our Writer's Workshop, which includes the following steps:

1.  Think (think about your topic and what you might draw)

2.  Draw (draw what you pictured in your mind)

3.  Label (listen for the sounds as you write labels for the picture you drew)

4.  Write (use your labels to help you write a word, phrase, or sentence that describes your picture)

The focus for our writing this week was "My Family."  The students did an excellent job thinking, drawing, labeling, and writing.  For now, we will keep our writing pieces in our writing folders.

Rainbows, Color, and Light

After reading A Rainbow of My Own, we conducted an experiment using a prism and the light from our overhead projector to create a rainbow in our classroom.  The children's ooh's and ahh's when the rainbow appeared on the wall were priceless!  They asked so many great questions, and they were able to describe in detail what they had observed.  We drew a picture to record our observations and labeled our pictures to help explain what we saw.  We further explored the concept of color and color mixing by reading the book Mouse Paint and mixing our own paints to learn about primary and secondary colors.

International Dot Day

Using the paints we mixed from our science experiment, the students created their own unique "dots" in honor of International Dot Day-- a day dedicated to reminding students that they matter and to encourage students to "make their mark on the world."  Our dots will be on display in the hallway for all to see!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

K-2's Weekly News!

Hello Parents!

I thought I would try something different for our blog.  Instead of writing a post each day, I am going to try and write a post on Fridays that summarizes what we have been doing during the week, so it is more like a newsletter.  That way you only need to check our blog once each week when I send out our Friday email update.  If I add any additional posts during the week to highlight a special activity or event, I will send out an email to let you know I added something new to the blog.  I hope that makes sense!  Let's give it a try!

The students have been doing a TERRIFIC job with their Jolly Phonics notebooks, and we have had a great time sharing some of the sounds we found.  Any time you can spend at home reviewing these letters would be great!  We will continue to introduce new letters and sounds next week.  So far, these are the sounds that have been introduced:

                                                                                      

Ss          /s/          as in "snake"          

Aa         /a/          as in "ant" and "cat"                       

Tt           /t/          as in "tennis"  

Math

This week in math we introduced the topic of sorting.  We practiced grouping objects together with similar traits.  For example, we sorted our class into groups based on the color of the students' t-shirts.  We also looked at a collection of buttons and sorted the buttons in various ways---by size, color, and shape.  The students also practiced counting and sequencing the numbers 1-10 by completing an activity based on the story Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss.  The students colored ten apples, cut them out, and then placed them in order on top of a photograph of their head, just like the characters in the story.  

Science

In preparation for our upcoming Rainbows and Light unit, we used the book "What Is a Scientist?" to talk about what scientists do.  From this story the students learned that, "A scientist is a person who asks questions and tries different ways to answer them."  Next week we will take on the role of a scientist to make some new discoveries about rainbows, color, and light! 

Computer Lab

Today the students went to the computer lab for the first time.  Mrs. Dufern, one of our LMC directors, gave the students a lesson on several of the different features of the computer and keyboard.  Then the students had some time to explore one of the programs they will be using this year in the lab called Pixie!

Looking Ahead

• Library on Tuesday--please remember to send your child's library book to school.
• Dryden is celebrating its 60th Birthday next Tuesday night.  Feel free to stop by to learn about the 60-year history of Dryden School and take a tour of the building.  The fun starts at 6:30 in the gym!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!  

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Jolly Phonics Day 2!

Today the students shared pictures from their Jolly Phonics notebooks for the /s/ sound.  What an AMAZING job they did with their first homework assignment.  After sharing pictures from their notebooks, the students then learned about the /a/ sound as in "cat."  I can't wait to see what pictures they find for their notebooks!  The students also completed a writing activity today by using their own ideas to finish the sentence, "I Can __________."  After art class today, Mrs. Schwarz came into our classroom for a thinking lesson.  The students had to listen carefully for clues as Mrs. Schwarz helped them identify specific pictures shown on a poster.  The kids loved it!  She will be back again next week with a new lesson.  

Jolly Phonics!

Today was a TERRIFIC day!  The students visited the library for the first time and checked out their first library book.  They were so excited!  Our class will be able to check out a new book after story time in the library each Tuesday.  Please remember to send your child's library book back to school on Tuesdays.  Today we also introduced our first Jolly Phonics sound---/s/.  The students did an amazing job thinking of words that begin with the /s/ sound, and they were even able to think of a few words that had the /s/ sound in the middle of the word and at the end too.  Way to go K-2!  The students' first homework assignment went home today as well.  Helping your child add pictures to his or her Jolly Phonics notebook will become a regular part of our weekly routine.  There is a note attached to the inside cover of your child's notebook to explain our Jolly Phonics homework, and I also included a picture below to help you visualize what it might look like.  As far as labeling the pictures your child finds or draws, encourage your child to listen for and write the first sound.  If they are comfortable writing more than the first sound, please encourage them to do so.  And remember invented spelling is perfectly appropriate in kindergarten!!  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!