Weekly News (Sept. 2-5)

Well, it was another great week in Kindergarten! The children continue to do a terrific job learning our classroom routines and expectations. They are making new friends and becoming familiar with our school and staff. Here is what we have been learning this week!

Math
This week we explored our pattern blocks. We talked about the different attributes of each block including color, size, and shape. We sorted the shapes by the number of sides and took a closer look at all of the shapes with four sides--so many differences! 

The children have also been doing a great job with our calendar and weather routine in the morning. Each day our "Hello Helper" gives a weather report and adds the next number to our calendar. Our "Hello Helper" also counts the number of days we have been in school. We use a place value pocket chart like the one below to help us keep track of our days!

Jolly Phonics

We introduced the first three Jolly Phonics sounds this week! 

/s/ as in "snake"

/a/ as in "apple"

/t/ as in "tennis"

Learning the Jolly Phonics sounds is not only important in helping the children learn how to read, it is just as important in helping the children as they learn to express their ideas in writing. We will continue to add new sounds to our Jolly Phonics Sounds Books each week. Please practice these sounds nightly with your child!

Please use this mini sound book to practice sounds at home and keep it in your child's blue book bag so we can add to it at school!

Literacy

The children enjoyed listening to several stories this week including Only One You read by Mrs. Beane, our assistant principal. This simple story about a young fish ready to begin his own life reminds us that, "There's only one you in this great big world, and we should make it a better place!" After listening to the story, the children designed their own unique fish that we displayed in the hallway for all to see!

The children also listened to several other stories this week including: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, and a new class favorite Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes. Click on the link below to hear the audio version of this story and be sure to stay tuned next week for two more Pete the Cat books!!

Click here to listen to this story!

The children also learned the first of our kindergarten sight words this week and brought home their first sight word book. This sight word book came home in your child's blue book bag. We will continue to add sight word books throughout the year for you and your child to practice reading at home!

Assessments

This week I began meeting with students one-on-one to gather information using our Fountas and Pinnell guided reading assessment, which will help inform my instruction as I work to meet the individual literacy needs of each student. I learn so much about my students when I am able to meet with them one-on-one! While I was assessing students, the rest of the class was busy working at centers. Take a peek at this week's centers below!

Puzzles

Legos

Play-Doh Shapes

Geoboards

Pattern Block Creations

Clean Up Time

Happy Helpers!

Thanks for reading!