Weekly News (May 23-26)

Yikes! Are there really only 6 more days of school?! We're still busy learning in kindergarten. Take a peek at what we've been up to below. 

Math

This week we took a closer look at the dollar bill and learned some interesting facts about some of the symbols and numbers that are found on each $1.00 bill. We also practiced counting out dollar bills and learned how to record these amounts using a $ sign. We even figured out how many pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters equal a dollar. 

We also played a game of roll-and-record to practice writing numbers 2-12 and we learned how to find patterns to solve addition and subtraction problems using an in-and-out function machine like the one below. 

Literacy

This week during reading workshop we revisited the book What is a Scientist? and talked about the different ways scientists and readers are alike. They both ask questions and look for answers. They both use tools to help them understand and find answers to their questions. They both take notes and use drawings to make sense of what they're learning, and they both have fun and don't give up!

We also reread the book The Dandelion Seed and used the clues in the book to help us understand the life cycle of a dandelion seed.

The students also spent time writing about their weekends during writing workshop and using their inspiration journals to write about topics of their choice!

Junior Achievement

We began our Junior Achievement unit this week. During this unit, the students will learn the difference between needs and wants, and they will learn how they can earn, save, and share their money.

LMC

Last week in the LMC, the students worked together in small groups to build habitats for the animals they researched. Take a look at the slideshow below to see our engineers at work!

Animal Habitats from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Recess Fun

Weekly News (May 16-20)

Math

This week in math, the children learned a new partner game called "High Roller." One player rolls two dice and keeps the die with the larger number. The player rolls the second die again and then adds the two dice together to find the sum. Player 2 repeats the same process, and the player with the larger sum wins the round and earns a counter. It's a fun and easy game to play at home too! 

The children also learned how to tell time to the hour and played a game with popsicle sticks that reviewed place value. Students worked together in teams to roll a die and collect popsicle sticks. The goal was for students to collect sticks and exchange them for bundles of 10 and then 10 bundles for a bundle of 100 sticks. 

Literacy
This week during reading workshop, we learned how good readers are able to identify the "big idea" in a text. After reading In a Nutshell, the students gained a better understanding of the life cycle of an oak tree and learned that even after an oak tree dies, it becomes part of the earth again and leaves behind rich soil for other plants and trees to grow. While reading In a Nutshell, we were also able to understand some of the cause and effect relationships that help an acorn grow from a seed to a tree.

Recording the "big idea."

Science

Be sure to check out our science page to see what kind of plants we planted in our classroom greenhouse this week!

STEAM Night
It was great to see so many families at Dryden's first STEAM Night! We had a blast making our very own banana pianos!

Weekly News (May 9-13)

Math
In math this week, we practiced reading and writing 2-digit numbers by rolling 2 dice. For example, we rolled a 2 and a 4 and were able to make the numbers 24 and 42. We talked about which number was larger and reinforced the concept of place value.

The class LOVED playing a new game this week called the Plus or Minus Game, which helped students identify pairs of numbers with sums of 10. In this game, the children rolled two dice--one labeled with plus or minus signs and the other labeled with the numbers 1, 2, or 3. Students rolled the dice and then added or removed counters from their ten-frame. After each roll, students had to identify the numbers that add to 10 by saying the following statement: "I have ____ counters. I need ___ more to make a 10."

Making 10 from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

We also learned how to use a Name Collection Box to show different ways to write a number. During snack time, I asked students to count out 3 of whatever snack item they were eating. Then I asked students to place some of their snack in their left hand and some of their snack in their right hand. Then we recorded the different ways students grouped their snacks using numbers. Then we tried it again with the number 5.

Reading Workshop
This week during reading workshop, we read Molly's Organic Farm, a literary nonfiction book about a real-life stray cat that was taken in by an organic farmer. As we read the story, we took a closer look at some of the vocabulary and learned the difference between descriptive and precise vocabulary words. We also learned how to use the pictures and other words around an unfamiliar word to help us understand the meaning of unknown words.

I have also been working with students one-on-one to complete some end-of-year assessments including one final guided reading benchmark assessment. The growth the children have made as readers this year is amazing! They have become so engaged during independent reading time and continue to build their reading stamina each day!

Reading Outside from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Writing Workshop
After listening to a BrainpopJr. video about the different parts of a plant, students wrote facts about what they learned.

Students also put their final touches on their animal research reports and had a chance to share them with their classmates. Next week, we will use the Seesaw app to reflect on our learning and share some of the interesting facts we learned.

Sharing Animal Research Reports from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

LMC
This week in the LMC, the students worked together in teams to research the needs of an animal so they could design a habitat for that animal. They did an amazing job collaborating with their teammates! Next week they will use their designs to build a model of their animal's habitat.

Designing Animal Habitats from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Science
Be sure to check out our Plants and Animals link to see what we have been learning!

All About Me
We had a great time learning all about Jake this week! We learned that Jake loves to play football, and he enjoys using his telescope to take a closer look at things. He is also a big fan of airplanes and fighter jets, and he loves learning about the armed forces.

A big thank you to Jake's mom for sharing
one of Jake's favorite books--What's Inside Submarines?

Getting Ready for First Grade
What a great way to practice getting ready for first grade--eating lunch in the lunchroom! The children were SO excited to bring a lunch to school or order a hot lunch and eat at the table in the lunchroom. We went over the hot lunch routine as well as some of the lunchroom rules. They had a blast!

Eating Lunch in the Lunchroom from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Art Appreciation

Thank you SO much to Jeanie's mom and dad for being our Art Appreciation volunteers this year! We have been introduced to so many amazing artists and different forms of artwork. We enjoyed our last presentation this week. Mr. Barbieri introduced the students to Horace Pippin's painting Domino Players. Then the students drew pictures of their favorite games to play with their families. 

Thanks for reading!

Weekly News (May 2-6)

Kindergarten Musical

What a fabulous show today! The kindergarteners did such a great job performing for their families. I was so proud of them!

The Kindergarten Song from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Dolphins, Go, Go, Go! from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Kindergarten Musical from Kathy Riesing on Vimeo.

Math

During math this week, we learned how to count a large collection of objects by making groups of 10. We also practiced making a name collection box to show different ways to make a given number. For example, 4 +1, 6 -1, 3 +2, and five tally marks are all different ways to represent the number 5.

Reading Workshop

This week we began our final reading workshop unit of the school year. It is a content unit that focuses on plants and ties in nicely with our "Plants and Animals" science unit. We kicked off our plants unit by thinking about how scientists and readers are alike. We worked on the chart below together as a class and then highlighted the similarities. 

We also learned how to use the "Stop and Sketch" strategy to help us record and remember our thinking while listening to the books Stems. The students did a great job using their investigation journals to record their learning, and they were fascinated to learn that many of the vegetables they eat are actually the stems of plants!

Stop and Sketch

Writing Workshop

We continued to work on our animal research reports this week. We have one more page to go before we assemble our books and share them with our 5th grade buddies! 

Science

Take a peek at our "Plants and Animals" link above to check out what we have been learning in science!

All About Me

We loved learning all about A.J. this week! We learned that A.J. enjoys swimming and spending time at the beach. He is a big fan of pizza, and he loves doing karate. A.J. likes to play with Legos, especially his Chima Legos, and loves spending time with his family!

A big thank you to A.J.'s mom for coming in to read A Wocket in My Pocket. The class LOVED rhyming with you!

Thank you to Angelina's sister, Jessica, for coming in to read. We were so happy to have you in our class!

Have a great weekend!