This week our focus was on dental health. We had a dental hygenist, Carmen, come to read us a few stories and show us how to brush and floss. We talked about the importance of our teeth-to help us smile, chew, and talk. We talked about healthy food choices for our teeth. Our dramatic play area turned into the dental health station. We read lots of books, both fiction and non-fiction.
We also talked about opposites. We read The Foot Book and completed an activity with a partner. We also played "Opposites Concentration".
In math, we practiced subtraction and one less. We talked about graphs and made a vertical graph. We analyzed the data by telling which had more and fewer.
This week we spent some time learning about the importance of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We read informational text books about each of their lives. We made a craft for each.
We also talked briefly about the job of the president. Do you think I could handle the job?
We have been continuing to READ, READ, READ for "I Love to Read" month. We made our goal of 1200 minutes over the long weekend! We had our ice cream treat on Friday. We also had a special guest from WILD Country 99.9 come read to us this week. Jerry Mac, DJ, read Interrupting Chicken.
In math, we had more practice with shapes and patterns (hexagon and trapezoid), addition stories, teen numbers, and writing to 50.
Valentine's Day was a BIG hit! Thanks to all the parents and family members that came to join in the fun. I'm sure the kids loved showing off all their "skills" in reading and math. Take a look at some of the pictures below of the many activities we had to offer.
Blending real and nonsense words
Spinning for ending sounds
Measuring hearts using candy
Matching CVC words and pictures to mend broken hearts
Vowel Owls-Listening for the middle sounds
"Bee" my valentine addition using whiteboards
Reading a sight word book-"We Like School"
And of course we spent some time opening valentines from all our classmates. THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to my budding chocolate addiction. ;)
This week in math we continued to practice 5 groups in numbers to 10, teen numbers and writing to 20. We played a hot cocoa "missing number" game with teen numbers. Take a look at some of the pictures.
We also began to practice two skills that will be tested for the next progress report. Students need to count back from 20 and recognize a trapezoid and hexagon. We are practicing these everyday during our calendar. Please help your child practice at home too!
In language arts and writing, we read about Martin Luther King, Jr. and discussed his dream. We made a cute craft and wrote a sentence describing his dream.
We began to learn about penguins. Before we read any non-fiction books we made a list of things we already "know" about penguins. We came up with a few questions for "what" we wanted to learn. The next day we filled in the last column of what we have "learned" so far. Take a look at our K-W-L chart.
K
W
L
·waddle
·swim 25 mph
·eat fish
·slide on their tummy
·huddle to stay warm
·lay eggs
·black and white
·How do they take care of eggs?
·waterproof?
·dive very deep
·enemies-shark, killer whale, sea lion, seal
·yellow crest (hair)
·leap out of the water 6 ft.
·different sizes
·blubber keeps them warm
·are birds with feathers
·cannot fly
We also made a penguin craft. They are hanging in our kindergarten hallway!
We watched a short YouTube video to help us answer our question about "How penguins care for their young?" Check it out!
Last but not least....we learned about a new strategy when partner reading. We call this "Read to Someone". When reading with a partner, it is important to: 1) sit EEKK (elbow to elbow, knee to knee), 2) the listener should be following along while the reader reads, 3) both partners should be respectful. We also learned how to help a friend if they get stuck on a word. We should ask them if they want help (tell them the word) or time (igure it out on their own). We practiced "Read to Someone" while reading a sight word book with two ew star words-little and big. Take a look!
This week we practiced the following skills in math. We reviewed partners of numbers 4, 5, 6. We practiced making 5 groups. with numbers to 10. We practiced teen numbers by playing a game. These came home in a baggie. Practice at home.
In reading we completed a literature study with the story, The Mitten. We read two different versions, one by Jan Brett and one by Alvin Tresselt. We talked about the story elements-setting, characters, beginning, middle, and end. We also compared the two using a Venn diagram. We made a text-to-text connection after the story, One Snowy Night. We practiced rhyming. Take a look at our finished work.
We've been busy practicing our social skills in CHOICE time. Take a look at some photos of us building, in the "birthday center", and art.
Students took the NWEA MAP tests this week in reading and math. We will discuss more about the progress at conferences on February 5th or 7th.
