December 17, 2010
Thanks to Simona
The K-A Kids said good-bye to Simona. Simona is from Germany and has been a volunteer at W. E. since the beginning of this school year. She helped us during learning centers every day and often many other times. We will miss her good help! During our "trip" to Germany Simona showed us pictures of how she celebrates Christmas in Germany.
December 16, 2010
Newsletter - 12/117
The K-A Kids’ Newsletter
READING
We are currently in a “Friends Together” theme. We reviewed all of the letters and sounds that we’ve studied so far. We continue to blend/sound out words that use the short a sound of our alphafriend, Andy Apple. Callie Cat arrived this week for the letter c.
We played word bingo in small groups this week! Yes, learning is fun! The first bingo game was with our word wall words and the next game was with short “a” words that the students sounded out in order to cover up for bingo.
We are learning to “Read to Self” and are building our stamina to do it appropriately for a length of time. The students helped set up what this time should look like and sound like and are becoming quite good at it with their book baskets full of readable material. We know that there are three ways to “read to self” by reading the pictures, reading the words, or retelling the story.
MATH
I’m sending an “Every Day Math at Home” booklet this week. This booklet contains a variety of playful math activities for you and your child to enjoy together while using everyday situations and materials. Do NOT put it aside. Add it to your book pile and try to do an activity about every day.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Our class is working on a theme in our social studies program, Children Around the World. Students reviewed concepts they learned earlier in the school year. We are looking at children, homes, holidays, and families from around the world. These lessons reinforce basic geography skills and concepts. They also help the students discover that, despite our differences, all children, homes, holidays and families are similar in many ways.
READING
We are currently in a “Friends Together” theme. We reviewed all of the letters and sounds that we’ve studied so far. We continue to blend/sound out words that use the short a sound of our alphafriend, Andy Apple. Callie Cat arrived this week for the letter c.
We played word bingo in small groups this week! Yes, learning is fun! The first bingo game was with our word wall words and the next game was with short “a” words that the students sounded out in order to cover up for bingo.
We are learning to “Read to Self” and are building our stamina to do it appropriately for a length of time. The students helped set up what this time should look like and sound like and are becoming quite good at it with their book baskets full of readable material. We know that there are three ways to “read to self” by reading the pictures, reading the words, or retelling the story.
MATH
I’m sending an “Every Day Math at Home” booklet this week. This booklet contains a variety of playful math activities for you and your child to enjoy together while using everyday situations and materials. Do NOT put it aside. Add it to your book pile and try to do an activity about every day.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Our class is working on a theme in our social studies program, Children Around the World. Students reviewed concepts they learned earlier in the school year. We are looking at children, homes, holidays, and families from around the world. These lessons reinforce basic geography skills and concepts. They also help the students discover that, despite our differences, all children, homes, holidays and families are similar in many ways.
December 9, 2010
Newsletter - 12/10
Dear Family,
Guten Tag, hello, from Germany. We had a wonderful flight over to Germany. We are learning a little about the country and some of the ways German families celebrate during the Christmas season. The German people were the first to use a tree at Christmas. They decorate their tree with candles, gingerbread cookies, wooden ornaments, and candy canes.
In Germany the children celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6. On St. Nicholas Eve the children choose their best right shoe and leave it by the door for St. Nicholas. In the morning they find a small toy or treat. We put our shoe out at rest and later found a treat!
We had fun making gingerbread ornaments and St. Nicholas ornaments for the tree. We frosted and decorated ice cream cones to make a YUMMY Christmas tree treat. We colored an advent wreath as we learned how the families in Germany light the candles leading up to Christmas. We made a wreath from a paper plate to decorate for Christmas.
We will be leaving Germany soon and traveling to Japan. We are having a wonderful trip and wish you were traveling with us.
Frolich Weihnacten (Merry Christmas)
Auf Widersehen (good bye)
The K-A Kids
Guten Tag, hello, from Germany. We had a wonderful flight over to Germany. We are learning a little about the country and some of the ways German families celebrate during the Christmas season. The German people were the first to use a tree at Christmas. They decorate their tree with candles, gingerbread cookies, wooden ornaments, and candy canes.
In Germany the children celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6. On St. Nicholas Eve the children choose their best right shoe and leave it by the door for St. Nicholas. In the morning they find a small toy or treat. We put our shoe out at rest and later found a treat!
We had fun making gingerbread ornaments and St. Nicholas ornaments for the tree. We frosted and decorated ice cream cones to make a YUMMY Christmas tree treat. We colored an advent wreath as we learned how the families in Germany light the candles leading up to Christmas. We made a wreath from a paper plate to decorate for Christmas.
We will be leaving Germany soon and traveling to Japan. We are having a wonderful trip and wish you were traveling with us.
Frolich Weihnacten (Merry Christmas)
Auf Widersehen (good bye)
The K-A Kids
December 3, 2010
Math Games
Partners playing a math game - Train games using addition and subtraction.
Partners playing a math game - spinning and showing teen numbers.
Partners playing a math game - spinning and showing teen numbers.
Grandparents Visit School
The grandparents arrived and were introduced!
The K-A kids performed Thanksgiving songs and finger plays. Grandparents are the BEST audience.
The grandparents listened to the K-A kids read.
The K-A kids performed Thanksgiving songs and finger plays. Grandparents are the BEST audience.
The grandparents listened to the K-A kids read.
Newsletter 12/03
Wow, how did it get to be December already? This school year is flying. December is such a fun time together in school.
READING
We have started a new theme – Friends Together. The big books we read together this week were Aaron and Gayla’s Alphabet Book and We Read Together. Our new alphafriends were Hattie Horse and Andy Apple. Now that we’ve officially added a vowel we will be blending to read words. This week we worked on the –at family such as in cat, hat, bat, rat, etc. The new word was an easy one – a!
MATH
• counting by 10s
• practice correctly writing numbers 0 – 20
• teen frame game that provided practice with teen numbers and building number sense.
• Top It! - a card game that reinforces number recognition and number comparisons.
• Pattern-block templates
SOCIAL STUDIES
Our new theme this month will be “December Holidays Around the World.” We’ve explored the holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kawnzaa. We compared these holidays noticing how family and friends get together making special foods, exchanging gifts, and decorating, especially with candles.
This theme is providing an opportunity to use map and globes. We distinguished land and water and are learning the names of the 7 continents.
READING
We have started a new theme – Friends Together. The big books we read together this week were Aaron and Gayla’s Alphabet Book and We Read Together. Our new alphafriends were Hattie Horse and Andy Apple. Now that we’ve officially added a vowel we will be blending to read words. This week we worked on the –at family such as in cat, hat, bat, rat, etc. The new word was an easy one – a!
MATH
• counting by 10s
• practice correctly writing numbers 0 – 20
• teen frame game that provided practice with teen numbers and building number sense.
• Top It! - a card game that reinforces number recognition and number comparisons.
• Pattern-block templates
SOCIAL STUDIES
Our new theme this month will be “December Holidays Around the World.” We’ve explored the holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kawnzaa. We compared these holidays noticing how family and friends get together making special foods, exchanging gifts, and decorating, especially with candles.
This theme is providing an opportunity to use map and globes. We distinguished land and water and are learning the names of the 7 continents.
November 19, 2010
What's New with the K-A Kids?
Every day we write our class "Daily News" together on the board. Several days a week the K-A Kids then write their own news in their own journals.
Newsletter 11/19
READING
Most mornings we begin by writing the “Daily News” together on the board. The students dictate sentences of interest – such as the super star of the week, who’s absent, a special activity we have that day, etc. This is an important reading and writing exercise as they see that the spoken word can be put into print. We are also learning about a capital at the beginning of the sentence, punctuation at the end, and leaving a space between the words. Individual students often get to go to the board to write the beginning letter we need or the whole word.
The big book we read this week was SHOES FROM GRANDPA. When Jenny’s grandpa buys her new shoes, everyone in her family buys her something else to wear, but not what she truly wants. The rhymes and repeating words made this fun.
A new alphafriend joined us for the letter B, Benny Bear. We added a new high frequency word (popcorn word) – like. We can read and write many sentences now with our words – I, see, my, like.
We will be finishing up the family theme by Thanksgiving break. We have been reading about lots of families and writing about our own. We’ve read many Thanksgiving books that the children can now read. Books that use a very patterned language are a great reading tool for reading fluency and building confidence in the reading process.
MATH
We continue to review counting, number recognition, and sequencing numbers 0 – 20 through number card activities.
The basic language of probability was introduced by discussing likely, unlikely, certain, and impossible events. We used the book “And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street” that features unlikely or impossible events. We used a “probability tray” to make predictions using the basic language of probability, such as “I’m sure that I will get a red” or “It is impossible to get a blue.”
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
In our family theme we have explored what families are, how family members care for each other, and how to resolve conflicts with family members. It has been healthy for us to acknowledge that families are alike in many ways and different in many other ways.
Most mornings we begin by writing the “Daily News” together on the board. The students dictate sentences of interest – such as the super star of the week, who’s absent, a special activity we have that day, etc. This is an important reading and writing exercise as they see that the spoken word can be put into print. We are also learning about a capital at the beginning of the sentence, punctuation at the end, and leaving a space between the words. Individual students often get to go to the board to write the beginning letter we need or the whole word.
The big book we read this week was SHOES FROM GRANDPA. When Jenny’s grandpa buys her new shoes, everyone in her family buys her something else to wear, but not what she truly wants. The rhymes and repeating words made this fun.
A new alphafriend joined us for the letter B, Benny Bear. We added a new high frequency word (popcorn word) – like. We can read and write many sentences now with our words – I, see, my, like.
We will be finishing up the family theme by Thanksgiving break. We have been reading about lots of families and writing about our own. We’ve read many Thanksgiving books that the children can now read. Books that use a very patterned language are a great reading tool for reading fluency and building confidence in the reading process.
MATH
We continue to review counting, number recognition, and sequencing numbers 0 – 20 through number card activities.
The basic language of probability was introduced by discussing likely, unlikely, certain, and impossible events. We used the book “And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street” that features unlikely or impossible events. We used a “probability tray” to make predictions using the basic language of probability, such as “I’m sure that I will get a red” or “It is impossible to get a blue.”
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
In our family theme we have explored what families are, how family members care for each other, and how to resolve conflicts with family members. It has been healthy for us to acknowledge that families are alike in many ways and different in many other ways.
November 11, 2010
Newsletter 11/12
The K-A Kids’ Newsletter
READING
We started a new theme – We’re a Family! We read a big book in which mothers and daughters share traditions but also change them – “Tortillas and Lullabies.” We noticed the different times and places in the story. Here are some easy ways to extend our discussions at home. Talk about grandparents and great-grandparents in your family. Talk about a tradition that comes from a grandparent or great grandparent. With your child, sing a lullaby or a favorite song that you remember as a child.
Our new alphafriend was Tiggy Tiger for the letter T. Our new high frequency word was “my”.
The theme 2 test was given. It tested matching same beginning sounds, listening comprehension, letter/sound associations for m, s, and r, and the high frequency words.
MATH
Lessons this week included:
Monster Squeeze Game - reading numbers, comparing and ordering numbers.
Pocket Problems – using concrete experiences to develop understanding of addition and subtraction.
Roll and Record - reviewing counting, writing, and number recognition through a graphing activity using dice
Pan balance - using the pan balance as a tool to compare the weights of objects
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
The students love this science theme on Wood and Paper. Doing “experiments” seems very grown up. The students especially got involved with the paper and water experiment. Their challenge was to find out “What happens when you use your eyedropper to put a drop of water on each paper sample?” We also experimented to see which paper was best for writing on and which one was best for folding.
We participated in Veteran’s Day this week by wearing red, white or blue and attending an assembly at our school.
READING
We started a new theme – We’re a Family! We read a big book in which mothers and daughters share traditions but also change them – “Tortillas and Lullabies.” We noticed the different times and places in the story. Here are some easy ways to extend our discussions at home. Talk about grandparents and great-grandparents in your family. Talk about a tradition that comes from a grandparent or great grandparent. With your child, sing a lullaby or a favorite song that you remember as a child.
Our new alphafriend was Tiggy Tiger for the letter T. Our new high frequency word was “my”.
The theme 2 test was given. It tested matching same beginning sounds, listening comprehension, letter/sound associations for m, s, and r, and the high frequency words.
MATH
Lessons this week included:
Monster Squeeze Game - reading numbers, comparing and ordering numbers.
Pocket Problems – using concrete experiences to develop understanding of addition and subtraction.
Roll and Record - reviewing counting, writing, and number recognition through a graphing activity using dice
Pan balance - using the pan balance as a tool to compare the weights of objects
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
The students love this science theme on Wood and Paper. Doing “experiments” seems very grown up. The students especially got involved with the paper and water experiment. Their challenge was to find out “What happens when you use your eyedropper to put a drop of water on each paper sample?” We also experimented to see which paper was best for writing on and which one was best for folding.
We participated in Veteran’s Day this week by wearing red, white or blue and attending an assembly at our school.
October 29, 2010
Happy Halloween!
Playing color/shape bingo with candy corn markers.
We paraded in our costumes at the nursing home. Here we are waiting for the bus back to school.
Party snack time!
Math project decorates for Halloween
The K-A Kids are learning about numbers using tens and ones. They created Halloween chains using 10 orange chains and and then black chains depending on the number they received.
Newsletter 10/29
READING Theme – Colors All Around
Our new alphafriend is Reggie Rooster and he helps us remember the sound for r. We especially like his jazzy song.
We used many big books and read alouds this week for our reading work. Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See? was reread this week. We practiced reading the color words and worked on matching the character card with the color word and naming word of the animal. We used the small books titled The Pumpkin and Look at Me to build reading fluency. These books use a patterned text. What great readers we have! They are learning to use the pictures and beginning sounds to help figure words out.
MATH
Addition and subtraction number stories were introduced. The children used concrete material to represent and solve addition and subtraction stories. We were learning to distinguish between joining and take-away stories.
What could be better than reviewing colors and shapes by playing Color & Shape Bingo? We reviewed number names 10 – 20 by playing the Teen Swat game. Those flyswatters become pretty accurate when swatting the number called for. It’s amazing that learning can be such fun!
Symmetry was introduced this week. We did a fold-and-cut symmetrical shape paper. We explored whether our bodies and faces are symmetrical.
Estimating was introduced. It is important to be able to estimate or determine about how many objects there are sometimes. An estimate is a “smart guess” and we are practicing that skill.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Pumpkins and Halloween were the focus of the week. We weighed and measured a pumpkin and learned all about the life cycle from seed to pumpkin. They each used “kindergarten writing” to tell what they would do with a pumpkin. How many seeds does the pumpkin have? As we cleaned out the pumpkin we put the seeds in groups of 10 and then counted by 10’s. Ask your child how many seeds we counted!
Pam Holz was back in our classroom this week and talked to us about bats. She has a wealth of information and we always learn a lot from her.
Our new alphafriend is Reggie Rooster and he helps us remember the sound for r. We especially like his jazzy song.
We used many big books and read alouds this week for our reading work. Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See? was reread this week. We practiced reading the color words and worked on matching the character card with the color word and naming word of the animal. We used the small books titled The Pumpkin and Look at Me to build reading fluency. These books use a patterned text. What great readers we have! They are learning to use the pictures and beginning sounds to help figure words out.
MATH
Addition and subtraction number stories were introduced. The children used concrete material to represent and solve addition and subtraction stories. We were learning to distinguish between joining and take-away stories.
What could be better than reviewing colors and shapes by playing Color & Shape Bingo? We reviewed number names 10 – 20 by playing the Teen Swat game. Those flyswatters become pretty accurate when swatting the number called for. It’s amazing that learning can be such fun!
Symmetry was introduced this week. We did a fold-and-cut symmetrical shape paper. We explored whether our bodies and faces are symmetrical.
Estimating was introduced. It is important to be able to estimate or determine about how many objects there are sometimes. An estimate is a “smart guess” and we are practicing that skill.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Pumpkins and Halloween were the focus of the week. We weighed and measured a pumpkin and learned all about the life cycle from seed to pumpkin. They each used “kindergarten writing” to tell what they would do with a pumpkin. How many seeds does the pumpkin have? As we cleaned out the pumpkin we put the seeds in groups of 10 and then counted by 10’s. Ask your child how many seeds we counted!
Pam Holz was back in our classroom this week and talked to us about bats. She has a wealth of information and we always learn a lot from her.
October 25, 2010
Tie Dyed Shirts on Display!
Weeks ago we did an all school project of tie-dying shirts. Last week everyone in school wore their shirt to school. What a fun sight! Here we are in our shirts.
Reading Buddies with Second Grade
The K-A Kids have teamed up with 2B on Fridays to read with each other. We call this time "Reading Buddies." This fall the second graders are reading to the kindergartners, but later in the school year we will also read to them. We love this time together every Friday.
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