Morning Exploring: Osmo (coding, Monster Studio and Disney Studio), heart art, word work stations (real/nonsense words, CVC word building), Brickyards STEM building, tens frames, double compare with cards
Reading: This week we book shopped for just right books/vacation books/fluency books! We also started book groups to work on skills specific to each different reader and what their needs are. They also visited a word work station to practice a phonics skill, listen to reading station and work on writing. We continued with looking at word chunks/blends and reading fluently.
Math: We did some review and subitizing for our whole group this week and rotated through stations focusing on: teen numbers, toss the coin (intro to decomposing numbers) and shapes (our next unit)!
Writing: This week we talked about the writing cycle and being the boss of our own writing and really taking ownership that WE are authors and illustrators and can do our best! We started checking in with classmates to help us edit/revise. After writing a true story with a beginning/middle/ending/feeling sentence they were able to move on to whatever story genre they wanted either independently or with a buddy.
Social Studies: We are in our Black History unit right now. We are celebrating our differences, talking about the past, recognizing that things are different and that there's laws in place to protect us but also realizing that some people still don't always thing the same and follow those laws. Next we'll look at some very special people who did fabulous work!
Social Skills: Letting our Jaguar PRIDE shine! We are really working hard on thinking before we speak and act to make sure it's all love and kindness and what we can do if we're not feeling those things: walk away, shake it off a bit, take breaths and get back to green zone.
We are now participating in health, counselor (same as always-every other week) and gifted push-in with Mrs. Pott.
Hip..Hip..HOORAY for the 100th Day!
Friday, January 25, 2019
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Morning Exploring: Super Why phonics/reading on iPads (FABULOUS app I highly recommend!), Identifying larger numbers out of a pair, fine motor math: making winter items with pattern blocks/making 10 icicles on the house, composing/decomposing numbers 2-10 fine motor with gems, hands on building.
Reading: This week in reader's workshop we discussed the importance of comprehending the books we read (tricky for a lot of them to book talk at this age) and using beginning sounds to decode words. We use the prompt: "Get your mouth ready for the first sound" if we get to an unknown word and then ask our selves: Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?
Math Workshop: Learned to play "Build it, Change it"--great game for home! Talked about dissecting a story problem to find out what a question is asking us to do and worked with math tiles to create arrangements of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 to start leading in to composing/decomposing numbers.
Writing: Our focus right now is making sure our writing is "easy to read." This means we should be double checking our sentence structures, stretch words out, use our word wall for sight words, adding detailed pictures with speech bubbles and labels and making sure it makes sense. If we find it isn't readable or doesn't make sense we should go back and fix it!
Phonics: We are working with blends/digraphs and beginning/middle/end sounds making sure we use vowels. I've also introduced "wacky y" (as i/e), bossy r, "ing" and vowel teams just casually through whole group lessons.
Social Emotional Skills: Problem solving BEFORE involving an adult (especially using our "I messages") and treating everyone with respect.
Tips for Home: Book talk at home: characters, setting, what happened in the begging/middle/end, what was the book mostly about...
Happy New Year!
Friday, January 11, 2019
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Morning Exploring: Sight word fine motor, sensory table: winter ice literacy, math fine motor, New Years cut/glue/trace, ABC uppercase order
Reading: New powers: pattern power and being careful to notice when the author changes the pattern in a story, checking for understanding by asking ourselves: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right?
Math: Numbers 1-20 what comes before/after, number towers with cubes and dominoes, Moose Math, Racing Bears game (this is an easy and fun game to play and you can find it for free online to print and play at home!--Please let me know if you'd like to borrow ours with supplies and I'd gladly send home), roll 2 dice and record 1-12. We also did subitizing and some fancy vocabulary and skills with math chats (see Instagram).
Writing: We started new true stories this week and focused on using our resources and tools: word wall, stretching words out, using an ABC chart, making sure we have a vowel in our words, blends/digraphs chart and continuing to be sure our sentence structure is correct and we have detailed pictures that tell who/what/where.
Social Skills: We were all about Jaguar PRIDE this week! I really loved the definition of respect that came up in a clip we watched: treating others like they're loved, cared for and important. We've continued to use that language and make it powerful in our classroom. We focused on following directions the FIRST time and actually earned some Friday FUN Free time today from our Classroom BINGO chart. We only earned a square for the whole class showing PRIDE, following directions the first time or me catching kindness!
Coming Up: Next week we'll be NWEA testing and reading level assessing. Please be sure students are getting a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfasts! Health will start next week and we'll have 8 sessions (every Tuesday).
Tips For Home: Give your child a number and asks what comes before/after. Look for sight words, blends, word families...in books you read :)
Reading: New powers: pattern power and being careful to notice when the author changes the pattern in a story, checking for understanding by asking ourselves: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right?
Math: Numbers 1-20 what comes before/after, number towers with cubes and dominoes, Moose Math, Racing Bears game (this is an easy and fun game to play and you can find it for free online to print and play at home!--Please let me know if you'd like to borrow ours with supplies and I'd gladly send home), roll 2 dice and record 1-12. We also did subitizing and some fancy vocabulary and skills with math chats (see Instagram).
Writing: We started new true stories this week and focused on using our resources and tools: word wall, stretching words out, using an ABC chart, making sure we have a vowel in our words, blends/digraphs chart and continuing to be sure our sentence structure is correct and we have detailed pictures that tell who/what/where.
Social Skills: We were all about Jaguar PRIDE this week! I really loved the definition of respect that came up in a clip we watched: treating others like they're loved, cared for and important. We've continued to use that language and make it powerful in our classroom. We focused on following directions the FIRST time and actually earned some Friday FUN Free time today from our Classroom BINGO chart. We only earned a square for the whole class showing PRIDE, following directions the first time or me catching kindness!
Coming Up: Next week we'll be NWEA testing and reading level assessing. Please be sure students are getting a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfasts! Health will start next week and we'll have 8 sessions (every Tuesday).
Tips For Home: Give your child a number and asks what comes before/after. Look for sight words, blends, word families...in books you read :)
From the Hive, 205
Friday, November 30, 2018
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Morning Exploring: Winter coloring by letter, light table + counting, Tiggly Shapes on iPad, beginning sounds, math racks + counting invitations
Reading: This week we really practiced our reading super powers and focused on how we can become better readers and help ourselves grow. We talked a lot about being fluent readers: paying attention to punctuation--stop at periods, pause at commas, voice goes up with exclamation points, voice goes up and down with questions; reading smoothly and using strategies. I individually met with *almost* everyone to fill their book boxes with at least 6 'just right' books that I have read with them and they can read. These will come home soon in their clear pouch (in BEE Folders) to practice at home. I will finish this process next week and give a heads up before sending home and when they should be returned.
Math: Measuring! We had so much fun kicking off this unit. We used cubes and Popsicle sticks to measure this week and were introduced to vocabulary words. Next week we'll continue measuring and exploring!
Writing: We are continuing to write for readers, making sure everything can be read by someone else. Our writing should have detailed pictures that use: lots of colors, pictures tell who/what/where, labels, speech bubbles. We are focusing on sentence structure: using sight words, capitals at the beginning then lowercase, finger spaces between words, punctuation at the end and a thought that makes sense!
STEAM: We read "Building Up, a Celebration of Building" and created some fun stuff with Mr. Keller's buddies today. Throughout the week in free choice it's fun to see their creations through the maker space, working through problems, redesigning and their final products.
Social: We've had some great conversations about being a leader and not a follower. When someone else isn't doing the right thing, we can lead by example and be empowered! We talked about how it makes us feel good and spreads positivity to others!
Tips for Home:
-Book talk: Make predictions about the book, try to figure out tricky words by using our strategies
-Play guess my number: give clues and have them ask questions
-Encourage writing by having your kinder help with lists, menus, etc!
Reading: This week we really practiced our reading super powers and focused on how we can become better readers and help ourselves grow. We talked a lot about being fluent readers: paying attention to punctuation--stop at periods, pause at commas, voice goes up with exclamation points, voice goes up and down with questions; reading smoothly and using strategies. I individually met with *almost* everyone to fill their book boxes with at least 6 'just right' books that I have read with them and they can read. These will come home soon in their clear pouch (in BEE Folders) to practice at home. I will finish this process next week and give a heads up before sending home and when they should be returned.
Math: Measuring! We had so much fun kicking off this unit. We used cubes and Popsicle sticks to measure this week and were introduced to vocabulary words. Next week we'll continue measuring and exploring!
Writing: We are continuing to write for readers, making sure everything can be read by someone else. Our writing should have detailed pictures that use: lots of colors, pictures tell who/what/where, labels, speech bubbles. We are focusing on sentence structure: using sight words, capitals at the beginning then lowercase, finger spaces between words, punctuation at the end and a thought that makes sense!
STEAM: We read "Building Up, a Celebration of Building" and created some fun stuff with Mr. Keller's buddies today. Throughout the week in free choice it's fun to see their creations through the maker space, working through problems, redesigning and their final products.
Social: We've had some great conversations about being a leader and not a follower. When someone else isn't doing the right thing, we can lead by example and be empowered! We talked about how it makes us feel good and spreads positivity to others!
Tips for Home:
-Book talk: Make predictions about the book, try to figure out tricky words by using our strategies
-Play guess my number: give clues and have them ask questions
-Encourage writing by having your kinder help with lists, menus, etc!
Newsflash!
Thursday, November 8, 2018
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Morning Exploring: Fine motor fun, beginning sounds matching, color by sight word, word work or Teach Your Monster to read on the iPad and November QR stories on the iPads.
Reading: This week we focused on sight words: being able to read and write them. We looked, read, took a picture in our head, spelled and wrote them in the air. We practiced using sound power and persistence power. We discussed how we have lots of powers and when one doesn't work, we find a new one to solve our reading problem! We tied in determination with this and read "After the Fall."
Math: We continued with pattern work this week. We learned how to "break the train" figure out in a pattern sequence where the pattern ends and starts repeating, matched numeral cards 0-20 to the correlating tally card, learned about 1-2 patterns, created different patterns and played "what comes next." (Definitely something fun you can play at home!)
Writing: This week we finished our leaf writing and kicked off our new writing unit: writing for readers. We discussed the importance of people being able to read our writing, how to write a true story, planning our pages, orally telling our story first and adding very detailed drawings so our readers know where the story took place, who was involved and what happened! We'll continue these next week. We will use sentence starters to help us get our thoughts down.
Social: We talked a lot about being thankful, things at home such as: a warm comfy bed, a couch, food, family, friends...they came up with the sweetest ideas! Continuing working on showing Jaguar PRIDE, being their personal best and being bucket fillers. These are always ongoing themes throughout our year to build happy, confident, kind and accepting little ones.
Tips for Home: Grab a cup and some small items (Legos, etc.) and have your kinder teach you the game "What Comes Next?" from our pattern unit (this is where those fabulous mini-erasers from Target dollar aisle come in handy!! You can also use them for counting, playing games, spelling words, etc. Lots of fun!
Coming Up:
Reading: This week we focused on sight words: being able to read and write them. We looked, read, took a picture in our head, spelled and wrote them in the air. We practiced using sound power and persistence power. We discussed how we have lots of powers and when one doesn't work, we find a new one to solve our reading problem! We tied in determination with this and read "After the Fall."
Math: We continued with pattern work this week. We learned how to "break the train" figure out in a pattern sequence where the pattern ends and starts repeating, matched numeral cards 0-20 to the correlating tally card, learned about 1-2 patterns, created different patterns and played "what comes next." (Definitely something fun you can play at home!)
Writing: This week we finished our leaf writing and kicked off our new writing unit: writing for readers. We discussed the importance of people being able to read our writing, how to write a true story, planning our pages, orally telling our story first and adding very detailed drawings so our readers know where the story took place, who was involved and what happened! We'll continue these next week. We will use sentence starters to help us get our thoughts down.
Social: We talked a lot about being thankful, things at home such as: a warm comfy bed, a couch, food, family, friends...they came up with the sweetest ideas! Continuing working on showing Jaguar PRIDE, being their personal best and being bucket fillers. These are always ongoing themes throughout our year to build happy, confident, kind and accepting little ones.
Tips for Home: Grab a cup and some small items (Legos, etc.) and have your kinder teach you the game "What Comes Next?" from our pattern unit (this is where those fabulous mini-erasers from Target dollar aisle come in handy!! You can also use them for counting, playing games, spelling words, etc. Lots of fun!
Coming Up:
- Conferences are next week! Please be on time for your slot so we can make the most of our time together. I'm looking forward to meeting with you all!
- I am out of the building Tuesday during the day for PLC Leadership Team meeting, Mr. Stahl will be subbing.
- NO SCHOOL next Friday, 11/16
- NO SCHOOL 11/21-11/23
Mystery Reader: Kara Merrill
Jaguar of the Week: Faith
Fall Fun!
Friday, October 26, 2018
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Morning Exploring: Halloween writing, rain forest sensory table, painting at the easel, "I Like Myself" book learning invitation, Halloween handwriting/pumpkin sight words
Reading: This week we continued working with our reading super powers. We talked about how super heroes never just use one power, we use lots! We practiced using pictures to help us decode words, pointer power and sight word power. We also talked about making our lips get ready to say the first sound we see.
Math: Patterns! This week we worked with patterns (AB, AAB, ABB, ABC...). We'll continue pattern work and number sense (teen numbers) activities next week.
Writing: We continued writing as scientists this week. We are working hard on using simple sentence starters in our newest book, such as: These are _______. This leaf is ______. These look like _______. After using the sentence starter they should be using their ABC chart to stretch a word out. We've talked a lot about being brave as an author and taking risks. If we aren't taking risks we aren't growing as writers!
Social: This week we revisited our PRIDE words and what it looks/sounds like in different situations--great conversations! I will give prompts such as "is that in control for our mini-lesson?" "What would it look like for a mathematician to show Jaguar PRIDE at math stations?"... We did our first compliment circle and they were all beaming! They loved hearing nice things and they also loved filling someone else's bucket. I cannot wait to do it again next week!
Tips for Home: Use PRIDE words at home too! What does it look like to problem solve, be respectful, in control, determined and empowered at home? When reading ask your child to help you solve words by: looking at the picture, finding sight (snap words they know) and stretching sounds out.
Coming Up:
*Please sign up for Fall conferences! (I'll send home a survey soon)--Conference sign up directions are on the PawPrint
*Halloween: We will parade around school at 1:15 and then head outside for an all-school dance party. For this celebration, the students get in costumes in the classroom this must be something to slip over clothes, they will not be able to leave to change into something. School policy: no masks, face make-up or anything violent. It would be a good idea to leave small accessories at home. We'll then come back to the classroom for Fall party fun! Party is over at 2:45. For any parents attending the party, you may sign your child out in the classroom and take them at that time.
Apps/Programs in the Class We've Been Using:
Reading: This week we continued working with our reading super powers. We talked about how super heroes never just use one power, we use lots! We practiced using pictures to help us decode words, pointer power and sight word power. We also talked about making our lips get ready to say the first sound we see.
Math: Patterns! This week we worked with patterns (AB, AAB, ABB, ABC...). We'll continue pattern work and number sense (teen numbers) activities next week.
Writing: We continued writing as scientists this week. We are working hard on using simple sentence starters in our newest book, such as: These are _______. This leaf is ______. These look like _______. After using the sentence starter they should be using their ABC chart to stretch a word out. We've talked a lot about being brave as an author and taking risks. If we aren't taking risks we aren't growing as writers!
Social: This week we revisited our PRIDE words and what it looks/sounds like in different situations--great conversations! I will give prompts such as "is that in control for our mini-lesson?" "What would it look like for a mathematician to show Jaguar PRIDE at math stations?"... We did our first compliment circle and they were all beaming! They loved hearing nice things and they also loved filling someone else's bucket. I cannot wait to do it again next week!
Tips for Home: Use PRIDE words at home too! What does it look like to problem solve, be respectful, in control, determined and empowered at home? When reading ask your child to help you solve words by: looking at the picture, finding sight (snap words they know) and stretching sounds out.
Coming Up:
*Please sign up for Fall conferences! (I'll send home a survey soon)--Conference sign up directions are on the PawPrint
*Halloween: We will parade around school at 1:15 and then head outside for an all-school dance party. For this celebration, the students get in costumes in the classroom this must be something to slip over clothes, they will not be able to leave to change into something. School policy: no masks, face make-up or anything violent. It would be a good idea to leave small accessories at home. We'll then come back to the classroom for Fall party fun! Party is over at 2:45. For any parents attending the party, you may sign your child out in the classroom and take them at that time.
Apps/Programs in the Class We've Been Using:
- In math we've been using a free pattern app: Patterns for Kids-Free
- Cosmic Kids Yoga is on YouTube and a favorite by the class! It goes along with themes or stories
- Mrs. Honeybee's Classroom (YouTube) mindful breathing/stories
- Peace Out Guided Relaxation (YouTube)
- Jack Hartmann has wonderful (yes, a bit silly!) videos for math and literacy for various levels
Going Batty...
Friday, October 19, 2018
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Morning Tubs: Bats! Creepy Crawlers at the sensory table, math games (more/less), monster eyes learning invitation "How many eyes?" color by number (they LOVE these!)d
Reading: We are SUPER READERS!!! Here's our powers:
Math: This week we started exploring patterns! In math stations we did Moose Math and a RekenRak app, teen number station, exploring patterns, counting jar (1:1 counting, showing the numeral, put it on a tens frame, show it in tallies--all teen numbers). Continuing pattern work and teen numbers next week, Monday we'll play a fun game that they'll learn and can be easily played at home. Be sure to ask your kinder after school next week to teach you!
Writing: We started our writing like scientist unit this week. After a nature hunt collecting items we started books to label and create! We brainstormed words and really have been working hard to be brave and determined in our writer's workshop.
STEAM: We went batty! We did lots of fun bat inquiry learning this week and today came to school to find our classroom had transformed to a bat cave!
Social: I loved this week sharing things that went well in partnerships, what made them happy at recess, someone they enjoyed playing with etc. A common theme was "I loved playing with ______ because we played nice together and no one was bossy." We will continue celebrating things that make us feel good and happy. When they aren't going well we talk about how we can make it better next time! Mrs. Cocos shared an amazing song that we've started now singing in our class, "It's You I Like"-Mr. Rogers, and we talked about all the words. It's your kind heart we like, not your clothes/toys/hair...
Tips for Home: Practice zipping jackets :); When reading books look for sight words or matching words to pictures! Target's dollar aisle always has mini-erasers. These are WONDERFUL!!! They can use these for counting, creating, showing teen numbers, they spell words with them, make patterns, the options are endless--I highly recommend giving them a try at home and letting your kinder just explore and show what they know!
Next Thursday is Picture Retake Day!
Reading: We are SUPER READERS!!! Here's our powers:
- Pointer powers (each word gets one tap)
- Snap word power (finding sight words)
- Reread power
- Partner power
- Picture power (using pictures to decide on words)Learn With Homer
Math: This week we started exploring patterns! In math stations we did Moose Math and a RekenRak app, teen number station, exploring patterns, counting jar (1:1 counting, showing the numeral, put it on a tens frame, show it in tallies--all teen numbers). Continuing pattern work and teen numbers next week, Monday we'll play a fun game that they'll learn and can be easily played at home. Be sure to ask your kinder after school next week to teach you!
Writing: We started our writing like scientist unit this week. After a nature hunt collecting items we started books to label and create! We brainstormed words and really have been working hard to be brave and determined in our writer's workshop.
STEAM: We went batty! We did lots of fun bat inquiry learning this week and today came to school to find our classroom had transformed to a bat cave!
Social: I loved this week sharing things that went well in partnerships, what made them happy at recess, someone they enjoyed playing with etc. A common theme was "I loved playing with ______ because we played nice together and no one was bossy." We will continue celebrating things that make us feel good and happy. When they aren't going well we talk about how we can make it better next time! Mrs. Cocos shared an amazing song that we've started now singing in our class, "It's You I Like"-Mr. Rogers, and we talked about all the words. It's your kind heart we like, not your clothes/toys/hair...
Tips for Home: Practice zipping jackets :); When reading books look for sight words or matching words to pictures! Target's dollar aisle always has mini-erasers. These are WONDERFUL!!! They can use these for counting, creating, showing teen numbers, they spell words with them, make patterns, the options are endless--I highly recommend giving them a try at home and letting your kinder just explore and show what they know!
Next Thursday is Picture Retake Day!
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