Weekly Recap: 10/23-10/27

Last full week of October!

The end of last week and the beginning of this week was filled with computer testing (pre-assessments for math as well as reading). We were done with these by Tuesday of this week.

In reading we have continued working through a variety of “emergent storybooks.”  This week we read the book “Owen” each day.  Our focus lately has been on using the illustrations to determine what is happening.  Without even reading the story, we look through the book and I have the students guess what story the pictures are telling (they are already familiar with the book since it is an emergent storybook that has been read to them before).  This week we will continue using picture clues, characters, AND WORDS that we know to read the book. 

Small groups will continue to work on letters, sounds, etc. based on their individual levels.  I meet with at least 1-2 groups a day to work on Oral language, early literacy behaviors, etc. which are also determined by specific needs.  This past week our sight words were like and I.  We read a book called “I Like Me,” and punctuation was introduced to students (period vs. exclamation point). 

For writing we worked on learning to continue to work and add more to our writing when we think we are done.  We talked about working INDEPENDENTLY and being OWNERS of the writing we do.  WE decide what to do, not Ms. Gabriel, not our friends, but each author makes their own decisions.  This week I started having writing conferences with the students to help guide them based on their individual progress.  Some students are still working on labeling their writing, others are working on appropriate sequencing in their stories. Others are working on sounding out words they write. Lots of growth happening that is for certain!

In math we have started our new unit determining when numbers were equal and when one was greater or less (alligator is hungry and wants to eat the great number because the amount is larger).  We will continue working on this for the next week.  

Finally, Friday was our BOO BASH and the kids had a wonderful time doing the activities upstairs with the older students.  The costumes some of the kids wore were great!

Ms. Gabriel

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

Weekly Recap: 10/9-10/13

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! I was very proud of the kids this week!  They worked hard and we had a lot of fun!

This week we read "Goodnight Moon" each day. By the end of the week the kids were reading right along with me, which is a great sign.  We also read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to go along with the letters we have been learning/reviewing.  We focused the letters and sounds of T, G, N and P.  This included word sorting in their journals and creating our own list of words that start with those letters.  As I previously mentioned, the students are now in groups that have similar reading/phonics needs, so while students are independently reading, I work with a different group each day.  Depending on the group, we work on letters, sounds, or sight words.  The more specific instruction is for each child's needs, the better. So having smaller groups after a whole class lesson will be great for the kids!  

For math we started the week by creating our very own number line with blue paper and cotton balls.  The kids were so excited to see it up the next day!  We also started finding different ways to make 10 using 2 sided colored chips--which I referred to as a "magic pot and magic chips" ;) We discovered that every time we emptied the pot, the total number of chips was the same (10), BUT the number of white and red chips was different, SO there are different ways to make 10!  We will continue finding ways to make numbers other than 10 as well as sequencing (through "Which number is missing?" activities this week).  

In writing we are continuing to work on personal narratives (2-3 pages in length), but students are being encouraged to keep going and keep adding details even when they *think they are done.  If your child writes at home, ask them to share what they are writing with you.  This will just be good practice for them to make sure there is purpose in what they are writing--instead of just random little drawings of things that don't connect.  Pages in book are connected the same was as pages in our writing.

As for inquiry, we are just about to begin our social justice unit.  I have recently showed the kids some videos of kids without arms or other disabilities that are able to ride bikes and color, etc. with assistance of devices that have been made for them.  They get to see that even people that have differences can have fun and do the things that we can do.  They have loved seeing how things are made to help those individuals participate in everyday activities (such as the handle straps on a bike for a girl that did not have arms).  We are learning to appreciate differences and see what people CAN do :)  

Ms. Gabriel

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

Weekly Recap: 10/2-10/6

This week was FULL of different activities!  

In writing we continued to write narratives about things that happened to us.  We learned that writer's add detail to what they are writing.  They tell us by drawing (or using words/letters) details such as the setting (time of day) and feelings.  While students were writing their stories, I checked to see if it was evident in their papers.  Was there a sun?  Was it raining?  Did the people in the story look happy or sad?  We will continue to work on adding more detail in their stories as well as being able to describe their pictures/stories with more than just a few words.  

In reading we started looking at how the pages in the same book are connected.  We also focused on letters b,r, m and s this week. We did some songs, word sorts, and worked together to think of words that started with those specific letters.  This week we will work more letters together as well as reviewing them all on a daily basis.  Literacy centers also begin this week.  Students will create different letters from play doh, use magnets to write sight words, spend some time reading, work on letter sound sorting, and be in small guided reading groups with me!  Hopefully the kids will enjoy this transition and it will really help them in the reading process. 

Math was a blast this week!  We are still working on numbers 1-10, so we represented numbers using beads.  We also used white boards to write numerals and draw circles (when given a specific numeral).  This week we will start by making our very own number line :)  We will then move on to thinking of different ways to make 10.  

Just a reminder that picture day is this week and Spirit night is Wednesday!  

Ms. Gabriel

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

Weekly Recap: 9/25-9/29

First of all, it was great to meet many of you at curriculum night J  Thank you so much for coming and allowing me to share a little bit about myself and what the kiddos will be doing. It’s going to be a great year!

This week was a busy one!  In reading we read the book “Beautiful Oops” to show students that they can keep going when things are not perfect and that we can turn our mistakes into something beautiful.  Students got a chance to make something beautiful from the “mistake” Ms. Gabriel made on her paper ;)  We also worked on a poem called “As I Was Walking.” After learning it (with motions) the kids found the rhyming words and we looked for letters in the poem that were in our names.  Students are still working on reading independently and with a buddy-trying to build more and more stamina which will be helpful once we begin center work soon!

In writing we started to think about sharing our stories with others.  It is one thing to produce your own writing, but it is another thing to be able to explain what you wrote about to someone else.  Part of Kindergarten is learning basic “presentation” skills.  We will continue to work on sharing our creations as the year goes on.  Next week we will continue to write stories that are 1-2 pages in length.

For math we have continued to work with numbers 1-10 by writing them and modeling them with different manipulatives.  The kids loved using dry erase boards, snap cubes, and play dough this week.  The more senses we involve/engage while learning the better!! Plus it is MORE fun J

Remember to try and read for 20 minutes a night and review sight words with your child.  Repetition is key for these little ones, so anything you do at home will be beneficial.

Ms. Gabriel

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

Weekly Recap: 9/18-9/22

Finally a full week again! 

Since we had more than a week off, it was important to get the kids back into the routine.  We are still working on remembering everyone’s names and getting to know one another.  We are also talking about feelings (practice identifying) and how to appropriately and calmly react and respond in the classroom.  

On Monday we talked about different types of books and how some are fiction while others are nonfiction (“learn about the world” books).  Students read nonfiction books together and shared things that they learned from their books.  We continued studying nonfiction books with a book about the life of a monarch butterfly.  This week we will be learning about rereading books to keep learning more and more.

Students are still writing one page stories and will move on to 2-3 page stories this week.  Students are encouraged to write using pictures, labels, letters, scribbles, etc.  The main goal is to have students thinking and producing stories (with events in order). Now the kids will start sharing their creations with partners to show that they have written specific things that they can talk about.

In math we have worked on numbers 1-4 and will continue to learn more and more numbers this week.  The kids practice writing each numeral as well as representing the number (model).  They will also start using tens frames this week.

Also a quick reminder that curriculum night is Thursday at 5pm and I am excited to see you there J

Ms. Gabriel

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”