Pi Day and other fun things

 A look at our learning last week...

Fundations: all year we have known c and k make the same sound and we always just had to guess which letter we used for certain words....until now!  We learned that we have to listen to the vowel sound that follows the /c/ or /k/ sound to help us determine if we use a c or a k.  If we hear the a, o or u sound, we use the letter c.  If we hear the i or e sound, we use the letter k.  We have this chart in our room to use as a resource when tapping out and spelling words.  The kiddos have done a GREAT job at using this chart to help them know which letter to use. 

Please refer to the parent packet coming home today for a list of c and k words to try with your child at home!  You can show them the picture below or make your own chart at home to use as a resource.  I think they will amaze you at their ability!

Shared Reading & Spelling: we read the Big Books What has these stripes? and I can be to help us practice our new spelling words as and has.

We missed our spelling test since we had a snow day on Friday.  However, I introduced two new spelling words for this week and we are going to trudge ahead since last week was mostly a full week and this week will be as well.  With all the snow days happening on Thursday and Friday's I don't want to get even more behind with spelling words.  This weeks new words are was and look. Even though we weren't tested on last weeks words as and has, they WILL be on the test this week as well.  Make sure you are practicing all four words, plus our older ones. 

Writing Workshop: we are continuing our unit on opinion writing.  Last week we learned that there are more ways than "I like...." to start our pieces of writing.  We learned we can also use the sentence starters below.  

Literacy Workstations & Read to Self: While the students are at their stations each day, I work one on one or in small groups during this time on reading and letter work. Below you can see them working hard at their stations.

Math: we worked on ST math daily during morning work time (8-8:20) to help our grade level complete the most puzzles in hopes of winning a popsicle party to celebrate math week!  We find out today what grade level completed the most puzzles last week!  Math week was a fun way to lead up to Pi day (3.14) today.  This morning we rotated among Kindergarten classrooms participating in different math stations.  We sorted, graphed and ATE M&M's, built 2D and 3D shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks and painted patterns with q-tips and paint!  We also watched a Peep & Chirp video about math and counting.  It was a super fun morning of math! 

Science: this week we are doing a "Project Lead the Way" science unit learning about the weather.  Mrs. Fitch, our media specialist, and I are co-teaching this unit all week.  Our days will be a bit off schedule as she will be in our room for several hours each day this week to get the entire unit completed.  We will be discussing the sun, temperature, weather, etc.  At the end of the week your child will bring home a "launch log" aka journal of their studies this week and you can see all the fun things they learned and completed.  You will want to make sure your child is at school each and every day, and on time, so they don't miss out on the fun and learning! 

February Citizen of the Month

 A look at our learning the past two weeks...

Fundations: we focused on the trick words and, are and to.  We call them trick words because they are tricky to spell.  You can't sound them out and just have to know how to spell them.  We will be learning more trick words over the course of 3rd trimester and will tie them into our weekly spelling words.  We also continue to work on tapping out 3 letter words to read and write and correct lowercase letter formation.  

Next week's new spelling words

is

his

Writing Workshop: we continue to work on opinion writing.  We are working on stating our opinion and giving at least two reasons why we feel that way.  Their stories should sound something like "I like.....because.....and....."

I look forward to showing you the growth they have made in their writing since the beginning of Kindergarten and last trimester when we meet for their parent-teacher conference this week.  

Math: check your child's Friday Folder for ways to extend our weekly math lessons at home.

Science: we began our weather science unit.  We will be tracking the weather daily and in a couple of weeks Mrs. Fitch, our media specialist, and I will be team teaching for a week and using the data we collected for further weather related lessons.  

Library Check-out: it was an exciting week for Kindergarten as they are now able to check out ONE early reader chapter book if they choose!  We learned about early chapter books that are appropriate for us and how, for most of us, it would be a book that our grown up could read TO us at home.  

Citizen of the Month: Dev was chosen, by his peers, as our February Citizen of the Month.  What's even more special is that his twin sister in Ms. Tolbert's room was also chosen, by her peers, as Citizen of the Month!  What a fun coincidence!  Way to go, Dev!

Friends trying to stay warm at recess!