A look at our learning...
Fundations: we continued to work on repeating a short sentence and independently writing that sentence. The goal is to see if they begin the sentence with an uppercase letter, use word spaces, write their spelling words correctly, tap out unknown words and end their sentence with punctuation. Once finished, we practice reading the sentence fluently and not like a robot. As always, the parent packet in the Friday Folder has great ways to continue this learning at home.
Shared Reading: this week we enjoyed the books I Was With and To the Store. As we read together, we continued practicing important end-of-year kindergarten skills like tracking print (pointing to each word as we read), recognizing high-frequency words, and using picture clues and the letters in the word to help us make sense of the text. We also worked on noticing patterns in sentences and building confidence reading familiar phrases out loud.
Next week's new spelling words:
yes
your
Writing Workshop: we have officially finished being authors of our informational penguin books and are now becoming illustrators as we add color and detail to our pages! We are very close to wrapping up these projects. Every student has written at least one penguin book.
They have done such a wonderful job writing these nonfiction books, and I am so proud of them. Each child independently created their own 5-page book, including a cover, an opening, three facts, and an ending. When I think back to the beginning of the year, when their “stories” were simple drawings with little to no words, and compare that to the detailed books they are writing now, it is truly amazing.
No matter how many years I teach, I am always so impressed by the growth they make in just one year. It’s one of the many reasons I love what I do!
Ask your child to tell you some of the facts they included in their penguin book!
Math: we have continued our study of 3D shapes, learning to identify and describe shapes like cubes, spheres, cylinders, cones and prisms. We’ve been talking about their attributes (flat faces, curved surfaces, etc.) and noticing where we see these shapes in the real world.
We have also been working on different ways to make numbers between 5 and 10. Through lessons and games, students explored combinations such as making 5 with 3 and 2 or 4 and 1. This helps build a strong understanding of number relationships and prepares them for addition and subtraction.
Ask your child to name a 3D shape they know or show you different ways to make a number!
Science: we’ve been having so much fun observing caterpillars as they grow and change! We received them about a week ago and have already watched them transform from tiny caterpillars into chrysalises. The students have been fascinated by each stage and love checking on them throughout the day. Now we are eagerly waiting for the next step as they emerge as butterflies—such an exciting way to see life cycles in action!
Packmate of the Month: yay Harrison! He was chosen, by his peers, as our April Packmate of the Month for perseverance.
As we head into the final month of the school year, we have just one more Packmate of the Month to celebrate! This is always an exciting recognition, and it’s been wonderful to see how much our students care about showing positive character and following our school expectations.
Packmate of the Month is a student-voted recognition across all classes that focuses on the character traits and “rules” we practice at school. The same idea applies to other recognitions, like Lunch with the Principal. With many students in each grade level and only so many opportunities throughout the year, not every child will receive each recognition during kindergarten—and that’s okay.
Even if a child hasn’t been recognized yet, please know that we see them and all the positive choices, growth, and effort they show each day. Those moments matter and are noticed, even when they aren’t tied to a specific award.
We talk often about how important it is to keep showing kindness, responsibility, and perseverance each day, not just for an award, but because it’s the right thing to do. It’s also a valuable lesson for students to learn that we don’t always receive every recognition we hope for, and to keep trying and doing our best anyway.
There will be many more opportunities for students to be recognized throughout their elementary years. I am so proud of the effort, growth, and positive choices I see from all of our students every day!
Alphabet Countdown: what a fun week we had! On Monday we enjoyed chocolate chip cookies and drew with chalk outside. Tuesday is always a fan favorite-we enjoyed yummy donuts and were paleontologists and had to "dig up" some dinosaurs frozen in ice! On Wednesday, we did a fun "sink or float?" science experiment. Thursday we enjoyed learning by only the glow of our flashlights and lanterns. Finally, on Friday we loved playing board games and card games with our friends! We didn't get any pictures today since I was absent, but Miss Brinkman said they had so much fun playing games! A few pictures are below, but check the classroom Facebook page for even more and some videos!
Next week your child can wear a hat from home on Monday for H is for Hat Day. On Wednesday they can wear a jersey (think favorite sports team, cheer, t-ball shirt, etc.) and on Friday we will enjoy a picnic lunch outside! Please send a beach towel with your child so they have something to sit on during lunch. I also encourage you to pack a lunch from home for ease and efficiency, but if your child prefers a school lunch, that is absolutely fine.
Administrative Professionals Day: on Wednesday, we celebrated the wonderful ladies in the office: Mrs. Lambert, Mrs. Koedel, and Ms. Grace, as well as Ms. Hallstead, the health secretary! We are so lucky to have them at BEU!
All School Assembly: today we had an all-school assembly with the purpose of pumping up our 3rd–5th grade students as they prepare for MAP testing next week! We watched a fun video that many staff members helped create, and it was a great way to bring excitement and encouragement to the school.
We also had some silly fun watching a few teachers get a pie in the face! The students who sold the most pizzas during our Shakespeare’s Pizza fundraiser earned the chance to choose a teacher for this “honor.” I have been a lucky recipient of this tradition several times in past years, so I was happy to pass the torch this time around! Mrs. Croom, Mrs. Imler, Mrs. Blumhagen and Mrs. Frericks were the lucky "winners" this time! It was a fun reminder of all the energy and teamwork that makes our school community so special.
Timber Trot Color Run 5K: I heard everyone had so much fun celebrating our very first Timber Trot Color Run 5K, sponsored by our amazing PTA! While I was so sad to miss out on all the excitement, it was clear from the smiles (and colorful faces!) that it was a fantastic event. A big thank you to the families who shared photos so I could still feel part of the fun, I loved seeing them! I truly hope this becomes a yearly tradition. Please keep sharing your pictures on our class Facebook page, I can’t get enough!
