April Showers bring May Flowers

 A look at our learning...

Fundations: your kiddos are getting SO GOOD at writing and reading sentences.  I highly encourage you to get out the Fundations parent packet that came home in today's Take Home Folder and ask your child to independently read the sentences on the paper to you.  Let them practice it a few times and then ask them to read it fluently by "scooping it and reading it."  They know what this means if you use that terminology.  Basically it helps them read it smoothly and more like we talk, rather than word by word like robots.  Next, ask them to circle any trick words or word wall words they see in the sentences and underline any digraphs.  I promise, you'll be impressed.  

Next week's Word Wall Words

or

for

Writing Workshop: Monday-Wednesday we worked on opinion writing.  Thursday and Friday we worked on a special project with Mrs. Fitch, that they brought home today.  We read the book of poems called The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald (linked here), discussed what we love best about ourselves, wrote about it and then created our own poem in Pic Collage!  Your child brought home their writing and photo creation today!  You can also see it saved to the camera roll of their iPad.  I hope you love and treasure these as much as we do!  I think they would be a great thing to be framed or kept in their memory boxes/books.  Mrs. Fitch was amazed at the wonderful writers and tech savvy students I have.  Our class earns compliments from so many teachers.  We have even had a few teachers from other grade levels come observe our class lately because they are so impressed by what they see!   I truly am blessed with this great group of kiddos!  (more photos on our class Facebook page)

Math: we continued our learning of 2-D and 3-D shapes, addition and are now dabbling in subtraction!  Check their Seesaw for some of the work they did this week.  We also learned a few new games in the classroom to help with these things.  

Science: we are continuing our unit on Force and Motion: Pushes and Pulls. 

Friday Craft: today I taught the kiddos about May Day and we made May Day baskets and surprised classrooms/staff members with a basket.  This is a special tradition that I loved doing when I was in elementary school and have done it every year that I have been a teacher myself.  I find that many people don't know about May Day anymore and LOVE when we do this each year!  We are the only class in the entire school who does this and I love how that is something unique for us.  May day is all about wishing others a Happy Spring and spreading kindness and joy without getting recognition....simply doing it to make others smile!  

They had so much fun being sneaky (in a good way) today!  As one child said about 20 minutes after we were finished "my heart is still beating fast in a good way because I'm so excited for people to be surprised!" 

ABC Countdown: Our countdown to summer has begun!!! Wednesday we enjoyed using watercolors and paint daubers for Art Day, Thursday we chomped and smacked on bubble gum throughout the day, took time to blow bubbles (and they came home with their own bubble wand) for Bubble Day AND had a visit from Mrs. Croom's bunny named Chunk!  Today we enjoyed a yummy cookie treat and drew beautiful pictures and messages on the sidewalk by the bus loop for Chalk and Cookies Day!  Enjoy a few pictures below, but check the class Facebook page for TONS more.  

Next week, a few items will be needed from home for our fun days!  Check the calendar sent home last Friday.

Wednesday is Flashlight Day-send a flashlight from home (please make sure it is labeled with your child's or family name)

Thursday is Game Day-send in a board game or card game (labeled as well)

Friday is Hat Day-wear a fun hat to school

Recess Fun

April Citizen of the Month

 Yay Keaton!  He was chosen, by his peers, as April Citizen of the Month!

A look at our learning...

Fundations: we are working on the difference between short vowels and long vowels.  We continue to work on trick words, tapping out 3-4 letter words and dictation sentences.  Dictation sentences are simple sentences that I say out loud to the students and they write it on their board.  This shows me the following: who starts their sentences with an uppercase letter, ends with punctuation, uses word spaces, spells trick words/word wall words correctly and taps out 3-4 sound words.  They are getting really good at this!

Check your child's take home folder for the Friday Fundations note for ideas on how to help with this at home. 

Next week's spelling words:

they

her

Writing Workshop: we continue to work on Opinion Writing.  We added the word "because" to our word wall since they use it so much when writing opinion pieces. It isn't a word they are expected to spell independently, but is there as a resource.  

This week they wrote their opinion on the best pet, best food, if they could visit any special place where would it be...just to name a few!

Math: this week was about shapes and measurement.  We continued our learning from last week on 3D shapes.  We also did two fun lessons on measurement.  We had to figure out if we were tall enough to ride a roller coaster at an amusement part.  In Kindergarten we use non-standard units of measurement: post it notes, paper clips, snap cubes, etc.  

Check out your child's Seesaw to see the awesome work they did!

Guided Reading Groups & Literacy Workstations: for an hour and a half each day students work in guided reading groups and literacy workstations.  While I meet with kiddos in their individualized reading groups, the rest of the class is working independently in the classroom on literacy activities.  

Science: we are on week 2 of our Force and Motion unit.  We've had fun learning about machines that require pushes and pulls and force and motion.  

We also celebrated Earth Day and CPS Make a Difference Day by planting flowers for our Kindergarten playground!

I only posted a few photos here.  You can see all of the gardening photos on our class Facebook page. 

Play time is the best time!

Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day!  We are lucky to have the best of the best at Beulah Ralph Elementary!  Kindergarten teachers thanked Mrs. Lambert, Ms. Grace, Mrs. Stokes and Mr. Cameron with lunch from Addison's and our class made them a special poster.

We are grateful for all they do!