KIndergator Update 8.30.19

This week seemed to speed by, but I hope your three day weekend goes as slowly as possible. Happy Labor Day to you. Here are the labors we did in class:



Reading: We continued our study of real reading (non-fiction) books by searching through books to see what features they had (photographs, captions, maps, diagrams, teaching words) inside them. We will revisit this topic later in the year and add on table of contents, and index. We examined websites that are non-fiction sources that we can learn from all year. We also continued blending our sounds to continue on our path to being great readers.

Math: We began our unit on 2D and 3D shapes. We are responsible for knowing about squares, rectangles, triangles, circles and hexagons. We are learning about the difference between sides and angles and how we can define and model each shape.

Writing: We began using our “slow motion robot” technique to stretch out words slowly and hear all the sounds within them. That is how we learn to write words. We began spelling some words independently this week. Next week we will work on our first sentences. Fingers crossed!!!!

Growth Mindset: We read stories about students who had to talk to their brains about getting over a grumpy day and talk to their brains to help control their talking. We had a great discussion about how “only you can control you” and how “you have the power to make good choices if you use it.”

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math): We learned about what an engineer does and how they always start by noticing a problem. We talked about the important questions that start every STEM activity….”What is the problem?” and “What do I have available to help me fix it?” We made plans then made models of the American Flag with either paper, SOLO cups or dot markers. Our data showed that cups was the easiest so great job Eldabelle and Audrey who choose the cups route. We reflected on our designs and remodeled. Then we worked in STEM groups to plan and engineer a boat that could hold the most bars. They were able to use aluminum foil, bubble wrap or paper and our data showed aluminum foil held the most.

Science: We worked on float or sink concepts in science lab and during STEM time.

Vocabulary:  photograph, caption, labels, diagram, engineer, sides (not size), angles, labor and lots of fun words that start with “a” sound.

Big Things:
We are missing lots of permission slips. Please return them as soon as possible!
No school on Monday. Please enjoy your Labor Day Coupon Book your kiddos made you.
We still have lots of kids not counting to 50 and some not even to 20 yet. Please help us by reviewing this skill in the car, at dinner, in the bathtub and anywhere else you find time to practice.
We are in need of Play-Doh in class. Please consider donating some for us to work with.

Thank You To:
  • The Antrim family for donating a new pencil sharpener to our classroom. We cannot tell you how amazingly happy it makes us and how much easier our day was today because of it!!!!!!
  • Mae-Claire for my cool alligator coloring picture.
  • Daniel who showed amazing engineering aptitude this week.
  • Caitlin for helping in her sister’s classroom this week and belly laughing with me when she fell off her ball and I fell off mine.
  • Gabe for teaching us about Bob the Builder.
  • Shadow the Fox who came to visit us this week.
  • Mason knowing the magic word to open the classroom door.
  • Arielle for winning the ASP races this week.
  • Duncan for showing amazing bravery and sounding out skills this week.
  • Audrey for choosing to sound out the big word alligator instead of the little words on her paper.
  • Will for jumping into his bubble map drawings and making his table giggle.
  • Fiona for independently reading a level E book and teaching me all about coyotes!
  • Eldabelle, Jacob, Elaina, William, Arielle, Ethan, Audrey, Caitlin and Fiona for mastering their counting to 100 by ones already.
  • Hadley for being a great leader in class with her hand always up in the air to try anything we put before her. And being the only one to remember the hard “a” words we learned this week like antelope, acrobats and avocado.
  • Kendal for volunteering to read often and her tenacity for getting past 79 in her counting. I believe it her least favorite number.
  • Lennox for being a speedy unpacker and jumping into morning work this week with lots of energy.
  • Elaina for incredible artwork this week and amazing STEM planning skills.
  • Carter’s family for sending in the beads and string. The kids are loving creative time now that they are making colorful jeweled accessories.
  • Hadley and Eldabelle for reaching STAR behavior this week. 



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