Weekly Update…

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Posted by jstutz1 | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on May 7, 2017

May 1 – 5

Popcorn Words:  have, on, of.  We took note of how the “f” in of makes a “v” sound.  Reminding us that those letters do flippy dolphin sometimes and make different sounds in words.  We even looked at how in the word have the “e” is silent and not bossy, because the “a” makes a short “a” sound.  

Math:  We are continuing to work in Unit 5 of our Math curriculum.  This week we worked on finding greater than and less than groups.  Also, working on finding partners that make up a new number, telling subtraction and addition story problems and even practicing our counting by 10’s, 1’s and finding the hiding 0 in teen numbers.  The Kindergarteners always love Friday Math Games with each center focusing on a math concept from the week in Math.  I have been so excited to see their number sense growth this year.  

Writer’s Workshop:  We have started a new writing genre this week, Opinion Writing.  The Kindergarteners have learned what an opinion is and how we all have different opinions on all kinds of things.  From our favorite color, to favorite food and even chips and salsa!  We are diving into Opinion writing by choosing how we feel about a topic and then coming up with two reasons why we feel that way.  Then we come up with a resolution sentence to end our opinion writing, a statement that might entice our reader to want to try what we like.  The Kindergartners have loved the read aloud books that have supported our opinion writing genre. We started with a great book that illustrated the idea of what Opinion writing is:  Pick a Picture, Write and Opinion! by Kristen McCurry.  Then moving into I Wanna Iguana and I Wanna a New Room both books by Karen Kaufman Orloff.  We even explored our mini celebration of Cinco de Mayo on May 5 by exploring if we thought chips and salsa were yucky or yummy.  They loved this!  We had 17 who thought chips and salsa were yummy and 3 who thought it was yucky.  It was so awesome to see them all support each others opinion even if they were not the same.  We will continue with this writing genre during the month of May.

Reader’s Workshop:  This month we will be celebrating how we have become readers.  We will revisit our reading strategies, work on some readers theater and have fun with reading.  This Friday we all wore something that had writing on it.  The Kindergarteners LOVED looking at what their friends had on and reading it.  We also got to go see some readers perform readers theater plays in Ms. Yankee’s Kindergarten classroom!  They performed the plays, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs.  Great job friends!!  Next Friday we will read with a reading strategy beanie baby from our classroom.  No need to send anything to school with your child.  

Science:  We have started our discussion of Living and Non-living things.  Discovering what living things need:  a home, food, light, water and air (space).  The Kindergarteners had a great time taking a nature walk by the ponds to explore what they could find that was living and non-living.  We even got to see the adorable goslings!!  We also got into groups and made posters of each thing that living things need.  One group making a poster together of homes, another making a food poster, one making a water poster and then a light poster.  I made the air poster for them to see as an example.  They loved this activity!  We have also been having fun watching our plants grow!!  Some of them are so big!!  We’ve been keeping track of them using our plant journals.  Tracking the weather, water we use and writing what we see.  We are taking special note of our plants that we planted in sand and one that we are keeping in a cupboard not giving it any sunlight.  It has been so much fun!!

Take Home Books:  Our last day of Take Home Boks will be Thursday, May 18.  Thank you to all of the parent volunteers for coming in to read with our Kindergarteners!  All Take Home Books will be returned Thursday for the school year.  

Mystery Reader:  This week Savannah jumped up with joy and ran to meet her Mom and two brothers Brody and Jackson as they came through our door as our Mystery Readers!!  It was so fun to have Mrs. DeHaan read us the story I Know a Wee Piggy by Kim Norman, a DeHaan family favorite.  Little brother Brody was even able to help read it!!  We loved hearing the rhyming and the funny story about the Pig and his silliness and messiness!!  Thank you so much for visiting with us Mrs. DeHaan!!!  We LOVE having Mystery Readers!!  If you are interested PLEASE email me ASAP to set something up.  If your unable to come during one of our signup.com times don’t hesitate to ask for a different time.  I am VERY flexible with this!!  Mystery Reader time is so special!!  

5th Grade Buddies:  We love seeing our 5th grade buddies!!  This week we were able to play with them on our playground.  We even brought out some of our toys to play with outside!  It was so fun!!  Thanks for visiting with us 5th graders!!

Field Trip:  This Tuesday, May 9 we will be going on our Spring field trip.  We have 6 chaperones who will also attend.  Please be sure to dress your Kindergartener weather appropriate.  We will be leaving school by 9:15 a.m. to go to the Hemlock Nature Center in Holland.  We will be walking on trail, listening to guides inside and outside.  The Nature Center does an amazing job of giving the kids a great tour of living things.  We will then leave the nature center at 11:30 to then go to HAGER PARK for our picnic lunch and play time.  Please pack your child a lunch for the day that includes a drink.  If the weather is rainy we will still go to the Nature Center, they have a dry Plan B for us.  However, if the weather is still rainy by our lunch time then we will return to school and have our picnic lunch in our classroom, all parents are welcome!  For parents planning to attend the lunch time with your child PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF PARK VENUE:  HAGER PARK IN JENISON, NOT TIMBER TOWN IN ZEELAND.  We will be near the wood structure part of the Hager Park around 12:00 for our lunch, then have time to play.  

Kindergarten Olympics:  What are Kindergarten Olympics?  A fun day of games where all the Kindergarten classes join together!  We will be having the Kindergarten Olympics on Friday, June 2.  A note asking for parent volunteers will be coming home.  Please return the slips if you can help.  Even a grandparent is welcome to help, as long as we have background checks!  It is such a fun time!!  All parents will be open to come to this, we do a picnic style lunch that is always fun to be a part of!!  More details will be coming home this week.  

Summer Birthdays:  I will be contacting parents of Kindergarteners with summer birthdays to get a date on our calendar to celebrate them before our end of the school year!  

Upcoming Dates:

  • Monday, May 8…Gym. Bring Take Home Books.
  • Tuesday, May 9…Field Trip Day!!  Dress weather appropriate, bring a labeled lunch with drink, leaving at 9:15 a.m., lunch at 12:00 ish at Hager Park in Jenison, return to school by 2:00 p.m.  NO Music special, Library (we will still have library) Bring Library Books.
  • Wednesday, May 10…Art.  Bring Take Home Books. Math and Literacy homework due.
  • Thursday, May 11…Steam.  Bring Take Home Books.
  • Friday, May 12…Gym, Early Dismissal at 12:15 p.m.  
  • Tuesday, May 16…Sam’s B-Day!!!
  • Thursday, May 18…Last Day for Take Home Books Program!  Bring all Take Home Books to school!!
  • Friday, May 19…Bring a flashlight to read with!  Please label it with your child’s name!!  I have some extra just in case.
  • Friday, May 26…Wear Red, White and Blue Day!!  Carson’s B-day!!!
  • Monday, May 29…NO SCHOOL!!!  Memorial Day.
  • Friday, June 2…Kindergarten Olympics.
  • Friday, June 9…LAST DAY OF SCHOOL….dismissal at 12:15 p.m.
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