December 16, 2009
kprocks123
Dear
Families,
The
holidays are upon us and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and
your family a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous 2010. Thanks to the many
families who have been coming in to share their holiday tradition with the
class. What a fun way to learn to appreciate, value and respect everyone!
Thanks
to everyone for attending the parent-teacher conferences. Please remember
that I am available to meet with you about any concern or question you might
have.
I
would like to take this opportunity to tell you about our new friend Stanley.
Stanley is a fictitious friend from the story Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. In
the story, Stanley is accidentally squished “as flat as a pancake” when a
bulletin board fell on him. Stanley is flat, but otherwise fine. Stanley takes
us through many different adventures as he discovers some real advantages to
being flat. KP will participate in a special project related to Stanley.
This
week, the children are bringing home a paper-doll Stanley. In addition to the
Stanley doll (decorated by your child), we are including two letters. One
letter explains the project and the other letter is a sample letter to be sent
along with Stanley so that the friend or relative who receives Stanley would
know what to do.
Please
talk to your child about whom to send their Stanley to and ask that friend or
relative to take pictures of Stanley on this big adventure and return it back
in the mail. The students will bring their Stanley’s pictures and tell the
class all about it! We will use our classroom world map to keep track of the
places our Stanleys visit. (You might also consider taking Stanley with you if
your family is traveling this holiday season!)
Enjoy
the lovely vacation time that lies ahead!
With
best wishes
Mrs. Paris
All
About Literacy
Writers’
workshop continues to be a busy time in KP. The students have practiced the
process of choosing a topic, sketching it, and then writing a bit about it.
We will continue to practice “stretching” and writing words in which students
separate out the many sounds they hear in words and write down the letters
that correspond to those sounds.
We
will introduce a new unit of study called “Small Moments: Personal Narrative
Writing.” These are some of the skills that will be covered through this unit:
-
Writers will learn to plan detailed stories by saying those stories aloud
before writing them
-
Writers will learn the strategy of telling a story across one’s fingers to
produce stories that have a beginning, middle, and an end.
-
Writers write certain words quickly (“in a snap”), either by just knowing them
or by taking a quick look at the word wall.
In
our author studies, we will be learning about the all time favorite Eric
Carle. We will learn some biographical information about the
writer/illustrator. We will explore his artistic style as we try to replicate
some of the techniques used in his illustration. We will use his artistic
style as a source of inspiration. We will explore the use of watercolors and
make our own colored tissue papers. We will create collages using the colored
tissue paper techniques. We will also discuss the kinds of patterns that are
so prevalent in his stories.
We
will be reading many fiction and nonfiction books connected to our study of
animal’s hibernation, migration, and adaptation. Many of the literacy center
activities will be based on such study.
All
About Science
We
are finishing our Day and Night science unit. Thanks for helping your
children complete their night journals. They did an amazing job!
We will soon begin a new unit called “Animals In Winter“ We will learn about
how animals prepare for the cold winter. We will learn about animals that
migrate, hibernate, and adapt. We will transform our dramatic play area into
a den. The children will complete an in-class research about an animal of
their choice. They will learn many important facts about that particular
animal, including how it survives the winter. They will present that
information on a diorama. We will have an “Animals in Winter Celebration” on
January 27th. We hope you are able to join us!
All
About Math
Chapter
3: Patterns and Sorting
In
Chapter 3, we will build on the concepts we learned last chapter, with a focus
in two main areas:
Sorting
objects by different attributes (size, shape, color) and then exploring ways
to record the ways we sorted. “For example, students may sort themselves
according to gender, type of footwear, favorite food,” etc. (Think Math!) We
will explore different ways to record the ways we sort objects, such as
drawing pictures, making graphs, and exploring the concept of addition
sentences. “The goal is not for children to see this as a record of a
calculation, but to become familiar with this format as a way of recording
information.” (Think Math!)
Working
with repeating and growing patterns. “Mathematics is sometimes called a
science of patterns. Any regularity that can be identified, described, and
used to predict what comes next can be defined as a pattern.” (Think Math!)
We introduced the concept of patterns in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3 we will
explore patterns in more detail, learning to identify and create several
repeating patterns, such as ABAB or ABBABB. We will also explore the concept
of growing patterns on the number line. For example 1,2,3,4,5… is a growing
pattern, because you add on 1 each time and can therefore predict what comes
next.
Some
highlights of Chapter 3 will include:
What’s
My Sorting Rule? Game-guessing how a teacher or peer is sorting items.
Identifying,
making and extending patterns with different materials/objects (including
ourselves!, e.g./ students in a pattern of sitting, standing, sitting,
standing, etc.)
What’s
My Number? Game- guessing what number the teacher is thinking of, using clues
on the number line
BIG
IDEAS
Sorting
in More the One Way
Recording
Sorting Results
Working
With Patterns
Learning
Goals
Sort
items by different attributes such as size, shape and color
Practice
recording items after sorting them using pictures or numerals
Practice
identifying and making repeating patterns
Explore
the concept of growing patterns on the number line
Vocabulary
Rule,
sort, attribute, color, shape, size, next, pattern, repeat, before, after,
between, first, second, add, plus, equals.
Math
Next Door!
KP, KK and KH will begin a math collaboration after the holidays. Every
Friday, two-thirds of the class will travel next door and work in small groups
to explore mathematical materials. The students work with a “math partner”
with games such as Mancala, Blink, Blokus, etc. They will also collaborate to
solve teacher-generated math problems.
All
About The Computer Lab:
In
the computer lab, we will engage in a number of activities centered on the
concept of patterning. We will also engage in graphing, classifying and
sorting activities related to our theme of animals in winter.
We
will explore Google Earth as a way to track Stanley and his journeys through
fabulous places!
News
from the Library...
Book
Borrowing
Kindergarten
students now show an ease with their ability to find a book on display and
follow the routine to checkout a book from the Library. We discuss that
responsible book borrowing means to read and return your library book each
week. Sometimes we have a visit from Bartholomew our “book care bear” who
helps remind us to be gentle when turning book pages and to tuck our book in
our back-pack to protect it going from school to home.
Soon
we will be learning about using a shelf marker as we browse a library shelf. A
shelf marker is a tool that “marks” the place on the library shelf to return
the book after we are done looking at it. In January, as we learn and practice
this new skill we just might get some help from Elvis our resident “shelf elf”!
Happy
Reading!
Mrs. Gallo-Toth
Reminder:
-
We appreciate the effort you are making to be at school on time. This is
extremely important as it ensures that your child doesn’t miss out on any
instructions, which starts at 8:00.
The
office will be sending letters home and making phone calls to families of
chronically tardy students.
-
Please be mindful of the weather. Children must bring in appropriate clothing
as we go outside everyday.