In January, we explored the concept of measurement by reading the book How Big Is a Foot? and discussed the importance of having a standard measurement. In this story, a king wants to have a bed made for the queen, so, after some thought, he measures the queen with his big feet and then relays the measurements to the prime minister, who tells the chief carpenter, who tell’s the carpenter’s apprentice, who uses his little feet to measure out the size of the bed. We acted the story out and when the bed doesn’t quite fit the queen, we have to do some problem solving to figure out why, and how we can fix the problem. We even measured our own feet!
We also explored weight and were able to use a new math tool, the balance scale, and wrote about it in our math journals. We use our math journals to write about a problem and our thinking around the problem. The students are really beginning to think more deeply around math problems and explain their thinking and strategies used. I find that students sharing out their thinking around a problem really helps those that are struggling to see it in a new way. I am super proud of the growth that the class has demonstrated already this year and we still have much more to learn together!
We have begun learning about our super reading powers! This Kindergarten Reader’s Workshop unit will introduce the super powers of an emergent reader. The skills and strategies support the understanding that pictures assist in reading words. The children will learn to apply letters and their sounds along with high frequency words while reading a book.
During this unit, I also begin meeting with the children in small guided reading groups. These are groups of 2-4 students who are working on the same reading goals and strategies at a time. Children will have an opportunity to borrow a book to take home and read and then return back to school the next day.
Unit Goals:
Readers will know what strategies they can use when they are reading.
Readers will know that they can use strategies interchangeably and demonstrate the ability to use strategies interchangeably while reading.
Readers will know that they can use their reading partners to help them become better readers.
Skills and Strategies Taught (What it looks and sounds like!):
Good readers use the pictures and the words to give them the power to read a story.
Good readers point under words as they read to make sure the sounds that go with the letters and the number of words they say matches the number of words they see.
Good readers notice patterns in their books. They pay attention to words used over and over on every page.
Ways to support your child at home:
Help your child to think about the superpowers he/she has to help read a book.
Help your child to grow stamina by having him/her stay focused on a book and reading for longer lengths of time (depends on developmental level of child)
Help your child discover different patterns in a book and predict what the next page might say.
Encourage your child to reread books to develop a smooth reading voice.
You have the power to help! (taken from PBSKids Super Why!)
Just like the Super Readers, you can help your child become a Super Reader by being one yourself.
Read: Let your child see you enjoying books.
Read together: Every night. And every chance you get.
Keep talking: Discuss the books you choose. What’s your favorite part? What’s your child’s favorite part? Can you think of new endings for the stories?
Go to the library: Is there a story hour for children? Don’t just stay in the Children’s Room. Instead take a tour of the entire library! Show your child where different types of books are located.
Alphabet Power!
You can practice Alphabet power by naming letters of the alphabet and singing the alphabet song with your child!
Matching Letters in the World: Write all 26 letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper. You can write them in uppercase and/or lowercase. Then using the letters on each piece of paper match the letter to an object in the world that looks just like that letter. For example, the windowpane makes an “H”, the fire escape makes a “Z”, the top of the trashcan makes an “o”, and the light post makes an “r”. To make the game harder don’t use the letter on paper to match letters to the world.
The Lucky Letter List: Write a list of things you need to buy at the grocery store. When you get there, ask your child to help you find the items on your list by matching the letters on the list with the items on the shelves.
Name that Letter: Write each letter of your child’s name on a 3″x 5″ index card. Place the letter cards on a table and have your child arrange them in order. If your child is younger and does not yet know the letters in their name, write out the alphabet on each card. Then tell your child the letter they need to find. Put the cards in order and make it into a sign.
Dough it yourself: Write your child’s name on a piece of paper. You can make the letters uppercase or lowercase. Using a sheet of wax paper, cover the piece of paper entirely. Have your child make the letters by shaping and molding playdough (or clay) over the written letters. Write other words or names of family members and make other playdough names and words.
Word Power!
You can practice Word Power with your child practice by rhyming and reading words!
Rhyme Time: Say a sentence to your child, but substitute one word with a rhyming word. For example: “Please hand me the moon,” instead of saying, “spoon.” Have your child guess what you meant to say. Let your child make up some rhymes, too. For example: Red, Red, Bo, Bed, Banana, Fana, Fo, Fed, Me Mi Med, Red.
Family Tree: When you’re riding in a car, or waiting in line, show your child a word on a sign, magazine or a book. See if you can make up family names for that object or person and make a story about them focused on the name of the object or person. It can be a funny story that rhymes. For example, you might see a sign that says “School.” Your family would be Mr. and Mrs. School. They have children named: Drool, Pool and Cool. Everyday, they love to go to school! They know all the rules!
Sign Language: Use Post-It Notes to make signs for everyday objects in your house. With your child, sound out the name of some of the objects in your home. For example: “wall,” “chair” and “door.” Then write each word on a Post-It note. Have your child stick the signs on the correct objects. You can also use more Post-it to make your word families just like Wonder Red. For example: Write the word family for “wall”: “ball”, “tall”, “mall.” Also write words that do not rhyme with the word “wall.” Use your everyday objects notes or make new ones. Ask your child to find the words that rhyme with wall and place them underneath each other. Try this game with other word families.
Spelling Power!
You can practice Spelling Power with your child by sounding out letters, spelling and writing!
Steam Bath Writing: After a bath, have your child write his name or another word on the steamy mirror. After your child has written a letter, ask them to tell you what sound that letter makes. You can also do this on a frosty window, in the car, with bath foam or shaving cream on a kitchen table. The combination of writing in an unusual place and using steam or cream is as engaging as using Princess Presto’s Magical Spelling Wand!
Spectacular Letter Sounds: On five separate pieces of paper, have your child write one letter at the top of the page. Start with the vowels, A, E, I, O and U. If they need help, you can draw a dotted line letter and have them trace it. Then, ask your child to sound out the letters. Example: A is for apple. E is for Elephant. I is for Igloo. O is for Octopus. U is for Umbrella. What other words start with the letters A, E, I, O and U? Ask your child to sound out other words and write them underneath the letter. Have your child draw a picture of some of the words. Example: E; egg, end, elf.
Sign On: While you’re driving or walking in your neighborhood, stop at street signs and ask your child to tell you what they say. Ask your child to sound out the words. If your child needs a hint, you can ask them the following questions. For Example: “Stop”: on the stop sign. Ask if it says, “Stop,” “Yield,” or “Thank You.” Help them to sound out the first letter if they need help.
The Power to Read!
You can practice the Power to Read with your child by writing daily notes or telling stories!
Story Starters: Start a story and ask your child to fill in the blank of what happens next. Keep adding to the story until one of you says, “The End.” For example, “Once upon a time there was a __.” Let your child fill in the blank. Repeat what your child filled in and start the next sentence, “Once upon a time there was a girl. Her name was ___.” Use cues from whatever is around you visually to keep the story going. For example, if you are driving say, “There was a car on the ____.”
Word of the Day: Every day ask your child to pick and tell you a favorite word (or two, or four) of the day. Write them down and put them on the refrigerator. Let your child draw a picture of the word over it. Practice reading the words and use them to go over what you did that day.
Take Note: Write notes to your child. For older children, you can write words. For younger children you can write pictures to go along with the words. Place the notes in a lunch bag, in your child’s car seat, or on the bed for when your child wakes up in the morning. Ask him to write you and other family members a note in return. They can even make a note for their teacher or for friends at school.
Today we read the book Balloons Over Broadway by Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet. This book introduces us to Tony Sarg, the self-taught puppeteer who created the enormous half balloon, half puppets that distinguish the Macy’s parade from other holiday festivities.
We spent the week being scientists and observing and learning about pumpkins. We found out there are different kinds of pumpkins- big, small, bumpy, smooth, orange and even white! But they are all the same in important ways. Pumpkins are a kind of fruit because they have seeds on the inside and they grow on a vine. They have a hard shell and inside there is flesh, pulp and seeds. We enjoyed observing the outside and inside of our pumpkins, and then carved a pumpkin and named him “Spooky.”
We enjoyed participating in our school Halloween parade at the end of the week! Thanks to our class parents and volunteers for helping to make our week fun, from supplying pumpkins to helping get ready for the parade- your help is much appreciated!
We have launched our readers and writers workshops! We have been learning about what it means to be a reader and a writer. When we begin reading and writing in kindergarten, it is very common to hear the children say “I can’t do it!” But now, we have learned that we are indeed readers and writers here in kindergarten. In reading we learned that readers can read in 3 ways: by reading pictures, reading words, or retelling stories. We talk a lot about the power of pictures in our books and how to look deeply at a picture to notice and talk about all the detail in the picture that adds to the story. We learned how to choose books that are interesting to us, and how to care for the books. We can now choose reading spots and are working towards building our stamina to read independently for 10 minutes. We also learned that we can read books with partners, and share out thinking about the books that we have read. We are practicing having “book talks,” where we talk about things that we like, notice and wonder about.
In writing, we have learned that good writers write about things they know and love, write with pictures and words, and add details to their writing. We have talked about the process of writing, where we begin with an idea, draw it out, add labels and words, and then add details to make it even better. We will be following this process across the year with all of our writing units.
It is so wonderful to now hear the children have confidence in themselves and see themselves as readers and writers. We love it so much that we complain when our time for reading and writing runs out.
Let’s keep those socks coming in for Socktober- this is a great way for kids to help make a difference and help make the world a bit more awesome! Watch the video below for Kid President and Grover talk about the five words we should say more often:
Friendship is being caring and considerate to self and others. A kind person shows concern for the feelings of others and is helpful and generous.
Assembly Read Aloud:Heartprints by P.K. Hallinan
Additional Titles:
Are You Empathetic Today? by Kris Yankee and Marian Nelson
Millie Fierce by Jane Manning
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
The Potato Chip Champ by Maria Dismondy
South by Patrick McDonnell
Pirates and Princesses by Jill Kargman and Christine Davenier
How to Lose All of Your Friends by Nancy Carlson
Giddeon and Otto by Oliver Dunrea
Friends Always by Tanja Wenisch
Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Rulerby Margery Cuyler
When Mrs. Ruler asks five of her kindergarteners to miss recess, she’s got a special plan up her sleeve. She’s about to teach a new golden rule: KINDNESS IS COOL!
How to Heal a Broken Wingby Bob Graham
In a city full of hurried people, only young Will notices the bird lying hurt on the ground. With the help of his sympathetic mother, he gently wraps the injured bird and takes it home.
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Marie Dismondy
How can Ralph be so mean? Lucy is one of a kind and Ralph loves to point that out. Lucy’s defining moment comes when Ralph truly needs help. Because she knows what she stands for, Lucy has the courage to make a good choice.
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party . . . until, that is, a new kid comes to class.
When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.
How to Fill Your Bucket by Carol McCloud and David Messing
Through the story of a little boy named Felix, this book explains to children how being kind not only helps others, it helps them, too. As he goes about his day, Felix interacts with different people — his sister Anna, his grandfather, other family and friends. Some people are happy, but others are grumpy or sad. Using the metaphor of a bucket and dipper, Felix’ grandfather explains why the happy people make Felix feel good, while the others leave him feeling bad — and how Felix himself is affecting others, whether he means to or not.
Do You Want to be My Friend?by Eric Carle
In a 2009 Newsweek article, Eric Carle was asked which of his books were his favorite. He named this book, stating that it was an autobiographical story of his search for friendship as an immigrant 5-year-old. He finally found a close friend just before he moved back to Germany, which was soon war-torn.
How Kindby Mary Murphy
Read by Mrs. Berube’s and Mrs. Narciso’s 2014-2015 Classes.
Songs: Kindness Song in Sign Language
Friend Song http://singdancelearn.com/character-education-songs/friend-song/
WOS is hosting a Sock Drive during the month of October!
What is Socktober?
Every night in the United States an estimated 600,000 people live on the streets. This October, SoulPancake and Kid President want 2 million people to prove that even the smallest acts of love, like donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our neighbors who are homeless.
and discussed the importance of having a standard measurement. In this story, a king wants to have a bed made for the queen, so, after some thought, he measures the queen with his big feet and then relays the measurements to the prime minister, who tells the chief carpenter, who tell’s the carpenter’s apprentice, who uses his little feet to measure out the size of the bed. We acted the story out and when the bed doesn’t quite fit the queen, we have to do some problem solving to figure out why, and how we can fix the problem. We even measured our own feet!
![IMG_5440[1]](https://blogs.socsd.org/cwidmayer/files/2015/10/IMG_54401-1vd2fs6-e1444826967234.jpg)
