Kindergarten News
Adventures in Ms. Kovalesky's Kindergarten Class
January 13, 2015
Literacy
We've continued to work on patterns in reading. We read the book We Like to Play. In that book we discovered that sometimes there are question and answer patterns in books. We read the rhyme "Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar" to help us see how question patterns help us become better readers.
We read the book The Mitten this week. We worked on sequencing the events of the story using picture cards. We did an activity with the book where we each chose to write and draw about an animal that was in the mitten. Then we sang the following song to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It"
For example:
If a mouse is in the mitten give an m /m/ /m/
If a mouse is in the mitten give an m /m/ /m/
If a mouse is in the mitten, if a mouse is in the mitten, if a mouse is in the mitten give an m /m/ /m/
Home-School Connection
Sing If an Animal is in a Mitten using different animals to help your child practice listening for beginning sounds and letter sounds.
We also started Read to Someone. We talked about what it should look and sound like when we're reading with a partner. Then we practiced reading to our partner. We read for 10 minutes with everyone doing the right thing!
We also practiced writing both uppercase and lowercase q and u.
Math
Home-School Connection
Use a manipulative such as cereal, beans, or markers to have your child find the different partners for a number. Have them separate the objects into two different groups. How many ways can they create the same number?
We also began to work on teen numbers. We noticed that teen numbers have one group of ten and extra ones. We started looking at the partners for teen numbers, when one of the partners is 10. We also used dimes and pennies to help us see that there is one group of ten, or a dime, and extra ones, or pennies.
Home-School Connection
Help your child identify the group of ten and extra ones in teen numbers. For example you could say, "10 + 4" and your child has to say the total of 14. Then switch roles you say the total and your child say the partners.
In our math centers we practiced finding the partners for 9. We are using "tokens" of snowflakes and snowmen to find the different combinations to make 9. We also were number detectives for numbers 1-20 using magnifying glasses. Another center is matching partners to totals. And
Inquiry
We made class graphs that compared our age, eye color, hair color, and gender. We learned what characteristics make us the same and what makes us different. Then we worked with a partner to find how we are the same and how we are different.
We talked about what the word abilities means. Then we brainstormed a list of things that we are able to do. We then worked with a partner to find something that we are both able to do.
We made read the book The Way I Feel to introduce the topic of feelings. We created a bubble map of different things that we have felt.
We will be finishing the unit next week as we identify a physical characteristic, an ability, and a feeling about ourselves.
Other Activities
Notes From Ms. Kovalesky
I hope that everyone had safe and enjoyable holidays!
One thing that we've been working on is writing both the upper case and lower case letters in order. This is also something that you can do at home! Please let me know if you need any resources.
When your child is reading from their book bag, encourage them
- to use their tracking finger
- to figure out unknown words by looking at the picture and/or saying the first part of the word. Let them try to figure out the word on their own before you tell it to them.
- to read the book more than one time to help them become fluent
- to talk about the book after they read, what happened in the book?
Upcoming Events
Monday, January 19: MLK Day NO SCHOOL
Friday, January 23: NO SCHOOL
Contact Info
Kindergarten Teacher
Room 212
Email: kovalesky.katelyn@slpschools.org
Location: 4801 W 41st St, Minneapolis, MN, United States
Phone: 952-928-6663
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ms-Kovaleskys-Kindergarten/280894258774577