Our Class News
January 22, 2015
This Week
This week in reading we learned what genre means and how to identify if the genre is informational or literary. Ask your child to identify the genre in the readers he/she brings home in the book bag. We learned the sound for th and the sight words do & said. During writing we focused on being neat so our readers can read what we write. We are working on proper letter formation and fixing our mistakes when we make them.
In math we continued our study of the numbers 16-20, learning how to build them with ten frames and write them. We are continually working on writing the numbers. MOST of the students are still reversing numbers on a consistent basis. If you see your child do this please have him/her erase and correct it. While it is developmental and common for kindergarteners to do, they will not break the habit if we don't make them. :) Thanks for your help.
In social studies in honor of MLK we did a lesson on similarities and differences and the importance of tolerance and acceptance. We talked about the variety of ways people in our school looked, then referenced the book How to Fill a Bucket - which discusses how everyone has feelings that are the same. Then we studied two eggs, one brown, one white and discussed the differences. We predicted if they would be the same/different on the inside. Then we cracked them open to discover they are the same. We predicted they would taste the same if we cooked them to eat. Our conclusion was that it doesn't matter what's on the outside, what's important is that we're all the same on the inside! The students were very engaged in this lesson and very wise with their answers.
In science we began to learn about things in the sky/space. We learned what causes day/ night. We watched a Discovery Education video about space.
Show & Tell
Food is okay and we can use it for snack if applicable. During this time we will focus on phonics as well as "public speaking" - using complete sentences, projecting our voices, body positioning, etc.
Reminders
Please...
-return your child's report card envelope
-sign your child's behavior calendar nightly
-read with your child every night and sign his/her reading log
Feb. 2nd 100th day of school! - 100 day art project due
Feb. 3rd CLASS PICTURE DAY
Feb. 10th DRA (reading) test - Mrs. Hoelscher will have a sub
Practice phonics on starfall
Some students still need to practice letters and there are great games for that as well. Most of the site is free. There is a paid portion which we have at school but there are lots of great things on the free section. www.starfall.com
Behavior
Raz Kids e-book access
Go to www.raz-kids.com/login/mhoelscher0 and click on your child's name. There are books leveled specifically for your child to choose from. Your child can take quizzes to show understanding of the book. You can download an app for tablets and mobile devices. I will be sending a paper home with further instructions on setting up parent notifications via email if you like.
Mrs. Hoelscher's contact information
The school number is below, but feel free to text or call me at (512)426-6190 when something important comes up.
Email: mhoelscher@taylorisd.org
Website: http://kindergarten-classro.thj.taylorisd.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?gid=4282656&sessionid=f5ef724e0b082d551dbd1ba36e0690cd
Phone: (512) 365-7114
Things we've learned so far...
You can reinforce these things at home for review.
Language
Phonicsall 26 letters/ sounds; ch, th
Sight words (read & write/spell)
like I the a and see can we to yes no come me with my boy girl do said
Decoding strategies (figuring out unknown words)
point to the words
use picture clues
sound out the word
beginning sound and what makes sense
chunking word parts together
Comprehension
characters
setting
events in a story (B/M/E)
predictions
author's purpose
author's group information in ways to help us understand (informational texts)
making connections to something in the story or another story read
identifying topic of an informational book
cause & effect
Math
Numbers (identify, build & write) 0-20
Comparing numbers 0-20
Sorting & organizing data
creating graphs
addition/ subtraction
Social Studies
- why people work
- needs vs. wants
- why we have rules
- community helpers
- Verteran's Day
Science
- science tools/ lab safety
- hand-washing/ germs
- recycling
- 5 senses
- force & motion
- magnets
- properties of matter
- weather