Kindergarten
August 30th
Math
This week we continued our first math unit. We progressed from sorting objects into two groups to sorting objects into three groups. Then, we counted the number of objects in each group and wrote that number. Next, we found bags of "treasure" to sort into three different treasure chests. Each treasure chest had a number on it to decide which treasure should go in the chest. If there were three treasures in a bag they would go in the treasure chest marked with a three. Students then practiced counting objects and coloring them the correct color according to our number/color code. We wrapped up the week by counting objects that were arranged in a vertical line a horizontal line, scattered or an array. We learned that the number of objects is the same regardless of how objects are arranged.
Reading
Our focus in reading this week revolved around rereading a book to learn more. Often when private reading and partner reading students will get up to pick a new book every couple of minutes (or less). We taught students that you can reread the book and learn new things that you may not have noticed before. We practiced rereading The Beetle Alphabet Book and Mrs. Wishy-Washy to show how we notice new details each time we read.
Writing
When introducing writing, the students were excited to hear that they are already writers! We all have information to share with others. Some students realized they could write about themselves, a favorite sport, animals and insects, their family, and many other topics that are special to them. When beginning, students received a blank piece of paper to draw, label, or write about their topic. The next couple days we realized that writers are never done. Once you're done, you've just begun! Writers reread their work and add more pictures, add more words, or start a new piece of writing. We added details to our original work and even began to start new writing pieces.
6th Grade Learning Buddies
Fire Drill
On Thursday, we had a fire drill. We did not pull the alarm, but students learned what a fire drill is and how to quickly and safely exit the building. We will have additional fire drills later in the year where we pull the alarm and have the fire department observe. We want to ensure that students understand what to do in the event of a real emergency, so we practice a few times. We will also have other emergency drill procedures throughout the school year. We will share this information in our newsletters so that you know if we practiced any emergency drills that week!