JOHNSON'S NEWS
January 8, 2016
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
Welcome back and happy new year to all. As your child has probably told you , I was not present this week . After a wonderful run almost two weeks ago, I reached down to pick up something and injured my back. Recovery has been painful, but I am working hard to return to school as soon as posssible. Mrs. Stewart and a wonderful substitute have been doing an excellent job caring on, and quality instruction and learning continue to happen in the classroom!
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It is hard to believe that we are beginning our second semester of Kindergarten. The skills that the students will be learning are becoming more difficult. Students will need to have mastered previous taught skills to be successful with their new learning. Please continue to work with your child at home. Encourage your child to read, write, and practice their number concepts daily. Ask your child what they are learning in school and have them explain to you what their learning means. It is important that children be able to explain their thinking and be able to communicate effectively.
My goal for the second half of the year is to help your child feel confident and ready for first grade. Please help in this venture by giving your child one or two new chores to do at home such as setting the table, emptying the trash, bringing in the mail, etc. If you usually help your child a great deal, allow them a safe opportunity to gain pride from accomplishing a task on their own. I do not unpack backpacks at school. I do not write answers for them. They can, and do find pride in knowing they can do "grown up" things. We are encouraging more "first grade" type behavior as we enter the second half of Kindergarten. The level of expectation has increased and students are going to be more challenged in how they perform behaviorally each day. I urge you to let this be a time of growth. This is a vital step for success in first grade.
Next Week in Kindergarten
In writing, students will be learning how to write their opinion. They will be learning to write words such as; I feel, I think, etc. They will also be expected to expand on their opinion by stating "why" they feel the way they do.
In math, we are beginning our study of 2-D and 3-D shapes. Students will be learning new words such as "flat, solid, and quadrilateral! Students are expected to be able to identify correctly circles, triangles, rectangles, squares, cubes, cones, cylinders, spheres, and hexagons! Please review these words with your child at home and help your child locate these shapes in the world!
Finally in Social Studies and Science our focus will be on objects in the day and night sky and Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will be expected to identify that the sun, moon, and stars are always in the sky and tell about why our country celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Kindergarteners should be able to communicate that MLK believed that all people should be treated the same and that he was from Atlanta.
Reading Groups
Students need to return their reading books everyday. They need to be in your child's backpack. Due to scheduling issues (such as going to the media center or computer lab), your child's reading group may not meet. If your child's group did not meet, it is helpful to reread the book from the night before. This helps with confidence and fluency. As always, students are encouraged to read their own books or books from the library.
Supplies needed!
100th Day!
Hip, Hip, Hooray! We are so close to the 100th day!
Next Friday, Jan. 22 is the 100th day of school! We are so excited!
Please have your child dress like he/she is 100 years old.
We have a full day of fun activities planned and can't wait to celebrate this exciting day!
Email addresses for Kindergarten teachers
melissia johnson@gwinnett.k12.ga.us