Today we focused on math. We used penny and nickle strips as well as the = and ≠ sign to compare. "Does 6 = (seven pennys)?" This is an important step in the process of learning to solve story problems. I encouraged students to use math language to explain what they were doing, why it was or was not equal.
After this we learned how to properly make the number 7. We followed this by examining a box. We talked about how each side was a rectangle, but how they are each different. We then worked on visualizing an imaginary large rectangular box that we passed around the circle. We repeated this with a mini rectangular box. This activity was meant to build students spatial, visual, and kinesthetic experienecs with the concept of rectangles.
We played a new game called "Hidden Treasure." On a chart, I have notecards with our sight words. One child came up and hid the treasure behind the sight word. The boys and girls took turns saying, "I think the buried treasure is behind....(the!)" They had a blast.
Of course, we made more turkeys. This time, shape turkeys!
After calendar today Mrs. Boese's class came in for intervention time and we worked on math. The boys and girls were given a picture of children playing at a park. They had to work to create addition and subtraction stories using the picture (ex. "2 toy trucks are outside the sandbox. 1 toy truck is inside the sandbox. How many toy trucks are there altogether?). Finally, to finish up math, the children picked apart the numbers 2 and 5 one more time. They described to me how you can tell a two from a five. This worked to build language and observation of how the numbers are different.
Ellie filling in as teacher assistant for the calendar
New stations were introduced. They included a pattern station, a D word work station, a like work station, letter forming using manulitipultives station, and the sight word pancake flipping station.
In language arts we reviewed onsets and rimes. We worked on blending parts of words together. We read a book called The first day of School and recalled how we felt on our first day.
We finished the day doing yet another turkey craft. The boys and girls have been adding handprints to a sheet, and today we added paper to make it a turkey!
Today we reviewed the sight word like and the letter D. Boys and girls did a writing activity where they wrote about something they like, drawing a picture to go along with it. We've been talking alot about detail lately, so they know they are required to add lots of detail to make it come alive (otherwise it magically shows up back in their unfinished tray :) ) We played a mystery game where I gave them clues and they had to try to guess the word ("I am thinking of a word. It begins with /d/. It ends with /og/. What word am I?) The focus of this game was blending onsets and rimes. Then we learned our robust vocabulary for the week: active, gigantic, and voyage.
The boys and girls worked hard to finish up stations. Then we reviewed the proper way to make numbers 1-6. If the students finished their work they could start making handprint/footprint turkeys.
We had a fun day!
We also finished up these turkeys we'd been working on! It's turkey month!! :)
Today we spent the day working on language arts. We reviewed how words are made up of parts, talking about onsets and rimes. I said a word in two parts, then the students blended it into one (/s/-at....sat!). Next the letter D was introuced and students practiced making lowercase and uppercase d's. We brainstormed words that start with the /d/ sound. After this the sight word like was learned. We thought of ways we could use like in a sentence and did a shared writing together on the smartboard. New stations were introduced. These stations included a review of sight word go, a syllable T clapping sheet, a D handwriting activity, and a turkey craft station. The boys and girls also decorated folders that will be coming home after conferences tomorrow or thursday.
Clapping out syllables in words-stretching words out to hear/write the sounds
Making books that emphasis the new sight word like.
We were very very busy workers and got a lot done today! Wow! I look forward to seeing everyone this week.
What a great Fun Friday we had today :) Mrs. Boese's class joined us during intervention time. We practiced identifying and making patterns. We warmed up by looking around the room for patterns we could see in the classroom (the flag, Carli's stripped shirt, etc). Then the boys and girls helped me make patterns on the smartboard. The concept was introduced that often times we refer to repeating patterns with letters, such as AB or ABB. The students were then given an activity where they practiced patterns. For a challenge they could label the patterns using the letters. I was impressed with how many children successful attempted this :)
In Language arts we did a shared writing activity. We brainstormed things that make us happy (From the book we read, Jessica). I wrote the words and letter we hadn't learned yet, but the boys and girls did the rest of the writing. We reviewed rhyming words and worked with the -at word family. Then the boys and girls read elbow-elbow-knee-knee with a partner, the book "Can I go?" We had a snack of goldfish then headed outside for the last 15 minutes. They were excited to go outside for only the 2nd time this year! :)
Enjoy your weekends!
Today we focused the first part of our morning on math. We worked on building vocabulary and concepts for the numbers 6-10. The boys and girls came up to the smartboard and helped me group things into 5-groups, then worked on language to explain why they laid it out the way they did (this was a review of 8=5 group plus 3....so 5+3=8).
Next I introduced repeating patterns. I gave the boys and girls some examples on the smartboard using our square inch tiles: red square, blue square, red square, blue square...and so on getting increasingly harder. Then the boys and girls helped me act out some patterns. I called on some children to come stand in front. The other kindergartners had to decide what my pattern was (short sleeve, long sleeve....or dark hair dark hair, light hair light hair). This was a bit of a challenge, as they had to think of all the possibilities I could be thinking of.
During language arts we worked on rhyme recognition and produce. I said two words; if they rhymed, the boys and girls said "They rhyme." If not, they said nothing. Then the students drew a card from my rhyme purse. They said what the picture was, then thought of something that rhymed with that word. We focused on the -am family, with words such as Sam, Ham, am, etc. This was the first time the vocabulary word family was introduced.
We finished up our station work today as well as other odds and ends. The students had the opportunity to get done a lot of their unfinished work. Some boys and girls that were already finished with work got to do some extra dot painting and color-by-word sheets.
The kids have been begging to go outside (we've only been to the playground once this year!), so I'm hoping tomorrow is nice enough to do that for Fun Friday :)
You'll have to be sure and check out our "I'm thankful for..." tree when you come in for conferences next week!
We got a lot of work done today in kindergarten. Mrs. Boese's class joined us and we reviewed our sight words. Then we talked about writing sentences. What does a sentence need? (A capital letter, a period, spaces between words). We will be slowly incorporating more and more writing into our days. The boys and girls were introduced to new stations. One station was a pancake flipping game. The boys and girls used a spatual to flip pancakes, and then read the sight word located on the pancake. They said the word verbally, and then wrote it on a sheet of paper as well. They seemed to really enjoy this new activity :) Another station was a hands on learning activity where boys and girls created a name catapillar, working with the letter C for catepillar and writing their names. They also did 'find my' hunt, and a roll the dice and add to color a leaf game. They are such hard workers!
Flipping the pancake to reveal a sight word After station work we did a quick pattern introduction. This is something we have not touched much on this year but it is on the report card. We did pretty well for the first time! We had just enough time for a snack and story before we headed home!
**Think Central Info-
I sent a note home awhile ago about this but I'll mention it again. Our math curriculum has games that go along with each lesson to help reinforce learning. This is something fun and a great idea especially for half day kindergarten-revisiting the learning sometime later in the day will help it really stick.
The website again is thinkcentral.com I sent home a user name and password for each student, but if you misplaced it I would love to send it again. I can also give you a copy of the corresponding games. Today we are on Unit 2 lesson 5-the game is Numberopolis: Cross Town Number Line, Level B
If this is all very confusing yet you are still interested in it, I would be more than happy to show you at conferences.
Again, this is an optional activity, but something the kids might find engaging and educational.
--First, I must apologize (and keep my record spotless for blogging ha )because I'm seeing now that the post I posted for yesterday did not show up even though I got an email confirming it worked :( I'll add the pictures I had on it to the bottom today, incase it never showed up on your computer either.
First thing today the boys and girls went and voted. Beforehand in the room, the children could volunteer who they were voting for. I heard lots of Mitt Romneys and Obama's, but my favorite was (and they said it dead serious) "Steve Rogers, Captain America." :) Then we went downstairs where there was 'kids voting' booths set up. They had a ballet and got to pick who they wanted for president. On the back of their ballet they choose if they wanted to school levy to pass, selecting yes or no. We had fun doing this and it was a great opportunity for the boys and girls to see what it is like to vote. "I thought it would be scary, but it wasn't!"
Kids submitting their ballet (We will find out tomorrow who won the kids election :) )
Next we reviewed our sight word to as well as some rhyming words. We did a picture walk of a story, talking about how you can read a story without even reading the words if you just 'read' the pictures! Then Mary read the story for us and we talked about how although you can read the pictures, you hear lots more detail if you read the words too.
The boys and girls picked up where they left off in our station rotations, and we finished that set up for the week. After station work we did a mini lesson on writing. We used the writing frame "I go to my ......" and the boys and girls had to fill in the sentence according to where they go after school. They then drew a picture to accompany their writing.
Monday
Working on 5 groups using money
Making an ABC book using dot paint during station time
I worked one on one with students-they were given a word and then had to swap letters to form a different word (pan...change the n to a t; what do you get? pat!).
What a busy and fun day! While Mrs. Boese's class was joining us, we did a mini lesson on coins where the students explored their shape, size, color, and worth.
After that we did a large review of all our language arts skills (this was review week in the curriculum). We did a word hunt where students found as many 'the's as they could. We worked on writing the letter P and thinking of words that start with p. Then we reviewed the letter A by creating a apple with a words and using brass fasteners. We spent a lot of the morning working through these items and other odds and ends that needed to be done. I finished testing the boys and girls for their report cards.
For Fun Friday the boys and girls got to choose from making crafts with scrap paper, writing/drawing using the whiteboards, exploring mathematical manipulatives such as blocks and links, or working on fine motor skills as they colored a fall picture. We had a wonderful and fun day. Michael C brought us birthday cookies so we enjoyed those before we hopped on the bus.
--In the classroom we have a 'brag wall.' We did a mini lesson about how bragging is not a good thing, unless someone else does it about you. If a student works really hard on something, it goes on the wall and they get a glitter ball.
Also, we filled our brownie tray again!! (The boys and girls earn a brownie point if nobody moves their stick that day). This is the second time this year, so we will have a mini party either Monday or Tuesday.
Enjoy the weekend!
We had a busy day working hard to get things done in preparation for Fun Friday. Mrs. Boese's class joined us and we did a review of language arts. Then we worked on math, making 5 groups on the smartboard. When Mrs. Boese's class left we got ready for station work. While the students were finishing this weeks stations, I pulled students aside to do some testing for the report cards. Everyone has been doing great on these tests.
We regrouped on the carpet and did a quick song. The boys and girls have been having a blast dancing together!
We did a math lesson where the students were introduced to money. We talked about the differences between the appearance of nickels and dimes (same color, different size). Then we added in the penny and compared all three. Next we talked about how a nickle = 5 pennies, and a dime = 10. I have strips where there is a nickle on one side and 5 pennies on the other (same for dime). We will be working with these stripes as we continue to learn about money.
The boys and girls were given 10 minutes to get all their unfinished work done to prepare for Fun Friday. Some have just a few things left to finish before they will be able to join in on the games at the end of the day tomorrow. They usually kick it into high gear tomorrow and everyone gets some time for Fun Friday ;)
We finished our day today with a snack and one more song.
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