Kindergarten

This week we learned how to write a letter to someone. The students learned the different parts of a letter and then practiced writing to a classmate. Some of the kindergarteners have written letters to other students in the Lower School. Our classroom post office is in full swing.The postal workers process the letters and deliver them to the addressees (to the cubbies of the student in the Lower School) before their shift is over.

We talked about another “real” reason to write—lists! The students got to work writing to-do lists, packing lists, birthday lists, etc. The students were excited to bring them home that afternoon to add to them (if needed) and then to cross off the items on their lists!

We read a story entitled “A List” by Arnold Lobel, which is a Frog and Toad story, to get the students ready to write their own lists. We also recently read through several books in our classroom that have word patterns in them that repeat and are also familiar to the students. We also introduced some printable books that have phrases that repeat and also have the kindergarten words in them. These emergent readers help the students begin to not only read the pictures but read conventionally.

This week we started a new unit exploring teen numbers. We are focusing on how teen numbers are made up of 10 and more. We used plastic dinosaurs this week to separate teen quantities into groups of 10 and more. After that we talked about how the 1 in those numbers means 10. Our place value cards really help the students to begin to understand this concept.

We talked to the students about another Toolbox tool—the patience tool. The kindergartners came up with so many examples that require waiting patiently. They often get a chance to practice this tool throughout the day at school.

During our fifth grade buddy time, the students worked on “Not a Box” books. This activity is related to a book we read called “Not a Box” by Antoinette Portis. The students had a lot of fun writing and illustrating their own version of this book with the buddies. We will send them home soon.

We had a fun skating party at the end of our skating unit on Wednesday. Thanks again to Mr. Fuller and Mr. Cracraft for helping the students get better at this fun sport. I also want to thank the many adults who helped tie skates. We could not have done this unit without you!