AM and PM

There is no supervision on the playground prior to 8am.  Please be mindful of this and plan to arrive at school no earlier than 8:00.  We want to be sure that no child gets hurt or is unsupervised on school grounds. Thanks for understanding!

Also, if your child is having a change of plans for the afternoon, please be sure to drop me an email, and if during the day, call the front office to let us know.

Thanks so much for your continued awareness of all our rules and routines!

Math Work Places

Math explorations have been focused on identifying, building, and extending patterns, identifying and building shapes, and sorting!  Students travel around to different "work places" practicing a variety of math skills.  INQUIRE with your child what math work place they enjoy most! 

P.E. Videos

I was able to stop into P.E. today to watch our class in action.  MJ had the students partaking in cooperative relay race and then working together to make a "hula hut."  Students were expected to follow multiple directions, stay on task, work together, and have fun!  It was so fun for me to take a step back and see how well each of our friends work together in a cooperative way.  Way to go kindergartners! (The two objects for those of you receiving these posts through email are videos of the students in action. In order to see them, you will need to go directly to the blog to view.)  

Butterfly

We've launched our year long study of life-cycles this past week and spent some time today looking closely at one of our caterpillars that turned itself into a chrysalis. The caterpillar we observed last week has made its J and turned itself into a chrysalis. As we learn about the different stages a butterfly goes through, we'll be observing them closely in our own classroom. This particular study of life cycles is closely integrated in reading and writing. As we sing songs, read poems and mini-books, listen to nonfiction text and write about our own experiences with butterflies, we are bringing this science unit into all subject areas. INQUIRE with your child the new song they started learning (help them by beginning..."once upon a time there was a caterpillar..crawling around in the dirt"). Or, have them act out the 4 stages of the butterfly's life cycle.  

If you're interested in learning more about the eastern swallowtail at home, check out this link.  We've heard different information regarding how long it stays in it's chrysalis - if you know more, be sure to let us know.  Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly

Totally Terrific Child

For the past two weeks, we have been taking some time to focus on getting to know each and every one of our classmates. Each child was designated a day at random to be named, "Totally Terrific Child." After a brief interview by myself, the stage is opened to children looking for more information about their peer. Anywhere between 5-10 questions are answered and connections are made. During this time, students not only get to know more information about what the child likes to do, what their favorite foods, animals, and colors are but we also practice important early literacy skills in phonological awareness. Through this get to know you activity we often practice our letters and sounds, work on syllable awareness, rhyming, and sentence structure. Your child has probably told you all about their favorite activity - the letter chant. INQUIRE with them how this works. After many literacy and listening activities, each child makes a page for the Totally Terrific Child's own book. Students spend time thinking and reflecting on what each unique child is interested in and produced a drawing for their special keepsake book. It is amazing to look back just to last week when we began this activity. The progress that I am seeing each child make is unbelievable already. Students are improving in their fine motor skills, attention to detail, and most importantly improving in their listening skills with their peers and ability to ask questions and be inquisitive.

Sun Catcher

Enjoy the sun catcher your child brought home today.  Children collected materials in Harrison Field on Wednesday as they explored the space and saved them for this project.  Memories from their first outdoor learning trip in Kindergarten.... many more to come!  

The ECO schedule is located on the side bar.  We may be going for shorter walks up to the field to practice safe walking and learn more expectations before the official schedule starts. 

Rainy Days

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  Despite the rain yesterday, our class braved the rain. It is important for our students to get as much fresh air as they can and being outside running around, helps us to re-energize ourselves for the remainder of the day.  At UES, all students will go outside, unless it is complete downpour or the temperature is below zero.  Please remember to pack your child appropriate outwear for rain, snow, sun, etc.  Also, Kindergartners are not allowed to have umbrellas at recess - please be sure your child has alternate rain protection.  

Word Bird

Meet word bird, our new friend here in Kindergarten.  He came this week and holds with him the word "me."  Students have been practicing spelling this word, as well as writing it in their own writing.  This afternoon, many of them found him inside their reading books!  INQUIRE with your child how to do "rainbow writing."  (see bottom  picture) Each week word bird will introduce common high frequency words and words that children will need to know by sight.

Reading

Children walked into school on the first day and became readers.  So many of them did not know that they held so many skills that enabled them to actually be a "veader."  Since day 1, students have been building their stamina each day to read for longer and longer periods of time.  Community book boxes are shared by readers who may find controlled repetitive text, familiar songs/chants, alphabet books, and rich text that has been previously read aloud to read to themselves.  Students have a choice to read in 1 of three ways - reading the words, reading the pictures, or retelling the story.  INQUIRE with your child what kind of reading they did today with their pointer finger! 

Harrison Field Routines

Safe Walking

Making New Friends

This afternoon we took a walk up to Harrison Field. Students learned new routines while outside in our community - walking on the sidewalk, stopping at crosswalks, boundaries in the field,  how to take care of plants, and expectations for rounding up in the field.  We will do many walks in the next few weeks to get ready for our ECO outings (Educating Children Outdoors).  As we explored the field, we made scientific observations about what we saw happening in nature. From leaves starting to change colors to squirrels to looking at different types of caterpillars we were able to make many fascinating observations. Once we arrived at Harrison Field, we looked closely at the mammoth sunflowers. These sunflowers were planted by my first graders last year with the intent to help my current students study the life cycle of sunflowers.  Students joined Mrs. Wrigley's community of learners during their free exploration time.  Students enjoyed catching up with old friends and look forward to many more visits to Harrison Field.  

Meeting New Friends

Walking Buddies

Finding Caterpillars

Taking in nature

Class Photo

Fire Drill

Today, we met Mr. Kellar, who helps to keep our school clean and keep things in working order.  Students were able to share their concerns as well - and Mr. Kellar assured us that he would be working on those things (ie. the playground).  Mr. Kellar also helped teach our friends all about fire drills.  Students practiced the routines today, and tomorrow, will have a chance to practice with the whole school and the real bell!  INQUIRE with your  child what they should do when they hear the bell! 

Caterpillars

I was able to find 3 caterpillars this weekend that resembled the common monarch.  Although they look very similar, it appears that the caterpillar might actually be the eastern swallowtail as it was found on some dill in the garden, not milkweed plants like the common monarch is found on.  Other theories today were that it could be the viceroy caterpillar.  Some students did some close observing of these caterpillars during our center time today and I did some more research after school.  It seems as though it is definitely the eastern swallowtail, so we will still be on the hunt for monarchs.  Look out for milkweed and those monarch caterpillars. It would be great to have the opportunity to compare the changes the two make. INQUIRE with your child what they noticed about these caterpillars today!  

Eastern Swallowtail Caterpillar

Monarch Caterpillar

Buddies

Throughout the year, Wendy's 4th graders will be joining us for special events, reading, science, ECO outings, and singalongs. Once a week, the classes will get together to share their learning. Today, we met some of our new buddies and students enjoyed center time together.In a few weeks, students will be assigned a buddy that they will get to know closely throughout the year.  

Art

On Friday we traveled upstairs to the art room to meet our art teacher, Mrs. Kane.  INQUIRE with your child what tools they practiced with in the art room.  

Chester

We kicked off our first author study last week and read, "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. Throughout the stories, Chester showed cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control as he learned how to share, deal with bullies, and transition to new stages of life. Each child was able to connect with Chester in one way or another. On Friday, the children completed their study of Chester by creating raccoon puppets (it was great fine motor practice for all students). Use these puppets to engage your child in conversation abeout what they learned about Chester! I hope you all enjoyed putting together your puzzle over the weekend. Don't forget, use this kissing hand during the day when you're feeling as though you're missing your child. INQUIRE with your child what makes Chester and them different! Hint, think, nocturnal!  Children also connected with Chester as he explained a method he uses to be brave.  INQUIRE with your child what they do if they think they can't conquer a task!

Friday Smiles

Every morning, students have been taking on the challenge of naming as many classmates as they can.  INQUIRE with your child who everybody is below!