A Peek at the Week!

               

Fire Safety Day:  Silly Faces

                                      

We got to go through the smoke trailer twice.  The first time we identified fire hazards.

The second time was to practice staying low when smoke is present.  The trailer filled with mock smoke so we could get a sense of what it might be like in a fire.

Patiently waiting to enter the trailer. . . 

Due to the fire safety assembly, the recess schedule was a bit wacky.  It worked out nicely for us.

For most of the time, we had the whole playground to ourselves.  It was a nice opportunity for me to shoot some new photos.

We've done some whole class graphs.  This week, the kids got to try their hands at 

graphing with a bit more independence.  I was pleased with the results.

Miss T. helps out at one of the graphing tables.

As I mentioned in this week's parent letter, we started goal setting for sight words.  The kids got orange goal folders.  After picking their words, we took some time to decorate the folders for a personal touch.

The kids get a copy of the sight words and pick three words each week to work on.  If kids can read all of the words on the K list fluently, they move on to part of the 1st grade list.  The slip on the right shows what you will get each week so you know what their goal words are for that week.

After a bit of decorating, kids got to choose how to practice these hard words.  The whiteboards were popular with this particular group.

We highlight in a different color each week.  This helps me track which words they are working on each week.  Last year, this goal-setting was very motivating for the kids.  The majority of them were working on 1st grades words when they left me.  It was exciting to watch the kids set goals and accomplish them.  I am glad to have this part of the classroom experience up and running.  Thank you for reinforcing these words at home.   :-)

Pumpkin carving pictures coming soon!

This Week in Pictures....

Teaching kindergarten provides me with a lot of cute quotes.  I have to write them down quickly so I don't forget the exact wording.  Here is my favorite from the week:

"Mrs. H., did you know that when I had a baby face, I didn't speak properly?"

So darn cute!

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We did a fun guided drawing and writing activity this week based on Ed Emberley's book Go Away, Big Green Monster!  I think I'm going to hang onto these and make them into a class book.  Their drawings came out so cute.  We modeled ours after the one on in book.  The kids then wrote their own captions beneath the pictures.   Here are a few samples.

Reading Group Time

Here is a variation of a sight word dice game.

The guys are doing a word sort based on ending sounds.

These two used the alphabet arc to practice their ABC's.

Writing letters in the sand can be a fun, tactile way to get those letters to stick in our brains.

During math time, we learned about symmetry by making art.

Number writing practice is a bit more fun with shaving cream.  Sorry that I didn't get a lot of pictures of this lesson.  My camera died after this shot.  Bummer!

We also divided this little girl down the middle with painter's tape to see if she was symmetrical.

During reading group time, we were 

working on some tricky letters by making them out of Playdough.  These kiddos also have

individualized letter books to target three unknown letters at a time.  Once they complete a book fluently,  I send it home with a sticker on it, and the kids pick three new letters to work on.

A week or so ago during math time, we went out and collected colorful leaves and completed a leaf graph.  There were still a lot of green ones at the time!

Yummy strawberries were a big hit during snack time.

These kids are playing a sight word dice game to practice those all important "popcorn" words like

the, to, and and.

We try to find ways for kids to have a voice in how the classroom runs.  One morning last week, the kids voted using Post-it notes in order to decide which Franklin book we would read aloud.  

We practiced an important literacy activity called Read and Write the Room last week.

This will become an independent activity during center time this week for most kids.

Throughout the year, the kids will read and write the room at least once per week.

The "practice round" went very well.

The kids worked hard to earn 10 tally marks for making good choices as an entire group.

We brainstormed how to celebrate this accomplishment.  The kids voted to have stuffed animal day.

Our furry friends waited for us on the bench during literacy and math centers.

During read alouds and whole-group time, the kids were allowed 

to have their stuffies on the mats with them.

They loved this special privilege.  Too much cuteness!

Fruits and Veggies

As you know, each day fruit or veggie snacks are delivered to the classroom prior to snack time.  I'm so glad our school got this grant.  

This little guy snacks on a fresh apple.

Working with Letters and Words

To enhance literacy learning, I look for different ways to engage kids and get them to practice words and letters.  The star sticker activity was one way of doing this.  The kids picked an unknown word or letter to practice.  Here are a few pictures for you.