I hope you all have been enjoying a nice week off with your children. As I mentioned before break, we are now into the "final stretch" of kindergarten, and the time will fly by very quickly! I am looking forward to some great fun and learning in the weeks ahead.
Language Arts
This week, we will focus on the long-vowel sounds of both a and i using silent e: same, like, made, ripe are some examples of this pattern. Our sight word also uses the silent e: here. The Secret Stories program calls silent e "Mama E," so you will probably hear your child refer to silent e this way as well.
Our stories this week will center around farm animals. We have many great fiction and non-fiction books to learn more about farms!
Math
We are continuing with the subtraction unit. We've been using 10 frames, number bonds, fingers, and other manipulatives to develop subtraction fluency. This week, we will begin working on word problems. Thank you for your continued support with this concept. Parent tips for this module can be found
here.
STEAM
We are continuing to head over to the Makerspace on Wednesdays in April, using a variety of materials there. A big part of STEAM activities is collaboration. This is often hard for kindergartners, as they want the project to be exactly what they want, instead of compromising with group members. We will continue to encourage cooperation & collaboration with various STEAM activities.
Kimochis
Before break, your child learned about bravery and the Kimochis® kotowaza—or Japanese proverb—that accompanies this feeling: “You can’t be brave without being afraid.” This teaches your child that being brave means you might feel shy, scared, embarrassed, or unsure, but you can still be brave enough to get yourself to say and do what you know is right and best. The Brave kotowaza is being used in our classroom to help children feel comfortable being beginners and trying new things. Young children have lives filled with lots of new experiences and tasks! Your child learned that when someone is a beginner, they can make lots of mistakes. Helping your child to be comfortable making mistakes and having positive thoughts when things don’t come easily will help them to be successful both socially and academically.
**Children should return library books by Tuesday, so they can check out a new book on Wednesday
**We have P.E. every Monday. Please send your children in shoes & clothes appropriate for fitness
**Grasshopper t-shirt day/AV Spirit Day is every Wednesday.
Helpers & Activities This Week
Monday: COVID testing in the cafeteria, PE with Mr. Field
Tuesday: Return library books, Centers (Kassie & Emily)
Wednesday: Grasshopper t-shirt day, Trip to the MS, 9:45-10:30, PAWS assembly
Thursday: Centers (Agnieszka & Tiffany)
Friday: Centers (Adam & Daniel)
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, 4/13: Trip to the Makerspace
Friday, 4/22: Kindergarten Movie Night (need to have a ticket to attend)
Friday, 5/6: Multicultural Fair
Wednesday, 5/18: Open House
