Newsletter 4/26

Welcome back!

We began Writing Workshop this week by writing about our vacations.  We're challenging ourselves to write more details when we tell true stories.  We also launched our new writing unit: Persuasive Writing!  We are learning how to make a difference and solve problems using PENCIL POWER!  We began by looking for problems in the room that we could write about, and then writing to solve them.  Many of us are making posters to hang around the room.

In Reading Workshop this week we learned that strong readers think of exact words to describe how their characters are feeling, not just "happy" and "sad".  Then we learned how to play a game with our partners called "Guess the Feeling".  We are also trying to have deeper discussions with our partners about our books- really listening to what one another is saying.  We learned how to "earn stars" while having a book talk, and we tried to earn as many as possible (see photo).  We read No, David!, which became an instant hit.  We identified the problems in the story and discussed why they were problems, and how they could be solved.  This helped us prepare for our persuasive writing unit.  Last, we also read Gosie, which introduced us to new sight words.  We learned that sometimes an author uses words like: "they", "them" and "their" and the reader needs to figure out to whom or what that author is referring!  Tricky work!

In math, we worked on using a number line to combine two sets and counting forward to find the total.  We practiced this all week, and then began a new unit on Friday.  Look for the note with more information coming home today.

We really enjoyed experimenting with Google Maps in our geography lessons.  We talked about when a paper map would be better than a digital one, and vice versa.

In our science lessons, we learned about Earth Day and observed our changing apple tree outside the classroom window.  It's growing apple blossom buds!  Everyone had a blast when Mad Science came to Kindergarten!  We did all kinds of cool experiments.  Thank you to Mrs. Doody and Mrs. Rogers for your help!

We had a grade-wide Morning Meeting this week and Mrs. Farson taught us some strategies to keep a positive attitude and calm down when we're frustrated.

April showers bring May flowers!  Everyone made a springtime umbrella craft (see photo).

News and Notes:

• Book sleeves due Monday.

Combining sets with a number line

Grade-level Morning Meeting

Learning how to "Belly Breathe"

Readers can earn stars by having a deeper conversation about their texts

Mad Science fun!

Newsletter 4/12

We continued our unit on Avid Readers in Reading Workshop this week.  We learned that an avid reader feels what the character is feeling.  Readers can be filled with empathy, and then tell a friend about it!  We carefully read our books and tried to imagine our character's feelings.  Then, we marked the place in the book with a labeled post it (see photos below), so we would have talking points with our partners.  We told our partners how the character felt and why, and we also tried to imagine what the character may be thinking.

We published our All About books this week!  We fixed and fancied and celebrated with Mrs. G's authors, who gave us post it compliments!  Yay!

In our phonics lessons, we worked with digraphs th, sh, ch, wh and ck.  We "tapped out" words with digraphs and tried to spell them.  We read a poem that was full of digraphs, then took them out, then put them back in in the right places.

In math, we worked on comparing sets of 11-20 objects.  Once we got confident doing that, we tried to find the difference.  We also learned how to make a smart estimation.

We continued our unit on geography this week.  We made maps of the classroom and made sure to include a key.  Then, we hid an object in the classroom, wrote directions on our maps about where it was hidden, and a partner tried to find it!

News and Notes:

• Book sleeves are due on Monday after break
• Have a great vacation!

Book Fair fun!

Searching for symbols on maps

Which number is more?  Which is fewer?

"I estimate that there are 15 chips.  Are there more or fewer?"

Celebrating our writing with peers

Compliments from Mrs. G's class

Noting character feelings

Practice with digraphs

"You have one more dot than me."

April 5, 2019

We began a new unit in Reading Workshop this week: Avid Readers!  We learned what an avid reader looks like and what a "blah reader" looks like.  Ask your child about the difference between the two.

We are wrapping up our unit on nonfiction writing.  This week we learned many new tools to make our writing more detailed.  See the photo of our finished anchor chart below. 

In our phonics lessons, we reviewed the rule on when to begin a word with a letter C or a K.  Do you know the rule?  See the photo below.

We finished our math unit on numbers 1-100 this week.  We played a mystery number game with the 100s chart.  We're moving on to Unit 9 where we will be comparing sets.  See the informational sheet coming home on Monday.

We discussed natural resources in our geography lessons this week, as well as landmarks.  Everyone enjoyed seeing photos of local Darien landmarks that they recognized.  Our 5th Grade Buddies joined us on Friday afternoon and we made maps together.
News and Notes:

• Book Bags due on Monday
• Please let me know if your child will be leaving for April vacation early
• We will be visiting the Book Fair on Tuesday!  Please look for your child's wish list coming home that day.

Our anchor chart for Writing All About pieces

Add caption

"I am thinking of a number that is less than 46, and more than 44."

Sorting natural vs. man-made items

Making maps with our buddies