I hope that everyone had a restful long weekend. I appreciated meeting with everyone to discuss your children's progress.
Reading -
We have just read an information text called "Then and Now" which compares things from long ago to things that we have today. Talk with your child about toys and technology that you grew up with and compare your childhood expereiences with theirs.
Writing -
We have been writing daily for several weeks now. The children are making great progress getting their ideas down on paper. We are working on expressing complete ideas, spelling words as they sound to the children, using capital and lower case letters appropriately, spacing words correctly, and ending sentences with a period.
Math -
We have been exploring the different ways to make the numbers up to ten. The children have modeled this with counters, coloring pictures, and drawings, and have also written number sentences represent the sums. We are now moving to writing the numbers 11 through 19 as the sum of 10 plus some ones.
Our 100th day celebration was very fun. We made 100th day crowns, name art, had a Hershey's Kiss treasure hunt, among other activities.
Religion -
We learned the story of David and Goliath last week. This coming week we will be learning how we can be doers of the word. Help your child think of practical ways they can share their faith with others.
Social Studies -
We are currently learning about the Presidents: Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Obama. We have read stories about Washington and Lincoln and learned that Washington is seen on the dollar bill and the quarter. In the coming weeks we will learn more about Lincoln and the other Presidents listed above.
We will also spend some time learning about the Winter Olympics.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Sunday, January 26, 2014
January 26, 2014
We have had a productive two weeks in Kindergarten as we implemented team teaching. Great learning is happening while we are able to address the needs of individual students. The students are performing quite well on their spelling tests each week.
Reading/Language Arts
We read a fun story, called "Little Quack," about ducklings who are apprehensive about making the first plunge into the water to swim with their mother. Afterward the students wrote in their journals about a time that they were brave and did something even though it was a little scary.
We also read "George Washington Visits" about a boy and his father who are preparing for a visit from George Washington on the eve of his presidential inauguration. The story used the literary device of flashback when the father recalled his service under Washington during the Revolutionary War.
We practiced using and writing adjectives to describe animals.
We responded to the story, "Animal Babies of the Grasslands," by writing about something we like to do with our moms.
Social Studies
We learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work for equality for all people. We wrote a dream that we have for our world to be improved. We created a FREEDOM acrostic poem and drew a picture of what freedom means to us.
Science
We began to study magnets and to discover what types of things will be attracted to magnets. We practiced the Scientific Method by observing magnets, making a guess about the materials attracted to magnets, and testing and recording our findings.
Math
We have been exploring subtraction and this past week we have begun to find all the ways that we can make various numbers. For example, 4 = 0 + 4, 4 = 3 +1, 4 = 2 + 2. We will continue this concept for all the numbers up to 10.
The Math Facts Timed Test is a new experience for us and many students are doing quite well with it. Some students are struggling to finish all the problems in the allotted time of 5 minutes. Please help your child practice these math facts at home, but don't panic if they are not able to finish the entire page of problems in the given time. Our goal here is to improve each week and to give the children the experience of a timed test, since they will be doing this regularly in first grade.
Once a child has accurately answered all the problems in 5 minutes, their time will be reduced to 4 minutes and then 3 minutes. After that, the type of problems will change and will again start at 5 minutes. We are currently focusing on sums that are less than 10. We will proceed to sums that are greater than 10 and then begin subtraction.
Religion
Last week we focused on the story of Jesus Calling the Apostles. This week we focused on the image of light that is presented in the Sunday Gospels for the next several weeks. We discussed how Jesus is the Light of the World and how we are each a light of Christ for others. We learned the song, "This Little Light of Mine," which we will sing when we visit the Nursing Home on Monday of Catholic Schools Week.
Upcoming Events
January 26 - February 1 - Catholic Schools Week. See Mrs. Schindler's Colt Express for details about this week.
February 13 and 14 - Parent - Teacher Conferences - Look for conference time request forms to come home in the coming week.
February 13 - Valentine's Day Party 11 - Noon. Look for information from the room parents. If your child would like to bring Valentines for the class, please have them sign their Valentines, but not address them to anyone specific. Handing out Valentines can be an arduous process at this age if they are addressed individually. We have 12 students in our class; 7 girls and 5 boys. Your child is welcome, but not expected, to give Valentines to the other class also. There are 15 students in Mrs. Leckey's Class; 6 girls and 9 boys.
We just ask that if your child does give Valentines that they give them to everyone in the class.
We have had a productive two weeks in Kindergarten as we implemented team teaching. Great learning is happening while we are able to address the needs of individual students. The students are performing quite well on their spelling tests each week.
Reading/Language Arts
We read a fun story, called "Little Quack," about ducklings who are apprehensive about making the first plunge into the water to swim with their mother. Afterward the students wrote in their journals about a time that they were brave and did something even though it was a little scary.
We also read "George Washington Visits" about a boy and his father who are preparing for a visit from George Washington on the eve of his presidential inauguration. The story used the literary device of flashback when the father recalled his service under Washington during the Revolutionary War.
We practiced using and writing adjectives to describe animals.
We responded to the story, "Animal Babies of the Grasslands," by writing about something we like to do with our moms.
Social Studies
We learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work for equality for all people. We wrote a dream that we have for our world to be improved. We created a FREEDOM acrostic poem and drew a picture of what freedom means to us.
Science
We began to study magnets and to discover what types of things will be attracted to magnets. We practiced the Scientific Method by observing magnets, making a guess about the materials attracted to magnets, and testing and recording our findings.
Math
We have been exploring subtraction and this past week we have begun to find all the ways that we can make various numbers. For example, 4 = 0 + 4, 4 = 3 +1, 4 = 2 + 2. We will continue this concept for all the numbers up to 10.
The Math Facts Timed Test is a new experience for us and many students are doing quite well with it. Some students are struggling to finish all the problems in the allotted time of 5 minutes. Please help your child practice these math facts at home, but don't panic if they are not able to finish the entire page of problems in the given time. Our goal here is to improve each week and to give the children the experience of a timed test, since they will be doing this regularly in first grade.
Once a child has accurately answered all the problems in 5 minutes, their time will be reduced to 4 minutes and then 3 minutes. After that, the type of problems will change and will again start at 5 minutes. We are currently focusing on sums that are less than 10. We will proceed to sums that are greater than 10 and then begin subtraction.
Religion
Last week we focused on the story of Jesus Calling the Apostles. This week we focused on the image of light that is presented in the Sunday Gospels for the next several weeks. We discussed how Jesus is the Light of the World and how we are each a light of Christ for others. We learned the song, "This Little Light of Mine," which we will sing when we visit the Nursing Home on Monday of Catholic Schools Week.
Upcoming Events
January 26 - February 1 - Catholic Schools Week. See Mrs. Schindler's Colt Express for details about this week.
February 13 and 14 - Parent - Teacher Conferences - Look for conference time request forms to come home in the coming week.
February 13 - Valentine's Day Party 11 - Noon. Look for information from the room parents. If your child would like to bring Valentines for the class, please have them sign their Valentines, but not address them to anyone specific. Handing out Valentines can be an arduous process at this age if they are addressed individually. We have 12 students in our class; 7 girls and 5 boys. Your child is welcome, but not expected, to give Valentines to the other class also. There are 15 students in Mrs. Leckey's Class; 6 girls and 9 boys.
We just ask that if your child does give Valentines that they give them to everyone in the class.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
January 7-10
It was wonderful to return to school after a nice Christmas Break!
Reading
This week we read about a panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999 named Hua Mei (pronounced HWA MAY). The book show the changes in the baby panda's growth over the course of a year. We added the following Amazing Words to our Oral Vocabulary: weigh, healthy, curious, measure, bamboo, explore.
We added the following high frequency words to our list of words we can read: me, with, she. We focused on the beginning and ending sounds made by the letters 'n' and 'b.'
Math
We began to explore subtraction. We have acted out subtraction stories and shown them with objects. Now that we are in the second semester, please ensure that your child is completing at least two on-line math assignments per week. If you experience any trouble accessing the assignments, please let me know so that we may figure out a solution.
Religion
In this last week of the Christmas Season, we learned about the Three Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus. We also read two other Gospel passages; Jesus Walks on Water, and Jesus Returns to Nazareth.
Science
This week we performed two science experiments. On Thursday, we discovered how balloons can magically attract things like paper and sugar through static electricity. On Friday, we discovered that hot water is lighter than cold water and will rise through the cold water. We made a Volcano in a Bottle to demonstrate this phenomenon. The children were eager to replicate the Volcano at home. So I have included the directions below.
Volcano in a Bottle Experiment
Materials: One large glass jar, one small glass bottle, red food coloring, string
Procedure: Fill the glass jar with cool water.
Heat water for the small bottle.
While the water is heating, tie string around the neck of the bottle on either side so that you may safely lower the small bottle containing hot water into the jar of cool water.
Carefully fill the small bottle with hot water.
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Carefully lower the small bottle into the jar filled with cool water.
Observe the hot water as it flows out of the bottle and into the cool water.
Upcoming events
We are excited to begin team teaching this Monday. Please see the email that I sent on Friday for details about this plan.
Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday, January 26 and continues through Saturday February 1. Please see the Colt Express for details about this very fun week in our school. I will be sending out an email this week with information particular for our class.
It was wonderful to return to school after a nice Christmas Break!
Reading
This week we read about a panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999 named Hua Mei (pronounced HWA MAY). The book show the changes in the baby panda's growth over the course of a year. We added the following Amazing Words to our Oral Vocabulary: weigh, healthy, curious, measure, bamboo, explore.
We added the following high frequency words to our list of words we can read: me, with, she. We focused on the beginning and ending sounds made by the letters 'n' and 'b.'
Math
We began to explore subtraction. We have acted out subtraction stories and shown them with objects. Now that we are in the second semester, please ensure that your child is completing at least two on-line math assignments per week. If you experience any trouble accessing the assignments, please let me know so that we may figure out a solution.
Religion
In this last week of the Christmas Season, we learned about the Three Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus. We also read two other Gospel passages; Jesus Walks on Water, and Jesus Returns to Nazareth.
Science
This week we performed two science experiments. On Thursday, we discovered how balloons can magically attract things like paper and sugar through static electricity. On Friday, we discovered that hot water is lighter than cold water and will rise through the cold water. We made a Volcano in a Bottle to demonstrate this phenomenon. The children were eager to replicate the Volcano at home. So I have included the directions below.
Volcano in a Bottle Experiment
Materials: One large glass jar, one small glass bottle, red food coloring, string
Procedure: Fill the glass jar with cool water.
Heat water for the small bottle.
While the water is heating, tie string around the neck of the bottle on either side so that you may safely lower the small bottle containing hot water into the jar of cool water.
Carefully fill the small bottle with hot water.
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Carefully lower the small bottle into the jar filled with cool water.
Observe the hot water as it flows out of the bottle and into the cool water.
Upcoming events
We are excited to begin team teaching this Monday. Please see the email that I sent on Friday for details about this plan.
Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday, January 26 and continues through Saturday February 1. Please see the Colt Express for details about this very fun week in our school. I will be sending out an email this week with information particular for our class.
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