What can writers do with Lines and curves on a whiteboard??

Today we learned that writers sometimes write using just pictures. There are some great picture books that have no words. Today we read "Flora and the Flamingo." Another wordless picture book is called "Wave". Wordless picture books are so fun because they teach that they don't have to use words to write a story or read words to read a book!

 These writers were so proud! Ask your child to tell you about their drawing.

Getting to Know Numbers!

This week in math we explored numbers and numeracy. We worked to build numbers with a variety of objects. Our mathematicians noticed that no matter which objects being used or which position they are in, they still amount to the same number!!
Take a look as we worked with partners and indpendently together!

Thinking and Learning Time the Week of September 24

 Scientists use observation skills to record sunflowers and fine motor skills to remove seeds and glue them to the center of their diagram.

This week in word study learners worked with letters strips and cards to organize them in alphabetical order. They also worked to organize rocks with letters written on them to match our alphabet chart cards.

More fine motor work with pin punching!! The challenge grows as the designs become more intricate :-)

I hope your learners are enjoying school as much as I am enjoying them!!

:-)

Visitors!

The Sand Hill Cranes paid us a visit!

Alphabet Wall

In the Fawn Room I like to design our room as a class. Last week we worked together to put up the letters of the alphabet. We noticed they are always in the same order called "alphabetical order". As we looked closer at each card we discovered the letters all make sounds that match the beginning sound of the picture on each card! Some friends even noticed that the ones with the pink tape were vowels! I love when they can teach each other new things! Each child helped put a letter up on our wall. Eventually this will be our "Word Wall" where we add important sight words as we learn them. I find learners gain so much more by adding new learning as we go :-) Ask  your child which letter he/she put up on our wall. You can also talk to your child about the pictures on each card and beginning sounds!

2nd Grade Buddies

On Friday we met with our second grade buddies for the first time. We will periodically buddy up with Mrs. Hukkala's class this year to build reading, writing, science, math and social skills. Kindergarteners love sharing their knowledge and learning from the "big kids" :-)

 For our first meeting we taught our second grade buddies about the sunflower we dug up earlier in the day. They took turns recording what they saw and adding details to their paintings. It was fun to watch them take turns adding detail to the same painting. After they had finished painting our second grade buddies helped take the learning farther by labeling the parts of the sunflower. The energy and pride on both ends could be felt throughout the room!

Wet, Dry, Try

As part of our Handwriting Without Tears program our Fawn Friends practice writing upper case letters on chalkboards.  Each writer is given a chalkboard that I have prepared with the two letters for the week written (one on each side). They use a wet sponge to trace the letter, then a dry one to trace the lines left by the wet sponge. Then they try to write it on their own tracing over the letter that can be seen as it dries. The drag of the chalk really helps train the brain to write the letters using the correct formation.

Last week we focused on E and F. These are "frog jump" letters. We learned that we always start our letters at the top. With the F we say "Big line down, Frog jump (back to the top), little line across, little line in the middle." E is the same wording with one extra little line ;-) This is the language we will be using to teach upper case and lower case letters this year.

Scientists Study Sunflowers

On Friday we worked as scientists to observe nature and record our findings.
First we went out to our kindergarten garden and dug up the tallest sunflower we could find. These scientists worked together to carry it into the classroom.

After getting it into the room we laid it out and began another "See, Think, Wonder" thinking routine.

Here is a quick list of our thinking...

We kept samples to study during this weeks Thinking and Learning Time. Our careful observers will use tweezers to extract the seeds and create a sunflower of their own!

What a great day to be a scientist!