Week 26 & 27

This week has been very busy. Daily, I attend staff meetings, engage in professional development, work on setting up Google Classroom/Meet, as well as prepare to provide a weeks worth of "emergency learning" for the kinders for next week.

In the meantime, before we are set up in Google Classroom here are some learning ideas:

* Go on a neighbourhood walk. Talk about where the nearest grocery stores, veterinary clinics, doctor's offices, postal boxes etc. are. Discuss who our community helpers are and what they do.

* Read a story together. Ask your child to tell you who the characters are and what the setting is.

* Visit one of the many free on-line websites. For example, Starfall.com, Raz kids, Scholastic, Cosmic kids yoga etc.

I will send each family an email on Friday, April 3 with your login information for Google Classroom.

Please remember I am available during school hours to support you and answer your questions.

Week 25: Saying Goodbye to winter!

March 9-13

This week students worked on a winter wonderland piece of artwork. This piece of artwork has many layers and students have been working diligently to create their individual pieces. We will create a bulletin board display outside our hallway as our pieces are complete. Much of our discussion has been around where animals go in winter and we have created a class mural where each student has placed an animal either over or under the snow.

We began new math centres. Students are working in small groups and will rotate through the centres practicing to identify 2D and 3D shapes and printing numerals.

I reviewed many times this week how to cough and sneeze into our arm so that we help to limit the spread of germs.We take time to wash and or sanitize our hands frequently through out our day. During our announcements today we watched a video on hand washing with soap and discussed that hand washing should take at least 20 seconds or the singing of Happy Birthday two times. 

Reminders:

- No kindergarten on Thursday, March 19 or Friday, March 20th

- Parent teacher conferences have been postponed

Next week:

- Create letters for our bulletin board display of winter art work pieces

- Focus on the number 8

- Collecting ideas for new centres after Spring Break

Week 24: Over and Under the Snow

March 2-6

This week students and I read Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner. We looked at the illustrations and talked about the animals and landscapes. Through reading this story, we began talking about where animals go in the winter. Students shared some of their ideas before and after reading the story. We are creating a mural in the classroom of a winter wonderland and then we will add some animals in the coming days. Interesting vocabulary to talk with your child about:  camouflage, hibernate, over, under, glide etc.

The afternoon class has been practicing basketball skills. We began bouncing a basketball with two hands and then have progressed to bouncing the ball switching hands. We are now practicing passing to a friend with one bounce. Many students had trouble at the beginning of our basketball unit but are now successful with beginning skills. We talked about how important practice is and a good attitude.

On Friday, we painted a background for a winter landscape and will add tree details, snow and animals this week. Students were free to choose their background design and colours.

Reminders:
- We have asked that all students at Ranchlands School only eat the snack/lunch that their family has sent for them. Some students have allergies and some parents want their children to only eat certain foods. Pleas talk with your child about the importance of only eating their own food.

- Please return all book orders by March 10. There are some class favourites for sure.

- Please return all library books before each weekly visit. We have a lot of overdue books.

Next Week:
- New math centres

- Adding details to winter landscape

Week 23: Pink Shirt Day!

February 24-28

We have now concluded our first round of math centres. We will begin a new round of centres next week. The new centres will include working with 2 Dimensional shapes and counting and printing numerals.

A new Table Time activity is for students to type out "passwords" that include numbers and letters on a detached keyboard. Students also may choose to find and type the letters of their name and the name of their friends.

Wednesday, Feb. 26 was Pink Shirt Day. We read the story called Big Bad Bully and talked about how we can be a friend and what to do if you meet a bully.

Now that the weather is a bit warmer, we will try to go outside occasionally. We will look and listen for signs of our current season and the next season. 

Reminders:

- Please be sure your child has warm clothing and boots for when we go outside

- Return all library books

- Exchange home reading

Next week:

- Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright (story sequencing)

- Animals in Winter (What do animals do in the winter?)

- Buddies on Friday

Week 22: 100th day of school!

February 18-21

This week we celebrated being at school for 100 days! We did 100 exercises! Kindergarten did 10 groups of 10 exercises and practiced counting by 10s.

Kindergarten solved a math story problem this week. Students read a short story problem all together, drew a picture, coloured a ten frame, wrote an equation and counted on a number line to show how many in all. At home, you can make up some story problems to do orally with your child. If you would like to write the story problem down, please do and then send in a copy to school for us to share.

 

On Friday kindergarten read the story of Little Red Riding Hood. We talked about how the story has been around for a very long time. There are different endings depending on how the author wanted to end the story. After reading and discussing the story, students completed a sequencing activity to use to retell the story.

Next week:

- Pink shirt day is Wednesday - Anti Bullying day! Students can were a pink shirt

- Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright

- Library day is on Tuesday and students will bring home their books on Wednesday - Please return any library books

Week 21: A Quick Week

Feb. 10, 11, 12

We have been engaging in some group math centres. Our centres included:

- Cards (Players turn over a card. The player with the largest number keeps the cards)
- Roll and Build Up (Roll a die. Put that many blocks together and place it on the number)
- Domino Parking Lot

- 10 frame Rocket Ships (Colour the matching number on squares on a ten frame)
- Explore 3D Shapes

On Wednesday, we celebrated Kindness Day. We read the book Bear's New Friend by Jacqueline Mitchell. Students told me what it means to be kind and a good friend:

" We can share."

" We can ask for a turn and wait."

" We can let people sit with us." 

Next week:

- Practice printing our names with a capital only on the first letter

- 100th Day of School (We will do 100 exercises in groups of 10)

- Learn about vowels (A,E,I,O,U)

Week 20: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

February 3 - 7

- Since the beginning of kindergarten, we have been practicing knowing where to find our work tools (pencils, crayons, glue sticks etc.). We also practice cleaning up and pushing in chairs. At this time of year, it is amazing to see that most students are independent in beginning work quickly and then transitioning to cleaning up when our work is complete. In kindergarten, we talk a lot about team work. We help others when we see they need something and even if we didn't make a mess, we help to clean up everything.

- We have spent some time on practicing letter formation using whiteboards and journals. When possible, printing/writing is through authentic tasks. This means that students recognize a need to write something down for a reason that is important to them. They may make a list of words they see in the classroom or write down their friend's names.

- This week, we began taking books home to read at home. The reading can be done with a parent, Aunt/Uncle, older sibling etc. It should only take about 10 mins. to talk about the book, look at the pictures, read the book while your child repeats the words and then record the title. If you are not able to do the home reading some evenings, it's ok. Please do the Home Reading when you have time and return to school for a new book.

- On Friday Jan. 24 and Feb. 7, students heard the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We then chose our favourite character and placed it on a graph. Students noticed that both AM and PM classes had some of the same totals. This activity gave us the opportunity to talk about fewer/less, greater/more and equal.

Next week:
- Our school Me to We Club is having a bake sale. Kindergarten will have the chance to buy a baked good on Tuesday, Feb. 11 All of the money collected will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.
- On Wednesday, if students choose to they can bring a Valentine card for all the students in the class (17 morning & 19 afternoon). They can just print their name on the card but they do not need to print all the other student's names. If you want to send a special snack in your child's lunch that is ok but please do not send any threats for the other students.
- No school Thursday, Friday (Teacher's Convention) and Monday (Family Day)

Week 19: Home Reading is coming!

January 27-30

This week students continued to work on their My Little Snowman books. Our books are now complete and they will come home sometime next week. My assessment included watching to see if students can independently: find their work tools, work independently, ask for help if needed, copy print and retell a familiar story. Students showed so much joy while working on completing their booklets as they did their best work.

Students had the chance to colour/cut a letter to spell the title Elmer in the Snow for our bulletin board display. We then added some white paint splatter to give the illusion that it was snowing on our display.

We are preparing to begin bringing home some books to read with our families. Students will bring home a Ziploc bag with a letter that discusses ways to read with your child, a recording sheet for the books they read and a list of a few kindergarten sight words. Please let me know if you have any questions about Home Reading. My hope is that these books are enjoyed by both the parents and the students as they begin to see themselves as a reader.

Reminders:
- Please be sure your child always has warm clothes so that when we go outside, they are prepared
- Return all library books each week

Next week:
- We will discuss measurement
- Letter focus on Q
- Number focus on 7

Week 18: My Little Snowman

January 20-24

This week students began working on a paper copy of a book called My Little Snowman. While working on completing this book, students are learning that we read from left to right, that the words and pictures match and how to copy words to complete a sentence. When finished, students will bring home their books to read to their family.

For the past few weeks, kindergarten has been introduced to a sight word each week. So far we have learned the, is and I. We practice reading, spelling and using the word in a sentence. We will soon begin our home reading program and the sight words we are learning are in many beginning reader books.

On Friday, students enjoyed hearing the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We reviewed what a character in a story is. Students chose their favourite character and placed it on a chart to compare the results. A copy of the story and some story props will be placed at the Story Telling Corner for students to practice re-telling the story.

During Buddies, the students talked about setting and looked for examples in books that the grade 4s brought to kindergarten.

Next week:
- Sight word: can
- Continue working on My Little Snowman book
- Outside winter walk Wednesday (If the weather is suitable)

Week 17: Write the room!

January 13  -17


On Monday, students were challenged to find 12 winter words around the classroom and write them down. We call this activity Write The Room! Many children were able to find and copy at least 9 words. Copying print is an expectation we are working on in kindergarten.

We began writing in a journal this week. Students were asked to draw a picture, print their name and print letters or a sentence to explain their drawing. We will write in our journals weekly. Students can write about any topic. The are also able to use words they find in the classroom.

Sight word of the week was: Is
Last week we worked on the word The

Next week:
- My Little Snowman Book (Students will learn to "read" this beginning reader book and copy missing words to complete the sentence.
- Ordering items from smallest to tallest
- Representing numbers from 1-10 in a mixed up order

Week 16: Representing Numbers!

Jan. 13-17

This week I challenged the students to identify a number represented in different ways and match it to the numeral. Next week, we will check for correctness and tally how many for each number.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday . . . Kindergarten is practicing saying the days of the week in order. You can say the days of the week or sing them with your child to help them learn the order.

We tried to fill a whole page with Numbers I Know and Letters I know. This helps students realize that they know and can print a lot of numbers and letters. We will take this new confidence and begin working in a journal.

I reviewed the idea of character and setting in stories. We used the story of The Three Little Pigs to discuss these concepts. The book and sequencing cards will be placed at the Story Telling Corner so that students can practice re-telling the story in order.

On Friday, our grade 4 buddies read a story to their kindergarten buddy and sketched/labeled the main character.

Next week:

- Read Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal

- On Wednesday, we will welcome a student teacher in her first year at Mount Royal University

- Tuesday is library day. Please return all library books