AM Kindergarten Weekly Update: September 4

 Hello AM Kindergarten Families, 

Welcome to our morning Kindergarten blog.  This site will be updated at the end of each week.  You will get a messenger reminder to go to the blog. It is a great idea to bookmark the blog, so it is easy to check in on. 

The blog with keep you up to date with activities and learning that is happening in the classroom as well as reminders of important upcoming dates and events (dates found at bottom of blog). 

This week: 

It was wonderful to meet our class this week.

We had great first week in Kindergarten.  It is amazing to see how comfortable students are following our routines, such as putting on their indoor shoes at arrival, lining up for music or bringing their communication folders into the class in the morning. (Please check these folders each day and remove any notices or classwork from them.  This is where you can send notes to the teacher and completed forms.)

We focused this week on building routines, such as gathering our mini white boards and markers for literacy work and cleaning up after our centre time.  

Centre Time, is an extended daily learning time, where students can make self-determined choices in their learning.  Children choose from activities such as painting, sand exploration, building and imaginative play. The children have been very focused on their learning and have been making lots of friends.  We have been opening the centres slowly to review expectations.


 

Literacy: 

We have started exploring different kinds of lines to help us prepare for forming letters.  We talked about straight lines and curvy lines and watched a fun book called Lines That Wiggle. We also learned how to use our mini whiteboards and practiced all kinds of lines (zig-zag, up and down, horizontal etc.)

 After reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, we made a "letter party" drawing letters with sidewalk chalk on the compound. 

Math:

We started exploring counting concepts but observing and counting small sets in our "counting cups".  Children practiced looking at their sets and thinking if there seemed to be a lot or just a few in the set.  Then student spilled the quantity on their mat, they used a variety of strategies to count accurately, such as moving the objects as they counted or lining them up.  For smaller quantities, students noticed they didn't need to count because they could instantly recognize the amount.  This is called "subitizing".  We have begun exploring these patterns in our classroom.  For example, we noticed that three can be arranged to look like a triangle or when stacked looks like a snowman or traffic light. 

During our instruction at the meeting area, we have also been exploring concepts of the sequencing of time, through the use of our daily schedule.  Children are noticing concepts of before and after and estimating statements such as "closer to the start or closer to the end".

Science:

We practiced using our senses outside and sketched our "class tree".


Physical Education and Health:

During our physical education time, we are taking advantage of the beautiful Fall weather to play, explore, climb, hang and make friends on the playground.  It has been fun! 

Notes:

Our students are not always sure which items belong to them.  It is very helpful to label sweatshirts, water bottles and little containers with your child’s name.  If you are missing an item, just send an email and we can see if we can find it. Also please do not send fruit cups or juice boxes for Kindergarten snack (too sticky and messy and sugary).

Thank you for reading.  This weekly message is an important way for you to stay connected to your child’s learning.  Please spend time looking at the pictures and talking about the activities discussed.  In this blog I take photos of the classroom.  Please inform me if you do not wish for your child’s picture to be on the blog.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  See you on Tuesday

Mrs. Wacker 


Important Dates:

Library: Tuesdays 

Labour Day (no school): Sept. 7

Open House (classroom visit) and Corn Roast:  Thursday Sept. 17

Terry Fox Run: Sept. 24 (Kinder Run in morning)

Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school): Sept. 30

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