Because we are now in the month of October, we decided it was time to create our monthly self-portraits! The kids did a phenomenal job using the new medium, water-color resist. First, the kiddos used crayons to draw themselves. They paid special attention to all the details of their faces, making sure to use realistic colors. Then, they employed vivid water-color paints with which to wash their portraits. They were amazed to see that the water bubbled up and did not stick to the places where the crayon strokes were. As a result, our self-portrait wall is full of colorful renditions of your beautiful children!
Our Math stations over the next few weeks will focus on a variety of areas including counting, telling how many more, and sorting shapes! Read on to see what we did this week!
- Grab Bag Counting - Given a bag of cubes, the students grabbed a handful (or two). They then counted like mathematicians to figure out how many they had and wrote down the corresponding number.
- Roll a Tower – At this independent station, a cherub rolled a die, built a tower with enough cubes to match the number rolled, and then placed the tower on the game board in the corresponding column. The child kept rolling the die and building towers until an entire column was filled and a number had “won”! The boys and girls got so excited to see which number ended up winning!
- Dot Bingo – At this station, students rolled a die to determine what number to focus on. Next, they put a marker on a representation of that number (e.g., picture of fingers, the numeral, the dots, OR what it looks like on a ten frame)! In this manner, the cherubs were able to notice that one can represent numbers in a variety of ways! First one with five in a row won!
- Sorting Shapes - Using a variety of different-sized triangles, rectangles, squares, and circles, the boys and girls worked hard to sort them on their shape mats!
- Finger Count Fun - At this station, students focused on number recognition in two different ways: recognizing how many fingers were held up and showing a specific number on their hands!
- Roll and Build – At this new station, the boys and girls chose a work board that they thought challenged them. There was a 1-6 board After they built the tower, they would then put the tower on the corresponding number. This was a great station to practice counting and numeral recognition.
During our Word Work, we are working on the idea of sentences. In class, the children are learning that sentences are made up of words that when put together, make sense to the reader. The children are also realizing that we say one word for each word we see in writing. Knowing this will help them as they read sentences in books and write their own sentences.
In Writing, the writers of room #7 are working on writing true stories that have happened to them. This week, they learned another important lesson: When you think you’re done, you’ve only just begun! After looking at a story that I wrote, the kids started asking questions because they wanted more details. We discovered together that I could:
- Add more details to my picture.
- Add labels.
- Add more words!
We are building stamina in Room #7! This week, the boys and girls challenged themselves to get up to 8 minutes of independent Read to Self Time. They are eager to fill up our Stamina chart and are using their strategies to do so. They are diligently working to remember that during our Reader’s Workshop time, they read the whole time quietly (in the 3 different ways – read the pictures, read the words, or read the story); they stay in one spot, and they think! It’s difficult work and they are so proud when they are successful! Ask them to show you how they read in class! Let’s keep it up, Kindergarteners! Next week, the kiddos will be able to pick their own spots in the room where they want to read so they will have even more choices and, thus, will be more accountable for their reading!
Some Miscellaneous Notes:
*Fieldtrip to Smolak Farm: Wednesday October 18th.
*Please remember to send in Library books on Tuesday so that your child can pick out a new book! Thank you!
Have a wonderful and restful long weekend, families!