May 2 - 13

It is hard to believe that there are only three weeks left of school.  We have been working hard and will continue to have fun learning these last few weeks!

Language Arts:  We completed the letter study with z, q and u.  Our final sight words, have and here, were introduced.  We are now using the pocket chart to read familiar nursery rhymes.  During Z week, we read Zin, Zin Zin A Violin! and The Maestro Plays and created our own orchestra with musical sounds.  We read Zinc the Zebra and created our own unique animal.  We read stories about mothers in preparation for Mother's Day.Last week, We read Cassie's Word Quilt and made the most creative word quilts!  We also showed great thinking and writing skills as we responded to the alphabet book Q is For Duck.  Through the rest of the year, our students will be focusing on the various strategies found on the wheel that was sent home on Friday.  So far, we have read books that have promoted the use of the strategies Picture Clues, Get Your Mouth Ready, Does It Makes Sense, and Does It Look Right.  Keep that wheel handy to encourage your child to use more than Sound It Out...when your child fixes a word, ask him/her to tell you which strategy was used!  We have had a lot of fun in Writer's Workshop.  We continue to make lots of things and have added a large alphabet book of kindergarten spelling to the choices.  The kids also had the opportunity to participate in Kinderpress.  Our kindergarten authors will become PUBLISHED authors this year.  Thank you to the parents who volunteered to take dictation from the kids and to type up the stories.  When the books are bound, the students will illustrate them in class and bring them home at the end of the year!

Math:  We have been focusing on number sense, addition and subtraction, telling time, and estimation.  We have been following the "make then write" process, learning lots of games, and starting the day with math boxes that promote these skills.

Social Studies:  The past two weeks our Cool Tool is to review bully behavior and the Stop, Walk, and Talk strategy. 

Science:  This coming week we will begin our seeds to plants unit.

Note:  Thank you to Mrs. Sathianarayanan and Dr. Platt for coming in as Guest Readers.  The kids always enjoy parent visits!