We haven’t had a highlight in a while, so I’m just catching everyone up on what’s new in Kindergarten Adventures. So far, we’ve read and enjoyed books by several authors, they include: Kevin Henkes, Leo Lionni and Jan Brett. We’ve been working in our journals and with each book that we have read; we follow up with a story-stretcher pertaining to that particular story.
This month we will be reading storybooks and even exploring chapter books by the author Arnold Lobel. A note came home with your child asking for a shoe box for Tuesday, March 6th. This will be used to make a diorama for the storybook Country Mouse, City Mouse.
The chapter books are an excellent tool to teach the children the different parts of a book: the table of contents, the cover page, the introduction page, etc… We even made a book of our own as a class! We modeled our book after a picture book with no words titled: The Red Sled. Each child had to make up one sentence each for two pages of this book according to the pictures that the illustrator provided. Then they had to draw pictures of their pages they created and also illustrate a cover page. Mrs. Smith and I are in the process of “publishing” their books now and they should be coming home next week!
We’re moving right along with the alphabet as well. We’re almost half-way through stopping at the letter “J” for now. The children thoroughly enjoy the guessing box, decorating each giant letter, working in their dictionaries and making different recipes that pertain to each letter. Their recipe books are full of fun and delicious dishes! Perhaps you and your child could make and enjoy some of them on a rainy day. You may even want to add a recipe or two of your own!
Mrs. Smith and I truly enjoy teaching such a spirited bunch, although from time to time we do need to remind them of the rules and expectations both indoors and outdoors. We have implemented “the marble jar” in our classroom in hopes to stress positive behavior and keep negative behavior in check. Each time we meet, as long as the children have obeyed the rules, were kind and helpful to one another, performed their “jobs” well, then they get a new marble added to the jar. Once the jar is filled, Mrs. Smith and I will throw them a party. This seems to be working out very well. The children are learning to take responsibilities for their own actions, they are learning how to be a part of a functioning group, and best of all, they are feeling good about who they are as an individual.
We’ve also started “Share and Tell”. Everyone has already had a couple of turns with this. They get to choose what they would like to share with their friends, as long as it fits in the box. Please help them to come up with and write down three clues pertaining to the show and tell.
Sadly, Jenna Haroutunian is no longer a part of our class, so now there are only seven children. We will miss her!! Thank you for providing all of the delicious snacks from week to week. Please remember to include napkins and cups, (if it’s bottled juice).
Please feel free to e-mail or call me at Rainbow Corners, (or talk to me in person), should you have any questions, comments or concerns.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Nicole Devine and Christine Smith