Weekly Newsletter

 Literacy:

This week in Fundations, we continued to practice tapping sounds for CVC words in order to spell and read them.  We focused on identifying the middle sound in a word, and finding the right vowel to match the sound. 

We introduced the concept of long vowels and short vowels:  "a short vowel says its sound" while "a long vowel says its name." 

Our "Snap Words" this week were no, so, and go. We reviewed last week's words and did some shared sentence writing containing snap words.  

In our Fundations groups, we practiced reading decodable texts that are a good fit for each student. We are really working on tapping out unknown words rather than guessing. 

Introduced Snap Words: the, a, and, are, to, is, his, an, am, can, as, has, was, he, be, me, we, she  I, you, see, like or, for,  from, my, by and do.

Introduced Letters: All!

During Heggerty (our phonological awareness program), we continued to practice isolating  and identifying beginning and middle sonds in simple words, said aloud.  We added some new beginning sounds, with digraphs (th, sh, ch). We continued to practice isolating the middle sound of a word by riding a "roller coaster" (the hill is the middle vowel sound). We used mini pop-its to help us segment and blend CVC words--one pop for each sound.  

This week in EL Literacy, we started learning about weather around the world. We learned that the weather and temperature can be very different in different places, even on the same day. We introduced and discussed the vocabulary words map and globe, and the class was very excited to share their experiences with maps! 

Mathematics: 

This week in math, we shifted our focus to measurement. We focused on understanding length and comparing objects the length of objects using the words "length," "longer," and "shorter." 

We also focused on the number 100 through many different 100 day activities on Thursday and Friday. 

In Number Corner, we said goodbye to January and started our February calendar and Number Corner. We are working on understanding the new pattern of blue and red dots on this month's calendar. We started new February weather and temperature charts, and continued recording and graphing the temperature and weather each day. This month, we are adding one penny to our weekly 5 frame each day, and using this as another opportunity to build our understanding of parts of five.  We also practiced counting (by ones and tens) to 100. 

Work Places: 

-The Mitten Addition Write the Room

-Making 5 Card Game

-Pattern Block Heart Puzzles

-Race to 20

-Roll & Add

Literacy Centers: 

• We paused centers for this week to learn about groundhogs.  We drew and wrote about what we learned. 

Choice: 

• Art Area:  Snowy scene craft,  "The Mitten" puppet making

• Sparkly blue playdough with  heart cookie cutters, rolling pins, Play-Do scissors, and letter stampers

• Writing Center: Letter stamps, new groundhog coloring pages, how-to draw cards, cards, blank books

• Dramatic Play: Weather Station with meteorologist badges, dress-up clothes for different types of weather, recording sheets, writing tools, clipboards, microphones, pointers, and weather "screen" (tri-fold board). 

• Library: Valentine's Day, Groundhog, and Weather themed-books

•  Magna-tiles, Plus-Plus Builders, Dinosaurs, Legos, and Straw Builders

• Wooden Train Tracks, Marble Maze, Wooden Houses & People

• Large Wooden Blocks with white felt "snow," blue "ice" gems, and forest animals 

• Magnetic shape builders on white board

• Sensory table with white, blue and silver pretend ice and snow materials, blue and white gems, and polar animals 

 Books and Poems:

100 Days of School

Ms. Bindergarten Celebrates 100 Days of Kindergarten!

Groundhog's Day Off

Parts of Little Kids First Big Book of Weather

On the Same Day in March

and more! 

"Mr. Groundhog"

 At Home Ideas:  

*If you have a map at home, look over it together, and find places you've been, or places you want to go. Discuss what the climate is like in different places. 

*Practice counting to 100 in different ways. You can use the large 100 chart that we used for our collections to practice. :) 

Other: 

We continued to read and learn about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week. We talked about how Dr. King focused on love and peace, and made a peace sign craft used skin color paints on a paper plate. 

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