September 22, 2022

Hello Kindergarten Families!

Kindergarten is coming together! We are so proud of your students and how well they are adjusting to Kindergarten. Students are working hard on their math, reading and writing skills. It has been fun to watch their excitement as we start to introduce new concepts and expand upon prior learning. Recently, we have started to focus more on executive function skills and what that looks like in the Kindergarten classroom. In Kindergarten, we talk a lot about what it means to be an independent learner both inside and outside of the classroom. Sometimes learning looks like sitting at your table spot and focusing on a particular task, whereas other times, it looks like remembering to bring your jacket to recess when it is cold outside. Both sets of skills are extremely important and we look forward to seeing how students grow both academically and emotionally as the year progresses.

Thank you!

Lauren and Valerie

lauren.harmon@bvsd.org

valerie.hibl@bvsd.org

Classroom Learning and Happenings

Literacy

This week in literacy we are focusing on characteristics of nonfiction books. Students have had the opportunity to tie their knowledge of nonfiction books into their writing as we continue our informational writing unit. Some of the vocabulary you may hear includes; nonfiction, topic, fact, characteristics and true. Writing has started to come together as we expand upon students' knowledge of shapes to create illustrations by adding labeling in to their drawings. At this stage, students typically cannot correctly write words but should be able to use their knowledge of sounds to "form" words. As you are reading books with your children encourage them to point out sounds and letters that they recognize!

Math

This week in math, we have dove deeper in to number talks. These talks are such an important part of Kindergarten math as it helps to expand their knowledge of number sense. It is so fun to watch them engage in conversations around numbers, addition, subtraction and math vocabulary. We have also started to practice number writing more frequently. It is not uncommon for students to reverse their numbers at this stage of learning. We always encourage students to say their number poems out loud as they form their numbers and remind them that practice is important. Our current math unit will cover number formation, groups of 5 and 10, addition and subtraction and identifying (and drawing) shapes. Please look for more to come as we move throughout Unit 1.

Core Knowledge

This week in Core Knowledge we had the opportunity to come together as a Kindergarten group to create five senses posters. Students had a blast cutting out pictures from magazines and deciding which of their five senses they would use while looking at a certain. Next week will be our last week with five senses before we move on to a study of American Presidents.

Announcements

• Parent Teacher Conferences-October 17th, 19th and 20th! Please look for a sign-up from your child's teacher shortly.

• Kindergarten Fall Field Trip- 7th Generation Farm, October 12, 2022, 10:00-12:30

• Big Cheese- Big Cheese dates have changed from Friday's to Thursday's! Please see the Big Cheese tab for more details!