ABC's/Names

Poem: Down By the Station
Sight Words: see, the

Reading:

We have been continuing to build stamina during our independent reading rounds when working on Read to Self and Work on Writing. This week we added new flexible seating choices including our scoop seats and rugs. They are doing awesome!!

Comprehension Strategy: This week we learned about how to choose a Good Fit Book. We learned that books are like shoes. We have shoes that serve different purposes and are not always the best fit. We used picture cards and matched each picture card with the description of each scenario. Students will then learn how to find good fit books for their own book boxes. A good fit book is one that we can read most of the words and that they find interesting. 

Accuracy: This week we began our ABC Boot Camp! Each day we spend time learning about a new letter of the alphabet. During reading we read our letter book and then complete a circle map as a class that include words that start with each letter. This week we learned about the letters Ll, Tt, Ii, Oo, and Aa. We also learned that Ii, Oo, and Aa are hard workers (vowels) that have 2 sounds; the long and short sound.

Writing:

This week we started handwriting. Each day we will spend time learning how to write one letter. This week we learned how to write the letters Ll, Ii, Tt, Oo, and Aa. Each day we listen to the writing song, practice tracing the lowercase and capital letter, color and make our letter/picture headband and finish with fine motor boot camp activities.

Math:

This week in math we continued learning about numbers 1-10 by recognizing the number written out and counting out the number of objects. During this nine weeks students will be expected to be able to count out up to 20 objects on their own.

Content:

This week we spent time learning and exploring our name! At the beginning of the week we took the letters in our name, which were all scrambled up, and glued them to make our name. Then we drew a picture of ourselves on the top of the paper. We also added our pictures cards with our names up on our Word Wall. Later in the week we read the book Chrysanthemum and talked about how each of our names make us special. We created our own class book with each of our names and we counted the letters in our names. I will share this on Instagram when it is all put together! We finished the week with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! Each kiddo made their own tree with their letter coconuts coming down the tree to spell their name.

SEL (Social Emotional Learning): Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

To start our week off we played Brain BINGO to review the parts of the brain. The rest of the week we explored the amygdala and the many feelings it controls. We watched a short clip about each feeling then discussed reasons that may make us feel that way. Then we used playdoh to construct the feeling onto a face mat. We discussed this week that all of these emotions are okay to feel, but we need to make sure the way we respond to these emotions keeps us and others safe and we reviewed strategies to help us including a rainbow breath, bee breath, and the calm corner. 

NEXT WEEK:

Reading: Students will...
-learn about and practice word work. 
-learn letter sounds for Dd, Cc, Ee, and Ff. 

Writing: Students will...
-learn to write the letters Dd, Cc, Ee, and Ff. 

Math: Students will...
-recognize numbers 11-20

Content: Students will learn about families and share about their own families. Don't forget to bring in a 4x6 family picture to keep at school! 

Getting to Know You

Poem: I Clap My Hands
Sight Words: a, I

Reading:
Comprehension Strategy: We have been practicing Read to Self this week. After completing our I-Chart as a class we practice those expectations. Then we try to build our stamina. On Tuesday we read for 13 minutes!! That is huge!

We also learned about Work on Writing. Students spend this time responding to a story in their book box. After choosing a book they find their favorite part and draw a picture from the story on their paper. If they want a challenge they can write words and the title of the story on their paper as well.

Name Game: We have been taking the names of our friends and saying their name, clapping the syllables, writing their name, counting the letters in their name, and cheering the letters in their name. We finish by writing the beginning letter in their name and then drawing a picture of our friend. We do a new friend each day!

Writing: This week we are learning the fundamentals of writing. We learned how to sit when writing and did some stretches before we got started that keep our posture straight, feet flat on the ground, and shoulders back.

We also learned how to hold a pencil the correct way. We listened to our pencil grip song as we practiced the A-Okay way. We even did our Scribble Wiggle page that helped us practice the correct way to to hold a pencil.

On Wednesday we learned what to do with BOTH of our hands. We learned that we have a helping hand and a writing hand. The helping hand stays on the paper to keep it in place while we write. Students were able to remember which hand was their writing hand by smelling their hand and using the one I had marked with peppermint chapstick.

On Thursday we practiced with dry erase boards to make straight lines. They practiced starting at the smiley face and writing from the top to the bottom.

Math: This week in math we are learning about numbers 1-6. We are recognizing different ways to show each number and adding it to our circle map. This goes along with the idea of subitizing; seeing something and knowing right away what it is. We also started completing calendar journal as a class too!

Content: This week we took time learning about each other! Each day a few friends shared their All About Me bags. We also rolled a dice and shared information about the topic we rolled. Students shared things like their favorite food, TV show, recess activity, sport, and candy. We also got our pictures taken to add to our birthday wall!

SEL (Social Emotional Learning): Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

This week students started learning about the parts of the brain. When they understand how their brain works, they can better understand their emotions and control their decisions. Each day we watched a video about a different part of the brain, then colored it on our brain map. These were the parts we learned:

• Hippocampus: This part helps us remember. 
• Pre-Frontal Cortex: The part where learning and thinking takes place.
• Amygdala: This is where we have emotional responses. Where we feel any and all of our emotions. 

We're starting to learn that when our amygdala is going off (like an alarm) we can use coping strategies to help calm ourselves. One of those ways is the calm corner. Here we have a kiddo who is using the calm corner to be able to come back to our whole group lesson calm and relaxed.