Number Work!

Now that we have started a new semester, I have brought out new activities for Word Work and Number Work. Today, we introduced a new choice for Number Work. One of our Common Core State Standards is to "fluently add within 5" and another one is "for any number 1 through 9 find the number that makes ten when added to the given number". Using both of these skills, the students take a number bracelet and create addition sentences and number bonds with multiple ways to create the given number.

New to Daily 5/CAFE!

We have two new items to our Daily 5/CAFE time. My class feeds off of positive reinforcement, so I decided to expand that by posting an "I Caught You!" board right on our Daily 5 board that is filled with our anchor charts for each choice. Throughout the week, I take snapshots of kids I "catch" doing the right thing during their Daily 5 choice and post them on the "I Caught You!" board. When I add new pictures, I will take down the old and send them home for the student to share his/her picture with their family!




Something new during CAFE time is for me, but also effects my students as well. I have revamped my "bag-o-tricks" that I carry with me to each conference with students. My bag has a lot of activities to help a variety of skills. White board(s), markers, dice, beach ball with comprehension questions, sight words, CVC words and best of all leveled books! I reorganized my leveled books into an accordion file labeled by level. The file only has 6 sections so I am able to carry leveled books A-F. Once I have kids above a level F, then I will rework my folder again to accomodate the change in levels.

Word Work Water Painting

We have a new option at our word work choice! Students take the usual word options (sight words, class names, word families...), a paint brush, chalkboard, red cup and fill it to the line with water. They use all materials and "paint" words with the water. It dries quickly and they paint again!

Syllables Around the Room

We are learning all about syllables this week. Today each student found a spot in the room and either stood next to something or held an object in their hand. We went around the room, the student named the object and we clapped out the syllables! When we were finished, they asked to do it again!

Counting Tiger for Math with Someone

One of our Daily 5 Math choices at the beginning of the year is practicing counting with a partner. We call this activity "Counting Tiger". The students count back and forth with a partner using a stuffed animal. We start off by doing this activity as a whole group using a tiger, which gives it the name "Counting Tiger". They love practicing counting with their partner!

 

Penguin Patch

In order to help our students give back to their family and friends, we offer a Penguin Patch shop here at our school where they can bring in money from home and buy presenents for loved ones at a discounted price. I love seeing the student's excitement when they talk about who they are purchasing gifts for and finding that perfect gift!

Polar Express Fun!

We had a lot of fun during our Polar Express week. We worked with the book throughout the entire week and across all subjects! We ended the week with a Polar Express party and had some yummy snacks provided by a few of our families! What fun!

Writing Review!

The first few weeks back from winter break we are revisiting several key writing skills that were taught in the first semester. One of those skills is writing words phonetically. We took six different pictures and wrote what they were underneath. We stretched the words out as a class and individual students came up to the board and wrote the words using the sounds they hear when they stretch it out. We also talked about how the sounds have to be in the correct order... beginning, middle and ending sounds!

New Year's Resolutions

To kick off the second semester and the new year, we completed our own goals for 2013 to make ourselves better at one thing or another. Below are some of the examples of what the kids wrote. We had several want to help out at home more, eat healthier foods, do better in school and a lot that want to do better in a certain sport or activity! Let's hope we stick with our resolutions and make 2013 a GREAT year!

We're Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

What a wonderful first day back from winter break! The class came in all a buzz with many stories from the two weeks we had off from school. After having some time this morning to share those stories, we got busy right away with our Daily 5/CAFE work! Take a look below to see these hard working kindergarten students!

The craziness that was....our elf Jack!

 

 

 

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Winter Party!

We had a blast on our final day of class before winter break having all types of fun with creativity in making ornaments, pictures and reindeer food! Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered to help us with the party!