Kindergarten Learners

ELA:

The Seven Continents:  In this unit students will understand that the earth is made up of large pieces of land surrounded by large bodies of water. They will explore the concepts of topography, habitats and environments to determine how these affect the ways people and animals live in different places around the world. In addition, students will explore each continent through the eyes of a traveler. They will research about the famous sites, foods and activities of each continent through various non-fiction resources including texts, videos, songs, and maps. Students will make connections to themselves and the world by comparing the similarities and differences between themselves and people in different places around the world. Students will use opinion writing to choose their favorite places around the world citing evidence to support their opinion using information from the research they conduct in whole groups, small groups and partnerships to motivate their readers to visit various wonders around the world.

Writing:

Throughout the unit, students will write opinion pieces using mentor texts and teacher samples as models and examples. They will incorporate content area vocabulary and information in their discussions, conversations and writing/dictation as they practice and develop opinion writing with supporting reasons.  Students will understand that people can have differing opinions and they can use writing to persuade others to agree with them. At this point in the year students should be able to write more than one complete sentence, follow a checklist to organize their sentences and tap and blend words they want to write into sentences. 

Wilson:

Students have now learned all lowercase letters and sounds and the digraphs.  Students are expected to use what they have learned and apply it to reading and writing strategies. They will use letter sounds to read, segment and write CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words. There are charts and videos posted to our Google Classrooms to help with this at home. It is important that your child uses the sound each letter makes so they can read and write independently.  It is time to apply what we have learned these past few months. Many students are doing this already and we are so proud of them! We will begin to learn to identify and write words with suffixes (endings) including “s”, “es”, and silent “e”.  Students will be expected to use these new sounds, along with the digraphs, in reading and writing words. Students are participating and advancing in our new phonemic awareness curriculum, Heggerty. This is helping with both reading and writing words.  This is the time of year where students are reading and writing words independently using the skills and knowledge they have been taught. We encourage you to use the resources on Google Classroom to continue to help your child master these skills.  As we approach the end of the year throughout the end of May and June, we will begin to expose students to first grade phonic skills such as vowel teams (ea, ay, ai, ee, ey, amd others)

Reading:

In reading, we will practice comprehension skills by making connections to fiction texts.  There are three types of connections-self, other texts, and the world.  You can help your child at home by reading fiction and nonfiction texts together in books, on Raz Kids, Epic or Geodes and asking them questions about the text. Here are examples of questions to ask to help your child make connections to texts:  What does this book remind you of?  How are you the same as the character?  How are you different from the character? Have you ever felt the way the character feels?  Tell me about it. 

Math:

  In math, kindergarten students will begin to learn about two-dimensional (flat) and three-dimensional (solid) shapes. Students will identify the names of various 2D shapes, including triangles, circles, rectangles, squares, and hexagons, based on the number of sides and vertices (corners) that each shape has. Students will look for these two-dimensional shapes in the environment, such as seeing a circle on the face of a clock, or a rectangle in a birthday card. Afterwards, we will move into learning about three-dimensional shapes, including cone, cylinder, sphere, and cube. Students will match 3D solids to objects in their environment, such as matching a cylinder to a paper towel roll and a cube to a tissue box. Next, students will identify the relative position of shapes in their environment using terms such as below, beside, next to, above, in front of, and behind. Finally, students will analyze, compare, and sort two- and three-dimensional shapes based on their similarities, differences, and attributes. 

Students will end the year learning about different attributes used to measure and compare objects. We will focus on length, height, weight, and capacity. Students will compare objects using words such as shorter and taller, shorter and longer, heavier and lighter, and empty and full. Students will learn about the different tools used to measure these attributes including rulers, tape measures, scales, and measuring cups.=

At home have your child practice looking for shapes in their environment. Ask them to describe the position of objects using words such as above, behind, next to, between, beside, and in front of. Also, have your child compare objects in your home using words such as lighter/heavier and longer/shorter.

Social-Emotional Learning:

This month, we will learn all about Perseverance. Perseverance is being committed to your goals no matter how long it takes. We show perseverance when we try a new sport that is very difficult but you do not give up, or when you have missed a week of school, but you work hard to catch up. Or when you are last in a difficult race, but you cross the finish line. 

Activities to do at home:

High Frequency Words:

Please continue to practice weekly high frequency words with your child to help build their fluency, stamina, and confidence in reading. Here you’ll find some fun activities you might want to try at home to make word practice a bit more engaging for your kindergartener: https://whatihavelearnedteaching.com/5-hands-sight-word-activities-kindergarten/

Family Comments: 

“I see so much growth in my child since they started in September. It’s great to be able to see them writing independently and enjoying math.” -K012 parent

“I can’t believe she is reading.  When I heard this in September, I thought there was no way it could happen.” -K014

“Thank you so much for your help and I will definitely help her out in my home every night.”-K011 parent

Student Comments: 

“I like to decompose teen numbers.”  K014 student

“I have so much fun when we do projects!”  K014 student

Art:

Kindergarten students will make an ELA Connection by creating artwork representing each of the 7 continents. Students will create penguins to represent Antarctica, Aboriginal art to represent Australia, panda bears to represent Asia, blue morpho butterflies to represent South America, castles to represent Europe, and Native American rock art paintings for North America. 

Physical Education:

Spring is finally here and we are so excited to be back outside for Physical Education and recess. When outdoors, the children are strengthening their fine and gross motor skills while running, jogging, walking, climbing, balancing, and sliding. In addition, the children are reinforcing their creativity through imaginative play, turn taking and cooperation. We love to run and play! 

When in the gym, the children will be participating in games and activities that focus on the Earth and the seven continents.  The children will participate in games and activities such as “Around the World” and  “Cross the Ocean”. In addition, the children will learn some games that children from different parts of the world play. We will discuss how these games from other countries may be similar or different from games we play here.  Please remember to have your child wear sneakers every day!  

Music: Students in Kindergarten music are learning to keep the steady beat with their bodies, voices and on percussion instruments. They are currently singing songs that involve counting to ten, adding and subtracting numbers. In addition, kindergarten musicians are singing songs about the Earth which will connect to their studies in ELA. They will be singing at Kindergarten Stepping Up Day in June.