Kindergarten Learners

ELA: We will begin the module, Zoom In. Over the next several weeks, our class will find out what we can learn when we take a closer look. We will read books that “zoom in” on ordinary experiences and objects. We will learn about Jane Goodall, who made a career out of studying chimpanzees, and we will look at the world from an ant’s perspective. Writing will get creative as we make up stories and look closely at nature to write poems. As a class, we will observe the world around us and work together to present posters about our five senses.

Reading: As we read a variety of texts in this module, some skills we will work on include: ask and answer questions, listening comprehension, academic vocabulary, retell a story, describe setting, describe connections, author’s purpose, make inferences, compare and contrast texts, opinions and reasons.   

Here are some ways you can support your child’s learning of these important reading skills during this module:

Use these prompts to encourage your child to add details when talking about a favorite topic or answering questions. • Tell me more about ___  • What happened next? • I wonder why____.  

Also, you can make a special time and place to read with your child every day. You can use the books from our class lending library, books you have at home or books from Raz-Kids. When you read, ask your child to make connections: • Who does this character remind you of? • Where have you been that is similar? • Have you ever felt this way? • This part makes me think about another book. 

In addition, you can reinforce these important topic words when you are reading or talking with your child: watch, wonder, world. 

Finally, encourage your child to use the five senses to describe experiences and objects. What do you see/hear? How does it smell/feel/taste?

Writing: We will revisit narrative writing, which we had previously participated in, in the fall. We will be writing short stories about animals. Students will be able to pick a different animal each week to write about. Students will be exposed to different groups of animals, based on where the animals live. Students will be creative in coming up with their animal story. They will tell who the story is about (naming their animal), where the animal is, and what the animal is doing. They will also add a feeling sentence. Students will be challenged to write 5 sentences: a WHO sentence, a WHERE sentence, 3 details (using sequencing words: first, next, last), and a feeling sentence about their animal. In addition, we will continue to look at parts of grammar such as, adjectives in terms of size, shape, color, quantity and number, as well as adding an -s to words, prepositions “in, out, on, off, by,” and when to use punctuation (exclamation marks). Throughout the module we will reinforce how to be brave spellers (using letter sounds we hear to write unknown words), correct letter formation, the U.P.S checklist  (uppercase, period, space) for conventions of writing. Students will give each other peer feedback, as well self-assess using an editing checklist and the Rainbow Rating tool. Students will be assessed on their writing with an informational writing rubric. You can help at home by exposing your child to various animals, helping them understand where the animal lives, and what the animal does. As the weather gets warmer, a trip to the zoo can be a fun way to bring the animals to life for them! In addition, you can inspire them to write fun stories by reading fiction books with your child. You can also help by encouraging them to label their drawing, motivate them to be brave spellers (use letter sounds to write unknown words), reinforce correct letter formation and re-reading, as well as using the U.P.S checklist. 

Wilson: Students have now learned all lowercase and uppercase letters and sounds.  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 begin to read and write independently.  It is time to apply what we have learned these past few months. We will continue to learn to identify, sound out and write digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ck). Digraphs are two letters but make only one sound. Next, we will move on to the vowel teams.  Vowel teams are two vowels that make one sound.  Students will be expected to use these new sounds 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 expected to be 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. In addition, you can encourage your child to sound out or tap out words to read or write rather than you teling them or spelling for them.

Math:  Students are learning to count numbers to 100. Students will learn to count to 100 by ones, such as 1, 2, 3… and by tens, such as 10, 20, 30… Students will use a hundred chart to help them count and identify missing numbers to 100. They will also learn that a hundred chart helps them to quickly identify a number ten more than a given number by looking at the number directly underneath it. 

Furthermore, students will continue to work on building their addition and subtraction fact fluency within 10. As students continue to work on these problems, they will be able to quickly recall the answers and will no longer need to use their fingers or drawings to solve. 

Finally, students will identify, analyze, and compare 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes, including circles, rectangles, shapes, triangles, cubes, spheres, cones, and cylinders.

At home you can practice adding and subtracting groups of objects to 10 (or higher) with your child. Encourage your child to see patterns when adding and subtracting. For example, we can make 5 with 0 and 5, 1 and 4, or 2 and 3. They should also recall ways to make 10 quickly. Have your child practice writing addition equations to represent teen numbers. For example, 10+6=16. Finally, have your child practice counting aloud to 100 both by ones and tens.

Social-Emotional Learning: This month, we will learn all about Compassion. Compassion is caring for the well being of others. When we show compassion to others, our hearts are filled with joy. Compassion is sympathizing with others who are hurting or troubled. Students will listen to stories, watch videos and have discussions to learn and share what it means to be compassionate. To foster a strong home-school connection, ask your child what it means to be compassionate. Encourage them to show compassion to others at home and in public places. We want to encourage all students to “Be somebody who makes everyone feel like a somebody.” 

Family Comments: 

“My son’s favorite letters are the digraphs.”

“Thanks for having a virtual scavenger hunt! My child enjoyed looking for different items in our home.” 

Student Comments: 

“I know the President lives in the white house.”

“I can use the number mat to show teen numbers.”

“We are learning about America.”

Science In science, we are continuing to learn about weather. Including how the sun warms the surface of the Earth. We are also learning how darker surfaces get warmer than lighter surfaces in the sun. We will finish out our unit on weather learning about extreme weather such as tornadoes.

Be sure to ask your child to describe the weather!

Vocabulary: surface, extreme, tornado

Social Studies In social studies we are finishing up learning about American symbols and moving on to  learning about the people who lead our government such as the president and vice president. We will also be learning about where the president lives, how the president is elected and who can vote. 

At home you can ask your child about a time they voted in school.

Vocabulary: elect, vote, president

Music

In music class, students are learning about keeping a steady beat with their body and on classroom instruments. They are exploring the instruments of the music room, including maracas, drums and bells. In addition, students are singing songs that connect to their current HMH unit on America, and their previous HMH units about Physical Fitness, Community and their Identities. 

AJNA Dance Company Residency: Students will be working with teaching artists from the AJNA Dance Company to learn about creative movement and Bollywood dance. They will be doing three sessions with teaching artists from the theater to learn about telling stories with their bodies.