Paints and Pastels

The class was working on creating the frogs and butterflies of our rainforest theme! The crafts were coming together so nicely!  

Pirate Puzzles!

The whole school was participating in pirate day! In my class, they were solving shape puzzles to gain access to the next clues and move on to save the otter and Mr. D!

Super Senses

After completing our unit on the five senses we had a popcorn party. We observed, as we made popcorn that we can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste popcorn! It was great to have a concrete concept to show the students as we finished our study. 

Positive Problems

Mrs. Lallier, our school counselor, is teaching lesson about solving our problems with calm bodies and assertive voices. Our class is learning to react to a small problem in a small way.  In the cupcake pictures, I had promised the students that when it was my birthday- I would bring in some to share.  Everyone is enjoying the surprise.

Jelly Bean Bar Graphs

After creating chocolate bunnies and spring baskets, the kids had an egg hunt.  The class took the jelly beans from the eggs and grouped them by color and graphed the outcomes.  The students loved this activity!

Spring Sweets

The students are painting chocolate bunnies for their spring baskets!

Math Maniacs

The class is practicing subtraction and addition equations.  They are on a roll!

Week of April 29th Newsletter

Ms. Mac’s Kindergarten Newsletter: Week of April 29th

Hello Families of the Kindergarten Class of room 138,

It has been a fun and busy month of learning!  I am sorry that the blog has not been updated as regularly.  All of the hands on and more in-depth activities that we have been participating in, has made less time for taking pictures while the learning is happening.  Our school day seems like it is getting busier and busier and the class and I are adjusting, as we continue the school year.

During the last month in our social studies themes, we have created Easter and spring projects including chocolate bunnies and paper baskets for our chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs.  In our science themes, we finished up our five senses unit with a popcorn party.  Popcorn was the perfect way to end it because a person can hear popcorn pop, taste popcorn, smell popcorn, see popcorn, and touch popcorn.  Right now in science we are studying living and non-living items.  This concept is also intertwined with our Rainforest theme. We have been studying many animals, insects, and amphibians like sloths, frogs, toucans, parrots, snakes, butterflies, and monkeys. The children have been studying how each animal needs a particular habitat that the rainforest provides. The class painted a beautiful mural in Art class with Mrs. Trimpi, of the trees and plants of the rainforest.  For the past week, we have been putting our crafts and paper made animals onto our mural.  It looks very cool.

In math we have been reviewing money and coin value, counting forwards and backwards, finding patterns, and practicing adding in the teen numbers. We have also been studying subtraction and addition equations, and figuring out how to solve a word problem one step at a time.  The students have been learning how to collect data and graph their information.  Right now, in math we have moved on to deciphering which tool of measurement we can use for daily activities.  Some of the vocabulary we have been learning is weight, capacity, length and temperature.

We had Pirate Day right before April vacation where the students had to use their math skills to save Mr. D and the otter from a Pirate who took over our school.  Everyone dressed as pirates and during the last portion of the day the whole school solved math riddles to find the code to unlock Mr. D.  The students were in groups with older children, and it was a great way for students to be role models and meet new faces.  

Sprinkled into all of this learning, we also had parent conferences before April vacation and it was wonderful to catch up in person with each and every one of you.  I was so happy to describe the progress and success that every child in this class has made throughout the year.

 Another new activity that I have introduced to the students is Classdojo.  This site allows for students to have personalized monster characters that earn bubble points for doing the expected behavior.  If students are listening quietly, they can earn a point.  If students are asking for materials nicely, they may earn a point.  If students are solving social problems with respectful voices they may earn points.  The best feature about this program is that parents can join our class and see the progress their child is making.  If you have not joined already, I welcome you to start today. The students are growing, learning, and doing a fantastic job getting ready for First grade.   As always, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me.  I hope everyone has a restful and fun weekend!

Sincerely,

Tara MacCallum