Pictures to share...

Using counters to solve story problems!

Acting out story problems!

Mixing the primary colors on coffee filters!

The finished product : ) 

Sketching our visualizations (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs)

The Week Ahead....

Hello Families! 

This is another 4-day week, but full of meaning and learning!  I hope you are all staying safe and warm and ready for another round of snow!  Here's what we're getting into this week in Kindergarten: 

In Language Arts, we will: 

- Read fiction books and make and revise predictions using the pictures, title, and text features to help us. 

- Learn a new poem and practice reading fluently, identifying sight words, and finding rhyming words.

- Continue learning new Kindergarten sight words.  This week our words will be:  said, play, where

In Social Studies, we will: 

- Begin learning about the difference between wants and needs. 

- Sort items into categories labeled wants and needs. 

- Distinguish between a good that is grown and one that is made.  

- Talk about the difference between a good (a tangible product) and a service (a job, not an object).  

- Be able to hear a text and distinguish between a good and a service.  

In Writing, we will: 

- Use a checklist to evaluate our writing and make improvements. 

- Continue to brainstorm ideas for writing, including telling a story with multiple related ideas.  

- Encourage independent sounding out of words while writing, and using the word wall and other resources in the classroom to help you write words correctly.  

In Math, we will: 

- Review 2D shapes and talk about their attributes. 

- Identify 2D shapes in the environment- "shapes in real life". 

- Introduce 3D shapes and how they are the same and different from 2D shapes.  

- Find 3D shapes in our classroom and compare their attributes.  

Other important information...

***Spirit Week***
Next week (the first week in February), Whittier will be having spirit week to help celebrate the book fair being in town!  See the dates to remember for all of the important spirit wear days coming up!  

***Scholastic Book Fair***

The second week in February is the Scholastic Book Fair!  The library will be closed for student book exchanges and will only be open for the book  fair.  Part of the proceeds from the book fair will be used to purchase new technology for our school!  If you would like your student to be able to purchase a book from the book fair, you can write down the title and send the appropriate amount of money with them, and they will be allowed to visit the book fair.  There will be additional information coming home soon about the book fair.  

***100th Day of School!***

It's hard to believe, but the 100th day of school is fast approaching.  There will be more information coming home about this, but start making a collection of 100 things to bring in to school.  Some examples could include:  buttons, stickers, crayons, paperclips, pins, bobbypins, pompoms.... The possibilities are endless! The 100 objects must be able to fit inside of a gallon size ziploc baggie.  More information to come!!

***Valentine's Day***

Information about Valentine's Day parties will start to come home this week and next week.  We will be providing a list of the students in our class (just first names).  Our Valentine's Day party will be on Friday February 13 and you are more than welcome to send in Valentines for the entire class.  More information to come.... 

***Finding Nemo***

A quick reminder, Friday is  our Warm Fuzzy Reward day!  We will watch Finding Nemo as a class.  If your student does not want popcorn, please remember to send in an alternative snack.  Thank you!  

Dates to Remember:

Mon. 01/26- No school for students- Teacher Work day

Tues. 01/27- First day of Quarter 3 and library book exchange (I will be out all day for a training)

Wed. 01/28 I will be out half day

Fri. 01/30 Finding Nemo movie reward!!!

Mon. 02/02- Spirit Week:  Awareness Day (wear purple or pink)

Tues. 02/03- Spirit Week:  Twin Day
Wed. 02/04- Spirit Week:  Sports Jersey Day

Thurs. 02/05- Spirit Week:  Throwback Day (dress from the 70s, 80s or 90s)

Fri. 02/06- Spirit Week:  Whittier Spirit Wear (wear red, white and blue)

Fri. 02/06- Report Cards sent home

Have a great week and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!  

P.S. I have been very bad about taking/uploading pictures.  I have a few pictures I will add tonight.  Please check them out!!

The Week Ahead.....

Hi Families,

I hope you had a nice 3 day weekend!  Here’s what’s happening in kindergarten during this 4 day week at Whittier.

***If you haven't signed up for FindOutFirst it is an excellent way to be notified of closing and cancellations. Also, the GROW WITH SNOW site offers some fun activities to do on snow days.***

 

In Language Arts we will: 

-continue to grow our sight word knowledge as we focus on: an, here, go

-read and locate rhyming words, sight words, ending/medial sounds, syllables, etc. in the poem Little Polar Bear

-read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs without using the illustrations.  As we read we will stop and have students visualize the page using the author’s descriptive words and their imagination.

(Example: “Across an ocean, over lots of huge bumpy mountains, across three hot deserts, and one smaller ocean...there lay the tiny town of Chewandswallow).  We will sketch our visualizations.  This is a super fun lesson!!

-re-read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and identify the story elements: Characters, setting, problem, solution, major events. 

 

In Science we will:

-develop reasonable explanations for observations made, investigations completed and information gained by sharing ideas and listening to others’ ideas.

-grow and observe crystals

-keep journals describing our crystals

 

In Writing we will:  

- produce writing that is legible.

-complete our informational books about an Arctic Animal using effective details, words, and figurative language.

-create a winter word wall

-share our writing and celebrate all our hard work!!

 

In Math we will: 

-solve and represent addition and subtraction problems using manipulatives, our fingers, drawings, sounds, acting out situations, mental images, and equations. 

-use math vocabulary such as "plus", "minus", "adding to" and "taking from".

-solve math word problems. 

-write math equations using "+", "-" and "=" signs. 

-play Shake and Spill with a partner…ask your student how to play this game!

-generate many ways to make 10.

-play Magic Beans…it is a lot like Shake and Spill.  All you need is kidney beans and spray paint.  Paint one side of the bean…ask your student how to play!

 

***Library***

Our next library book exchange (and lesson) will be Tuesday, January 20th. Please ensure your child returns their library book Friday morning.

 

***Book Swap***

Whittier will be holding its annual book swap. If you have any books your family no longer enjoys or has out grown please consider donating them so that another child can enjoy these stories!

***Finding Nemo***

Our Warm Fuzzy Reward was approved!  We will watch the movie Finding Nemo and have a popcorn snack on Friday, January 30th.  Please send your student's permission slip back to school as soon as possible.  Thank you in advance!

 

Dates to Remember: 

1/19- No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday)

1/23- Last day of Quarter Two

1/22- Cici's Pizza Night

1/26- No School (Teacher Work Day)

1/30- January Scholastic Orders Due and FINDING NEMO day!!!!

 

Another BIG THANK YOU for participating in your child’s education!  I am literally blown away by the growth in your students’ reading/writing skills!  Keep up the good work : )

Ms. Grimes 

The Week Ahead....

Hello Families,

 

We survived our first snow day! Hopefully we won't have many more so we can get out of school early in June. I didn't mention in last weeks post that I'm getting married. I've been debating on whether or not tell the kids because I probably won't change my name until next year (we haven't set a date).  Exciting times ahead!!  

***If you haven't signed up for FindOutFirst it is an excellent way to be notified of closing and cancellations. Also, the GROW WITH SNOW site offers some fun activities to do on snow days.***

 

In Language Arts we will: 

- continue to grow our sight word knowledge as we focus on: at, was & he.

-read a variety of Jan Brett stories to make connections and review story elements (characters, setting, problem and solution.)

 

In Science we will:

-review different forms of H2O and describe its properties. 

- learn about primary colors and conduct a coffee filter experiment to make secondary colors.

-learn what colors combine to make the color black. 

 

In Writing we will:  

- produce writing that is legible.

- review what we learned about arctic animals.  

-write an informational book about an Arctic Animal using effective details, words, and figurative language.

 

In Math we will: 

-solve and represent addition and subtraction problems using manipulatives, our fingers, drawings, sounds, acting out situations, mental images, and equations. 

-use math vocabulary such as "plus", "minus", "adding to" and "taking from".

-solve math word problems. 

-write math equations using "+", "-" and "=" signs. 

 

***Science Fair***

Information about our school science fair went home electronically last week. If you need a paper copy please let me know.

If you and your child are interested in completing and entering a science fair project please return your paper work ASAP. 

Our class will complete a science fair project. Stay tuned for more information!! Whittier's science fair will be held on March 19th. 

 

*** Budget Hearing***

Thank you to all families that were able to support education by attending the budget hearing. 

 

***Library***

Our next library book exchange will be Tuesday, January 13th. Please ensure your child returns their library book Friday morning.

 

***Book Swap***

Whittier will be holding its annual book swap. If you have any books your family no longer enjoys or has out grown please consider donating them so that another child can enjoy these stories!

Dates to Remember: 

1/16- FCPS kindergarten Vision and Hearing Screening

1/19- No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday)

1/23- Last day of Quarter Two

1/22- Cici's Pizza Night

1/26- No School (Teacher Work Day)

1/30- January Scholastic Orders Due

Lastly, thank you for participating in your child's education.  After an almost full week of reading groups, I can see that very little knowledge was lost over our 12 day break! Thank you allowing your child to read their little books to you.  Have a super week!

Welcome Back!!

Hello Families!

Happy 2015! I hope you had a relaxing break! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the cards, gifts and sweet treats I received before break.  They were all very thoughtful and delicious. 

Here's what's happening this week.....

In Language Arts we will: 

 - Study arctic animals such as whales, penguins, seals and polar bears.  We will record details from informational books about each animal.  We will discuss similarities and differences among the animals.  

- Review our sight words in various forms such as a game called Fiddlesticks and Sight Word Parking Lot!

In Social Studies we will: 

- Learn about the Chinese New Year and discuss traditions in China.

 In Science we will:

- Begin our Matter and Heat Unit and talk about the most efficient way to melt ice.

 In Writing we will:  

- Use effective details, words, and figurative language in our writing.

-Produce writing that is legible.

 In Math we will: 

-Identify whether a number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group.

-Introduce number lines and number placement.

 

***Recess***

Please make sure your child has a heavy coat for recess. It’s starting to get cold outside and we want everyone to be able to go out.

 

 ***Library***

We go to the library every Tuesday (unless there is a schedule change in the calendar).  At this point in the year, students are responsible for getting their library books out of their bookbags and putting them into the library bin.  I will not be going through their backpacks, but will give them several reminders to get their books out.  Thanks for your support and understanding in helping our Kindergarteners become independent in any way they can be!  

 

***Attendance***

Thank you so much for making sure your students are here at school and on time every day!  We are able to get started right away because everyone is here and ready to learn!  THANK YOU for making that happen! 

 

Dates to Remember: 

1/5- Continue to collect homework journals & visit the center room 

1/6- Library Lesson with Ms. Datolli 

1/7- Science fair kick off! Visit the center room 

1/8- 

1/9-

Make it a great week!