Gingerbread Kick-Off

This week we started our Gingerbread Man unit.  For the next two weeks, children will engage in gingerbread themed literacy and math activities.  We have started reading different versions of The Gingerbread Man, and over the next two weeks we will compare and contrast the different versions of this tale.  This is an exciting unit for the children!

Here are a few pictures of the children during Free Exploration this week:

This week during Reading we:

• practiced using the strategy, Skippy Frog.  When children come to a word they don't know, they can skip the word, read to the end of the sentence, then go back to the beginning and think of what would make sense.
• learned to ask ourselves three questions when we think we have figured out an unknown word: Does it look right?  Does it sound right?  Does it make sense?
• added "my" to our word wall.
• read a pattern book called "My Gingerbread Man."

This week during Writing we:

• worked on thinking of different topics to write about and learned more about how to think of a pattern.
• learned that illustrators of pattern books need to draw illustrations that will support a reader in figuring out the word that changes on each page.
• practiced saying the sounds in a word and writing at least one letter for each sound we hear.
• fancied-up our work (added color to our illustrations...we do this on Fridays and call it Fancy-Up Friday).

This week during Math we:

• learned how to trace using a pattern block template.  Children made designs using pattern blocks, and then recreated their design on paper using a pattern block template.

• practiced moving on a number line.  We practiced on a giant number line, and then the children played a number line game called Bunny Hop.
  
  
  
  
 

• solved addition number stories.
  
  
  
  

• made a paper gingerbread house using different shapes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

This week we also spent time learning about Hanukkah.  I read aloud two different books about Hanukkah, and the children made a paper menorah.  I hope they were able to tell you about the menorah when they brought it home!

I look forward to having many of you join us for gingerbread houses next Friday!
~Katie