Off to a great start!

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

It always amazes me how quickly a kindergartner settles into a classroom/school environment.  In just three weeks, your children have developed an understanding of classroom routines and expectations.  They are off to a great start!

We launched Reading Workshop on the second day of school.  We will have Reading Workshop nearly every day throughout the year.  Reading Workshop begins with a mini-lesson and is followed by independent reading, buddy reading, and a closing.  In addition to learning and practicing reading workshop routines, students have learned the following:

• there are three ways to read a book: read the pictures, read the words, and retell a story you've heard before.  At this point, most of our focus has been on reading the pictures and retelling a story.  The children have started reading words in shared reading texts (poems/songs/books that we have read together several times and the children have memorized).
• readers look closely at each page and tell what they see.
• readers can use a storyteller voice when reading the pictures/retelling a story.
• readers can make their voices sound like they think the characters would sound.
• readers can act out a story they know.

We also started Writing Workshop on the second day of school.  On that day, students wrote a story about something they had done before.  They completed this story without any help.  This writing prompt will serve as a baseline, and we will compare it to other writing samples throughout the year.  You will be amazed at the writing growth that occurs during a child's kindergarten year! 

Like reading workshop, writing workshop begins with a mini-lesson.  Students then have independent writing time, and we end writing workshop with a share.  During our mini-lessons, the children have learned that:

• when writers want to write a story, they think, draw, then write.
• writers can use an alphabet chart to help them spell words and form letters.
• when you're done, you've just begun...an expression your children will hear often throughout the year!  When they think they are done, writers can add more to a story or start a new one.
• when you think you don't know how to write/draw something, make it look "ish"...treeish, boatish, friendish.  The inspiration for this lesson came from the book Ish, by Peter Reynolds.
• writers can listen to the sounds in a word and write a letter for each sound they hear.

During our Math time, we have:

• used pattern blocks to make patterns, learn about shapes, and complete pattern block puzzles.
• used buttons to practice sorting.
• learned about taller than and shorter than.  We searched our classroom to find things that are taller and shorter than us.
• practiced subitizing, being able to see how many dots there are without counting by ones. 
• practiced comparing numbers through a card game, Number Top-It. 
• learned about tag-and-drag as a strategy for counting a collection of objects.
• practiced counting and identifying numbers.

As you can see, your children have been very busy.  The information above gives you just a glimpse of some of our days.  Normally, I will post lots of pictures on my weekly blog update.  As soon as I receive the go ahead from Cheryl, I will begin posting pictures.  Stay tuned!

On a final note, thank you for all the supplies that have been donated to our classroom.  I appreciate all the wipes, baggies, and play-dough.  We are so lucky to have your support!

Warmly,
Katie