Tricky Teens!
We have been working hard with our tricky teens! This includes identification of numbers to 20, writing numbers to 20, and number sense within 20. Number sense means having a good, solid understanding of how numbers are made up amd being able to count up and down starting at different numbers. We hope kindergartners will understand that 17 means 10 plus 7 ones. We have been doing number talks, counting collections, playing games and doing different activities to help us build fluency with these concepts. If you want to practice this over break, you can make 2 sets of cards from 0-20 and play "Top it". Another name for it is "war" where the bigger number wins. You could also just have your child do counting collections at home. Give them a stack of 11-20 (or more if they can!) things to count. Notice their strategies. Are they just counting one by one? Encourage them to make a group of 10 and then add the singles.
We have been working hard with our tricky teens! This includes identification of numbers to 20, writing numbers to 20, and number sense within 20. Number sense means having a good, solid understanding of how numbers are made up amd being able to count up and down starting at different numbers. We hope kindergartners will understand that 17 means 10 plus 7 ones. We have been doing number talks, counting collections, playing games and doing different activities to help us build fluency with these concepts. If you want to practice this over break, you can make 2 sets of cards from 0-20 and play "Top it". Another name for it is "war" where the bigger number wins. You could also just have your child do counting collections at home. Give them a stack of 11-20 (or more if they can!) things to count. Notice their strategies. Are they just counting one by one? Encourage them to make a group of 10 and then add the singles.
Beginning to read...
At this point in the year, many kindergartners are beginning to read. It is so exciting to watch them! We are working hard on decoding (sounding out) words, sight words and comprehension here at school. We would love your help at home if your student is excited about it.
1. Read those book baggies 2-3 times a week. Send them back when you are ready for different books.
2. Practice any sight words you notice your student needing help with. Sight words are common words that come up in reading, such as the, and, to, it, is, in, my, me, are. When students know these fluently, they can save their brain energy for decoding harder words. Some fun ideas to practice sight words:
~hide them around your house on post it notes. Go on a sight word hunt.
~Give them a highlighter and a magazine and help them find specific words
~write them in shaving cream
3. Read longer books to them still. Ask a lot of questions and have them retell what happened.
At this point in the year, many kindergartners are beginning to read. It is so exciting to watch them! We are working hard on decoding (sounding out) words, sight words and comprehension here at school. We would love your help at home if your student is excited about it.
1. Read those book baggies 2-3 times a week. Send them back when you are ready for different books.
2. Practice any sight words you notice your student needing help with. Sight words are common words that come up in reading, such as the, and, to, it, is, in, my, me, are. When students know these fluently, they can save their brain energy for decoding harder words. Some fun ideas to practice sight words:
~hide them around your house on post it notes. Go on a sight word hunt.
~Give them a highlighter and a magazine and help them find specific words
~write them in shaving cream
3. Read longer books to them still. Ask a lot of questions and have them retell what happened.
Science!!!!
We are beginning our first science unit- animals 2x2. We will be doing a lot of observation and comparison of fish, slugs, worms, and isopods. We are excited!!!
Have a great week. Remember no school Monday January 15th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
We are beginning our first science unit- animals 2x2. We will be doing a lot of observation and comparison of fish, slugs, worms, and isopods. We are excited!!!
Have a great week. Remember no school Monday January 15th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day