First Week of October

We had a wonderful week in Kindergarten! We had a few special guests, Ms. Filion (principal) read a book called "The Energy Bus" to our class, we had Four Winds this afternoon (learning about science and insects from our amazing parent volunteers!) and Mrs. S (school counselor) came in to finish up the peace unit by helping them make their own peace flags about something that makes them feel at peace.

This week in kindergarten felt like more of the routine and schedule that is typical of kindergarten. We began doing some fun calendar games, working on numbers 1-10. We are working on identifying those numbers, using language and building fluency around what number comes before/after other numbers, and combinations that go together to make 5. We also spent some time learning about patterns on the calendar and using that knowledge to build their own patterns with unifix cubes.

We kicked off our writer's workshop, learning that the stories we love to tell out loud can also be drawn and written in pictures and words. Students LOVED telling their stories orally to the class, drawing them in their new journals, and having time to share. They are already begging me to teach them how to write words. This is one of my favorite times of day!

In Reader's Workshop we are continuing stations that we began last week, partner reading, Raz Kids on the iPads, and a word study table (this week they made a page for a class book of the "Willoughby Wallaby" song. We also added a station at my table where we are working on names, letters and sounds (b, m, r, and s this week), sorting pictures by beginning sound, and the general routines of what happens at my table during this time. We also began talking about what it looks like to be a reader, read books independently and/or with a partner, etc. Check out the adorable video of them practicing independent reading! I had to put the quiet music on to get them to stop talking. :)

We also began our literacy swap routine this week, where we divide and share kids among the whole Starlings team for the 20 minutes before lunch/recess. The kids are all excited to go to their special groups!

Forest Thursday was another big hit, and the kids had fun finishing up rotating to the last two of their six stations. We will have new station offerings next week, and hopefully continue with the great weather!