I hope you are all enjoying your long weekend, despite the rain. We have another four day school week ahead. Due to the start of the music program, the kindergarten team is cutting one day of centers since we all plan together, use the same materials, etc. If you were signed up for a canceled center date, you should have received a notification. Please see the updated Sign-Up Genius that reflects these changes. This week there is an option for Wednesday morning math centers (due to Monday's holiday).
This week, we will hit the half-way mark (90th school day) in our kindergarten year. This is where the kindergarten curriculum really takes off, and your continued support with the curriculum will be especially important at this time. Reading to your children and asking them questions about what they are reading, helping them blend and read/write short vowel words (eg: hop, can, rat, etc.) and reinforcing math facts and sight words is really important at this time.
Language Arts
We will begin reading many snow-themed stories for the next couple of weeks, and do writing projects and crafts around this theme. The culmination of this theme will end with "Snow Day" on February 9th. Children will come to school dressed up in any winter gear they have, and we'll have some snow-themed fun! Our sight words this week are she and back. We will wrap up Unit 2 in Fundations this week, which will conclude the instruction of upper-case letters. Our emphasis in Fundations will continue to be blending sounds to read and write words with fluency.
Math
We will continue with Module 4 this week; just the addition portion of this module will last up until President's Week Break. Parent tips for this module can be found here. I do recommend that you look these over, because there will be some new vocabulary for those of you who do not have older students who have done the Eureka math program. Of particular importance are the words "compose" (finding numbers that add up to a given number-- like 3 & 2 compose 5) "decompose" (take apart a number-- like 5 can be 4 & 1 OR 3 & 2) and number bonds (a model to show mathematical thinking).
Kimochis
This week, your child will learn the third Kimochis® Key to Communication: Use a Talking Face and Body. We will practice strategies for maintaining a positive facial expression and body language when experiencing upset emotions and conflicts instead of a mean or hurtful facial expression (Fighting Face) and body language. When your child can keep his/her face and body from looking aggressive or hurtful, others will be more willing to listen. Your child will learn how to notice and read the facial expressions and body language of others as a way to understand the emotion behind the words. Your child will also learn a communication tool called the Talking Hand. This is a positive and effective strategy your child can use to respond to peers or siblings when they grab.
Art Vista
We have an Art Vista lesson this week, and we will get to do fish prints! We will use a fake fish for these prints, and this is always a fun lesson for the students.
Reminders
**P.E. is every Friday-- please send your children in shoes & clothes appropriate for fitness.
**Library is every Wednesday. Please send your child's book back to school by Tuesday each week.
**Panda t-shirt day is Friday each week.
This Week's Helpers & Activities:
Tuesday: Centers (need volunteers!)
Wednesday: Math Centers (Lior & 1 more volunteer needed), Library (Bora and library reader available), dismissal @ 1:15
Thursday: Return Weds. envelopes, centers (need volunteers!)
Friday: Art Vista (Jedy, Andrea, Yuko, Apsara), PE teacher
Upcoming Events
Monday 1/16: No School: MLK Day
Monday, 1/30: No School: Professional Development Day
Thursday, 2/2: 100 Day
Thursday, 2/9: Snow Day
Week of 2/20: Presidents Week Vacation
