The first few weeks of Kindergarten have really flown by! The children have been busy making new friends, and learning our expectations and daily routines. They have already begun to absorb so much information in the short time they have been in school and they are very excited to know about everything! I am looking forward to a great year!
Last week we settled on a weekly schedule that seems to work well for us. It offers times for the children to explore, play and build relationships with peers while also providing ample time for academics. Having a set daily routine and a predictable schedule seems to be of comfort for many of the children. Like many adults, children also like to know what to expect of their day.
Below is a draft of our current weekly schedule. This is subject to change, as needed.
Specials Schedule:
* Monday: PE with Mr. Newton - children should bring/wear sneakers
* Tuesday: Library with Ms. Esterline - library books are due each week
* Wednesdays: Art with Ms. Joni
* Thursday: Music with Ms. Lindsey
* Thursday: Guidance with Mrs. Tatlock
* Friday: PE with Mr. Newton - children should bring/wear sneakers
Curriculum Update
Math
We have begun our first unit of study in math focused on numbers to five and ten. For the past two weeks, we have been sorting our shoes by different attributes, counting and comparing numbers, and recognizing and building sets of five using fingers, five-frames, and objects.
We have begun our first unit of study in math focused on numbers to five and ten. For the past two weeks, we have been sorting our shoes by different attributes, counting and comparing numbers, and recognizing and building sets of five using fingers, five-frames, and objects.
Literacy
Fundations - Fundations is a program that MCS is using with students in grades K-2 to assist in teaching the foundational skills for reading and spelling. This program emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics-word study, high frequency word study, fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling. This week, we have been learning how to write the letters, b, t, f, m and n. We have also been making associations with words that we know that begin with those letters, and also making associations with keywords such as: bat, top, fun, man, and nut to help students remember the sounds for each letter.
Reading - Students have been exploring the books from our classroom library and have been enjoying our read aloud time each day when we sit together to read and discuss books. We have been reading a lot of alphabet books to help us learn the names of each of the letters in the alphabet and become familiar with some letter sounds. Students have also participated in daily choral reading activities with our morning message. We have learned a few sight words already: I, see and a.
Writing - Students have begun to write about things they know. We are learning how to make our pictures represent what we are trying to say with our words and writing words that tell about our pictures. We also are beginning to think about sounds in words and which letters may be used to represent those sounds that we hear when we say words slowly.
Fundations - Fundations is a program that MCS is using with students in grades K-2 to assist in teaching the foundational skills for reading and spelling. This program emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics-word study, high frequency word study, fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling. This week, we have been learning how to write the letters, b, t, f, m and n. We have also been making associations with words that we know that begin with those letters, and also making associations with keywords such as: bat, top, fun, man, and nut to help students remember the sounds for each letter.
Reading - Students have been exploring the books from our classroom library and have been enjoying our read aloud time each day when we sit together to read and discuss books. We have been reading a lot of alphabet books to help us learn the names of each of the letters in the alphabet and become familiar with some letter sounds. Students have also participated in daily choral reading activities with our morning message. We have learned a few sight words already: I, see and a.
Writing - Students have begun to write about things they know. We are learning how to make our pictures represent what we are trying to say with our words and writing words that tell about our pictures. We also are beginning to think about sounds in words and which letters may be used to represent those sounds that we hear when we say words slowly.
Social Studies/Science
We are currently learning about the Five Senses. During this science unit, we will be exploring how our senses work and we will be learning about how we, as scientists, use our senses to learn more about the world around us.
We are currently learning about the Five Senses. During this science unit, we will be exploring how our senses work and we will be learning about how we, as scientists, use our senses to learn more about the world around us.
Additional Information
✩ Lunch/Dismissal Forms - Thank you to all families who have been returning their lunch/dismissal forms to school each week. These forms are extremely helpful in informing us of what your child will eat throughout the week and more importantly, where they will be going after school. Please continue to send these forms in with your child at the start of each school week (in their PAWS folder). If plans change during the week, please contact Cindy Castle in the main office at 802-453-2314 or cindy.castle@mausd.org or email me at sharon.lynch@mausd.org as soon as possible.
✩ Birthdays/Holiday Celebrations - Throughout the year, our Kindergarten class will focus projects and special events around the four seasons and building friendship. While we do like to acknowledge that our birthdays are special days and welcome students to bring in a special snack to share with their friends (if they choose), out of respect for all of our students and families, we do not celebrate birthdays with special parties, or holidays with special gifts. The one exception that is made each year is at Halloween, when MCS has it’s annual school-wide Halloween parade.
For any family who may be hosting a party during the school year, I would prefer it if any invitations could be given out to students through email or standard mail (a school directory will be sent home this fall), unless all classmates are invited. In that case, I would be happy to send invitations home with the children in their Friday folders. I understand the challenges of hosting parties with 10 or more people, but please know that all of these children care about each other and consider everyone their “friend.” Not receiving an invitation to a party when others do can be very confusing and heartbreaking for children at this age. Thank you for your understanding.
✩ Scholastic Book Orders - If you would like to place a book order for your child, I will be placing orders on Friday, September 28th. You may send paper orders and payment (please make checks payable to Scholastic) to school with your child or you may visit our online classroom order page and use our class code: HDK8K
✩ Field Trip - The Kindergarten classes will be traveling by bus on Wednesday, October 3rd to the Parker Family Farm in Williston to learn all about pumpkins! We will leave school around 8:30 and return in time for lunch at 11:00. The cost of this field trip ranges from $2.00-$7.00 and parent chaperones are welcome to attend. Permission slips and payments are due to school by Friday, September 28th.
