JANUARY 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

from Mrs.Auerbach’s Kindergarten Class

Photo: Kindergartners pose in front of hall display honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

MATH: Our topics of focus were SHAPES: flat and solid, PATTERNS, and understanding numbers from 1 TO 100. We identified shapes in pictures and in the real world. We create pictures using various shapes. Shapes were arranged in patterns ( AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC) using pattern blocks and templates. We identified the unit that made the pattern and extended the patterns. As we learned about the “bigger numbers”, we “built” them with 10s and 1s using cube towers and single cubes, bundled popsicle sticks and single sticks, chain links in lengths of 10 and singles, and cups filled with 10 chips and single chips. This gave us a visual of what these double digit numbers really are! We also worked with counting large groups of things by 2s, 5s and 10s. T Graphs to create Tally
Surveys have been a favorite way to compile data of which things students like better. We asked, answered, and recorded data –making tally marks as we surveyed our friends. This unit will extend into February as well.

LANGUAGE ARTS: The word wall list continues to grow! Please continue to review these words at home, either with flash cards or games. This, is , for, you, find,

how, make, play have all been added in January. We always practice these words during Center time-stamping, stringing with beads, stamping, etc. . Also, we play games to see these words in context. For example, we have been receiving little messages on envelopes (with life savers inside) that say, “ This is for you. “

In Kid Writing, we have made a real effort to have time set aside after each writing session for an “Author’s Share”. This is a special time for students to show their story illustrations and read their written piece to the class. The audience then gives comments or asks questions. Coopertown, as a whole school, wrote pieces in response to a winter prompt. Our class wrote about WHEN THE BIG SNOW COMES… and illustrated our written work with crayon /watercolor resist. They are on display in front of our classroom. In shared reading, we have learned about noticing what a book is about and finding textual, or graphic evidence to back it up. For example, we read the book Snow and figured out that the text was specifically about animals in the wild getting ready for winter-the “evidence” being that the animals were owls, moose, bears, geese, rabbits, and foxes. They were anticipating the snow by migrating, hibernating, and changing color…there were no children or snow shovels or snowmen in the text. We then illustrated a poetic phrase : “The forest was still.” It was covered with a sparkling blanket.” by creating “puff painting” snow scenes.

OTHER: Our new science unit is the Five Senses. We have obtained some background information about how the senses help us take in the world all around. We began our exploration of the sense of taste by trying to figure out which substance was sugar and which was salt. We used each of our senses, but found that our taste buds were best for telling them apart. We will continue our study through February. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was honored as we learned about the difficult times he lived in when people were separated by the color of their skin. We learned a motto that fit his teaching: Share. Be Fair. Show You Care. We did an experiment to see if brown and white eggs were different inside, or if it was just their outside that was different. We found that they were the same on the inside. The analogy was extended to people and their skin color. Special assemblies are held through the year, some in the AM and some in the PM. This month, the AM K got to participate in an assembly about sound and how sound is really fast movement. One of the best parts was watching a stereo send loud music –sound waves –into a line of fire and seeing the flames “dance” to the music! PM will get to participate in the next all school assembly.

Happy Winter… Reporting Live… Mrs. Auerbach