In the afternoon, we had a great time at our Fall Party. Thanks to all the parents who came to help out and those of you that couldn't make it, but donated goodies. Students had a yummy snack, make a pumpkin for their craft project, and played two games of Pumpkin Bowling and Sweep the Pumpkin!
We had a fun-filled day in Kindergarten yesterday! Students started the day with a visit from the Raymore fire department. We had a tour of the ambulance & fire truck and got some good tips on how to stay safe when there is a fire! Be sure to talk to your child about what to do if their clothes catch on fire, an escape route out of the house, and a safe place for the family to meet. We talked about it in class! In the afternoon, we had a great time at our Fall Party. Thanks to all the parents who came to help out and those of you that couldn't make it, but donated goodies. Students had a yummy snack, make a pumpkin for their craft project, and played two games of Pumpkin Bowling and Sweep the Pumpkin!
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I read a great article (below) about team building and have incorporated a fun song in the morning to sing as kids come in the classroom. They have the chance to walk around to say hi, give a high-five, or shake hands. It's so cute! :) Good Morning song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L89IDDq30J8 Back to School: 3 Question Activities to Connect Students
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/back-to-school-question-activities-students-maurice-elias There are many developmentally-appropriate resources out there to draw upon for team building. Since it's the beginning of the school year, I'm going to focus on one aspect: helping students get to know one another better. Some of the following questions can lead to more extensive conversations, and many can be done verbally or through other modalities, such as drawing: #1 Student Pairs: What's Your Name? To begin with, be sure everyone knows each other's names. At Responsive Classroom, they recommend using greetings to help students get to know one another better and feel more comfortable with each other. A greeting consists of saying your name, saying a greeting phrase in English or another language, and doing something physical to greet, like a handshake, fist-bump, high-five, or bowing. The greeting is acknowledged: "Hello, Robert. Thanks for your greeting. My name is..." . This needs to be repeated, with variations, early in the school year to build a comfort level, particularly with students new to the group or to each other. #2 Small Groups: Who Are You? Use a timer to give them 30-45 seconds per student to respond. After the first round, help them learn how to keep track of time and to listen to what one another has said. Consider asking them to keep a list or find other ways to let their group mates know they are listening. Repeat other rounds over the next few days and/or have kids share the same things with different peers. Here are some sample questions:
Below are some sample main questions and some follow-ups to encourage:
We LOVE reading in our classroom. Several ways we spend our time reading is by rereading predictable student-made books using our telephones, buddy reading, and reading with online stories. All of these activities help build a love for reading, as well as reinforce those important targets we are aiming for every day. A few of the ELA targets & topics we are focusing on this week are: Standard 1. The student will be able to actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding: Target 1.1 I can explain my knowledge and ideas regarding informational and literary text. Topic A Describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear. Topic C Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories. Topic D Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic. Target 1.2 I can identify key ideas and details in a text with guidance and support. Topic A Ask and answer questions about key details. Topic B Retell familiar stories, including key details. Topic C Identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. Target 1.3 I can identify the elements of craft and structure in informational and literary text. Topic A Ask and answer questions about unknown words. Topic C Identify parts of a book. Topic D Name the author and illustrator, define the role of each in telling a story, and define the role of each in presenting ideas or information. |
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Mrs. Halvorson
Happy Kindergarten teacher, Archives
March 2017
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