Parent Workshops this Week!

This week, there are two workshops parents are invited to attend!


On Thursday, December 17th, from 8:00am-8:30am in Room K-103, please join Ms. Sollecito as she presents a workshop on Supporting Your Child's Reading Development at Home.
In this workshop, Ms. Sollecito will talk about the importance of creating a quiet reading spot in your home, the different ways parents can read with and alongside their child, and the difference between emergent storybooks and leveled books.



On Friday, December 18th, from 8:00am-8:30am in Room Pre-K 106, please join both of our Pre-k teachers as they present a workshop on the importance of developing fine motor skills. The teachers will talk about the important roll of fine motor strength and precision in school, and they will share some simple, fun ways you can work on this with your child at home. Pre-k parents are invited to stay with their child during Parents as Learning Partners to work alongside them during center time, and Kindergarten parents are invited to join their child as they attend their special class (dance, science, music, or physical education).

 

December Read-Alouds

Winter Holiday Read Alouds
We are learning about Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa.  We will talk about the similarities and differences of these holidays.

December Reading Workshop

Kindergarten Reader’s Workshop in December

 

Unit 5:

Early Reading and Thinking in Levels A-C

Beginning in mid December our kindergarten readers will be learning skills and strategies that will support them in moving through leveled books (levels A through C).

The big goals within in this unit are

·    For students to read conventionally, mastering the skills that are expected at each level.

·    For students to continue working with their reading partners focusing on working together to preview their books, make predictions and decode unknown words.

Ways you can help at home:

·    Have your child read daily for 15 minutes.  They should reread the same books to develop fluency and familiarity with sight words.

·    Remind your child to point when they are reading a leveled text (level A, B, …)

·    If your child gets stuck on a word remind them to look at the picture and the first letter in the word and think about what makes sense. 

·    After your child reads a book have them retell the book by saying what the whole book was about or by saying what happened at the beginning and the end. 

·    
   
   Continue to review the word wall words:

am

a

and

an

can

go

he

here

is

I

in

it

like

me

my

see

said

the

to

up

went

you

have

come

December Math Workshop

In the month of December, Kindergarten teachers and students will finish Module 2 and begin Module 3 of the Engage NY Math Curriculum. Having observed, analyzed, and classified objects by shape into predetermined categories in Module 2, students now compare and analyze length. In January we will begin to analyze weight, capacity, and, finally, numbers within Module 3.  

Here are some terms, phrases, and strategies used in the beginning of this module:

• Compare lengths using taller than and shorter than with aligned and non-aligned endpoint
• Make comparisions using longer than and shorter than
• Compare objects using the same as

Here are some new vocabulary words that will be introduced in December:

•        Compare (specifically using direct comparison)
•        Endpoint (with reference to alignment for direct comparison)
•        Height (vertical distance measurement from bottom to top)
•       Length (distance measurement from end to end; in a rectangular shape, length can be used to describe any of the four sides)
•        Longer than/shorter than (length comparison)

How you can help at home:

•        Have students use a variety of items (e.g. string, popsicle stick, paper clip, pencil, etc) as a means to measure other household items and ask them to compare the items (e.g. The microwave is taller than the pencil).
•        Continue reviewing skills learned from Module 2 regarding positional concepts (e.g. above, below, next to, in front of, behind) and attributes of 2D (flat, straight lines, curved lines, closed, missing a piece) and 3D shapes (rolls, # of faces, curved sides, stacks, etc)!
•        Continue reviewing counting The Math Way and other number concepts.

Check out the links below for additional practice on skills learned during Module 3:

http://www.oakdale.k12.ca.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1411810354289

http://www.oakdale.k12.ca.us/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1411810358377

December Word Study

During the month of December, we are continuing to learn the letters of the alphabet, the sounds the letters make and how to correctly write the letters.  Teaching successful letter formation begins with making sure the students have a proper pencil grip.  It also includes using specific language that teaches the students where on the line to begin forming a particular letter and the movements they should make with their pencil.  There are three "types" of letters: tall letters, which begin at the top line, small letters, which begin at the middle line, and diver letters, which "dive" below the bottom line. 

Proper Pencil Grip:

Capital Letter Formation:

Lowercase Letter Formation:

At home you can continue to support your child by: 

• Helping them with homework worksheets
• Checking for proper pencil grip
• ·     Going on "sound hunts" and look for things at home or outside that begin with a particular letter
• Reviewing sound/letter cards with them

Important Dates in December

in December

December 12 (Saturday)-  Holiday Extravaganza 11:00-2:00 

December 15- Kindergarten Trip to CSI

*Please bring lunch from home if your child does not like cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

December 18- Parents as Learning Partners 8:40 AM

* Enrichment Cycle I ends

December 21- Kindergarten Holiday Celebration!!

Please join us in the auditorium at 1:30 as we show all that we have learned about the different winter holidays!  We will be singing traditional songs as well original songs written by the students!

December 23- Silly Wednesday- Pajama Day!

*All latch-key and after-school programs are cancelled

December 24- January 1- SCHOOL CLOSED FOR WINTER RECESS!!!

Holiday Gift Suggestions for Your Kindergarten Kids!!!

Dear Parents,

As you know, the Holidays are quickly approaching and we’re sure that your little ones have already begun telling you what they might like to receive as holiday gifts.  Whether you celebrate the winter holidays or maybe just buy your child a toy from time to time, we would like to suggest some great toys and activities that are not only fun, but will help to develop your child’s fine motor skills.  Please use this list only as suggestions, not as items that you must buy.  If you do choose to purchase any of them, you may want to search for them on Amazon.com, which will list different vendors that sell them, both new and used, and you can compare prices. 

We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

The Kindergarten Team

·      Play-Doh

·      Lace-a-Word Beads

·      Magnetic Designer

·      Monkeying Around Game

·      Easy-Snap Building Sticks

·      Craft Laces (can be used for a variety of art projects)

·      Sorting kits with tweezers such as “Scoop a Bug

L  Legos

   Puzzles of any kind

·      The game “Operation ”

Check out K-201