Friday, November 14

         
Friday, November 14
Black Day (Character Education)

We will not have Character Education as the Irish Pride celebration is at this time.

 Irish Pride Celebration Today at 8:30
 Students of the month for October will be recognized as well as an introduction to new students to Maple Lake. The new character word for the month will also be introduced which is respect. We always end the celebration by singing our Irish Pride song.

Big Book: Map My Neighborhood  By: Jennifer Boothroyd
Print Concepts: Concept of a Word
~Key Details
~Foundational Skills in Context

 Handwriting: Lowercase l
Tall Line Down letters (l, t, b, k, h).
 Writer's Workshop: Character and Setting
The kids will illustrate a character and setting then label parts of their story.
(We didn't finish this lesson yesterday.)

Kindermath: Compare Sizes

Today we begin a new unit called Measurement. This lesson focuses on comparing the sizes of two classroom items with each other (eraser to a glue stick, pencil to a block, etc.). Please read the article that will come home today that explains how we will be teaching the teen numbers so your child can get a stronger understanding of what a teen number is.

 Music Class Today

  Irish Pride Store Shopping Day!
Again, the kids have been earning Irish Pride tickets for expected behavior since the beginning of the school year. They will be able to save or spend their earned tickets (if they have at least 20 accumulated) when visiting the store today. 

~ No extra news for today.
Have a fabulous weekend!

Thursday, November 13

                     
Thursday, November 13

Green Day: Library  

Library from 8:20-8:55.

Big Book: Map My Neighborhood  By: Jennifer Boothroyd
Genre: Informational Text
Social Studies Connection: Neighborhood/Community Grandma is coming for a visit! So her granddaughter decides to make her a map of the neighborhood. The book follows the steps she takes, including drawing symbols, making a key, and adding a compass rose. Connect and Teach: Text Features

READING AND VOCABULARY

Read Aloud: Places in my Community By: Bobbie Kalman
GENRE: Informational Text
Connect and Teach: Key Details

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Phonological Awareness: Isolating Phonemes, Blending Phonemes

Phonics Focus Skill: Consonant f
Irregular Words: of, for

WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Questions

 Handwriting: Review of c Stroke Letters
 Writer's Workshop: Character and Setting
The kids will illustrate a character and setting then label parts of their story.

KinderMath: How Many in All?

Using two different colors of cubes, partners each roll a dot cube and build that many with their cubes. They will join the cubes to see how many in all. Using two separate colors helps the kids 'see' how many. This builds the foundation for doing addition later.

Phy Ed Today

~Have your child wear their Irish Pride shirt tomorrow!
~Kindergarten is continuing to collect pancake mix for the "Stuff the Turkey" project! Thanks in advance for any you can donate!

Wednesday, November 12

         
Wednesday, November 12
Orange Day: Technology  
Technology class at 8:20. 

READING AND VOCABULARY

Read Aloud: Places in my Community By: Bobbie Kalman

GENRE: Informational Text

Connect and Teach: Informational Texts

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Phonological Awareness: Blending Onset & Rime: f-un, b-ed, Counting Syllables

Phonics Focus Skill: Consonant r
Irregular Words: of, for

WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Questions: Questions often begin with words such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.

 Handwriting: Lowercase f
Lowercase c Stroke letters (c, o, a, d, g, q, s, f).
 Writer's Workshop: Draw and Label Themselves!
The kids will work on labeling themselves with the sounds they can hear. Your child might be writing only the first sound and that's ok! 

KinderMath: How Many Less?

Today, the kids will compare two sets to see which set has less. Again, they will go a step further to see how many less. This can be tricky so if you can find ways to compare two sets at home, it will strengthen their understanding of this concept!

Time for Kids: Feels Like Friendship

 Music Class Today

~ The book order is due by 8pm today. Scholastic Books
~Yesterday, we had a surprise visit from Weston's Great Grandpa, Ken, an Air Force Veteran. Thank you for your service!



~I don't see any turkeys, do you? These have been so fun to see!

Tuesday, November 11

 
Tuesday, November 11
Happy Veterans' Day
Gold Day: (No library, character education, or technology.)

~Yesterday, the children finger-painted an American flag and will make the finishing touches on it today. 

 ~In a video, Iraqi War Vet, Sean Nies, will explain what a veteran is and what his job was when he served in Al Taqaddum, Iraq. Sean was a Seabee in the Navy and his rank was First Class Petty Officer. His wife was a former teacher here at MLE. See his message here.

READI NG AND VOCABULARY

Read Aloud: Places in my Community By: Bobbie Kalman
Social Studies Connection: Neighborhood/Community In this text, children discover important places in their community, ranging from homes and workplaces to schools and shops. They also meet key community members like firefighters and veterinarians.
GENRE: Informational Text

Connect and Teach: Informational Texts

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Phonological Awareness: Rhyme, Blending Syllables

Phonics Focus Skill: Consonant r
Irregular Words: of, for

WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Questions: A question is a type of

sentence that asks. Questions often begin with words such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.

 Handwriting: Lowercase s
Lowercase c Stroke letters (c, o, a, d, g, q, s, f).
 Writer's Workshop: More Sounds
We will work together to stretch out words to label another person using more sounds.

KinderMath: How Many More?

Using cubes, the kids will compare two sets to see which set has more. They will go a step further by telling how many more. This will be practiced by hearing number sentences such as, "I have 5 bears. You have 3 bears. Who has more? How many more?"

Phy Ed Today

~ The book order is due tomorrow. Scholastic Books
~Pancake mix donations will be accepted through November 21. Thank you!

Monday, November 10

                                                       

Monday, November 10
White Day: (No library, technology, or character education.) 

READING AND VOCABULARY
Read Aloud: Tiny Rabbit's BIG WISH  By: Margarita Engle

Response to Text: Reading and Writing
Review Power Words: enormous, height, wish

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Phonological Awareness Review: Isolating/Blending/Segmenting Phonemes, Producing Rhymes, Blending Onset and Rime: p-in, b-at, etc.

Irregular Words: was, you
Fluency: Accuracy and Self-Correction

WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Verb Tenses 

 Handwriting: Lowercase q
Lowercase c Stroke letters (c, o, a, d, g, q, s, f).
 Writer's Workshop: Beginning Sounds
The kids will work on labeling a person with the beginning sound. They may add more sounds if they can hear them in each word.

KinderMath: Compare Numerals
The children will be working with number cards and connecting cubes to compare numbers. This lesson involves the children using 'Math Talk' with the words more, less, and same. We will be going back and forth between more and less in the activities so the kiddos will have to think carefully!

 Music Class Today

~ The book order is due Wednesday. Scholastic Books
~All this week, kindergarten is collecting pancake mix for Thanksgiving baskets.
~Please return the Turkey in Disguise if you haven't done so! 

Thursday, November 6

    

Thursday, November 6

Black Day (Character Education) 

Mrs. Weninger will be here teach the children about the Unthinkables, Rule Police and Energy Hare-y.

READING AND VOCABULARY
Big Book: My Friends by Taro Gomi
Print Concepts: One-to-One Correspondence

FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Phonological Awareness: Segmenting Phonemes, Blending Phonemes

Phonics Focus Skill: Consonant c /k/
Irregular Words: was, you
Fluency: Accuracy and Self-Correction

WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Verb Tenses 

 Writer's Workshop: Labeling our Classroom

The kids will have a chance to label one thing in our classroom today! It will be their turn to stretch out the word and write the sounds they hear on a sticky note and place it on the item. For instance they may write pencil as "p, pnsl, or pensl."

Project: Shape Scarecrow

Phy Ed Today

~ The book order is due Wednesday, November 12. There is a coupon attached to this month's order! 
~Reminder: No school tomorrow...teacher workshop.
See you Monday!