Highlights of Kindergarten March 2016

Technology 

Senior Kindergarten students are learning to log into skill building websites independently. Many enjoy learning Mathematics and practicing their literacy skills on Starfall.com. All students have access to iPads daily and enjoy listening to stories, math fact games, alphabet awareness activities while learning to use technology.

Literacy: During March children were read a variety of Dr. Seuss stories, enjoyed videos, stories about the fun surrounding the arrival of spring and all of the signs of spring. We practiced our counting in many of our number story books. We are listening for rhyming words, continue to make predictions about our books, make connections to things we already know or have experienced, identify why a book is fiction or non-fiction, parts of a book and tracking. We are reading word families, matching rhyming words, and continuing to build the list of sight words we can read. We learned how to make lists and why people need to make lists in everyday life.

Science: We have been identifying changes in our environment with the change of season (finally!), and will continue to explore our school neighbourhood looking for spring in all of its glory. We have been reminded that we experience things with all five senses so we will also be listening, smelling, touching and maybe even tasting!

Religion: During lent we learned more about the life of Jesus and the many miracles He performed while on earth.  Our lenten season has concluded and we celebrated Holy Thursday with Stations of the Cross. Our Kindergarten Lenten project was well received with many children performing random acts of kindness at school and at home. For each act of kindness we added a kernel of popcorn to our jar and we celebrated with our popcorn party.

Health: Food Groups

We have been learning all about the importance of healthy eating and our four food groups. Children are able to identify foods and the group where they belong. Our bunny brunch was a huge success. Thanks to all families that sent in veggies as we were able to enjoy them twice and then made soup with the leftovers! Please see the link for a reminder of the suggestions of the Canada Food Guide.
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php

Our class is investigating the question "How do we care for our World?" during April. We identified that we have a responsibility to protect animals. We had a visit from The Humane Society to teach us about dog safety. We learned to always ask permission to approach a strange dog, how to be friendly and read their emotions. 

Reminders of upcoming events:

1) April 4 Spring pictures and Autism Day (wear blue)

2) April 11 raffle tickets due back

3) April 15 basket items due (craft supplies)

4) April 20 pasta dinner

Thank you to all who showed your support today, World Down Syndrome Day!

Kindergarten Highlights January and February

While old man winter played the hot and cold game with us, our students learned to be very independent in their dressing in outdoor clothing! We are very proud of their determination and independence! 

Dramatic Play

We built an ice castle in class for the students to enjoy. Even when it did not look much like winter outside it was pretty frozen inside. They often listened to books on tape, read winter stories and had fun with their imagination! 

Literacy 

Our winter word wall helped students write stories, practice printing and making lists. Our two biggest ideas in literacy have been ways to solve problems and the importance of friends. Through a variety of books, songs, and discussions we have developed lists to support our learning. Our role playing activities have helped us build important skills to use with classmates. We continue to learn Pals letters, sounds, and sight words. We have begun using these in our written work as well. Students have also been introduced to stories that are fantasy and fables. 

Mathematics 

Measurement 

Students spent time exploring the concepts of size using longer than and shorter than during play. We used a variety of manipulatives to measure with non standard units.

Numeration 

We continue to represent numbers daily sometimes using tally marks, ten frames, number lines, skip counting, sets, 100 day. Students are learning numbers that come before and after.

Lent

We are dedicated to doing many acts of kindness during lent and the good deed tickets are piling up! Keep up the good works! We have been sharing stories of the many miracles Jesus preformed on earth while he was teaching the people about his Father's love for all. We look forward to Holy Week and the passion of Christ.

Guardians Give Back

Thank you to all who donated to the cereal drive. Our Kindergarten classes donated 50 boxes of cereal to a Breakfast program!

❤️ Happy Valentine's Day ❤️

Thank you for all the special treats! Have a good long weekend!

Guardians Give Back 2016!

Kindergarten Highlights December and January

We enjoyed learning all about the birth of the baby Jesus and celebrating the advent season. During advent we learned about waiting for baby Jesus to come and be born in our hearts. 

We had a very special visitors to our classroom all the way from The North Pole Santa and his friend Ava Frost the elf. Ava kept us all on our toes as we waited each morning to see the new place she would take to keep an eye on all the children. Breakfast with Santa was a very special treat! Thanks to all who were able to join us.

Thank you to Mr. Leblanc for teaching us our Christmas dances. We loved performing for parents and students at the open house and school assembly.

Sensory/Dramatic Play- 

Making our own peppermint scented play dough and using it to make various Christmas cookies, yummy! The gingerbread house was a hit and students used their imagination while playing cooperatively with friends.

Literacy- We enjoyed reading our favourite Christmas stories. We continue to use iPads for literacy centers by listening to books online. We also made Christmas cards in our writing centre. Senior Kindergarten students have begun formal printing beginning with their names, letters from Pals program and sight words. We are reminding them about proper grip, beginning tall letters at the top and only using upper case at the beginning of sentences, names and titles. Please reinforce these when your child is writing at home.

Numeracy- we continued collecting information with our question of the day, as well as counting during data analysis. Students are enjoying surveying their classmates with all different kinds of questions. 

Learning to count backwards as we waited for our holidays to begin was fun!

Homework ideas:

- have your child share the story of Jesus' birth, beginning with the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary.

- we are beginning a unit on 2 dimensional shapes so children are encouraged to identify shapes in their environment.

- continue reading daily and discussing the story that has been shared.

-continue to encourage independence with winter clothing. All students are working hard on this! Next step, zipping their own coat!

-we have been encouraging students to make healthy choices during snack time with fruits and vegetables being the best! Please help children by packing these options in their lunch bag.