Loving Learning!

The Heroes have been very busy learning lots of new things here at school  Take a look at what is happening during our days together:

Math: In math we are working number recognition for numbers 0-10.  The children are learning to identify, write, count (one to one), and represent numbers using math tools and their math notebooks.  We start each math workshop off with a question of the day and share our thinking.  The children are quickly learning that mathematicians see numbers and solve problems in lots of different ways!

Reading: We have learning how our workshop time should look and sound.  During our lessons the children have learned how to treat books (store, turn pages, etc) and how to look at books for meaning, and how to talk about books with a partner.  Yesterday, we officially opened our classroom library and learned how to book shop.  Each child now has a book box that he/she will use during workshop to read independently.  This is where the children will keep choice books (for story telling), leveled books (for independent reading practice), and guided reading books (for instructional reading practice completed with me).

Writing:  In writing we are focusing on bookmaking.  The children have been practicing telling stories over 3 page booklets, added five or more realistic colors to each page, using shapes to draw people and objects, and adding background to help inform the reader.   We have also experimented with labeling and have been sharing our progress during our writers spotlight time at the end of each workshop.

Social Studies:  Our social studies unit has been focused on building community by recognizing and celebrating our differences.  We have created our class promise, self portraits and meanings of our names.  This week we will also create class books about our preferences and personalities and a timeline to show how we have changed from the start of our lives to the present day.  

Learning Centers:  All of our learning centers are up and running!  The children have the choice to work in the project area on painting, puzzles, games, or crafts, or in the room on computers, in pretend play, blocks, math manipulatives, puppets, library or writing.

7 Habits:  This week we started habit #3  Put First Things First.  We will talk a lot about making a plan and prioritizing.  What has to be done and what do I want to be done.  For kindergarten we focus heavily on doing one thing at a time and thinking before we act so that we make a good choice the first time around.


Here are some pictures from learning centers, readers workshop, and our first time book shopping.  Enjoy!