Happy ThUrSdAy :) :) :)

What a busy day! We're getting a lot of practice in so that we're ready for our first fire drill tomorrow. We also have a tornado drill. We've talked about how it's a practice and not a real emergency.
Above you'll see our anchor chart to help our K02 writers add more details and color when they're writing! Be sure to compliment your budding artists on these things at home too. 

We started practicing filling up white space by drawing an ocean picture today. Tomorrow we'll add some labels. Just so you know....I would highly encourage you to never/rarely spell a word for your child (now that they're in K). They need to learn to say the word aloud, say it slooowwwllly and quickly write down the sounds they think they hear. Please encourage them to be independent at this. The kids who usually struggle with spelling are kiddos who are reluctant to stretch words out loud. 

We explored a new math tool, called a snap cube today. We will use these a lot this year! 

I watched a lot of kiddos count and I was pretty impressed. I haven't done lessons on counting carefully yet....but we will. That's another tip for you at home---make sure your child touches/and maybe even moves each object as he or she counts. A lot of really good math students often make mistakes in their counting.

We are still learning all about our class pets....including our new hermit crab we named SPIKE! Yay for the cute name. He was almost named daddy peach. Haha.
We practiced writing some labels too...by saying it slowly. 

I made the kids some rainbow writing paper for their names...for fun! 

What a terrific Wednesday :)

Mackenzie was too speedy for me....so the picture below shows how she modeled using 2 fingers for a fingerspace between words. We don't want words squished together or toooooo far apart. 

Here's Morgan showing us the same thing! Yippee! 

Okay folks. So we practiced and talked and practiced our first reading workshop today! We'll read to self (reading by ourselves) everyday until we build up to 15 minutes of stamina. Then we can learn how to read to someone!
Today....we got 1 min the first try and THREE minutes the second time. That's good (believe it or not-haha) for our first day! 

Happy Tuesday Everyone :)

We had a busy day today! Here we are learning our snap words by writing a morning sentence. We should know how to read and write the words 'I' and 'see' now. 

We are learning and practicing how to copy words we don't know! In writing we say, "If you see it, write it!" In reading we call it 'reading the world!' 

Eric Carle teaches us to be brave and work sl--oo---ww-l-yyy! 

We made suns just like Eric Carle to remind ourselves to try :) 

We explored pattern blocks...which is a math tool we'll be using a lot! 

In reading workshop, we practiced how to look at the front cover, think about what the book might be about and then read (read the pictures). Use these steps as you read together at home! 

Happy Monday!

Welcome back from the weekend everyone. I know that this is still a big adjustment for our little kiddos....so keep up the early bedtimes and encouraging words. I'm definitely trying to keep it fun while encouraging them too!

Here are some friends answering survey! Oh yes! They can read AND write!
A lot of words you'll see us work on are called high frequency words OR snap words (because you have to read/write them in a snap.) We are also using picture clues to help us read. 

We did our first newsbook today. Newsbook helps us with oral language. We learn to tell stories to our partners and share what our partners said (good listening skills are a must). 

Just take a look at SOME of the wonderful writing we already have on DAY 5. Wow!!! 

We learned about the word love because Malachy drew a heart on his story. That always make me think of that word. So we picked a spot in our room as the love word wall. Now, if they need to write it, they can go copy it. We always say, "If you see it, write it!" 

Max was being super brave today and trying to draw his family! 

Do you see the word grandpa?

Charlie wrote about her pet hedgehog....Penelope! See the 'p'? 

Look how nicely we can gather up to Mrs. Cota when she's reading! :) I couldn't fit everyone in. 

Oops. Sideways. Sorry. I start out doing a number of the day. But instead of teaching them tallies/fingers/dots, etc...I just ask them to show 1 in as many different ways as they can think of. As the year progresses, I'll expect to see fingers, tallies, 5 frames, 10 frames, etc. 

Rainbow writing number 1! 

In reading workshop, we learned that readers walk through the world in a special way. They read everything they can get their eyes on! Here is Max reading K02. 

Carson found some names to read! 

Cute! We earned the right to play and learn how to play-our SmartBoard at choicetime.

We have a writer!!!

What a way to make my weekend EXTRA special! Here is our friend Jace...he worked hard on a pirate picture and even tried to write the word pirate. He's super brave like my favorite author, Eric Carle!!