Kindergarten April News

Grant Elementary

Mrs. Conran and Mrs. Caya

April Reading Goal: 

Writes 3+ sentences on a topic that can be read by others

April Math Goal: 

Solves addition and subtraction number stories (see examples below)

April Kindergarten Dates to Know

3 Library – Mrs, Caya Turn in March Homework and Reading Logs!	4 Kindergarten and First Grade Music Program Students arrive at classrooms at 5:45. Performance begins at 6:00.	5 Library – Mrs. Conran Guided Reading Books Sent Home – Have your child read to you and sign the form. Practice your sight words.  You should be getting very close to being able to read all 60 words!	6 Return GR book! All School  Field Trip – Milwaukee Brewers	7 Investigations: How Things Change Over Time: Past & Present *Parent Volunteers Welcome.  Please sign up. OPT Popcorn Sale 0.50 per bag
10 Library – Mrs, Caya Ask your child:  I had 5 crayons.  I lost 4.  How many are left?	11 Investigations: Caring for The Earth	12 Guided Reading Books Sent Home Library – Mrs. Conran Doughnuts with Dads – More information Coming Family Project Due Today!  We will display your work to teach others about the Earth.	13 Return GR book! Spring Fling Celebration – Parent volunteers needed, 1:30 – 3:00pm.  Please sign up. OPT Meeting 6:00pm	14 Spring Vacation Begins No School Today
17 – 21       No School     Spring Vacation
24 Library – Mrs, Caya Ask your child:  There were 2 baby birds and 1 more hatched.  How many birds in all?	25 Sight Words Should be Mastered by Today!	26 Guided Reading Books Sent Home Library – Mrs. Conran Science Night – More information coming.	27 Return GR book!	28 Investigations: Past and Present Tell your child a story about your childhood. OPT Popcorn Sale 0.50 per bag

Family Project – Caring for the Earth

Choose an environmental issue like recycling, litter, air pollution, water pollution or animal health.  Work with your child to write a persuasive letter to convince people help solve the problem.  We have been working on persuasive letter using a introductory sentence that states the problem, reasons the problem exists and why others should support change, and possible solutions.  Create a poster with illustrations to support your letter.  We will use these letters and posters to teach each other about our Earth.  Due by April 12^th.

Have fun learning together!

Writing – Handwriting and Using Conventions

We have worked on many parts of writing this year.  The most important part of writing is thinking of ideas.  Please ask your child to tell you stories frequently.  They can be as simple as “tell me about recess today” or “tell me about the story your teacher read to you today”.  Listen carefully to make sure your child’s story makes sense and is told in a logical order with correct grammar.  Telling stories is key to WRITING stories.

Once students are able to tell stories, they need to understand how to write those stories down to share with others.  We have spent the last several months focusing on using sounds to write new words and spelling sight words correctly.  Keep practicing this at home.

For April, our goal is to be able to write 3 or more sentences that someone else can read and understand.   We will be reviewing how to make sure that the writer leaves spaces between words, uses a capital letter only at the beginning of sentences and names, and places punctuation at the end of sentences.  Please look for these things in your child’s writing.  Many pieces of writing from the last 2 months will be in your child’s folder this week.

Finally, we will stress proper handwriting.  Handwriting for some students has been a challenge this year.  PLEASE work with your child to write neatly and form letters correctly.

Math – Number Stories

We have been working hard on addition and subtraction facts.  Now, we are using what we know about adding and subtracting to create and solve number stories.  You can practice number stories anywhere:  in the car, waiting in line, while taking a walk….  Your child should be able to listen to a number story and use a tool, as needed, to solve the equation.  Here are a few questions to ask your child:

Do you need to add or subtract?  Does your answer make sense?   What can you do to solve (draw a pictures, use items to count, use fingers…)?

Examples of Number Stories:

My mom made 5 cookies.  My brother ate 2.  How many are left?

There were 2 bunnies in my yard.  Then, 1 more bunny jumped into the yard?  How many bunnies are there in all?

Four friends were playing.  Two had to go home.  How many are left?

Reading – How to Help Your Child Read independently

You should be noticing an explosion of reading ability.  Your child should be reading Guided Reading books easily and be able to talk about them.  Also, you should be seeing your child reading books around the house, signs and library books.  Early reading strategies fall under three main categories.  Here are some ways to support your Kindergarten reader:

1.     Meaning (fits the context of the text) – If your child gets stuck when reading, try prompting,

a.    What would make sense?

b.    Can the picture help you?

c.    Think about the story so far.

2.     Structure (fit grammar rules) –

a.    Think about how you would say that.

b.    What would sound right?

c.    Would you say “It is…” or “It are…”?

3.     Visual (letter/sound match) –

a.    Get your mouth ready for the first letter.

b.    Is there a part of that word that you know?

c.    Look through the whole word (or at the end).

d.    Does it look like another word you know (If you know ‘like’, you can figure out ‘bike’)?

Spring Fling Items Needed

Micah	1 bag baby carrots		Marco	1 bag baby carrots
Fabien	1 bag celery sticks		Kamiyah	1 bag celery sticks
Leo	1 package cherry tomatoes		Gianni	1 package cherry tomatoes
Nevaeh	1 bottle or package ranch dip		Josiah	1 bottle or package ranch dip
Ciniya	1 bag pretzels		Ava	1 bag pretzels
Caleb	1 bag baby carrots		Cianna	1 bag baby carrots
Blaze	1 bag celery sticks		Kaedyn	1 bag celery sticks
Sanyla	1 package cherry tomatoes		Jerranae	1 package cherry tomatoes
Zakary	1 bag pretzels		Marco	1 bag pretzels

Bunny Bag Goodies

On Thursday, April 13^th, we will celebrate spring through spring-centered stations and snacks.  Check above for assigned items to bring by Wednesday, April 12^th.  All students are welcome to bring treats to fill the bunny bags that students will make at school.  Thanks for your support of our fun learning experiences.

Updates to folders for 4^th Quarter

Sight Words

Your child should be able to read most or all of the sight words from the Kindergarten list in the folder.  If you child is not able to read all 60 words quickly, please practice at home daily.  If your child knows less than 45 words, he/she is behind at this time and is also getting extra intervention at school.  However, to catch up extra practice will be needed.  If your child has mastered 1 list and new one has been added to the folder.

4^th Quarter Goals

Please see the new goals for 4^th Quarter for English-Language Arts and Math in the center of your child’s folder.

Behavior

Remember to check your child’s folder for behavior daily.  When you notice “Ws”, your child has received a warning after several gentle reminders and redirections.  Please ask your child discuss school rules with you to help reinforce appropriate behaviors.  If you notice yellow and red marks regularly, please continue to have conversations with your child about listening to reminders and showing respect to others.

Parent Information – Here is a great article to support Kindergarten Parents.

Kindergarten is an exciting and critical time in your child’s development and growth. You can play an important role in this wonderful journey. Here’s what kindergarten teachers want parents to know:

1. Your job isn’t over when you drop your little one off at school; it has only just begun. Your child’s teacher wants to be your partner. Keep them informed about what goes on at home that might affect your child’s behavior or academic performance. Share with them how what they do at school affects your child at home.

2. This is not your grandfather’s kindergarten. The expectations of what children need to know when they enter kindergarten are closer to what used to be expected in 1st grade. To boost your child’s academic skills:

•    Talk with her about what interests her.

•    Encourage her to be curious and ask questions.

•    Point out letters and numbers when you see them in books and around town.

Support her in solving everyday problems.

3. The more self-control your child has, the more successful he will be in school. Children need practice in deciding how and when to express their feelings and needs, and when and if to act on impulses. Help him develop and practice these skills at home before he tests them at school, where the consequences are a loss of learning for him and for others.

4. Make yourself known. Come in. Look around. Peruse the textbooks and materials. Knowledge is power. When you know about the subjects your child is studying, you will be able to help her better and have a common understanding for discussion. Volunteering is a wonderful way to learn about what goes on at school and to show your child how much you care about what she is doing.

5. Your child needs lots of opportunities for play outside of school. Play is the way in which he learns about himself and the people and world around him. But more often than not, play has been squeezed out of the school day. Playing both alone and in small groups helps facilitate learning and allows your child to practice skills and concepts.

6. Reading to your child once a day is not enough. Try to read together at least three times a day. Books are the gateway to building vocabulary, learning about print, and developing listening and early literacy skills. When you read, talk about the book. Discuss the characters and setting, make predictions, and create new endings. Point out letters and words in the text, and encourage him to recognize rhyming sounds and words and to identify beginning and ending sounds.

7. Writing exploration at home is critical. Your child needs to have opportunities to use pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, and other writing instruments as she attempts to express herself in written form. She begins with scribbles and lines, moves on to letters and her name, and then to words and sentences.

8. Homework is an opportunity for talking, sharing, and listening. Teachers give homework to extend the learning of the classroom. It is a chance for you to find out what your child is studying and how well he is grasping the skills and concepts being taught at school. Talk with your child about his homework. It shows him that you care and value what he does at school.

9. Television and video games use up valuable playtime. Limit screen time. The hours spent with these electronic devices could otherwise be spent talking, reading, or actively learning through play.

10. First-hand experiences are another teacher for your child. Take her to museums, the zoo, the aquarium, the library, parks, arts performances, and geographic locations such as the mountains, beach, forests, and deserts. And do it often. She’ll grasp concepts and skills better if she has experiences with the real thing.