Fall Festival
What an event! That was my first EBS Fall Festival! It was so successfully fantastic! I was able to see some our 206 family enjoying themselves and all dressed up! I hope you all had a great time and were able to make it. My family was only able to be there for a little while, but we got to walk around and see the face painting, cake walk, the BINGO games, food trucks and all auction items! Did you get to see Ms. Sloan in her Penguin Costume?…she’s a trooper loaded with EBS spirit!
Thank You for all the Birthday Wishes!
I just wanted to thank you all for your kind birthday wishes. This has been a special year as I have loved going back to the classroom and being fortunate to have your kids in my class. I have bonded and become very close with them. I truly love them and am touched by how much love they showed for my birthday! The hugs, smiles, gifts, cards, and especially the birthday song were a special treat to make this birthday girl grin big for days! Thank you again! I brought the kids in a few treats to celebrate!
Mathematics
We have been focusing on numbers and counting. This week I added a new math activity for home. It was a look at different “Dot Card” combinations. We use these in 206 to practice subitizing. Similarly to sight words its a quick and easy routine you can practice in 2-4 minutes daily or every other day. It build number recognition, understanding number, and is conceptual basis for understanding parts in addition/subtraction. If your child enjoys a little mommy/daddy and me competition you can flip the card and see who names it first. We put ours on a ring and flip them. I have also seen the dots on paper plates. I use dot stickers to build the combinations, but you could also draw them on.
We have also been doing 3-5 word problems a week. (Note: Sometimes these are done in the afternoons, but I typically add one in the homework as well.) I usually start by verbally telling a story that is authentic and catches their interest. For example, I told them a story a while back about getting some flowers and needing to split them up into two rooms at my house. (the more details I add the more engaged they are…). I explained I had a glass vase and a plastic vase and wondered if I had 5 flowers how many I could put in each vase. This story presented problem solving to understand there were multiple answers, as opposed to one answer. In mathematics, this is sometimes the case. We used a visual to help us solve (counters and brown sheet of paper (glass vase) and gray sheet of paper (plastic vase). The first student to help us showed us that you could put 2 in one vase and 3 in the other. My next question was is there another way we could have split them. This went on until all the parts to 5 were represented. See two of the charts below…one I wrote down their thinking (early September) and a more recent chart to show students thinking on our chart.
I try to vary the problems each time to remind them to understand the meaning of the question and to think about what it looks like and what its asking. We are also co-creating a chart of what we do when we do math. We talk about the tools we can use and that we sometimes change our thinking and of course that we try and try and try…De-ter-min-a-tion! Try some of these on at home as little math issues arise in your home. Your little problem solver loves to help and is using math in these authentic situations!
Critical Thinking
This week we reached the point in our Critical Thinking where we learned about the shape of a story. We reread a familiar text (Mrs. Wishy-Washy) and talked about the story and conflict in the story. As we reached the turning point of the story we saw how the story changed shape as it led to the resolution. Check out the chart to see our thinking regarding the story and the concepts/ideas/feelings that rose from this story and discussion. Love the perseverance these kids possess.
Library Time/Day Change
Our class library time is changing. We will now be attending the library on Wednesdays from 12:30 – 1:00. Our TK’s (aka Yellow Group) will dismiss from the library and the Kindergarteners (aka Blue Group) will go directly to lunch after. Please note how this will change the book due dates.
- Attend the school library on Wednesdays at 12:30
- Return books the following Tuesday in order to check out a new book the next day.
Reading Log and Book Borrow Program
Copy of a blank reading is now attached under the Info and Resources Tab under a new page called “Resources.” Always feel free to use a blank piece of paper as well. We value the reading most of all.
I’m almost finished with all the start-of-the-year assessments on all the students. Starting sometime in the next week or so I will send a letter and large envelope for a Book Borrow Program. The letter will explain all the details as this will help your child practice their own reading. The books should be at their level so they aren’t frustrated when reading. The books can also be used to write down on their reading log. The goal will be for students to read the books multiple times over the course of the week to build fluency, reading practice, and confidence. Keep your eyes out for the letter and large envelope.
**Thanks to all the parents who have taken books home to be stickered/labeled in order to also do this Book Borrow Program.
Are you CLEARED? — if not you’ll want to be…
You will be receiving a flyer for the class Halloween Party this week (special thanks to our Room Moms…Soya and Megan for all the planning!) If you are cleared, you are invited to join us this day! The party will start at 11:30 and end at 12:30. We hope you can join us in the fun!
Monday – 10/20
- Apple Orchard Field Trip – bring carseats and check the weather
Tuesday – 10/21
- Return Permission Form
- Return Library books
Wednesday – 10/22
- Library Visit NEW DAY/TIME (TK parents pick up in the library at 12:55 or join us)
Thursday – 10/23
- Color Day – Wear Black
- Minimum Day (dismissal at 12:30)
- Park Playdate for 206 (at Scripps Ranch Community Park -on Blue Cypress)
- Mission Federal Credit Union at School for deposits (see flyer for the deal)
Friday – 10/24
- Homework/Reading Log Due (5 days of reading minimum)
- Math Demo Lesson in 206 (SDCOE presenter)
