Apples, Lemonade, and Cookies

The cooler weather has been perfect for our new fall theme. This week we have focused on apples! On Monday we read books about apples and taste tested different types of apples. We then wrote about our favorite kind. The majority liked Granny Smith apples.

On Tuesday we learned about different things that are made from apples. They tried different apples products, and charted our favorite kinds. We then used apples to stamp paint. Thursday we learned about Johnny Appleseed, and what some truths and folktales were about him. 

The Kindergartners are continuing to practice reading in phonics. They are learning new letter sounds quickly, and implementing them into their reading books. We have also been practicing some sight words, which are high frequency words that can't currently be sounded out. So far, they have learned the, is, here, mother, and love. 

First Grade is also advancing in phonics. Starting our second unit, they are diving into suffixes, consonant blends, and early writing skills. They have been enjoying the new reader book, especially the story about the yak!

Finishing learning about numbers, the Kindergartners have also begun learning ordinal numbers in math class. First grade is learning to count dimes and pennies together, which has been a fun but rewarding challenge. 

On Friday, the first graders had their long-awaited Lemonade and Goodies stand. It has been so neat to see their teamwork, hardworking attitudes, and manners when working with the costumers. They were busy restocking supplies, cashiering, and counting money! Thank you so much for everyone who bought supplies. We made way more than expected, so I think the money will now be used to buy an object for the upcoming auction!

School Outside of School!

This week was filled with many lessons that didn't take place in school! But first we'l talk about the lessons that did!

Kindergarten incorporated another vowel into their reading, "e". They also completed another reading book! Along with sounding out words, the students have also been practicing sight words. These are words that cannot be sound out, but are frequent in reading. The words the kindergartners have been practicing this week is here, mother, the, and is.

First grade have also done a lot of reading this week, and their almost done with their first unit reader books! They are also really diving into some English skills, like suffixes, plural verbs and nouns, and alphabetical ordering.

In math, Kindergarten has been continuing to learn numbers, and also started to go over ordinal numbers. First grade is learning more about number orders, subtraction, and coin value.

During our discover time this week, we finished up our unit about careers. On Monday the students learned about firefighters. We read a book and discussed their uniforms, truck, and what they do. We also did a little fire experiment about how fire burns using candles. On Tuesday we talked about the importance of dentists. After reading a book, we did an experiment where we brushed a pop-stained egg.

The first grade took a special trip on Friday to Walmart to prepare for their lemonade stand. More details about the stand will be sent home on Monday. It was a fun trip, where they were responsible for money, a grocery list, and finding the items.

Check-Out

Ready to Shop

Thursday was an exciting day, as we took a trip to Salamonie Reservoir. The DNRs prepared a nature hike where the students used their senses to learn more about the woods. They also learned about reptiles, and were able to touch a turtle, snake, and salamander! It was a beautiful day!

Ready for a hike.

Using our touch

Using our eyes

 Using smell

Getting ready to touch a box turtle

More Careers!

It was a blast this week to have many different parents come in for career days! The students (and me!) learned so much about different jobs in our community. On Monday, our school cook came in to talk about what she has to do everyday to prepare lunch for the school. The students participated my making a grocery list, and then following the recipe to make a delicious milkshake!

Anxiously watching the blender as the snack on a cookie!

On Tuesday we had a hog father come in the morning and talk about the importance of farmers. He showed just how many people one pig can feed, and then showed how many a whole hog house can feed! I've really be under appreciating farmers!

On Wednesday a civil engineer came in, and talked about the work he does with bridges. He showed the class many different types of bridges, and different components that have to be considered when designing bridges.  He also showed the class some tools that he has to use when inspecting bridges. 

We had two special guests on Thursday. First, our high school science teacher came down and brought a prey mantis down to teach us a little about etymology. He also talked to us about another job he does, cleaning the church. The students enjoyed him racing against a sweeper to pick up some paper. He then showed us the inside of a full sweeper bag, ew! Also, in the afternoon, a dairy farmer came in to talk to us about what all happens on a farm, and what milk can be used for. She even brought in some yummy ice cream!

The students have also been busy in math. Kindergarten finished learning about numbers 1-5. They've also been counting to 20, practicing patterns, and and working with counting bears to learn one-to-one correspondence. First grade has been counting dimes, practicing subtraction, and learning place values. 

First grade have also been reading like crazy! We are almost through our first reading book already! They are continuing to review letter sounds, and learning many new consonant blends. Kindergarten has read their first reader books with words in them! I wish I could of gotten a picture of their excitement when they read through the whole book. Since the beginning of school, they have also been building time on how long they can read silently. They reached ten minutes this week, so they had a special surprise of eating lunch outside!

On Friday, the first graders worked on their stand (which will be on September 30th). They placed advertisements around the school, and are excited to go grocery shopping next week!

When I Grow Up...

Fun fact, when I was in third grade, I wrote a paper about how I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up! Dream come true! We had fun talking this week about different jobs, and hearing what each other wanted to be when we grew up. We created a class book about our dream jobs, and have had enjoyed reading through it this week. The most creative page is from a hilarious kindergartner who thinks it would be cool to be a bad guy one day!  

This week also started out our career days! I'm excited to have different parents come in and share about their jobs. I think that this gives the students a good view of real community helpers in our very own community. Plus, I love parent involvement in schools! On Thursday we had our first parent come in for career days, a librarian! It was great to learn more about what librarians do, and listen to a story. 

The first graders have begun learning about goods, services, producers, and consumers during discover time. We are in the process of planning, working towards, and creating a lemonade and snack stand at the end of the month. While discussing these concepts, we are planning a menu, making a grocery list, earning money in school to buy groceries, and creating a sign for our stand. Later, we're planning on taking a trip to the grocery story, and making our own products!

The first graders have also been busy with phonics and reading. We have been learning different consonant blends, such as "nd" and "nt", and have been incorporating them in our reading. Our reading books have been becoming more and more advanced. We even read a mini chapter book this week! Keep reading at home! I reminded the students this week that reading doesn't have to mean reading all the words. Rather, looking through a book, spotting words you recognize or can sound out, and understanding a story through pictures!

Kindergartners are also becoming little readers! We began sounding out words such as "sit", "it", and "in". We also have our first sight words, here and is. During reading times, we have been "reading" the pictures and role playing books. 

In math, first grade have been exploring more with subtraction. We also began reading bar graphs more. A funny story (probably more if you were there), I showed a picture of a bar graph and asked if anyone knew what it was (not expecting any answers). One first grade casually says, "Yeah, it's a bar graph."! I asked if she wanted to teach the lesson! 

In Kindergarten, we have been diving into numbers more. We also have been reviewing shapes, comparisons, and patterns. These concepts are truly the foundations for math later on. The students have a blast with patterns! The want to make patterns out of EVERYTHING! Counting bears, words, names, sounds; truly anything. They combined many pattern links together to make an amazing chain!

Well, I hope everyone enjoys the weekend! Just a reminder that Tuesday is Midterm, so I'll be sending progress reports home. Report cards will not be sent during midterms, rather at the end of semesters. 

WooHoo Week 2!

This was the second week with both grades, and things are running smoothly. The students are starting to get the routine, which makes for one happy teacher! I think my favorite thing to see this week is how the students are beginning to be more comfortable in interacting with each other!

The Kindergartners have been busy learning all about letters, their sounds, and how to sound them out in words! This week we learned about "i" and "t" and began to place them together to make the word "it"! We have also been working on finding the first letter in words and writing our names using lowercase letters.

In first grade, we have been reviewing letters and learning new word families. Reading time has been so fun! The students have been reading in the reader books, and are becoming more and more fluent readers! It's been so neat to see their progress. With each story, we have also been working with reading comprehension with questions and worksheets.

From what I've heard, math has been one of the Kindergartners favorite subject. We have been going over foundation concepts such a shapes, same/different, more/fewer, and one-to-one correspondence. Patterns has been a fun concept to go over, and the students are now seeing them everywhere!

First grades math has been moving fast as we starting with counting coins, subtraction, and place values this week! The students have been taking on the challenges though with confidence! To learn the order of first, second, third, etc; we head to the gym to have a race! We have some fast first graders!

During our Discover time, we have been talking about families and our community. The students worked on Monday and Thursday to make their own family album. During the project, we talked about our home, our family members, and what we like to do together.

On Wednesday the first graders talked about our community and the different places you can go in it. We then discussed our school, and made a map of the school.

On Friday we finished our All About Me unit by making a timeline of our past, present, and future self. We also surprised our amazing class assistant with a giant card!

On Tuesday we had a special treat by having a beekeeper come into the school and give a presentation. We were able to look at bees, see their hives, and try many different types of honey. It was a sweet experience!

                                  

Also, a big congrats to this week spellers with 100% on their test! Keep up the hard work!

One last note. The next two weeks are Career Days. It will be so neat for the student's to learn about different careers from their own parents!