Kindergarten's eleventh week: Digraphs, Tally Marks, and Floating Fun!

Dear family, we hope you all have been doing well! As usual, we've been busy and thriving. Our kids have made incredible progress in all areas - social interactions, academics, and physical development. They are truly a joy to be around, with their wonderful manners and infectious enthusiasm. This week's activities were not only educational but also a lot of fun for everyone involved. Let’s take you through the highlights:

Large Group:

Our large group time is always a highlight of our day. After we go through the day, date, and month on our calendar, we dive into our letters/words of the day, rhyme time, and the shape of the day. This week, we started learning about digraphs (two letters that make one sound). We focused on ch, sh, oo, ph, th, and wh and had a lot of fun singing the "Digraph" song by Jack Hartman. It's so catchy, and the kids loved taking turns pointing out the digraphs! This was designed to help our children understand that certain letter combinations produce a single sound, which is an important concept in phonics and reading development. By singing the song and practicing identifying digraphs, our children were able to grasp the idea in a fun and interactive way.

Literacy:

For our literacy activities this week, we worked on ordering lowercase letters. This built upon our previous alphabet lessons, as our children were now able to identify and recognize the individual letters. By putting the letters in the correct order, they gained a deeper understanding of the alphabet and were prepared to move on to more advanced concepts like digraphs and word formation. Our second literacy activity was a rhyming game with picture cards. Our children enjoyed matching words with the same ending sounds and identifying rhyming pairs. We also completed rhyming word worksheets, which reinforced their understanding of word endings and sounds. These activities were designed to develop the children's phonemic awareness and early reading skills. We are so proud of their focus and progress and can’t wait to see their literacy skills continue to develop!

Math:

This week, we learned about "tally marks." Our children were fascinated by this new way of counting, and they loved practicing tally counting during our lessons. They got especially excited when they reached the fourth vertical line and got to make the diagonal mark, as this signified the completion of a group of five. Tally marks are an important skill for quick and efficient counting, and our children really enjoyed the hands-on practice. Our second math activity focused on measurement, with our children using measuring tapes to determine the heights of their classmates and some items in the playground. This allowed them to explore the concept of measurement and gain a better understanding of size and scale.

Science:

We started our science activities this week by watering the plants around the grass area. This gave our children a tangible experience of what plants need to grow and thrive. They were then able to apply this knowledge as they planted their own bean seeds in plastic bags with cotton balls. They were eager to observe the growth of their plants and track their progress over the coming days. Our second science activity was a "sink or float" experiment, where our children tested different objects to see which ones would sink and which would float. They learned about the concept of density and enjoyed the hands-on exploration of this scientific principle.

 Art:

It was a colorful, creative flurry in art this week as usual! For our art activity, we used magnets to create colorful masterpieces. Our children used magnet wands to move paper clips on their painted papers, enjoying the way the magnets could pass through the paper. This activity not only allowed them to explore the properties of magnets but also encouraged their creativity and self-expression through the artworks they produced.

Gymnastics:

This week, our weekly gymnastics session included stretching, light jogging, and an "oobleck" activity that challenged their fine motor skills and coordination. Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid that exhibits both solid and liquid properties, and our children had a wonderful time exploring its unique characteristics. They tried to pick up the solid parts and let the liquid parts flow through their fingers, engaging their problem-solving skills and physical dexterity. After the activity, they worked together to clean up the mess, learning the importance of teamwork and responsibility.

 Cooperative Game:

This week, we all worked as a team to wash the school van. Our children had a blast using sponges, soap, and towels to clean and dry the vehicle, learning the value of cooperation in our daily lives. This activity not only reinforced the importance of teamwork but also allowed our children to take pride in their work and contribute to the well-being of their shared environment.

Next Week’s Schedule:

Monday – Math, Literacy

Tuesday – Literacy, Science, gym

Wednesday - Library, Math

Thursday - Science

Friday - Cooperative game

Specials:

Monday- Art

Tuesday - Gym

Thursday - Ethiopian center/ clay

Friday - Football

Reminders and notes:

• Next Wednesday your child will be coming home with a library folder and a story book in it. Make sure to read the story together and return the folder book back the other Wednesday so your child can get a new book.

• Make sure that your child is wearing suitable clothes on Monday as we have

       art class and activities get messy sometimes.

Thank you for staying up to date with our kindergarten adventures. We can't wait to see what the next week has in store!