Good Morning JK Parents!

Our theme in JK was "All About Me" this week.  The students are taking turns sharing their All About Me posters with the class and calling on friends for comments.  They are "Star Students" and have been amazing at presenting and using pointers in their presentations.  We use sign language for "me too" as the kids find their favorite things in common.

Math & Science

We talked about shapes and finding shapes in our everyday environment.  We used graham crackers at snack time to demonstrate that two squares join to make a rectangle.  We will learn and build on three dimentional shapes as we hunt through the school for them.  

We are learning about our five senses and how we use them to explore.  We talked about how we can be mindful by slowing down our bodies and using our senses to smell and see and hear and touch and taste while taking time to really think about each sense.  We are using Calm Classroom Strategies to come together as a group and build on our focus and stamina.  

Social Emotional/Literacy

We read The Crayon Box That Talked and colored crayons to display in our classroom crayon box!  We celebrated the differences in each of us just like the crayons in the story.  Is it great to be different?  YES!

We began our letter of the week study and read the Aa Book as we hunted for letters beginning with each different Aa sound.  We will begin learning and building on the Zoo Phonics as we match each letter sound with an animal and motion.  It's a spectacular program that makes letter learning fun.  We will begin reading groups next week as we learn the skills of each student and which activities will best help stretch them in their learning.  

Show n Tell is always a wonderful exercise in building presentation skills/confidence.  The children loved showing their friends their treasures.  

We began writing our names using the Handwriting Without Tears program.  We will be working on lower case letters and beginning from the top when writing.  We are still learning routines and will be breaking up into groups as the students are comfortable with the classroom schedules and their classmates.  

Fine Motor

They love to painting with water colors and were creating beautiful pictures.  We read three Elmer the Elephant stories and created our own unique Elmers with tissue paper.  

Specials

Ms. Hilda read to us in our amazing school library, and the children chose a book to take home.  The Early Childhood section is one of my favorite spaces in Roycemore!  It's incredibly inviting and cozy and the children love reading there. JK bunnies must return their books the next Monday before library class in order to take another book home. 

In Art class the students read two books about dots and began creating their own dot collages. We will be displaying our art work at the end of the EC hallway. Make sure you take a look when you are able to visit on Friday afternoons! 

For French this week, our JK bunnies are focusing on greetings and salutations as they introduce themselves to Madame. We have been learning songs that address feelings (feeling good/bad or so-so).  

Happy Birthday to Inaya who turned 4 in August and Claire who is turning 5.  We loved celebrating you!  

Good Morning JK Parents!

It was SO nice to see returning families and meet new families on Monday at orientation. We feel so lucky to already feel supported going into this new school year. 

We have had an amazing first week of school  We have been playing name games and talked about how to make friends.  It's all about routines this week and learning how to navigate the classroom and our school.  We have met our specials teachers (and will meet our librarian Monday) and have been playing and reading together all week, getting to know all of the wonderful things we have in common.  

Literacy:  

We are reading many fiction and non fiction books about the beginning of school and making friends.  The children love hearing about other kids and their struggles, easing their own anxiety about all of the new routines and situations.  We are reading the Morning Message together and sounding out words as a group.  

Fine Art:

Our JK bunnies used pastels and glittery water colors as they painted Pete the Cat's School Shoes.  They made collages to decorate September calendars we are working on, and wrote descriptive words about the beginning of the school year.  

Math:

We are counting together and learning the different levels and skills of the children as we begin to structure our Math centers.  

PE:

Coach Long lead us in a game of noodle tag as we froze and unfroze friends in the gym.  Coach B and Coach Long will be our PE teachers this year, teaching us incredible group games and encouraging the left right brain development by crossing the midline as we learn to catch and throw, balance as we follow lines, practice mindfulness, use multiple balls, scooters, hoola hoops etc and learn amazing groups games.  

Social Emotional:

The students are learning to help one another as they practice the skills and routines while navigating the classroom and school.  We talked extensively about how to show kindness and how to make and be a good friend.  We are discussing what it means to be a part of a community and how we can all help each other.  I am amazed with the incredible capabilities of this class to listen and hear others.  

Music:

The students played musical instruments as well as finger play name games.  We won't be singing in music class until we are out of the Covid woods, but are finding many other ways to experience music this week/year.  

I am looking forward to speaking with you all next week as I share the school year activities and goals on Curriculum Night.  Please feel free to ask any questions.  

Have a lovely weekend!

Susie