nicholls kindergarten blog: March 14

It is certainly an interesting time we are all living through right now. While teachers are preparing, behind the sense, for a possible school dismissal (students will stay home while faculty continue to work to support families and student learning), the day to day operations of school as we know it are continuing as normal. Aside from more hand washing and awareness of germs, we are keeping a normal routine and continuing with our regular curriculum. In a time when so much is uncertain, our students need regular routines more than ever. They will benefit from this at home as well. While it is important to answer your child's questions about what they may be hearing in the media, and have honest conversations about what we can all do to stay healthy, I recommend limiting their exposure to the ongoing media and the frenzy that seems to be happening around the world, as this could cause anxiety and worry. This article https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html has some helpful information about how to talk to your child about COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

This week in literacy we learned how to write uppercase letters Q, R,S and T. We read a new sight word book titled Can You See? New sight words are: all, you, and of. During Readers workshop mini lessons included scanning the page for words you know before you read, and checking your reading (Does is look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?). We did an interactive read aloud with a book titled A House is House for Me By Mary Ann Hoberman. During an interactive read aloud, we stop often to talk about what is happening in the story by asking and answering questions about the text and making connections to our own life and the world around us.

During Math this week we began our next unit on composition (putting together) and decomposing (taking apart) of numbers using a number bond model. We began by acting our number stories using hula hoops as a life size model of a number bond. We then moved to representing a number bond with linking cubes and pictures and finally numerals. Watch this quick video explaining the number bond model Number Bonds.

On Friday we had fun making Leprechaun Masks. We also were treated to a author visit from a local Vermont Author/illustrator, Lisa Woodruff.

Please don't forget to sign up for a Student Led Conference! I currently only have 7 families on my list! If you are not able to make an appointment for Friday, please let me know so we can schedule an alternative time. Remember, you child needs to attend with you. Call the or stop by the office to schedule a time.

Reminders: