Last week was our last week of library for the school year. In library rather than check out books Ms. Tory read the class The 3 Billy Goats Gruff. In small groups our class got to act out the story. It was lots of fun. This week, we won't be going to library. If you haven't yet returned your child's library book, please be sure to do so this week. They are taking inventory of all books in the Lewis library. 

 This week, or lead story is called Mayday, Mayday. It is a non-fiction book about a coast guard helicopter rescue. Our vocabulary words include, rescue, pilot, shimmering, yacht, sailor and mechanic. We will be labeling parts of a helicopter, retelling the story, making lists of vehicles and writing sentences using our new vocabulary words. In math, we are introducing a new game using subraction. We will have daily opportunities to practice our new math skills. We will have gardening this week with Ms. Julia. Our focus this last stretch in on worms. We will be reading non-fiction informational books about worms, observing worms and labeling worms. 

I had a great report from Patricia about her time here last week. The kids were fantastic as usual. I am so proud of how hard this class works. I want to thank all of you for your kind words in this difficult time. It means a lot to me. 

 This week in Room 1 we are focusing on our lead story Max Takes the Train. It has a focus on different kinds of transportation. It is perfect timing for this story as we are in Walk and Bike month at school. In Worktime kids are listing kinds of transportation, writing sentences using those words, sequencing the story and discussing character and setting. The comprehension focus this week is retelling. Our big vocabulary words are transportation and excursion. In math, we are doing new problem solving with frogs in a pond. We are continuing to practice our math skills by playing the math partner games. 

 Over the next few weeks, I am going to be doing end of year assessments. I am very excited to see the growth this group has made this year. I am very proud of each and every one of them.

 We have had a great week so far in Room 1. Our lead story this week is Max Takes The Train. We have been learning about different forms of transportation. My personal favorite it the side-car. We have been writing sentences using those transportation words, making a word web of kinds of transportation, sequencing the story and talking about the characters. The comprehension strategy this week is retelling.  In math we am going to be relooking at problem solving using frogs in a frog pond. We will continue to practice our math skills through games as well. 

 Beginnning next week, I am going to begin my end of year literacy and math assessments. I am excited to see the growth this class has made throughout the year. 

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 232 1324 Portland Public Schools 11 2 1625 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false

What a joy it was to see all the kids here at Lewis School proudly show off their art to the Lewis community. I could just see so much pride in the eyes of each child. The docents did a fantastic job explaining the process of creating the art, and talking about the artist the works were inspired by. It feels good this week to be back to a regular routine. Yes, the art will continue to be created. All of the work from the school year will be sent home at the end of the year in a portfolio. 

 This week we are continuing with our story Abuela. The genre is fantasy. The illustrator of the book, Elisa Klevin, uses vivid colors in the book. We are creating a watercolor scene similar to that of the illustrator of the book. They will be displayed outside the classroom by the end of the week. 

  In mathematics, we are continuing to introduce new math games weekly. Each game is an opportunity for kids to practice math skills. This practice creates automaticity. Like reading, lots of math practice makes each new skill taught easier to assimilate. When a kindergartener knows automatically that 5 and 2 more is 7, without counting on their fingers it makes other operations easier to learn. It is like a basis, or a scaffold for more complex skills. The Home Connection (math homework) is another opportunity to solidify those math skills.

   Looking ahead, we will begin our last sessions of gardening next week with Miss Julia. We will be looking closely at and learning about worms. There will be classroom activities around the topic, then Miss Julia will reinforce the learning in the garden. 

This week in Room 1 we are preparing for Family Art Night. We are all very excited to share our art with the school community. If your child would like to be a docent, and hasn't signed up yet, you may do so on the schedule posted outside the classroom.  This week in literacy, we are reading a fiction book called Abuela. We will be making lists of places to visit, sequencing the story and creating art about the story. Worktime Centers in kindergarten are such a joy at this time of year. The kids are so independent and know exactly what they need to do. They are also doing such great work.  It is amazing that we are so close to the end of the school year. I am so proud of the wonderful work this class has done this year.This is the time of year I begin talking to the class about first grade. I do this as a gradual process to illiminate as much anxiety as possible. It is a big transition for kids and I do all I can to make it a very positive experience. 

 In math, we are continuing to work on number combinations with addition and subtraction, measure objects with unifix cubes and continuing to practice adding using money. Last week we had the opportunity to see the 4th and 5th graders in the play The Elves and The Shoemaker. We were so amazed at the talent our fellow Lewis students showed. The play was very entertaining and so well done.

 This month Miss Julia will begin to work with the kindergarten classes in the garden. We will get to go once a week in small groups. We are also going to do some writers workshop in the outdoor classroom on days that are warm enough.  

What a great job the students in Room 1 did last week with our Artist in Residence. We had so much fun creating our puppets and recreating the story of The Grouchy Ladybud by Eric Carle. If you were unable to attend, and would like to see the play, bring a blank disk to school. Rebekah Amodei recorded the play and will make a copy for those folks who would like it. 

 This week in Gym, we are learning a very basic version of kickball. We will be practicing and playing throughout the rest of the year. We will continue with yoga right up to the end of the school year. You are all invited to join us for yoga on Fridays at 1:40. You would be very impressed to see how the kids on our class can do yoga. 

 This week, we are shifting our focus to Antarctica. We are learning all about life in Antarctica. We read a non-fiction lead story called If You Lived in Antarctica. This week in worktime we will be writing facts about Antarctica, making a list of things you would need if you went there, drawing penguins and much more. This week we are also preparing for Art Night which is May 2nd. There will be a sign-up sheet outside the classroom for students to sign up to be docents on that night. It is optional for them, but I encourage them to do it. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to practice public speaking. The only requirement is that they are serious about it and they dress up in their nicest clothes. 

 Looking ahead, we will be getting to see the 5th graders in the play The Elves and The Shoemaker on Friday. Once again, mark your calendars for May 2nd for Family Art Night. 

 This is a very exciting week. We have our artist in Residence here from Tears of Joy Theatre. We creating an adapation of the  Eric Carle story The Grouchy Lady Bug. First, we learned the story, paying close attention to the characters and the events of the story. Then the students practiced different pitches for their voices for the different characters. Then, they had auditions for the characters. After that, we are going to create puppets for the different characters. We will then learn the lines for the play and rehearse the play. On Thursday, we will have a performance of the play in our classroom at 11:00. Parents are invited to join us for the performance. If you are unable to come, I will be sure to take lots of pictures and post them on Posterous for you. The week will end with our field trip to see a production by Tears Of Joy of Stellaluna. It is going to be a great week. I want to thank my parent helpers who are helping this week with the artist. 

  In writers workshop, we will be focusing more on letter writing and the process of writing a letter. In math, we are looking closely at measurement. We are discussing how we measure time, length, weight and temperature. We will be measuring various things in our classroom with unifix cubes. 

Looking ahead, we will have our field trip on Friday. We will be beginning gardening again in May. Report cards will be coming home on Friday. The first Thursday of May is Family Art Night. This is such a fun event. I look forward to it every year.  Its hard to believe we are in the home stretch of the school year. It has gone by so fast this year. 

Spring is in the air. We are so happy to have the opportunity to go outside this week. This week we are going to observe the apple tree in the Lewis garden and see how it has changed since we observed it in the Fall and the Winter. This month is Poetry month. Ms. Tori has been reading many different poetry books to our class. If you have poetry books at home, this would be a great time to bring them out and read them as a family. In literacy, we are reading fairy tales beginning with Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. We will be discussing characters, setting, sequence of events and cause and effect. In math we are continuing to work on numbers to 20. I introduced a new game last week working on counting backwards from 20, which is a little more challenging for them.  Looking ahead, we are having our artist in residence each day next week Monday-Thursday from 10:30-11:30. I would like to have a parent helper each day that week to help with managing materials. Please sign up outside the classroom on the helper signup sheet. We are getting ready for our annual Family Art Night coming up the first Thursday in May. Kids will have the opportunity to be docents on that night talking about our art, how we created it, what artist the work is modeled after, the materials we used etc. This Friday, we have a teacher planning day. I will be working on report cards which will be sent home on the following Friday, April 20th.