In Language Arts, we are beginning to read words with the short /a/ sound, like man or cat. Toucan Sam helps the kids remember what sound the short 'A' makes. Just click over to the new Video Shorts section under Fun Stuff to watch at home.
We also have been focusing quite a bit on phonemic awareness (hearning and identifying sounds of words), which is an important skill for reading and writing. We use the phrases "stretch it out" and "break it up", along with hand motions, to help kids learn to hear sounds in words. If they can hear the sounds, then they can write the sounds down and begin to spell words. Ask your child to show you how we do it, then practice at home.
In math, we are working on the basic skill of counting objects up to 10. Some more difficult skills we are learning are: making a growing pattern; learning "greater than" and "fewer than"; and using ten-frames with poker chips to help kids see groups of ten.
To get ready for next week's lesson on numbers 11-20, take a look at this rockin' video by Harry Kindergarten!
Congratulations to the students who worked hard and received certificates at our honor roll assembly today! We appreciate their efforts and love of learning, and expect even better things in the coming months.